8 Most Mentally Unsettling Horror Movies That Will Make You Sleep With Your Lights On
These movies won't end with the final credits – they'll wait until you're alone in the dark to haunt you.
If you're still here, then you're looking for more than just thrills – you're looking for a truly shocking cinematic experience that will stick with you for a long time.
This list is your guide to the most shocking, psychologically devastating, and downright disgusting horror films ever made.
1. 'The Green Inferno', 2013
IMDb Score: 5.4/10
A group of New York student activists travels to the Amazon to protect indigenous people and prevent deforestation of the rainforest. After a plane crash, however, they are captured by a wild, cannibalistic tribe.
Director Eli Roth spares neither the characters nor the viewers: rivers of blood are spilled, and scenes of violence are filmed with extreme realism, causing physical discomfort.
2. 'In My Skin', 2002
IMDb Score: 6.2/10
In My Skin is a profound and visually rich exploration of corporeality, self-destruction, and loneliness. After a failed suicide attempt, the main character, Esther, locks herself in a hotel room.
After accidentally injuring her leg, Esther develops an obsession with her skin, cutting off small pieces and tasting them.
This nearly nauseating movie combines elements of a psychological thriller and body horror to raise questions about identity and self-control.
3. 'The House That Jack Built', 2018
IMDb Score: 6.8/10
Lars von Trier's psychological thriller The House That Jack Built premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, immediately sparking a storm of emotions among critics and viewers alike.
The movie's main character, Jack, is a twisted serial killer who views his crimes as art. Each crime is a new stone in a house built on a foundation of horror and madness, with walls constructed from the mutilated bodies of his victims.
The narrative is permeated by horrific scenes of violence, accompanied by philosophical reflections on the nature of evil, creativity, and responsibility.
4. 'The Human Centipede (First Sequence)', 2009
IMDb Score: 4.4/10
Dutch director Tom Six's iconic and vile body horror work, which references Nazi medical experiments, regularly appears on lists of the most repulsive horror films.
In the movie, a retired German surgeon, renowned for his successful surgeries to separate conjoined twins, kidnaps three people: two American tourists and a Japanese man.
His plan is to merge their bodies into a single "human centipede," creating a single digestive system. After the operation, he trains his victims and feeds them dog food.
5. 'Maniac', 2012
IMDb Score: 6.1/10
William Lustig's cult slasher film Maniac, released in 1980, is one of the darkest movies of its time. Frank Zito is a man with a severe mental disorder who is obsessed with murdering women. Then, he then uses their body parts to create his terrifying mannequins.
The dolls serve as trophies and symbols of his morbid attachment and distorted perception of reality.
Even more shocking was the 2012 remake, which was shot entirely from a subjective perspective. It starred Elijah Wood, who was only once briefly glimpsed in a mirror.
6. 'Three… Extremes', 2004
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
Three... Extremes is an anthology that was released in 2004 and brought together directors from Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
The three short stories explore the extremes of human cruelty within the horror genre. Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike, and Fruit Chan unsettle viewers with dark stories full of horror and violence, demonstrating the fine line between survival instinct and morality.
Each story offers a harsh social commentary accompanied by shocking scenes that evoke disgust and emotional upheaval.
7. 'Little Otik', 2000
IMDb Score: 7.3/10
Little Otik is a dark and mysterious movie by Jan Švankmajer, a renowned Czech director and artist, as well as one of the most prominent surrealists in world cinema.
A childless couple adopts a log that comes to life and terrorizes their neighborhood. The log consumes the woman's hair and pets and later transforms into a bloody monster.
The combination of satire and horror creates a uniquely unsettling atmosphere in which the lines between fantasy and reality blur and viewers find themselves drawn into a disturbing nightmare.
8. 'Man Behind the Sun', 1988
IMDb Score: 6.1/10
This 1988 Hong Kong horror movie depicts the war crimes committed by Unit 731, a secret Japanese biological weapons testing laboratory that operated in occupied Manchuria during World War II.
It depicts horrific scenes of people being subjected to inhumane torture, such as having their limbs frozen to determine how long they could survive in extreme cold or being exposed to biological weapons.
Due to its extreme violence, the movie drew considerable criticism and was banned or censored in many countries.
