Irréversible (2002, Directed by Gaspar Noe) vs. Martyrs (2007, Directed by Pascal Laugier) vs. Inside (2007, Directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo) vs. Cannibal Holocaust (1980, Directed by Ruggero Deodato)
I still don't get why we can vote for two movies, but since we can... I couldn't help but vote for Irreversible AND Inside. I voted for those two movies simply because they're the most plausible and realistic. And not only is the subject manner in both films realistic, but how it's portrayed is downright chilling. It feels so real watching these films, and it just sickens you knowing that there are real people out there who suffer what the victims in Irreversible and Inside have suffered. Cannibal Holocaust... refuse to watch since there's actual violence against animals, in which even the filmmaker and actors now regret. To me that's just disgusting, not disturbing. And Martyrs, while truly a great horror film and a very disturbing one at that, it's not plausible anything like that could ever happen in the manner of which the movie played it out, so I can't put it as high on the disturbance level as I could Irreversible and Inside.
I also voted for Irreversible but also voted for Cannibal Holocaust. All four films are very deserving from my point of view but these two films stand above the rest for me. Also, I have been pushing them the hardest. However, push come to shove I would take Cannibal Holocaust over Irreversible. I have given my reasons for voting for both films numerous times throughout this tournament but will give them one more time. The rape scene in Irreversible is incredibly brutal, realistic and horrific to watch. Seeing the guy enter the hallway and then simply walk out is so heart wrenching. That scene alone is capable of pulling on my emotions and may in fact be the most difficult thing I have ever watched. However, Cannibal Holocaust as a whole disturbed me more. It wasn't necessarily the violence against humans, though it is pretty upsetting to watch at times, but the animal cruelty that disturbed me the most. I know things were different in the 80's and I know that animals are killed in that manner but actually seeing a pig, a monkey, and various other animals killed in those ways was upsetting and difficult to watch. Also, the scene in which a women has a ball of mud with spike jammed up her vagina and the scene where the villagers are all gathered into a hut and burned to death disturb me beyond belief. I have actually watched Irreversible again, whereas I have not even been tempted to watch Cannibal Holocaust a second time even though I own it. Both Irreversible and Cannibal Holocaust are disturbing in their own ways, but Cannibal Holocaust would have definitely gotten my vote if I could only vote for one. Also, all four films in this finale are appropriate and possibly the four top choices over all. I can honestly see and accept any of these films winning.
Well, it seems we have a tie here between Cannibal Holocaust and Irreversible. As the tiebreaker, I'm going with Cannibal Holocaust. If you want a rationale, here it is: Irreversible disturbed me greatly because it drove home how jaded and uncaring the Western world has become. Sure, we still do have some sense of attachment to those closest to us (i.e., family and lovers), but I'd go so far as to say that we really only care about those closest to us when we think of them as means rather than ends. For example, someone doesn't love their wife because they care for them deeply and want to see them flourish as a human being; they love their wife because she meets their cleaning, cooking, and sexual needs. That we would find ourselves falling out of love with our significant other should they become unable to do certain things for us is an attestation to the argument I'm making here. As for people that do nothing for us (besides maybe keep us company every once in a while), well, I think Irreversible makes it clear how we feel about them; we inappropriately pry into their sex lives, we fornicate in front of them should we be in the mood, and we could care less if they're being assaulted, raped, or mugged because doing so would take time away from ourselves (all of these examples are taken from the film). We're all about ourselves, and, while I think this attitude is healthy to a certain extent, it doesn't pardon us from not respecting other people's lives and helping them when they're in need and only an arm's length away. On the other hand, Cannibal Holocaust introduces us to a whole different way of life, one where women are murdered for adultery, where animals are brutally massacred, and where people actually eat other people. While I now fully understand that living conditions around the world sometimes necessitate cultural practices different from my own, this wasn't apparent to me when I first viewed Cannibal Holocaust. Ultimately, you can chalk up my decision here to maturity and timing. Had I not loved horror films ever since I was in grade school and had I not been dogged in my attempts to watch exploitation films behind my parents' backs when in middle school, I probably would have chosen Irreversible over Cannibal Holocaust. Since this isn't the case, Cannibal Holocaust is the winner of WZ's Most Disturbing Movie Ever Mini-Tournament. I'd like to thank everyone who participated in this tournament, especially IndyJon22 and jmt225. While this tournament was a massive flop, it would have been an unlivable failure without you two.
Sorry I wasn't around more for this little tourny TDigs, I feel like a bastard for not being more involved. Especially since Cannibal Holocaust appears to be one of the co-winners alongside Irreversible. I laid out all the reasons why Cannibal Holocaust is nowhere even close to being as disturbing as really any of the films on this list in the opening round so I won't go into it again, but I'll just briefly say that the violence in Cannibal Holocaust is exploitative B-movie level at best, shit I saw a more disturbing horror film on Showtime the other night whose name I can't even remember. Irreversible would get my vote here if the voting wasn't already closed. Few films have ever made such an impact on me, especially the fire extinguisher scene which manages to make me look away in disgusted awe to this very day. A masterpiece in every word, one of the few films to show violence for just what it really is---disturbing, disgusting, and deplorable.