It’s ironic that when a horror movie is truly effective at producing fear, I never want to see it again. While there are some incredible horrors, like Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, that I’ll happily rewatch several times over, noticing something new with each viewing, other horrors told me everything I needed to know with a singular viewing, and although I enjoyed them the first time around, I have no desire to rewatch. In fact, some were so bone-chillingly horrific that the thought of having to experience them for a second time actually gives me anxiety.
There are lots of great movies that are so brutal I could only watch them once, and this is especially relevant for horror films. It might be that the movie’s excessive depiction of violence was just too much for me to take, but in other circumstances, it was not the literal imagery that made for difficult viewing, but the psychological intensity of its story. There are many reasons I’d avoid rewatching a horror movie, as sometimes one viewing is more than enough for me.
10 The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
Directed by Tom Six
Based on its concept alone, it was clear that the writer and director Tom Six aimed to get a visceral reaction from me and every other audience member when he made The Human Centipede (First Sequence). As a truly disturbing horror that saw a deranged German surgeon kidnapping tourists and conjoining them together mouth to anus to create the titular human centipede, at times, it felt like this movie was crass for crassness’s sake. Not only was it a terrifying concept, but it was also so excruciatingly disgusting that I never needed to watch the movie again.
The Human Centipede was a prime example of how just because you can, that doesn’t mean you should. There’s something interesting about the idea of a horror movie that pushed so far past the realm of normal acceptability that it became a cultural phenomenon, but it also felt overly provocative and, at times, insincere. Six succeeded in getting a rise out of me watching this film, and the fact that not just one but two sequels have been made showcases there’s something oddly engaging about The Human Centipede, but that’s no reason for me to revisit it.
9 Ringu (1998)
Directed by Hideo Nakata
The 2002 American remake The Ring was the first horror movie I can remember seeing, and I still recall my terror as a young child, far too young to have watched the movie, when the phone rang shortly after the credits rolled. This kicked off a lifetime love of horror, as there’s something simultaneously scary and enjoyably thrilling in watching supernatural stories of imminent demise. I had also known that The Ring was based on a Japanese horror film, but it took many years before I finally saw the original Hideo Nakata movie that i’d heard was many times scarier.
Upon finally watching the original Ringu, I was not prepared for how terrifying it was, as it perfectly showcased how much better at producing scares the Asian market was. Mixing the TV nightmares of Poltergeist with the inescapable doom of The Omen, Ringu felt like it mixed Eastern and Western movies to produce a truly demented film. Wildly effective and grim enough to keep even the bravest movie fan awake at night, Ringu was a movie I’m glad I saw, but the thought of revisiting it sends shivers down my spine.
8 The House That Jack Built (2018)
Directed by Lars von Trier
Danish director Lars von Trier has made a career out of creating deeply unnerving narratives that stick with viewers long after they’ve first witnessed them. While I, for one, am a big fan of Von Trier’s work both in the horror genre and other psychologically probing dramas, he’s also a director whose movies I am happy to leave at one singular viewing. One prime example of this was The House that Jack Built, a deeply troubling account of a serial killer told over the course of 12 years during the 1970s and 1980s.
Although Matt Dillion gave an extraordinary performance as Jack, the graphic depiction of violence in The House That Jack Built meant this was a very difficult movie to watch again. The film was wildly divisive when it was first released, as some criticized its excessive violence while others called it one of Von Trier’s best works. I stood firmly in the middle, able to appreciate its provocative beauty while simultaneously being quite happy never to see it again.
7 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Directed by Tobe Hooper
As perhaps the definitive slasher movie, I would need to have my horror movie credentials revoked had I not watched The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. As a truly revolutionary film that spawned countless imitators, this terrifying story featuring the deranged skin-wearing, chainsaw-wielding killer Leatherface became all the more chilling with the knowledge it was inspired by the real serial killer Ed Gein. As a cult favorite and major commercial success, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre led to the development of a major horror franchise complete with sequels, prequels, remakes, and video games.
I can appreciate The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as one of the most important horror movies ever made, but it was also so intensely chilling that I don’t have any desire to rewatch it. The idea of an almost unstoppable killer coming to murder me with a power tool is enough to have me quaking in my boots, and I’d prefer not to relive that particular cinematic experience again. Director Tobe Hooper certainly made something special with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and although I’m fascinated by how it uncovered the dark underbelly of American society, one viewing was enough.
6 Threads (1984)
Directed by Mick Jackson
The apocalyptic British war drama Threads wasn’t a traditional horror movie, but this sci-fi tale of mutually assured destruction left me so utterly depressed that I never needed to see it again. I first watched Threads as a teenager after hearing future Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker discuss its fearful effect on him as a child (via How TV Ruined Your Life). Hearing Brooker describe Threads as “possibly the most frightening drama broadcast on British television” meant I had to seek it out, but I truly wasn’t prepared for what I’d find.
As a graphic depiction of how a nuclear bomb could destroy society and how the catastrophic after-effects could leave civilization in ruins, it felt terrifying as it had its basis in reality. While Threads was produced in the midst of serious Cold War anxieties, watching it in the 21st century amid conflict in the Middle East, Vladimir Putin, and North Korea, I was hyper-aware that the potential for nuclear warfare had never truly gone away. In a world where the 24-hour news cycle brought out the same kind of anxieties explored in Threads, I had no desire to rewatch it.
5 Antichrist (2009)
Directed by Lars von Trier
From the emotional devastation of Breaking the Waves right through to his absurdly sinister return to television with The Kingdom: Exodus, Danish director Lars von Trier has always been able to get a reaction out of me. However, one movie stands above the rest when it comes to pure fear, and that’s Antichrist. Starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg in a shocking exploration of trauma and sadomasochism, Antichrist was a Von Trier movie that I could only endure for one singular viewing.
Not only was Antichrist packed with grotesque imagery, but it was also so unabashedly grim that I can’t imagine anyone who would willingly decide to watch it again. Antichrist was arthouse horror in its purest form, and it’s easy to appreciate Von Trier’s desire to push through boundaries of acceptability. However, just because I understand why Von Trier does what he does, that doesn’t mean I want to continually re-experience the horrific cinematic worlds that he creates.
4 Begotten (1991)
Directed by E. Elias Merhige
The experimental silent horror Begotten was a viewing experience I will never forget. Full of intense imagery and unnerving visuals, this avant-garde depiction of a godlike figure’s suicide resulted in the creation of Mother Earth and the Son of Earth in a story that drew heavily from Christian mythology and pagan beliefs. Initially conceived as a work of experimental theater, it’s clear that Begotten was not made with mainstream success in mind, as its disconcerting nature made for challenging viewing.
The unsettling and unconventional aesthetic of Begotten meant it was unlike any horror movie I’d ever seen. With graphic depictions of violence that come in terrifying waves throughout its swift 72-minute runtime, Begotten was produced in a manner that gave it aspects of looking like it was made in the 1920s but, being honest, also like something entirely outside of any era. Begotten was a troubling but highly rewarding visual showcase, yet its challenging nature, brutal violence, and surreal style made me happy to let it remain a one-time experience.
3 Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Directed by Ruggero Deodato
I’ve always been a big fan of the found-footage genre, as it can create an incredibly immersive experience that makes horror movies feel even more terrifying. While this style was used to create effective movies like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, nothing could have prepared me for the unnerving nature of Cannibal Holocaust. As the story of a lost documentary crew and a rescue mission in the Amazon rainforest, Cannibal Holocaust became a truly terrifying experience as they encountered a local cannibalistic tribe.
I was well aware of the controversies surrounding Cannibal Holocaust before I watched it, as the film was so realistic that it became the subject of an obscenity trial after it was released. Cannibal Holocaust felt so realistic that the actors actually had to appear in court to prove they had not really been eaten as depicted onscreen (via Comic Book Resources). While I was fully conscious that it was all fictional when watching, the experience was so intense that I made a vow to myself never to watch it again.
2 Martyrs (2008)
Directed by Pascal Laugier
Martrys was truly one of the scariest horror movies I have ever seen, and its intense nature and ultra-violent narrative meant I could endure one viewing. As the story of a young woman determined to enact revenge against those who tortured her child, even explaining its story was chilling enough without having to endure what was actually depicted on screen. From French director Pascal Laugier, Martyrs was part of the New Extremity film movement, which embraced movies packed with over-the-top violence and depraved sexual imagery.
I knew Martys was going to be difficult to watch when I first saw it, as I had read reports of viewers collapsing and even vomiting during screenings (via Total Film). The controversy was so great that it even led to the documentary Martyrs vs. Censorship, which addressed the brutality of the film and its reception around the world. As a truly hard-to-endure movie, I was curious to watch Martyrs, but that does not mean I’d subject myself to repeated viewings.
1 The Exorcist (1973)
Directed by William Friedkin
I can vividly recall sneaking downstairs after my parents were fast asleep to secretly watch a TV showing of The Exorcist at around ten years old. Even as a young child, I knew that this film had gained a special place in popular culture, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about for myself. This may have been a bad decision, as this supernatural story of occultism, demons, and religious rituals left an undeniable mark on my subconscious, and I had nightmares for weeks.
Watching as the 12-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) became possessed by a sinister demon was just too much for a young child to endure, and although I’ve enjoyed the franchise’s sequels and spin-offs, and even since reading William Peter Blatty’s original novel, I’ve never been able to bring myself to rewatch the movie in its entirety. There’s just something about this particular movie that has been imprinted on my brain, and even all these years later, I can still recall that frightened child wishing I’d listened to my parents and just stayed in bed.
Sources: How TV Ruined Your Life, Comic Book Resources, Total Film