Do you seek out challenging media?

[Klumpfot]

I've been on a cinema binge lately. More specifically, I've been watching movies that are said to be challenging to watch, for the sole reason that they are said to be challenging to watch. This in turn led me to think about how many others do this, with any kind of media.

By 'challenging', I mean something that is made to be either very dramatically heavy or intentionally disturbing in some way. I would also count some avant-garde art to be challenging.

Keeping with the topic at hand, do you find yourself seeking out such media?

 

[smearyllama]

I like TV that makes me think. Fringe, Doctor Who, and Twin Peaks are good examples.
They're full of cool twists that make me go "huh".

 

[Karma168]

Nah I do to much thinking in my day job. when I go to see a movie I want to relax so it's always the 'brain in neutral' kind of films

 

[Riccan]

Yes. I typically do it with music, but am trying to find some movies at the moment, any suggestions?

 

[Klumpfot]

Yes.

Then I watched A Serbian Film.

I was somewhat more cautious after that.

You may find some comfort in the knowledge that there's probably nothing out there that's worse.
While there are movies that I would say are far more emotionally devastating, I don't think I have ever been more in awe at the sheer wrongness of a movie.

 

[RaphaelsRedemption]

No.

That is to say, I will read challenging books, but I find myself too emotionally involved to watch challenging movies.

I find that I get upset at emotionally challenging stuff, and I can't distance myself from it. So I just limit myself to stuff I know will turn out well, don't make me too upset, and have some humour.

I don't watch many films, can you tell?

 

[V8 Ninja]

So, if you were a gamer, you would play games like Superman 64 for the sole purpose of playing a "Challenging" game? I'm sorry, but that mentality is kind of sad.

 

[Klumpfot]

Yes. I typically do it with music, but am trying to find some movies at the moment, any suggestions?

Depends on what you're after. I would recommend the following though (if you can find them):
Tetsuo: the Iron Man (Japanese surrealist body horror)
Audition (90% love drama, 10% "what the hell?!?")
Begotten (I absolutely cannot describe it. Experimental religious metaphor?)
Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (the most depressing movie I have ever seen)
Funny Games (watch the original, it is a kind deconstruction on the concept of enjoying fake violence)

Do you have any music you want to recommend?

 

[Klumpfot]

So, if you were a gamer, you would play games like Superman 64 for the sole purpose of playing a "Challenging" game? I'm sorry, but that mentality is kind of sad.

No, that's more along the lines of watching Bio-Dome or Epic Movie. A more apt comparison would perhaps be Planescape: Torment.

 

[badgersprite]

Well, yeah. I mean, this is the kind of thing I'm interested in. I plan to pursue arts and media as an area of study, and even do some (most likely amateur) work in that field. So, yeah, I seek out things like this for the simple fact that I love the medium. I get excited about stuff like this.

Not to say I don't enjoy safer, formulaic things. I love those too. And I even love plenty of cheap, bad, train wrecks of movies and TV shows that are utterly terrible. I'm just that kind of person. I don't think it makes me any smarter or any more informed about film or television. It's just something I love.

 

[Raven's Nest]

Pretty much why I started watching (good) anime and seeking out those critically acclaimed foreign films...

My love of challenging media has somewhat ruined my ability to enjoy some of hollywood's latest efforts however... Transformers 2 is a prime example...

I don't watch it for the sake of being challenging though, I just tend to enjoy more cerebrally engaging films these days.

 

[ckam]

I seek out challenging anime, I guess. I haven't seen much, though.

 

[V8 Ninja]

So, if you were a gamer, you would play games like Superman 64 for the sole purpose of playing a "Challenging" game? I'm sorry, but that mentality is kind of sad.

No, that's more along the lines of watching Bio-Dome or Epic Movie. A more apt comparison would perhaps be Planescape: Torment.

Ah, I see. To be honest, I've never tried to watch/play/consume challenging media. I think the most challenging media that I've ever experienced is Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and I only sat through the entirety of the game because stopping in the middle would only increase my fear of the hell-spawns (oh, and the game was also pretty good too).

 

[Klumpfot]

So, if you were a gamer, you would play games like Superman 64 for the sole purpose of playing a "Challenging" game? I'm sorry, but that mentality is kind of sad.

No, that's more along the lines of watching Bio-Dome or Epic Movie. A more apt comparison would perhaps be Planescape: Torment.

Ah, I see. To be honest, I've never tried to watch/play/consume challenging media. I think the most challenging media that I've ever experienced is Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and I only sat through the entirety of the game because stopping in the middle would only increase my fear of the hell-spawns (oh, and the game was also pretty good too).

Heh, Amnesia is actually the only anything that has actually scared me in the last 10 years or so, except for a few real life incidents. I have never really been scared of any horror movie, but that game got to me, for some reason.

 

[Riccan]

Yes. I typically do it with music, but am trying to find some movies at the moment, any suggestions?

Depends on what you're after. I would recommend the following though (if you can find them):
Tetsuo: the Iron Man (Japanese surrealist body horror)
Audition (90% love drama, 10% "what the hell?!?")
Begotten (I absolutely cannot describe it. Experimental religious metaphor?)
Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (the most depressing movie I have ever seen)
Funny Games (watch the original, it is a kind deconstruction on the concept of enjoying fake violence)

Do you have any music you want to recommend?

I've seen part of Funny Games and the finale to Audition. Heard about Begotten and Tetsuo, but what is The Girl Next Door about?

Music:
Pan.Thy.Monium
Sunn O)))
Aphex Twin (Watch their videos.)
The Residents (sometimes)
Beheaded Zombie
Throbbing Gristle
Whitehouse
Cryptopsy (sometimes)

 

[Klumpfot]

Yes. I typically do it with music, but am trying to find some movies at the moment, any suggestions?

Depends on what you're after. I would recommend the following though (if you can find them):
Tetsuo: the Iron Man (Japanese surrealist body horror)
Audition (90% love drama, 10% "what the hell?!?")
Begotten (I absolutely cannot describe it. Experimental religious metaphor?)
Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (the most depressing movie I have ever seen)
Funny Games (watch the original, it is a kind deconstruction on the concept of enjoying fake violence)

Do you have any music you want to recommend?

I've seen part of Funny Games and the finale to Audition. Heard about Begotten and Tetsuo, but what is The Girl Next Door about?

The Girl Next Door is a story about a girl being abused and later tortured by her aunt and the neighbourhood children, told from the viewpoint of her preteen neighbour. It's based on a real crime, and what actually happened was worse than what was portrayed in the movie. It made me feel empty inside for a day or so, just thinking about how little it might take to turn anyone absolutely evil.
Fair warning: it is very hard to watch.

As for the music, I've listened to some of Sunn O's stuff, and I find some of it interesting, but most if it is kind of grating. I do like Aphex Twin, and I love early Cryptopsy. None So Vile is one of my favourite albums ever. I have not listened to the other artists, but I'll give them a chance!

 

[Small Waves]

Aphex Twin (Watch their videos.)

Aphex Twin... their

What


I'm always cautious about "challenging" shows or movies because a lot of times I see it as pretentious. Sometimes, the way it tries to make itself more difficult to unravel can stunt plot progression.

 

[major28]

i went to see tron legacy that was pretty challenging to watch

 

[ApeShapeDeity]

Sure do! Some of my most rewarding cinematic and literary experiences have been through this type of media.

 

[Klumpfot]

I know of a really disgusting and disturbing film where they torture a turtle in it and there is a lot of other graphic stuff but I really don't want to mention it cause it's pretty traumatizing haha, unless you have a murderers/butchers stomach/hard stomach/balls I wouldn't recommend it.

Is it mayhaps Cannibal Holocaust? If so, then yeah, it is a pretty ugly movie. Can't say that I approve of the animal killing.

But then, I find myself liking Pink Flamingos, and that movie has a somewhat infamous scene with a chicken.