I Need Something Dark, and Gritty

[Emeli]

Jeez I know I'm probably the only one who was freaked out by this movie, but if you're willing to surpass the grit then Coraline creeped me out. Is it really meant for kids? I woulda had nightmares like nothin if I saw that as a kid.

 

[dalek sec]

Battlestar Galactica, it's depressing as hell.

 

[clawmachinelegend]

The Wire probably the most underappreciated televison show of all time it is the trues crime show that i have ever seen and its very addicting one episodde and i was hooked.

 

[nimbeljack]

you want dark try donnie darko, and that movies so out there i stared at it drooling with a blank expression the entire movie...gah

I -still- don't know wtf that movie was even about.

 

[Galletea]

I don't even really know what is gritty these days. But as far as dark goes, if you like manga then go for Battle Royale or Berserk. Uber violent, great characters, and very dark plots.
End of Evangelion just doesn't make sense. I suppose it's dark, but you want more than that surely?
Don't limit yourself to one genre though, there's lots of awesome stuff around if you look.

 

[RufusMcLaser]

The Wire probably the most underappreciated televison show of all time it is the trues crime show that i have ever seen and its very addicting one episodde and i was hooked.

Agreed! Very gritty, dark in its own way.
Showtime's Dexter is worth a look.
I support the earlier suggestion of William Gibson, particularly his Sprawl books- Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive as well as a few stories in Burning Chrome which help set the scene.
Darker Than Amber by John D. Macdonald. Not particularly long, but a favorite.
Lastly, if you want noir in your dark and gritty, read Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe books, especially The Big Sleep.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Some recommendations:
- Battlestar Galactica, the most recent series. It's one of the most dark sci-fi series I've ever seen, it helps that it's not 'hard sci-fi' but 'social sci-fi' as in it's more about the people and characters than about crazy alien races and super-duper technology. It's very interesting to watch, quite depressing sometimes, and defiantly thought provoking.

- Fight Club. Best mindfuck I've ever seen, and gritty as hell. A must watch.

- World War Z. Probably the most realistic zombie story you'll ever read, and like with Battlestar, it's the people whom it's all about, not the actual zombies. Very dark, gave me shivers plenty of times.

- Eraserhead. What a crazy movie that was, brilliant but you'll wish you'd never seen it.

 

[Thaius]

Bioshock is an obvious choice: highly recommended. If you want the "detective novel" kind of grit, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 on the DS is a great choice.

 

[Akai Shizuku]

I suggest the anime, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. Although it is more psychotic than gritty.

 

[WhiteTiger225]

I'm wondering if anyone here at the escapist can help me. I like stories that are dark, gritty, mindbending, or a mixture of the three; in any medium what so ever. My favorites are Serial Experiments Lain, Akira, and Silent Hill 2 <-(no not because of ZP). These are crack to me, so what are your suggestions?
Please don't suggest Sin City and the like, that's wussy grit.

Thanks

*Offers you a Porno starring a Black man who hasn't shaved in a couple days*

Dark AND Gritty~ Huh? Huuuuuh? ...... FUCK YOU I DON'T NEED TO PLEASE YOU! *Storms off and cries*

Edit: If you are up for a point and click adventure done in anime style with a awesome storyline that will leave you going "Holy fuck!" at the ending (Multiple endings at that!) Try the free game "The White Chamber"

 

[Joshimodo]

District 9, Fight Club, Donnie Darko, Taxi Driver etc.

Also, anything by Stanley Kubrick.

 

[WhiteTiger225]

For movies which are dark and gritty I recommend `saw`, especially the first two, and the two `Hostel` movies.

For something so dark and gritty that you will want to peel off your skin and bleach your eyeballs just to feel clean again, I reccomend Cannibal Holocaust (banned until recently) and `Eraser Head`. I will warn you though, once you have watched these movies, you will wish that you hadn`t

For anime, Baccano (which was reviewed recently on this site somewhere) and Ghost in the shell 2 innocence (maybe not so gritty though, but pretty pretty dark)

Why do so many people label those lame grossout themes as "Dark and Gritty"...

 

[BMWaugh]

I'm not sure if this would be considered 'dark and gritty' or just plain old sick and twisted, but I was quite recently recommended a film called Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom).
Extremely controversial.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sal%C3%B2,_or_the_120_Days_of_Sodom
Good luck.

 

[heyheysg]

You need something dark and gritty?

ASPHALT

 

[AvsJoe]

The Mist

The Mist is by King, isn't it? Yea, it was kinda cliche, but it was cool. I liked it.

Hate to be the guy who says this but the novella was better. Not by much, the movie was fantastic, but it's still the best novella I have ever read. Do yourself a favour and read it.

 

[Fairee]

A cup of American coffee? Oh wait, wrong sort of dark and gritty

 

[Asymptote Angel]

How about a bumhole?

I'm kind of ashamed for laughing at this.

 

[minoes]

Tetsuo: The Iron Man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uROMTzJsfOI

Twilight of the Dark Master.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9Y-7gjBIt4

Philosophy of a Knife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoCdSd-uS4g

Antichrist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmKv_57fOvY

Stalker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a11hGqYYd0

 

[LockHeart]

If you like superheroes, try 'The Boys' series of graphic novels by Garth Ennis, absolutely brilliant! In fact, just read anything by Garth Ennis - Preacher is basically grit in graphic novel form.

Also, for games, try Planescape: Torment - a lot of grit, morals, darkness and philosophy in that game. Awesome.

 

[speedcoreXdandy]

A cave.

If you find the right one it'll be dark, gritty and it'll even have BATS!!1