Horror is a genre literally defined by fear and discomfort. It is a common phenomenon to throw on a cartoon or something comforting after particularly harrowing films, but some are just on another level. Whether it is subject matter, concept, or just straight up gore, here are seven horror films (in no particular order) that may leave you feeling particularly gross. Light spoilers ahead.

Climax (2018, Horror Films) 

Gaspar Noë’s dark opus is one of the most wild rides you can take in contemporary cinema. It follows a company of dancers from all walks of life the night before they go on tour. To celebrate, they have a little get together in the complex where they have been staying, and when drugs, romance, and petty drama come together, the night becomes… increasingly unpleasant. 

What is so fascinating about this piece as one of the intense horror films in the genre, is that it is largely unscripted. While Noë was there to lend a guiding hand, and manipulate a master plot, a lot of the interactions in the movie are completely improvised. What is just as interesting about this piece as that almost none of the cast are trained actors. They are dancers who Noë and his team recruited from various platforms and countries, just like in the film. 

But what makes this film so disconcerting? It is hard to say without giving the premise away, but is largely in the atmosphere. It is incredibly internal and suffocating, with all the characters forced to confront their drama, some of which is cataclysmic. However, it can also be attributed to its structure. The film doesn’t follow conventional narrative, at the beginning of the film we see how the night ends, and throughout the remaining run time audience members can expect long sequences of intense dialogue, incredibly long shots, and a ten minute dance sequence. There is also of course the clearly disturbing content and violence, though, that can be left for the viewer’s discretion to explore, like in all films.

Suspiria (2018, Horror Films)

Luca Guadagnino showed the world his versatility when Suspiria came out in 2018, in the horror films genre. Just coming off Call Me By Your Name (2017), horror efficinatos were interested to see what he would do with the coveted Argento classic. Luckily, with a great screenplay, and great taste, the film came out to be one of the most beautiful horror films made recently, and was received well by critics and fans globally. 

Suspiria is unique in the way that it gets under your skin, compared to other horror films. Every part of the movie works to make you squirm in your seat, or hold your breath. The score, which was composed by Radiohead’s Thom York, is haunting, and slinks throughout the film, never allowing much relaxation. Then there are the visuals. Sprinkled throughout the film are images of unexplained nudity, gore, and dying women. Then there is of course the more “conventional” gore, which is still dictated by the paranoid atmosphere of the film. If you know anything about the piece, you have probably heard reference to the dance studio scene, which is incredibly macabre, and notably has made some people leave the theater where they were watching it. 

Suspiria is not afraid to dip its toe into the sensitive. Much of the horror is of the body, involving hair, urine, and other bodily fluids. That is not to say it is a body horror, or grind-house film, because it is actually far from it. 

When the new filmmakers set out to create this new incarnation of the classic, they claimed they wanted it to be more of a “cover” than a remake- to convey the original feeling of the film in a new way. Which they were very successful in doing. Suspiria brings with it feelings of paranoia, disgust, suffocation, and hopelessness.