5 Horror Movies That Are Even More Sadistic Than ‘Terrifier 3’

A sadistic clown took over Hollywood this October – and it wasn’t the Joker. It was the evil, supernatural mime named Art the Clown – a vicious, resourceful demon who never settles for less than disemboweled. After appearing in Terrifier and Terrifier 2, Art has swept the box office competition in his third outing, Terrifier 3. He has also found new, horrifically inventive ways to dispatch his semi-innocent victims. At this point, it’s also safe to say that he’s a horror icon, thanks to his memorably mute expressions and gleeful disdain for human life – and, of course, his viral popularity.

That said, the Terrifier films are not for the faint of heart: Even seasoned slasher fans have found it hard to watch Art’s stomach-turning approach to solving Earth’s overpopulation crisis. That said, if you’re among those stoic souls who watched Terrifier 3 without vomiting into your Joker 2 popcorn holder, then you’ll probably want to watch another sadistic film to take your mind off your phone bill. If that’s the case, then we’ve got you covered.

Audition (1999)

This movie is a must watch for anyone who hates themself. It’s a slow-burn of a film, light on gore and heavy on sadism. It also starts out as an adorable rom-com that I could totally see myself watching on an autumn night before the characters start systematically torturing each other. Honestly, this 1999 Japanese horror film has such a monstrous, unnerving climax that it gives me nightmares even now. Mind you, I have seen all three Terrifier films without once fearing that Art the Clown would appear at the foot of my bed at night. Still, this movie takes the cake for sadistic sound design and viscerally painful close-ups.

The Human Centipede trilogy

You’ve likely heard of this sickening (but not in a fun way) exploitation film. It’s the one with the – again, not in a fun way – mouths on butts. Those butts then proceed to do unspeakable things. Like, literally I’m not going to speak about them because I don’t want our website to be condemned and wiped from the Internet. In any case, if you somehow make it through The Human Centipede without pouring bleach into your eyes, then you might consider Human Centipede 2 and Human Centipede 3, which upped the ante in gloriously unhinged ways. For reference, Human Centipede 3 features over 500 mouths on butts.

Saw III (2006)

The Saw movies, save for the first one, are tailor-made for streaming. I mean, you’re not watching for the plot. You are watching because you need to feel something during your lunch break at Applebee’s. And why shouldn’t that feeling be “abject shock and a sneaking suspicion that you may be a psychopath?” That said, if you’re waiting for me to recommend the most Sawiest Saw movie, I would have to say Saw III. Any old Saw movie can slice an insurance salesman’s head open, but only Saw III can add pig entrails.

Hostel: Part II (2007)

If there’s one moment in my life when I definitively and permanently lost my innocence, it was during Hostel: Part II. Well, maybe also 5,000 other times, but Hostel: Part II is for sure in the mix. I’m talking about the scene where bubbly, nerdy, doe-eyed Heather Matarazzo – she of Princess Diaries – is tortured in the most horrendous way possible. Happily, the scene is mercifully short, but it feels longer thanks to Matarazzo’s screams and to the presence of the blood-soaked Victoria’s Secret model writhing below her. 

Funny Games (1997 / 2007)

Funny Games isn’t as gory as Terrifier 3, but it’s just as sadistic. Once you start to lose all hope for the protagonists, the movie becomes a test to see how long you can squirm. Both the 1997 Austrian original and 2007 American remake are packed with depravity and debasement, and they only let up when the director of both, Michael Haneke, wants to laugh in your face. The handsome young antagonists of this movie are truly sadistic: They’re dressed like Mormons, but are intent on terrorizing their victims using every psychological tool at their disposal. This movie is a painful watch, and not in a fun way. Unlike with cartoonishly violent slasher flicks, you may actually feel hopeless at the end. Maybe you can wash it down with Terrifier 4!