12 Horror Movies So Scary, They Had Viewers Fleeing Theaters

But sometimes, they go above and beyond, shaking audiences to their very core. In rare instances, they're so terrifying that people walk – or run – right out of the theater. These movies aren't just scary; they're the kind that make you question your choices in life, like why you paid to get traumatized. Please consider yourself warned.

1. Martyrs (2008)

So you're sitting there, expecting a typical horror story. Martyrs starts you off with a young woman named Lucie taking brutal revenge on a seemingly innocent family. You think, "Okay, revenge story. Got it". Lucie's friend Anna stumbles upon a chamber of horrors in the basement. Women are being tortured in the most unimaginable ways. Why? For a glimpse into the afterlife, according to the deranged folks behind this. It gets bloodier, more visceral, and people in the audience? They're headed for the door.

2. The Exorcist (1973)

Alright, it's a classic, but it counts. Imagine it's the '70s, and nobody's seen a little girl's head spin 360 degrees while spewing green puke. People were so rattled by young Regan's demonic possession and the graphic exorcism scenes that paramedics were frequently called to theaters. For real, guys—ambulances.

3. Irreversible (2002)

Not your typical horror film, but horrifying? Absolutely. It's told backward, starting with a brutal scene of vengeance in a nightclub. As the story rewinds, you witness Marcus, the boyfriend, in a frenzied search for his girlfriend Alex's rapist. When it gets to the extremely graphic rape scene, which lasts an agonizing 9 minutes, that's when the theater starts to empty. It's just too much for many.

4. Inside (2007)

Sarah, a pregnant widow, is terrorized by a mysterious woman who breaks into her home. What's she after? Oh, just Sarah's unborn baby. The movie delivers one gut-wrenching scene after another, showcasing the assailant's relentless attempts to perform a makeshift C-section. It's a bloodbath alright, and the walkouts started the minute the scissors made their debut.

5. Raw (2016)

Freshman year in college can be tough, but for Justine, it's a journey into cannibalism. She's a strict vegetarian who's forced to eat raw meat during a hazing ritual. It awakens something in her—a craving for human flesh. First, it's a nibble during a bikini wax, and then it escalates, grabbing the viewer by the gut. There were reports of audience members fainting in theaters, and let's just say, some people opted for an early dinner.

6. Audition (1999)

This Japanese film starts like a rom-com. A widower holds auditions to find a new wife. Sweet, right? Until he meets Asami. At first, she seems shy and reserved, but then the burlap sack in her apartment starts moving. It's only when the widower becomes her latest victim, subjected to acupuncture needles and amputation, that people get up from their seats. Audition turns from love story to torture chamber in the blink of an eye.

7. A Serbian Film (2010)

Milos, a retired adult films star, agrees to one last job that promises to set him up for life. However, he finds himself in a horror show he didn't sign up for, involving scenes so graphic they can't even be mentioned here. Let's just say, the content is so shocking that the film is banned in several countries. Viewers didn't just walk out of this one; they ran.

8. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

This film shook audiences when it came out. Presented as a "found footage" documentary, a team of filmmakers goes to the Amazon to film indigenous tribes. Only the footage is found—no filmmakers. The film shows scenes of real animal slaughter and the gruesome fate of the crew at the hands of the cannibalistic tribe. The director was actually arrested for obscenity. People left the theaters in droves.

9. Antichrist (2009)

When a grieving couple retreats to a cabin in the woods to heal after the accidental death of their child, you know things won't end well. The film takes a dive into pure psychological horror. From violent sexual acts to self-mutilation, the graphic nature of their descent into madness had people high-tailing it out of the theater. Directed by Lars von Trier, this one is pure, unfiltered nightmare fuel.

10. The Human Centipede (2009)

You've heard of it; you've joked about it, but have you actually watched it? When two tourists find themselves at the home of a deranged surgeon, they become part of a grotesque medical experiment to create a human centipede. It's as horrific as it sounds. Even the bravest viewers found themselves cringing and leaving before the final stitch.

11. The House That Jack Built (2018)

Another Lars von Trier masterpiece of misery – the director just loves to shock and disgust his audience it seems. Following Jack, a highly intelligent serial killer, the film showcases five incidents over a 12-year period, detailing his murderous operations. From strangulation to dismemberment, Jack's killings are presented as works of art. Each murder is more elaborate and more disturbing than the last, so much so that mass walkouts were reported during its Cannes premiere.

12. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

Inspired by a Marquis de Sade novel, this Italian film is infamous for its explicit scenes depicting degradation and torture. It's set in a palace where four wealthy libertines kidnap 18 teenagers and subject them to 120 days of physical, mental, and other kinds of torture. It was so shocking at the time of its release that it was banned in several countries and had people saying "nope" halfway through.