Upon some reflection (but not much), I think Dogville would be a better example of Von Trier's particular brand of evil genius than Dancer In The Dark.

Dancer is less sadistic, that's for sure -- there are a few moments of pure joy in there that make the trauma that much more...traumatic. Whereas Dogville is three hours of "Still haven't walked out yet? Muahahaha! I can make you people watch ANYTHING!!!! I'm Lars von fucking Trier!!!" And then he hits you with that completely fucking brilliant last scene that almost makes up for having to sit through the rest of it to get there. Almost.

Breaking the Waves was very disturbing, but I did love the actress. I think Dancer in the Dark (same director) was one of those that I decided I didn't need to see once.

Cheerios:

Am I really the only one here who's seen Safe? Not that I think it belongs on that list since I've been wanting to see it again ever since.

I saw Safe. And yep, I'd like to see it again. Haven't gotten around to buying the DVD or anything....

It is bleak, but nowhere near as bleak as some of the others on that list.

From the imdb trivia page, my favorite Dogville story:

Paul Bettany didn't want to play Tom Edison because they were shooting it in Sweden. Then his friend Stellan Skarsgaard said that Lars von Trier's shoots are so funny that "you'll miss something extraordinary if you turn the part down". After shooting half the movie Bettany asked Skarsgaard when the fun will start, which Skarsgaard replied: "I lied. I did it because he is amazing to work with, and you wouldn't be able to see that before you were actually here yourself. I wanted to give you a chance, and you wouldn't have shown up if I had been frank with you"

Haven't seen it, but does Million Dollar Baby really belong on that list?

I don't think so. But I didn't really like the movie anyway, so I wouldn't see it again regardless. I don't think it's Requiem-level painful or anything, though.

Grave of the Fireflies is the only movie on that list I've seen, and if I'd known what I was getting into, I wouldn't have watched it. I am totally okay with my low score.

Actually, I probably need my own list of "Movies that don't really deserve to be watched even once, but which I love anyway."

I can't watch Million Dollar Baby, but I could just barely watch the Simpsons that referenced it. Some injuries I just can't bear to see. Or visualize. Fingers and toes getting broken or cut off also fall under this.

I skipped over that Safe was on that list. I liked it quite a bit and could see watching it again sometime.

I think When The Wind Blows belongs on that list. I saw the first half of it. I forget why I stopped watching, but I could tell it was going to get very bleak and end very badly....