Buzz
The Lumière brothers reportedly caused a sensation with their 50-second film, The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, during its 1896 Paris premiere. Unprepared for the immersive nature of moving images, viewers were overcome with fear as a train appeared to charge straight at them.
Over time, tales have exaggerated the event, suggesting audiences fled the theater, though this is unlikely. Nevertheless, since the Lumières, numerous filmmakers have indeed succeeded in making viewers leave their seats. Recent examples include Presence, a Steven Soderbergh film featuring a spectral figure that proved too intense for some. A Variety reporter noted several walkouts at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, with one attendee remarking, 'I can't handle this stress so late at night.'
Another Sundance film that didn't sit well: Sasquatch Sunset, which shows the legendary creature in a rather unflattering light. A dozen press members left within the first 30 minutes.
Here are eight more films that failed to keep audiences seated until the end.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
Crowds queued around the corner for the screen version of William Peter Blatty’s bestselling novel about a girl overtaken by a demonic force. Many soon discovered it was like biting into a fiery chili: more of an ordeal than a pleasure. News clips showed terrified viewers bolting from screenings; one even collapsed in the lobby. “It was just too much for me,” admitted one attendee. “I had to leave.” By its London debut, ambulances were stationed outside theaters.
2. The Blair Witch Project (1998)
Pioneering the found-footage style with a low-budget tale of filmmakers menaced by an invisible entity, The Blair Witch Project became a massive box office success and one of the most cost-effective films ever made ($22,000 budget, $240 million earnings). However, its shaky, handheld camera work left many viewers nauseated, leading to incidents in aisles, lobbies, and restrooms. Atlanta theaters were on cleanup duty throughout opening weekend. “There was vomit everywhere—men’s room, women’s room, hallways,” recalled a theater manager. “It was a mess.” In Cambridge, Massachusetts, a manager even warned audiences before screenings to avoid vomiting inside the theater.
By 2008, when Cloverfield's shaky camerawork began unsettling viewers, theaters had smartly put up notices cautioning about a "roller coaster" experience. Rather than offering barf bags, they opted to issue refunds.
3. 127 Hours (2010)
In the spirit of getting what you signed up for: Moviegoers flocking to Danny Boyle’s harrowing tale of hiker Aron Ralston, who freed himself from a trapped position by severing his own arm with a pocketknife, were confronted with James Franco reenacting the gruesome act. Numerous viewers passed out; others got sick; one individual fainted, was taken away by ambulance, and later returned to praise the film as “brilliant.”
4. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
It’s hardly surprising that the brutal violence in a Quentin Tarantino film would drive some viewers away: 1994’s Pulp Fiction saw walkouts during Uma Thurman’s adrenaline-to-the-heart scene. However, Reservoir Dogs stands out for the reactions it provoked. During an industry screening, when Michael Madsen’s character began slicing off a hostage’s ear, even horror legend Wes Craven (creator of The Last House on the Left and A Nightmare on Elm Street) reportedly left the theater.
5. Freaks (1932)
Tod Browning’s notorious depiction of a vengeful circus sideshow left audiences deeply disturbed. While not strictly a horror film, its use of real circus performers with physical anomalies was deeply unsettling. Freaks faced massive walkouts upon release, with viewers horrified by the sight of missing limbs. MGM even re-edited the film after a woman claimed the stress of watching it caused her to have a miscarriage.
6. Irréversible (2002)
Criticized for its graphic depiction of violence, Gaspar Noé’s revenge film drove many viewers to leave—not just because of its visuals. Noé revealed he used a 27 hertz infrasound frequency, inaudible to humans, during the first 30 minutes. This technique, known to cause unease and panic akin to earthquake tremors, was also employed in Paranormal Activity (2007).
7. The Lion King (1994)
Following Disney’s tradition of traumatizing young audiences with parental losses, The Lion King showcased young Simba’s journey to independence after his father’s tragic death in a stampede. The emotional weight of the animated film proved too much for some children—Disney’s primary audience—leading to their temporary removal to the lobby to recover.
8. The Walk (2015)
The 2008 documentary Man on Wire introduced Philippe Petit, the daring tightrope walker who captivated 1974 New York by crossing between the Twin Towers. In 2015, Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) brought Petit’s story to life in The Walk, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Unlike the documentary, which used still images and reenactments, Zemeckis employed cutting-edge visuals to immerse viewers in Petit’s high-wire act—especially in IMAX. The intense realism left those susceptible to vertigo feeling nauseous and anxious.
This article was first published in 2015 and has been updated for 2024.
