MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Nanking

Nanking

2007 · 88 min

A sober, harrowing documentary that bears witness to atrocity through letters, testimony and archive footage, leaving you shaken and reflective.

Tagline
The true story of how a few brave souls saved the lives of thousands.
Overview
The story of the rape of Nanking, one of the most tragic events in history. In 1937, the invading Japanese army murdered over 200,000 and raped tens of thousands of Chinese. In the midst of this horror, a small group of Western expatriates banded together to save 250,000. Nanking shows the tremendous impact individuals can make on the course of history.

Search YouTube for the trailer

Rent or buy in the UK
  • Amazon Video
  • YouTube
More options Data from JustWatch
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • darkstrength 3 of 3
  • bleakstrength 3 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 2 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • war
  • violence
  • survival
  • morality
  • trauma
Places
  • big city
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • true story
  • documentary
  • ensemble
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror5
Humour0
Realism9
Romance0
Tension7
Darkness9
Complexity6
Emotional weight10

More like this

Titles like Nanking

Movie

Schindler's List

1993

A harrowing, black-and-white immersion into the Holocaust that is emotionally devastating yet ultimately offers a glimmer of hope.

Dark, bleak · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
195 min
Details In your watch list
Schindler's ListHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Night and Fog

1956

A solemn, unflinching meditation on atrocity that juxtaposes serene present-day ruins with harrowing archival footage, demanding quiet reflection.

Dark, bleak · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
32 min
Details In your watch list
Night and FogHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

City of Life and Death

2009

A harrowing, unflinching immersion into atrocity, shot in stark black and white, that weighs heavily on the soul.

Dark, bleak · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
132 min
Details In your watch list
City of Life and DeathHidden from your suggestions.
TV series

True Detective

2014

A slow, brooding descent into moral murk, where conversations carry as much dread as the crimes themselves.

Dark, bleak

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Seasons
5
Details In your watch list
True DetectiveHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

John Rabe

2009

A harrowing, slow-burning historical drama that immerses you in the horrors of war and the quiet heroism of ordinary people, leaving a heavy emotional impact.

Bleak, earnest · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • bleak
  • earnest
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
134 min
Details In your watch list
John RabeHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Dead to Rights

2025

A harrowing, slow-burning historical drama that immerses you in atrocity and resistance, leaving a heavy emotional toll.

Dark, bleak · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
137 min
Details In your watch list
Dead to RightsHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Black Sun: The Nanking Massacre

1995

A grim, unflinching recreation of atrocity that plays like a horror film, leaving you shaken and hollowed out long after it ends.

Dark, bleak · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
91 min
Details In your watch list
Black Sun: The Nanking MassacreHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Pianist

2002

A harrowing, quietly devastating descent through ruins and hunger, sustained by fragile moments of beauty and one man's stubborn will to endure.

Bleak, earnest · about war and survival · true story

Via
  • bleak
  • earnest
  • war
  • survival
  • true story
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
150 min
Details In your watch list
The PianistHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Casualties of War

1989

A grim, morally serious war drama that confronts atrocity and conscience with unflinching tension and lasting emotional weight.

Dark, bleak · about war and violence · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • violence
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
113 min
Details In your watch list
Casualties of WarHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Paragraph 175

2000

A somber, quietly devastating documentary that bears witness to long-silenced suffering with dignity and restraint.

Dark, bleak · about survival · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • survival
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
74 min
Details In your watch list
Paragraph 175Hidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Saving Private Ryan

1998

A harrowing, immersive plunge into combat that leaves you shaken, then quietly moved by the weight of sacrifice and brotherhood.

Dark, bleak · about war and survival · ensemble

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • war
  • survival
  • ensemble
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
169 min
Details In your watch list
Saving Private RyanHidden from your suggestions.
TV series

9/11: One Day in America

2021

A harrowing, immersive plunge into a single day, told through raw survivor testimony and archival footage that makes history feel immediate and overwhelming.

Dark, bleak · about violence and survival · true story

Via
  • dark
  • bleak
  • violence
  • survival
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Seasons
1
Details In your watch list
9/11: One Day in AmericaHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy
  • Amazon Video
  • YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
documentary, drama, history
Directed by
Dan Sturman, Bill Guttentag
Written by
Bill Guttentag, Dan Sturman, Elisabeth Bentley
Starring
Hugo Armstrong, Rosalind Chao, Stephen Dorff, John Getz, Mariel Hemingway, Michelle Krusiec, Chris Mulkey, Woody Harrelson
Cinematography
Buddy Squires
Runtime
88 min
Country
United States of America
Languages
Mandarin, English, Japanese

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata