Controversial movies are released all the time.
I remember quite fondly the uproar leading up to the release of The Da Vinci Code. People were organizing boycotts against the movie, which seemed outrageous to me.
However, these controversial films make The Da Vinci Code look like Barney and Friends. Most of them dive into content that feels like it’s going for shock value over actual entertainment. As a result, audiences were none too pleased.
A Serbian Film
When you think of controversial movies, A Serbian Film undoubtedly immediately comes to mind.
The film, which is rated NC-17, has been banned in several countries due to its unsettling content. Yes, it’s an exploitative film designed purely to shock the viewer, but it’s a little too effective at accomplishing that task.
I Spit On Your Grave
Speaking of movies designed to shock and disgust the viewer, that’s the type of “horror film” I Spit On Your Grave is.
Many critics argue that the film glorifies violence against women, leading to it being banned in some countries and heavily censored in others.
Cannibal Holocaust
Yes, the movie’s name already implies some unsettling and controversial content, but Cannibal Holocaust goes beyond that.
The real problem here is that the film features animal cruelty.
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The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)
2009’s The Human Centipede was certainly gross, but it was meme’d more than anything, and was even spoofed in an episode of South Park.
Its 2011 sequel feels like it was set out to, for better or worse, up the ante. Mission accomplished, I’d say. These movies make Saw look like a kids’ movie.
Lolita
Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 film is based on Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel. There’s nothing controversial about that, right? Kubrick’s an acclaimed filmmaker, and movies are often adapted from books.
Here’s the problem: the story is about a middle-aged lecturer named Humbert who becomes attracted to a 13-year-old girl. Don’t worry, though, no one else would ever adapt the novel…except they did in the above image, which is from the 1997 adaptation starring Jeremy Irons.
Disclaimer: the above image is of the 1997 version, not the 1964 film. We’ve updated the text to now reference both films.
A Clockwork Orange
Speaking of Kubrick, let’s talk about his controversial 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.
The acclaimed filmmaker does a little too good a job of making the protagonist a complete psychopath. There’s nothing he holds back, and the film isn’t shy about forcing you to take in his actions.
The movie was originally given an X rating due to explicit content.
Caligula
Did Malcolm McDowell’s agent have a thing for controversial movies? This can’t be a coincidence, right?
I get that any film based on Caligula will be disturbing, given the controversial Roman emperor’s tendencies, but Caligula dives too far into explicit material. It’s an incredibly distasteful film.
The Birth of a Nation
Often regarded as the most controversial film in American history, The Birth of a Nation has been denounced due to its racist content.
The film glorifies the Ku Klux Klan and offers an incredibly racist portrayal of African Americans.
Natural Born Killers
Oliver Stone’s 1994 crime film features an ensemble cast of Woody Harrelson, Juliette, Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., and Tommy Lee Jones and dives into the themes of mass murderers being glorified by the media.
It’s also filled with controversy, having been banned in Ireland when it was first released. The movie also inspired several copycat crimes inspired by the film, most notably the Columbine High School killers.
Cuties
The title here did a lot of work; I’m surprised nobody stepped in to change it.
Somewhere in Cuties is ain important message, but it was buried under so much pre-reelase controversy due to its subject matter.
The Passion of the Christ
Mel Gibson’s biography of the final moments of Jesus Christ’s life on Earth is not only unsettling but also controversial.
In addition to questions about the film’s historical accuracy, there were countless accusations of the movie being both racist and antisemitic, not to mention the excessive violence portrayed on screen.
Dogma
Time to talk about the flip side of the coin.
Kevin Smith’s Dogma isn’t afraid to tackle the taboo subject of religion with a more cynical view, often being played off for laughs. As a result, several religious groups denounced the film and staged protests.
Life of Brian
Protesting and denouncing religious comedies wasn’t a new thing that just happened in the ’90s.
Many people claimed Monty Python’s 1979 comedy Life of Brian was blasphemous. It was banned in several countries, but the Pythons took that to heart, claiming that the movie was “So funny it was banned in Norway!”
The Interview
Okay, one more comedy, this time trading in the religious controversy for political drama.
Seth Rogen and James Franco’s buddy film about interviewing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un caused Sony to nearly pull the film from theaters last second. It received a limited release in theaters and streaming services, which showed that all of the “hype” was for nothing; it’s just an average comedy.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
Salò has been banned in several countries due to its explicit content and gratuitous violence, most notably the torture of people presumed to be under the age of eighteen.
While the film wasn’t banned in the United States, it saw a limited release. Some critics argue that the film’s message is a metaphor for modern society and consumerism, but there are far better ways to portray that message than what Salò depicted on screen.
The Day the Clown Cried
Sometimes a film is so controversial, it never sees the light of day.
That’s the case with this 1972 unreleased film starring Jerry Lewis about a circus clown imprisoned in a concentration camp. Sometimes, you go a little too far with things.
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