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While it does not happen as often these days, there was a period of time when movies were commonly banned and added to the “video nasty” list, a collection of (usually horror) films deemed too harmful for viewing. These movies often possessed extreme violence, sexual content, or political themes. Every country has its unique list of banned films, with most being unbanned in later years as artistic expression became more welcomed in cinema.
Getting banned earns a film a sense of notoriety, an element of danger that watching it may corrupt your innocent soul. Normally the panic around these films proves to be overblown, and the rise of the internet and movie piracy has made securing banned films a trivial task.
‘Persepolis’ (2007)
An adaptation of the graphic novel, Persepolis tells the true story of its creator’s childhood during the Iranian revolution and the subsequent Iran-Iraq war. An animated film, its visuals make for an effective contrast to the confronting and very human tale that it tells.
While the film was highly-acclaimed overseas and garnered an Academy Award nomination, Persepolis proved controversial in Iran. The Iranian government decried the film for an unfaithful portrayal of the Islamic revolution, and the movie was also banned in Lebanon. This ban was eventually overturned due to complaints from political parties.
‘Zoolander’ (2001)
If you make a central plot point of your film, the attempted assassination of the Malaysian prime minister, it should be no surprise when the movie is banned there. One of the defining comedies of the early 2000s, Zoolander stars Ben Stiller as a dimwitted supermodel who finds himself brainwashed to murder the world leader.
Along with being banned in Malaysia, Zoolander was also banned in Singapore until 2006 to not upset their neighboring country. In fact, the Asian release of the film replaces any mention of Malaysia with the subregion Micronesia, a callback to a joke involving Owen Wilson‘s character Hansel.
Zoolander is available to stream on Paramount+.
‘The Simpsons Movie’ (2007)
This is an amusing one. When The Simpsons finally released their first feature film in 2007, it played in theaters everywhere except Burma (now known as Myanmar). At the time of the film’s release, Burma was threatened by a rebel group whose flag used the colors yellow and red. Feeling the public viewing of everyone’s favorite yellow-skinned family would cause bias, the film was banned outright.
The whole scenario ironically feels like something that could happen in a Simpsons episode and is one of the stranger reasons for a film being banned. The movie itself plays like an extended episode and follows the family as they try to save Springfield from destruction by a government agency.
The Simpsons Movie is available to stream on Disney+.
‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (1974)
While it might seem tame by today’s standards, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was one of the most terrifying horror films at release. Following five friends who run out of gas while traveling through Texas, they soon fall one by one to the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface and his crazed, cannibalistic family.
The film drew plenty of controversy due to its violent content and was initially refused classification in Australia and the UK. Further resubmissions passed with an R rating, while the movie was also banned for a time in Germany, Norway, Ireland, Singapore, Sweden, and Iceland.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is available to stream on Shudder, AMC+, and Tubi.
‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut’ (1999)
It should be no surprise that South Park‘s jump to the big screen was banned in several countries. After watching an R-rated Terrance and Phillip movie escalates into an invasion of Canada, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny must save the day in typical South Park fashion.
Never ones to shy away from controversy, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s film received a Guinness World Record for “Most Swearing in an Animated Movie.” This emphasis on profanity and its portrayal of Saddam Hussein as Satan’s gay lover caught the ire of numerous censor boards, and the film was banned in several countries in Asia and the Middle East.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is available to stream on Paramount+.
‘The Da Vinci Code’ (2006)
A hit with book clubs the world over, The Da Vinci Code faced the same controversies as the novel it’s based on. When two intellectuals (Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou) become prime suspects in a murder, they stumble into a mystery involving the Catholic Church and a two-thousand-year-old cover-up concerning Jesus Christ.
As is to be expected, religious societies do not like it when their faith is called into question, and protestors targeted the film. The movie was banned outright in countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, Samoa, and Sri Lanka, all on religious grounds, claiming The Da Vinci Code to be a work of blasphemy.
The Da Vinci Code is available to stream on HBO Max.
‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (2015)
Another controversial book adaptation, and one that had mothers everywhere flustered. Fifty Shades of Grey follows the romance between college student Anastasia Steele and shady businessman Christian Grey. The film launched the careers of Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan and is known as one of the erotic mainstream romance films.
With more of a focus on sexual activity than PG-friendly romance, the film received some backlash. While the film passed uncensored in many countries, it was banned in Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia, among others. These countries complained about the movie’s sexual content, claiming it bordered on pornography.
Fifty Shades of Grey is available to stream on Tubi.
‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971)
One of Stanley Kubrick‘s most celebrated works, A Clockwork Orange also proved to be highly controversial. The film follows the exploits of teenage psychopath Alex (Malcolm McDowell), who is imprisoned for committing rape and murder. When he volunteers for an experimental rehabilitation program to reduce his sentence, his life begins to unravel.
Due to its graphic content and scenes of sexual violence, the film was banned for decades in countries such as Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and Singapore. After Kubrick and his family received death threats due to the film, he had the movie pulled from UK theaters, and it remained hard to see until after his death in 1999.
A Clockwork Orange is available to stream on HBO Max and Tubi.
‘Battleship Potemkin’ (1925)
A silent film from Soviet Russia, Battleship Potemkin, tells the true story of Russian sailors aboard a battleship who rebel against their officers. Sick of the cruel treatment from their commanders and the rotten food they are served, the men risk their lives to ensure they are treated fairly and equally.
Released in between the two World Wars, Battleship Potemkin was disdained by governments for its seemingly anti-war message. Both France and the UK banned the movie for fear that it would spread this same message to its citizens, potentially causing soldiers to revolt like the ones portrayed in the film.
Battleship Potemkin is available to stream on HBO Max.
‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ (1988)
Any film that focuses on religion is bound to cause controversy, and The Last Temptation of Christ may be the most controversial of all. From legendary director Martin Scorsese, the film stars Willem Dafoe as Jesus Christ and follows his life and the many temptations he faces in his journey.
Throughout the film, Jesus struggles with feelings of lust, imagining himself engaging in sexual activities. The association of Jesus with sex drew hatred from several religious groups, and the film was banned in numerous countries. It remains outlawed in the Philippines and Singapore, where Netflix was recently forced to remove the film from their library due to government interference.
The Last Temptation of Christ is available to stream on Starz.
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