
Since the beginning of cinema, films have been pushing the boundaries of what society deems to be “acceptable entertainment.” If filmmakers did not take chances, did not dare to question the establishment, and instead opt to walk the line - films like The Wild Bunch and Psycho would never have been made. Thankfully artists have always been there to challenge authority. These are the most controversial movies of all time.
Some of the movies on this list were banned and/or denounced because they were too violent and graphic like Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. Horror films like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist may be considered tame by today’s standards, but at the time of their release, many moviegoers and critics were shocked and appalled by their gratuitous violence.
Of course, religion has always and will always be a major contributor to controversy. Pretty much any film that has questioned the sanctimony and history of an established religion, like Christianity, is going to receive heat. Religious protesters in Paris firebombed a theater screening of Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. The protesters thought the film’s depiction of the life of Jesus Christ should not include sex, lust, or temptation.
Some of the movies on this list are made for nothing more than shock value. Horror films like Faces of Death and Cannibal Holocaust are meant to disgust and push the boundaries of good taste, while other films like Midnight Cowboy and Bonnie and Clyde have stood the test of time and have become Hollywood classics.
There are several reasons why the films on this list (many more than just the top 10 controversial movies) were deemed controversial: too sexual, too violent, too graphic, too queer, too shocking, too much nudity. For whatever the reason, these are the most controversial movies of all time. Upvote those you think are the most controversial, whether or not you like the film itself.
http://www.ranker.com/list/controversial-movies/anncasano,
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The 1974 groundbreaking documentary-style slasher film about a family of cannibals led by Leatherface was banned in several movie theaters in the United States. At the time, audiences were shocked and appalled by the film's violence.
A Clockwork Orange
Stanley Kubrick deconstructs the nature of violence in his Academy Award-nominated X-rated romp. The 1971 cult classic was banned in several countries, including Britain, because the film reportedly, "represented a danger to society by inspiring the very violence it was seeking to explore and define."
Basic Instinct
Sharon Stone slowly uncrosses her legs in an interrogation room and one of the most famous scenes in movie history is made. Basic Instinct was criticized for its graphic sexual content and violence.
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy was the only X-rated movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture, though its rating has since been changed to "R." Director John Schlesinger's realistic portrait of a gay gigolo in New York City and depiction of homosexuality shocked audiences in 1969.
Natural Born Killers
Oliver Stone's 1994 black comedy gives the celebrity treatment to two killers on the run, who murder in the name of senseless violence. The film was banned in Ireland and initially denied distribution in the United States. It was subsequently linked to several copycat crimes.
Psycho
Psycho's psychological/twist ending would have been a tough pill to swallow for audiences in 1960 regardless. But killing off the star of the movie halfway through the narrative was perhaps the most controversial aspect of all.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park hit the big screen with a bang and set the Guinness record for "Most Swearing in an Animated Film." The script averaged a curse word every six seconds.
The Birth of a Nation
Originally titled The Clansman, D.W. Griffith's 1915 silent film, and film school staple, is often criticized for its glorification of the KKK. Although the film is considered a cinematic classic, viewers still get upset when it airs on television today.
The Evil Dead
The 1981 low budget horror cult classic was banned in Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and Germany. The cabin in the woods movie is filled with violence and was slammed for its over the top graphic torture and rape scene.
The Exorcist
The Exorcist was banned in several cities and countries throughout the world. It's been reported that paramedics had to be called on several occasions to treat audience members who had fainted in reaction to the film's horror.