Movies can be powerful, moving, and thought-provoking. But sometimes, a film can be so controversial that it gets banned from being shown anywhere in the world. These banned movies often tackle sensitive topics or include content that is considered too shocking or extreme for general audiences.
In this blog post, I’m going to share 17 movies that were banned worldwide due to their controversial nature. Some of these films pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable, while others were censored for political reasons. As you read about these banned movies, you might be surprised by just how far filmmakers will go in their quest to tell a compelling story, even if it means risking their work being prohibited from public viewing.
The Last Temptation of Christ
The 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ imagined an alternative story about the life of Jesus. In this version, Jesus is portrayed as struggling with human desires and doubts, which was seen as very offensive and blasphemous by many Christian groups. The film was banned in several countries, including Thailand, Argentina, and Israel, due to its controversial depiction of a divine figure. Authorities felt the movie’s provocative take on such a sacred religious character was unacceptable for public viewing.
A Clockwork Orange
Released in 1971, A Clockwork Orange is a grim film directed by Stanley Kubrick that depicts horrific acts of violence and crime. The movie was banned in several countries, including Ireland and Singapore, due to concerns that it could inspire copycat crimes and was too graphic and disturbing for general audiences. Kubrick himself ended up requesting the film be withdrawn from circulation in the UK after receiving death threats, worried the movie’s extreme content had gone too far. Even today, A Clockwork Orange remains one of the most controversial and banned films of all time.
The Empire Strikes Back
While the original Star Wars film was a huge hit, its 1980 sequel The Empire Strikes Back was banned in several countries, including Malaysia and China. Authorities in these places were concerned the movie’s themes of rebellion and overthrowing an evil empire were a bit too close to home and could be seen as destabilizing propaganda. They felt the film had the potential to turn people against their governments, leading to the movie being prohibited from public screenings. The ban highlights how even science fiction films can be censored for political reasons.
Joker
Todd Phillips’ 2019 film Joker was banned in several countries due to concerns that its dark portrayal of a troubled loner turning to violence could inspire copycat crimes. The movie’s gritty exploration of mental illness, social alienation, and the roots of extremism led to prohibitions on screenings in nations like Vietnam and the Philippines, where authorities worried Joker could have a harmful influence. Despite its critical acclaim, the film’s unsettling themes and the potential risk of inciting real-world violence made it too controversial for release in certain parts of the world.
Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark 1979 film Apocalypse Now was banned in several countries, including Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago. The movie’s unflinching portrayal of the Vietnam War’s brutality and the mental toll on soldiers was seen as too disturbing and politically charged for general audiences in some parts of the world. Authorities felt the film’s graphic violence and dark subject matter could be upsetting or even destabilizing, leading them to censor the movie’s release. Even decades later, Apocalypse Now’s impact is still felt, for better or worse.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
This classic 1974 horror film was banned in several countries, including West Germany, Singapore, and Ireland, due to its graphic violence and disturbing subject matter. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s depiction of a family of cannibalistic killers was considered too extreme and likely to corrupt or upset viewers, leading to widespread censorship and prohibition. Some places kept the film banned for years, worried its horrific content crossed a line that should not be shown publicly. The movie’s enduring infamy as one of the most violent films ever made is a large part of why it faced such strong backlash.
The Exorcist
When The Exorcist was first released in 1973, it caused an uproar due to its terrifying depiction of demonic possession. The film was banned in several countries, including Malaysia, Israel, and Singapore, where authorities deemed its occult themes and graphic horror to be unacceptable for public viewing. Even the prospect of audiences witnessing the movie’s intense scenes of supernatural terror was too much for censors in these places, who felt compelled to prohibit screenings to protect the public. It took years before The Exorcist was allowed to be shown widely around the world.
The Satanic Verses
Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel The Satanic Verses was adapted into a movie that was banned in several countries with large Muslim populations, including India, Bangladesh, and Sudan. The film was seen as deeply offensive and blasphemous towards Islam, leading to widespread protests and calls for it to be censored. Authorities in these nations felt the movie’s controversial portrayal of religious figures and themes crossed a line that could not be tolerated, so they moved quickly to ban public screenings. The surrounding controversy remains one of the most high-profile cases of a creative work being prohibited due to religious objections.
Natural Born Killers
Oliver Stone’s 1994 film Natural Born Killers was banned in several countries due to its graphic depictions of violence and murder. Authorities were concerned the movie glorified serial killers and could inspire copycat crimes, leading to prohibitions in places like Ireland, Israel, and Malaysia. Even though the film was intended as a satire of media sensationalism, some censors felt its stylized portrayal of killing was too extreme and risky to allow audiences to see. The bans were later lifted in some countries after edits were made, but Natural Born Killers’ reputation as a provocative and controversial work endures.
The Death of Stalin
The Death of Stalin is a 2017 black comedy film. It makes fun of the power struggles that happened after the Soviet dictator died. Several countries with a history of communist rule, like Russia and Kazakhstan, banned the movie. They felt the film’s satirical portrayal of these historical figures was disrespectful and unacceptable for people to see.
The Lady
Luc Besson’s 2011 biographical drama The Lady was banned in Myanmar (formerly Burma) due to its portrayal of pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi. The film chronicles Suu Kyi’s fight against the country’s military junta, which was still in power at the time of the movie’s release. Myanmar’s government saw The Lady as overly sympathetic to Suu Kyi and banned it, fearing the film could inspire anti-authoritarian sentiment. The ban highlighted the sensitivity around depicting political dissent and opposition figures in countries with repressive regimes.
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 is a 2004 documentary by Michael Moore. The film strongly criticizes the George W. Bush administration and the Iraq War. This controversial political commentary led to the movie being banned in places like Kuwait and Malaysia. The governments in those countries saw Fahrenheit 9/11 as being too one-sided and potentially destabilizing for the public to watch.
The Interview
Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, The Interview is a 2014 comedy film that depicts the assassination of the leader of North Korea. Several countries, including North Korea itself, banned the movie. They felt the film’s silly portrayal of their political leader was completely unacceptable and disrespectful. North Korea even went so far as to hack the company that made The Interview to try to stop people from seeing it.
The Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation is an old silent film from 1915. It is an important movie in the history of cinema, but it also has very racist themes. The film shows African Americans in a negative way and even supports the racist Ku Klux Klan group. This offensive content led to the movie being banned in many places, especially in the United States where civil rights groups protested against it.
The Act of Killing
The Act of Killing is a 2012 documentary film that takes an unconventional approach to examining the Indonesian killings of 1965-66. Instead of simply recounting the historical events, the movie has perpetrators of the mass murders reenact their crimes in the style of their favorite film genres. This unorthodox technique led to the film being banned in Indonesia, where authorities deemed it inappropriate to depict the atrocities in such a stylized manner. The Act of Killing’s provocative exploration of violence and its legacy was seen as too controversial for public viewing in the country where the events took place.
The Green Inferno
Eli Roth’s 2013 horror film The Green Inferno was banned in several countries due to its graphic violence and disturbing subject matter. The movie follows a group of student activists who travel to the Amazon rainforest, only to be captured by a cannibalistic tribe. The Green Inferno’s intense scenes of gore and brutality were considered too extreme, leading censors in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia to prohibit the film’s release. Even today, the movie remains controversial for its depiction of indigenous peoples in a sensationalized and potentially offensive manner.
The Nightcleaners
The Nightcleaners is a documentary film made in 1975. It follows the struggles of underpaid women who clean office buildings at night in London. The movie criticized the poor working conditions and lack of protections for these workers. The Nightcleaners was banned in the UK for many years because the government felt the film promoted views that were too extreme.
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