The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever

[Amazing Larry]

The Passion of the Christ? A great movie, but ... controversy? I think it should be considered one of the least controversial movies, as it is based on one of the largest and most accepted religions in the world. Just my two cents.

And... Aladdin... I'm assuming this is about Arabian Nights, correct?

[Amazing Larry]

Wow, I didn't know an Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee existed. Talk about specifics.

[beagle]

The Passion of the Christ? A great movie, but ... controversy?

Didn't seem very controversial over here. Less so than some of Mel Gibson's other films.

Don't think it ever got to the States but The War Game was arguably more controversial here than any film on the list, except perhaps Clockwork Orange.

[Capellini]

I might have made Birth of a Nation place higher, top five at least.

[NeferKa]

I never saw the Passion of the Christ. I’ve read the New Testament, and that’s good enough for me. Is it considered controversial because it helped fan the flames of anti-Semitism? As far as I knew, many people enjoyed the movie and even took their little children to see it, even thought it was rated R. I don’t recall hearing large groups of people protesting it at theaters and so forth, like when the Catholic Church protested Dogma. The only reason I ever heard about Dogma was I saw a news report of Catholic protesting it, and I knew that it was a movie I had to go see.

Now, I really enjoyed Fahrenheit 9/11. I was surprised that it the movie theatre in town actually showed it, even though it was just for one week.

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Hmmm. I've only seen a very few of these.

Basic Instinct, Natural Born Killers (in part), The Last Temptation of the Christ, and A Clockwork Orange (in part)

Maybe I need to get out more? <heh>

I dunno, most of the ones on the list do not interest me at all.

As for Gibson's Passion, seein' as it's a snuff-film, I was not interested. Scorsese's The Last Temptation at least, had something new to say.

[Capellini]

The PotC was based on the script to a medieval Passion Play that was HORRIBLY anti-Semetic. That alone would taint it in the eyes of any thinking person.

Making it in Aramaic may have been another conceit designed to mask the anti-Semitism.

Mel's Daddy is a mean-mouth anti-Semite (toward both Jews and Arabs, BOTH Semetic peoples) and I'm wondering if only the Hollywood connections keep Mel from the same.

He's also a geocentrist. I LOVE those guys!!

[teripie]

I agree with Cap, Birth of A Nation should be in the top 5.
The question is, what constitutes a controversial movie? How big should an affected audience be? Is it controversial because a large number of people are offended or because it tries to influence people in a wrong way, such as Birth of A Nation tried to do? It would be interesting to see the guide lines used by the list composers.

Fahrenheit 9/11 was a lot more controversial I think than TPoTC. It definitely offended a great number of folks and at the same time influenced another large number of folks.

[ke_mikiao]

i've seen.....uhh.....three?


Tho in all seriousness......the MOST controversial movie ever has...HAS to be



Hoodwinked

A singing goat, hyperactive squirrel, and a villianous bunny???? NEVER!

[Capellini]

I agree with Cap, Birth of A Nation should be in the top 5.
The question is, what constitutes a controversial movie? How big should an affected audience be? Is it controversial because a large number of people are offended or because it tries to influence people in a wrong way, such as Birth of A Nation tried to do? It would be interesting to see the guide lines used by the list composers.

Fahrenheit 9/11 was a lot more controversial I think than TPoTC. It definitely offended a great number of folks and at the same time influenced another large number of folks.

Since controversial changes with the times, I think the mark should be how many people walk out of the theater feeling uncomfortable about what they'd just seen. You have to judge it by its impact at the time, not necessarily how its remembered today.

[St John the Blasphemist]

The Passion and The Christ probably made number 1 because it resulted in the most dinner party comments of

"Oh I read the book and it was so much better."

The Last Temptation of Christ was actually banned in Queensland (where I live) because of our then premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen's (and the people who petitioned him) christian views. I saw it illegally on video at someone's house & saw it as the possible thoughts going through Jesus' head (what would happen if I wasn't here?) while he was on the cross. There's also the bit where he tells Judas to betray him (he knew his purpose on earth and had to fulfill it). Take note of a recent post in another part of this forum regarding the Gospel of Judas. Was this movie a prophecy in some part?

I'm wondering where The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover came in the list. One of my favourite movies about what happens when Good, Evil, and the Stuff in between meet face to face. Some of them seem tame compared to it.

Toy Story didn't make the list either - full of Homosexual & Drug references.

St John the Blasphemist
Saint of Jacobean Drama

[The Black Spot]

Over here, "The Life of Brian" generated more controversy than "Passion of the Christ".

[black bart]

It was banned in Swansea!

[Blackspot_Isaiah]

Over here, "The Life of Brian" generated more controversy than "Passion of the Christ".

I knew I shouldn't have read this thread. Now I am going to hear the following running through my brain the rest of the day:

If life seems jolly rotten,
There's something you've forgotten,
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps,
Don't be silly chumps.
Just purse your lips and whistle. That's the thing.
And...

Always look on the bright side of life.
(whistling)

That song is just so infectious!

[anon1mat0]

Life of Bryan isn't controversial, it's seditious and subversive! It's Great!!