The 100 Most Controversial Movies of All Time
AMC Movie List

The 100 Most Controversial Movies of All Time

Filmsite.org's Tim Dirks spotlights 100 movies that had moviegoers talking. Which one is really the most shocking to you?

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1 A Clockwork Orange (1971, UK)
The second (and last) X-rated Best-Picture nominee, Stanley Kubrick's dystopian future appalled some viewers with its ultra-violence. 406 1144
2 The Exorcist (1973)
The sight of 13-year-old Linda Blair vomiting, swearing, and abusing herself with a crucifix horrified moviegoers and critics. 391 1059
3 Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
This gore-soaked movie’s use of “found footage” to reveal the fate of a missing documentary crew made it seem too real. 214 732
4 Psycho (1960)
Viewers used to Hitchcock's Technicolor thrillers were stunned by this black-and-white shocker that dared to kill Janet Leigh before the halfway mark. 149 841
5 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Rural cannibals slaughter soft city folks in the first “meat movie,” a horror tale rooted in realistic violence and social malaise. 119 769
6 Deep Throat (1972)
The movie that ushered in “porno chic,” Deep Throat sparked precedent-setting court cases that challenged assumptions about obscenity. 118 660
7 Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Darren Aronofsky’s hallucinatory chronicle of addiction had to be released unrated when he refused to cut a degrading orgy. 118 740
8 The Deer Hunter (1978)
Michael Cimino’s depiction of friendships tested by the Vietnam War won an Oscar, despite accusations of inaccuracy and racism. 113 717
9 Natural Born Killers (1994)
Directed by Oliver Stone from a Quentin Tarantino script, this look at sexual obsession was blamed for inspiring real-life murders. 111 747
10 I Spit On Your Grave (1978)
This rape-revenge movie so incensed critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel that they tried to have it pulled from theaters. 93 491
11 The Last House on the Left (1972)
Wes Craven changed Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring into a crude, taboo-breaking shocker. 90 568
12 Scarface (1932)
Howard Hawks’ classic was banned in several states despite pre-release changes designed to counter claims that it glorified gangsters. 85 641
13 Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The National Catholic Office for Motion Pictures reviled Polanski's dark horror classic for making "perverted use” of Christian beliefs. 84 686
14 Lolita (1962, U.K.)
Stanley Kubrick played up the dark humor in Nabokov’s novel about a middle-aged man infatuated with a pubescent girl. 75 557
15 The Evil Dead (1981)
Sam Raimi’s debut was virtually guaranteed an "X" rating for blood and gore, but the rape scene was the capper, and it was released unrated. 67 591
16 Kids (1995)
A realistic look at drugging, hook ups, and frank sex talk among teens, photographer Larry Clark’s movie was labeled salacious and pedophilic. 60 600
17 Freaks (1932)
Though its sympathies were with the sideshow performers, this circus drama was criticized for casting real-life “human oddities.” 59 541
18 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
This animated satire included such provocations as depicting Satan and Saddam Hussein as lovers. 56 608
19 Dirty Harry (1971)
Is Harry Callahan’s contempt for modern criminal-justice protocols a liberal critique of vigilantism or reactionary propaganda? 55 615
20 Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979, UK)
This satire lampooned religious zealotry and thus was labeled blasphemous and sacrilegious. 54 610
21 The Passion of The Christ (2004)
Mel Gibson's film was called anti-Semitic and became the highest-grossing independent film ever. 50 728
22 Salo (aka The 120 Days of Sodom) (1975, It.)
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s politically provocative and sexually explicit movie equates fascism and sexual torture. 47 507
23 Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
One of the most influential movies of the seventies was accused of glamorizing Depression-era robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. 46 556
24 The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
In this grotesque movie, a mad doctor turns three young victims into a twelve-limbed abomination. 32 600
25 Blue Velvet (1986)
David Lynch's look at the violence beneath the facade of small-town eighties America was denounced for images of sexual degradation. 31 503
26 Faces of Death (1978)
The fact that it was “banned in 40 countries” was a selling point for this morbid collection of death scenes, some real and some fake. 30 516
27 Midnight Cowboy (1969)
The only X-rated Best-Picture winner, this gritty movie discomfited some viewers with its frank, non-judgmental depiction of homosexuality. 29 505
28 The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988)
Religious fundamentalists picketed and boycotted Martin Scorsese’s film on the life of Christ. 29 523
29 Caligula (1979)
Variety dubbed this historical epic -- written by Gore Vidal, produced by Bob Guccione, and directed by Tinto Brass -- a “moral holocaust.” 25 501
30 The Birth Of A Nation (1915)
Even in 1915, D.W. Griffith’s Civil War epic caused a stir for its stereotypical depiction of African-Americans. 20 462
31 Irreversible (2002, Fr.)
Walkouts were common during this French thriller, which depicts a vicious and lengthy rape and its aftermath in reverse chronological order. 18 422
32 Straw Dogs (1971)
A double rape and its aftermath made Sam Peckinpah’s movie about a mild-mannered mathematician driven to violence a hot-button topic. 14 378
33 Antichrist (2009, Den.)
A couple engages in violent sex and sexual violence after their son’s death, but art-house audiences took its provocations in stride. 9 423
34 Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer (1986, released in 1990)
Michael Rooker’s intense performance made this take on Henry Lee Lucas’ crimes feel unbearably real. 8 380
35 The Warriors (1979)
Worried that Walter Hill’s depiction of gangs might incite real violence, Paramount Pictures temporarily pulled it from several theaters. 2 444
36 Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Deplored by political and religious conservatives, this was the first mainstream gay/bi-sexual romance; it garnered both critical and popular acclaim. 2 634
37 Pink Flamingos (1972)
Cult provocateur John Waters used bizarre, crude, tasteless and sexually grotesque images to challenge cultural mores in his first feature. 1 413
38 Citizen Kane (1941)
Critics loved it, but media mogul W.R. Hearst -- the inspiration for Kane – used his influence to discredit Orson Welles’ groundbreaking movie. 0 566
39 Last Tango In Paris (1972, It./Fr.)
Bernardo Bertolucci's striking juxtaposition of lust and despair starred Hollywood icon Marlon Brando. -1 387
40 JFK (1991)
Oliver Stone's complex, provocative conspiracy thriller was attacked for legitimizing a crackpot theory about JFK’s assassination. -1 499
41 Basic Instinct (1992)
Sharon Stone’s turn as a seductive bisexual murderess made her a star, but the movie raised hackles for its depiction of lethal lesbians. -1 531
42 Hard Candy (2005)
Subtle performances helped make this thriller about a teen sparring with a suspected pedophile seem thought-provoking rather than sleazy. -9 401
43 The Wild Bunch (1969)
Sam Peckinpah's movie was both praised for its vision of the dying West and lambasted for its savagely explicit violence. -11 403
44 Dogma (1999)
Kevin Smith’s inquiry into the nature of good and evil is surprisingly sincere, but its vulgar snarkiness still rankled religious leaders. -15 473
45 Crash (1996)
David Cronenberg’s adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s outre novel about people who get off on car crashes was too fetishistic for many. -23 435
46 Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Michael Moore’s scathing documentary about George W. Bush’s war on terror was a hit despite conservative claims that it was propaganda. -24 482
47 Lolita (1997)
Lolita could still shock 35 years after Kubrick’s adaptation; even after extensive cuts, Adrian Lyne’s franker version was too hot for theaters. -27 391
48 Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two children while filming prompted new safety regulations. -31 427
49 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
This Oscar-winning antiwar movie drew fire for portraying young German soldiers with sympathy. -32 388
50 Peeping Tom (1960, U.K.)
British critics called Michael Powell’s thriller about a tormented murderer perverted, necrophilic, and trashy; his career never recovered. -44 310
51 The Last Picture Show (1971)
Peter Bogdanovich’s melancholy look at adultery, alcoholism, and promiscuity in fifties Texas divided moviegoers and critics. -44 348
52 Do The Right Thing (1989)
Critics worried that Spike Lee’s evocation of poverty, police brutality, and racial tensions in Brooklyn would incite violence. -45 377
53 Song of the South (1946)
Never available on video or DVD in the US, Disney’s charming animated take on Southern folklore is tainted by its live-action sequences depicting happy slaves. -51 337
54 The Devils (1971, U.K.)
Ken Russell’s drama about womanizing priests, sex-crazed nuns, and hysteria in seventeenth-century France was banned in deeply Catholic Italy. -51 287
55 Nekromantik (1987, Germ.)
Necrophilia may be the last taboo, and this German gross-out pulled no punches, which is why it was loathed and banned in many markets. -51 285
56 The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989, UK)
Peter Greenaway put a high-style gloss on base depravity in this cruel allegory about capitalism. -56 292
57 The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Conservative Christian groups fumed and urged boycotts, but the popularity of Dan Brown’s thriller about arcane secrets and occult mysteries won out. -56 542
58 Pretty Baby (1978)
Louis Malle’s decision to cast 12-year-old Brooke Shields as a New Orleans prostitute struck many as child exploitation. -59 319
59 Ken Park (2002)
Unsimulated sex scenes sparked accusations that filmmaker Larry Clark exploited his teenaged cast, and it was barely distributed in the US. -59 301
60 Triumph Of The Will (1935, Ger.)
Leni Rienfenstahl’s gorgeous documentary glorified the Nazis' ideals and iconography. -60 312
61 Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975)
Inspired both by art-house sensation The Night Porter (1974) and real-life "Bitch of Buchenwald" Ilse Koch, this sex/torture movie spawned a wave of “nasty Nazi” movies. -60 280
62 Stigmata (1999)
Rattling the Catholic church’s wasn’t as shocking in the late nineties as when The Exorcist opened but still exposed this movie to censure. -62 388
63 The Dreamers (2003)
Bernardo Bertolucci's NC-17-rated chronicle of sexual discovery hints at incest and other taboos while deliberately evoking erotic art movies of the ‘60s. -66 276
64 Shortbus (2006)
This drama of young bohemians in post 9/11 New York was the most sexually-graphic American movie ever released in non-porn theaters. -67 285
65 Cruising (1980)
William Friedkin's sexually frank thriller offended gay-rights activists by implying that homosexuality inevitably leads to murder. -68 276
66 The Outlaw (1943)
Busty starlet Jane Russell’s breasts cast a long shadow over this erotically charged Western, outraging guardians of public decency. -70 276
67 Carnal Knowledge (1971)
Moviegoers expecting to be titillated were taken aback by this drama’s raw, taboo-breaking examination of misogyny. -70 276
68 The Brown Bunny (2003)
Gossip about cult actor Vincent Gallo’s directing debut centered on a graphic oral-sex scene and his feud with critic Roger Ebert. -70 318
69 Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
Melvin Van Peebles’ indie movie reflected the simmering rage of disillusioned African-Americans. -73 271
70 Boxing Helena (1993)
Madonna and Kim Basinger bailed on Jennifer Lynch’s story of a sexually troubled surgeon who tames his dream girl by amputation. -73 319
71 In the Realm of the Senses (1976, Jap.)
Nagisa Oshima's graphic examination of sexual obsession was seized and edited by US Customs. -74 290
72 Snuff (1976, Arg/USA)
Tacking a cynical “real” murder sequence onto a ho-hum exploitation movie generated enough media outrage to make Snuff a lucrative hit. -74 262
73 Hounddog (2007)
Outcry over a rape scene involving an Elvis-loving pre-teen (played by 12-year-old Dakota Fanning) helped sink this drama set in 1950s Alabama. -74 276
74 Baby Doll (1956)
The Catholic Legion of Decency condemned Tennessee Williams’ lurid tale of a thumb-sucking child bride and the men who lust for her. -75 261
75 United 93 (2006)
The trailer that positioned this chillingly realistic 9/11 docu-drama as a formulaic thriller occasioned more dismay than the movie itself. -75 377
76 Viridiana (1961, Sp./Mex.)
Luis Bunuel’s surreal masterpiece was widely condemned for its suggestions of incest, rape and necrophilia. -76 262
77 Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)
Women Against Pornography unwittingly raised this ugly horror movie’s profile by denouncing its relentless, misogynistic violence. -76 268
78 Men Behind the Sun (1988, Jap.)
Inspired by grotesque medical experiments carried out by Japan’s notorious Unit 731 during WWII. -76 258
79 9 Songs (2004, UK)
This UK movie received limited US distribution but revived the “porn or art” debate by charting a couple’s relationship through nine unsimulated sex scenes. -79 277
80 Henry & June (1990)
The first major studio release rated NC-17, this arty biopic featured a guilt-free <i>menage a trois</i>, nudity and Uma Thurman in a lesbian kiss. -82 268
81 Kinsey (2004)
Many groups claimed this honest portrait of the pioneering sex researcher advocated perversion and glorified Kinsey's work. -82 292
82 Baise Moi (2000, Fr.)
A hardcore hybrid of Natural Born Killers and Thelma and Louise, this drama about two abused women who turn vigilante was banned in its native France. -83 271
83 Heaven's Gate (1980)
Bad pre-release buzz, including explosive accusations of animal abuse, helped turn Michael Cimono’s epic western into a legendary flop. -85 283
84 I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967, Swe.)
Mockumentary about ‘60s youth was condemned as pornographic. -89 267
85 Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1974, Swed.)
A US distributor added hardcore inserts to Bo Vibenius’ grim rape-revenge movie. -89 251
86 Aladdin (1992)
Disney’s animated musical included lyrics that the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee claimed perpetuated racist stereotypes. -90 516
87 Titicut Follies (1967)
Frederick Wiseman's disturbing documentary exposed abuse in mental institutions, but its unflinching footage of patients was called insensitive. -91 253
88 The Message (1976, 1977)
Though this epic biopic deferred to Islamic law by never showing Mohammed, it was still condemned as sacrilegious and banned in many Arab countries. -93 241
89 Ecstasy (1933, Czech.)
Americans were shocked by the nudity and sexual frankness of this Czech drama about an unhappy wife searching for fulfillment. -94 252
90 Mondo Cane (1962, It.)
This Italian shockumentary was castigated for exploiting footage of lurid cultural practices from around the world. -100 256
91 Romance (1999, Fr.)
Catherine Breillat challenged the status quo by casting an Italian porn star in her drama about the disconnect between love and sex: Outrage ensued. -100 262
92 Year of the Dragon (1985)
Now all-but forgotten, Michael Cimino's follow up to Heaven's Gate was censured for sexist and racist stereotypes of Chinese-Americans. -103 261
93 Victim (1961, UK)
Homosexuality was still a criminal offense in England when this thriller dared to take the side of gay men victimized by ruthless blackmailers. -106 242
94 Hail, Mary (1985, Fr.)
Jean-Luc Godard's contemporary take on the Immaculate Conception featured copious nudity and was denounced by Pope John Paul II. -106 238
95 The Crime of Padre Amaro (2002, Mex.)
Condemnation by the Catholic Church helped make this drama about unchaste priests a hit in Mexico. -106 252
96 A Real Young Girl (aka Une Vraie Jeune Fille) (1975, Fr.)
French filmmaker Catherine Breillat's film on explicit evocation of disturbing desires. -108 250
97 The Moon Is Blue (1953)
Well-bred people didn’t use words like “virgin,” “seduce” and “mistress” in public, but this mild sex farce did and became a cause celebre. -109 231
98 Bandit Queen (1994, India)
Indian censors deplored the nudity and violence in this biopic about Phoolan Devi, who overcame rape, child marriage and false imprisonment to become a politician. -109 261
99 September Dawn (2007)
LDS spokesmen denounced this little-seen account of the 1857 Mormon massacre of California-bound settlers as a “distortion of history.” -114 244
100 The Kiss (1896)
When Broadway sensations May Irwin and John Rice’s notorious lip-lock was immortalized on film, people were shocked! -115 257