The Top Ten Most Controversial Movies 

Movies that attract controversies are often those that depict sex, violence, religion, politics, homosexuality, racism, drugs, obscene language, and related issues at a level that is considered taboo and not the norm.
Here are a few of the most controversial movies of all time.

1. Passion of the Christ




It's a VERY graphic depiction of how Jesus was betrayed, tortured and crucified. Says it all really. Mel Gibson with his deep Catholic faith had the sole intention to produce an unflinching depiction of Christ's suffering on behalf of mankind. What he succeeded at best, however, was igniting a culture-war inferno unrivaled in Hollywood history. In Gibson's defense though any film about religion is bound to cause a degree of controversy but In this scenario he overstepped the mark.


2. A Clockwork Orange




The story revolves around teenage delinquent turned gang rapist Alex. Who gets brainwashed by a futuristic English Government so that each time he encounters violence he becomes deathly ill. Apart from Alex's disturbing facial expressions, it didn't just cause controversy because of it's violent and pornographic scenes but because the film makes you sympathise with a total sociopath and rapist,which is very very disturbing. It was banned by it's own director in the UK for 30 years after it's reception caused social uproar and reports of copycat crimes.


3. Deep Throat




Continuing with the theme of pornography, this film is centered on it. It was the first pornographic film to feature a plot, character development and relatively high production standards. A woman named Linda Lovelace with an unusual birth defect ( her clitoris is located in her throat), comes to a doctor who has an unorthodox solution (which I'm sure you can guess from the title) to her problem. Many conservative leaders at the time got it banned and put Harry Reems who plays the doctor, on trial for obscenity charges. Even Lovelace herself later denounced the film, claiming that while filming ''there was a gun to my head.''


4. Natural Born Killers




This film was named one of the best films of the 1990s by many. It takes a look at our immoral and corrupt society that showcases serial killers as media celebrities and cultural icons. The characters Mickey and Mallory are homicidal lovers who don't kill for money or revenge but just for pure fun. After going on a three week murder spree they get arrested and become overnight celebrities. Even though it was intended as a satire on the media, the film inspired several copycat killers seeking their own personal fame. Over 12 murders were committed in the U.S because of this film.

5. Team America ( World Police )





Try to imagine, if you will, a movie that in its first few minutes offends just about everyone who's watching it.

South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt stone rose the controversy bar with their puppet movie.With the high level of political parody and the famous notorious sex scene involving puppets it was bound to offend. The scene actually had to be cut 12 times to appease the censors.

6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Considered as one of the most influential and controversial cult horror films of it's time. The film was loosely inspired by real-life murderer Ed Gein who wore human skin, but didn't use a chainsaw. It was one of the first depictions of cannibalism in a mainstream movie. From Marilyn Burns' character having her fingers chopped off to Leatherface's fleshy mask, it was some hardcore x rated violence which was banned in a number of countries.

7.  Cannibal Holocaust



A New York University professor returns from a rescue mission to the Amazon rainforest with the footage shot by a lost team of documentarians who were making a film about the area's local cannibal tribes. Due to the nature and content of the film, Deodato was arrested on obscenity charges. He was later accused of making a snuff film due to several rumours which emerged claiming that certain actors were killed on camera. Deodato was later cleared of the charges, however the film was banned in the UK, Italy and many other countries due to it's extreme depiction of gore, sexual violence and also the six genuine animals death involved in the film.


8. The Life of Brian

When we think of Monty Python now we probably tend to think of them as silly and surreal. Slapping each other in the face with fish and prancing around clapping coconut shells together. They are now seen as comedy gods but it's easy to forget how controversial they once were. The Life of Brian contains themes of religious satire that were controversial at the time of its release, drawing accusations of blasphemy and of course protests from religious groups. The film was banned in places like Ireland and Norway, but the  filmmakers used such notoriety to benefit their marketing campaign, with posters stating "So funny it was banned in Norway!".  

9. Kids





One of the most shocking films of the 90s, kids is about a group of teenagers prowling the streets of New York in search of sex, booze and drugs. The film focuses on a HIV positive teenager who embarks on a quest to intentionally infect as many girls as he can get his hands on. While some praised this movies as a wake up call about the youths of that generation, others saw this movie as an exploitation of child actors confronting very adult themes.


10. Salò (120 days of sodom)






Four fascist libertines round up 9 teenagers and subject them to 120 days of physical, mental and sexual torture. Because of its scenes depicting intensely graphic violence, sadism, and sexuality, the movie was extremely controversial upon its release, and remains to this day banned in several countries. The film caused outrage throughout the world when it was released in 1975, in Britain, the first cinema to screen an uncut version of the film in 1977 was actually raided by police. Says it all really. It was Pasolini's last film, he was in fact murdered shortly before Salò was released.