The Most Controversial Movie From The Year You Were Born

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Whether it be about exorcisms, cults, racism, violence, or sexuality, filmmakers always seem to want to push the boundaries of cinema with ease. Throughout the past century, moviemakers have been successful in pushing the limits of freedom of expression despite facing repercussions for displaying explicit subjects to the public. In the past few decades, hundreds of movies have been banned due to extremely graphic content, and laws have even been made to regulate such films due to their negative influence on society. For those who are passionate about movies, you may know some of the top controversial films in cinema history, but do you know the most contestable movie made the year you were born?

The Bad Seed (1956)

By the late 1950s, many film regulations had already been put in place, yet,

The Bad Seed

must have slipped through the cracks of the law seeing that it portrays unagreeable and immoral ideas about murder and instincts.

Even though the movie was produced, authorities attempted to get the writer to change the ending of the film.

Photo Courtesy: [Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers/YouTube/Public Domain]

This movie displays the controversial idea that murderous instincts are hereditary when they are in fact caused by environmental influence,

and as much as John Lee Mahin wanted to end the movie with the little girl (pictured above) getting away with the murder, he was forced to alter the finale of the film.

Paths of Glory (1957)

Paths of Glory

is not controversial due to most reasons like violence or nudity, and it was only censored in France because it shed a controversial light on the French Army during WWII.

In fact,

Paths of Glory

was not fully shown in France until 20 years after it was released!

Photo Courtesy: [Stanley Kubrick/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain]

In this war film, which was released in 1957, soldiers are portrayed as cowards after they could not attack their enemies on command and are instead protected by their commanding officer.

Despite this movie having been released over half a century ago, it is still controversial in France.

The Defiant Ones (1958)

Stanley Kramer is known as one of the inventors of "message pictures," which were used to expose explicit ideas without fully immersing the audience in them,

and

The Defiant Ones

was one of his first movies to use this storytelling device to expose racism in the southern U.S.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

The Defiant Ones

is known as an American drama film and it premiered in 1958 when, unfortunately, racism was prominent in the southern United States, and it was instantly met with criticism because the film promoted unity and peace among the races.

Some Like it Hot (1959)

Some Like it Hot

premiered in 1959 and it first caught the public's attention when Marilyn Monroe was cast in the film as the lead singer of an all-female jazz band.

This film was banned in Kansas and many other states, and it was highly censored due to its "immoral" content.

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This film was originally controversial because it did not have a censorship certification when it premiered, and despite it not being up to code because homosexuals and cross-dressing were featured,

the movie was still a massive hit and overruled all authorities.

Psycho (1960)

If you are a fan of horror movies, then you have definitely seen the film,

Psycho

, which was a pioneer for the genre, yet, when it originally premiered, it was met with criticism for its display of violence and sexuality.

Some of the actors who were a part of this monumental film were Janet Leigh, John Gavin, and Vera Miles.

Photo Courtesy: [Paramount Pictures/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain]

This movie displays massive amounts of violence including a murderous shower scene, and all the chaos occurs at Bates Motel, which is run by a demented psycho, Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins).

Even though this film was criticized, it is now a beloved movie that is a foundation for the horror genre.

Victim (1961)

In the early 1960s, homosexuality was illegal according to English law, so when the film,

Victim

, premiered in 1961, it became extremely controversial seeing that it was about a successful lawyer (played by Dirk Bogarde, pictured below) who turns out to be a closeted homosexual.

Photo Courtesy: [Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers/YouTube/Public Domain]

Over the past few decades, some movies have been controversial but only because they advocated for freedom and personal rights, and

Victim

is a prime example of such a film.

The lawyer tries to save his career after being blackmailed and continues to fight for his freedom despite his sexuality being illegal, and movies such as this helped to normalize homosexuality (as it should have always been).

Lolita (1962)

Two years after the film,

Lolita

was completed, it was finally released, and it took so long to premiere because no one wanted to present to the public such an explicit film.

Lolita

explored the idea of a middle-aged man who invests his time into a young girl, which is wrong on every level.

Photo Courtesy: [MGM/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain]

Stanley Kubrick was the one who adapted this story into a movie in the early 1960s, and it was only introduced to the public because the directors thought it would attract attention due to the inappropriate content;

the film was limited in theatres before people rallied to get it taken off the public screen.

Blood Feast (1963)

Pictured below is the narrator for the introduction of the movie, Blood Feast, and this film starts out with the narrator warning the audience about the gore and violence in the film. With this, Blood Feast was one of the first "splatter" horror films, and it is known for being filmed in bright colors.

Photo Courtesy: [HD Retro Trailers/YouTube/Public Domain]

At least the public was warned before watching this movie fully in the theatre (debuting in 1963),

for the narrator even tells weak-stomached people to leave the audience before the start of the film due to the tremendous violence and massive amounts of gore.

One Potato, Two Potato (1964)

In 1964, Larry Peerce came out with his first film, One Potato, Two Potato, and it was controversial for the right reasons seeing that it was made only a few weeks after the Civil Rights Act was passed and promoted racial equality. This movie explores an interracial marriage and the immoral criticism that the couple receives for living their lives together.

Photo Courtesy: [Klokline Cinema/YouTube/Public Domain]

One Potato, Two Potato

is about the marriage of Julie Richards (Barbara Barrie) and Frank Richards (Bernie Hamilton) and the custody battle that occurs as Julie attempts to claim guardianship of her daughter, all while she and Frank face criticism.

At the time of the release of this film, interracial marriage was still illegal in the U.S.

A Patch of Blue (1965)

During the height of the Civil Rights Movement, filmmakers were constantly writing storylines involving interracial couples, and A Patch of Blue was about a blind woman who falls in love with a black office worker (the two pictured below, played by Sidney Poitier and Elizabeth Hartman).

Photo Courtesy: [Warner Archive/YouTube/Public Domain]

This movie, which premiered in 1967, is the true representation of the idea that "love is blind", and that love is universal. Furthermore, Guy Green was the director of this film that had an ample amount to say about racial tolerance and the ignorance of society.

Django (1966)

You may recognize the man pictured below as Django, who was played by Franco Nero in the 1966 western film,

Django

, which is about a gunslinger and a prostitute who become negatively involved with southern members of the KKK and Mexican Revolutionaries.

Photo Courtesy: [Shobary Westerns/YouTube/Public Domain]

When this movie premiered in the late 1960s, it was one of the most violent to date, and the violence brought about the main controversy in this film.

Not only was

Django

brutal, but it also contained a catalog of racist language and irresponsible uses of explosives.

Bonnie And Clyde (1967)

In the 1967 film,

Bonnie And Clyde

, actors Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty play the notorious historical figures, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

Even though it is always positive to learn about history, a large controversy brewed over whether it was moral to publicize such crimes.

Photo Courtesy: [Warner Bros./Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain]

Pictured above is a publicity shot for the 1967 film, and director Arthur Penn was accused of glamorizing the real-life bank robbers who fell in love only to travel across the western U.S. to commit bank robberies and countless murders in the early

1900s.

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Rosemary's Baby

was originally a novel and when it premiered as a movie in the late 1960s, it became one of the first movies to expose ideas of Satanism and the occult.

Despite the movie having an enticing storyline, the Catholic and Christian church

highly disapproved of the film.

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Roman Polanski was the director of this movie about a mother who births a creature from the underworld, and it was a hit among horror fans after Paramount Pictures released it in 1968.

Nowadays

Rosemary's Baby

is considered a classic, although when it first debuted, it caused a whirlwind of controversy.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Midnight Cowboy

is one of the only X-rated movies to ever win an Academy Award for Best Picture, and it stirred up the most controversy with its portrayal of homosexuality throughout the film.

John Schlesinger directed

Midnight Cowboy

and it was a pioneer film for homosexuality-related movies.

Photo Courtesy: [MGM/YouTube/Public Domain]

Regardless of winning an Academy Award, John received backlash for the film because of his depiction of gay-related subjects and male prostitution, especially seeing that "midnight cowboys" are known as male city hustlers.

Midnight Cowboy

premiered in the late 1960s, and it was filmed in New York.

Performance (1970)

Have you ever wondered if Mick Jagger, the lead singer of the Rolling Stones, ever starred in a movie?

In 1970, Mick starred in the film,

Performance

, which was about a gangster who disappears from the cops by hiding out in the home of a rock star and his girlfriend.

Photo Courtesy: [Warner Bros./YouTube/Public Domain]

Most people would think that any movie with Mick Jagger would be an instant hit, although everyone was disappointed by

Performance

, and the film was so horrible that when it was first shown, a lady vomited in her purse.

When

Performance

debuted in 1970 (after two years of being shelved), it was flagged for extreme nudity and violence.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

In 1962, the novel,

A Clockwork Orange

was published, and in 1971, Stanley Kubrick adapted the story to film, and it became an instant cult classic, especially due to the clever casting (including Malcolm McDowell, who is pictured below).

Furthermore, the movie was set in futuristic England and was censored for violence and nudity.

Photo Courtesy: [Stanley Kubrick/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain]

A Clockwork Orange

is about a group of vigilantes who are consistently committing crimes, and how the leader of the group has a life-altering experience after being convicted of murder and sentenced to brainwashing to attempt to stop his immortality.

Pink Flamingos (1972)

John Waters is known as the "Prince of Puke," so it was no surprise when he produced the movie, Pink Flamingos in 1972, which featured the character, Divine, who is pictured below. This film was John's prize in his portfolio seeing that it was one of the most immoral, disgusting, and trashy films to have ever been made.

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Pink Flamingos

is packed with grotesque images, but John didn't stop there, for he created some of the most outrageous and repulsive scenes ever known to cinema, and the movie continues to be analyzed today.

Most people wanted the film outright banned, mostly because of the full-frontal nudity.

The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist

is one of the essential classic horror films, and it was so controversial that the leading actress, Linda Blair (pictured below), received threatening letters because she "glorified Satan",

spoke horrendous language during the film, and was sexually explicit with a cross.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

Not only were people upset about the devil references in the movie, but some people sparked controversy over the fact that the movie was so visually horrifying, despite that being the point of a scary movie!

Additionally, this movie was adapted from a novel and won two Academy Awards.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Tobe Hooper, the director of the original movie,

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

, horrified people across the world when he brought a real-life story (based on a killer in Wisconsin) to the cinema screen in an utterly frightening way.

The first showing of the movie had an X rating, and Tobe was forced to cut some of the film to make it more popular amongst the public.

Photo Courtesy: [The Texas Chainsaw Massacre/YouTube/Public Domain]

When this movie premiered in 1974, some people became sick during the showing, while others stormed out of the theatre, demanding their money back.

Pictured above is Leatherface, the revolting killer of the story, and there went on to be multiple remakes of the movie.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

If you are a fan of classic cult films, then you would love

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

which stars Tim Curry as the leading character (a transvestite scientist), Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

At first, this movie received a lot of criticism in the mid-1970s because it involved murder and premarital sex.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

also created controversy because Dr. Frank-N-Furter was composed of multiple queer stereotypes, and the entire film was about him creating and exposing his living sex doll, Rocky.

Even though this movie wasn't well received at first, now, people have entire festivals to celebrate the film!

Taxi Driver (1976)

In 1976, Martin Scorsese directed the film,

Taxi Driver

, which features Robert De Niro as the main character, Travis Bickle, who is a man on the edge of insanity.

Some critics say that one of the worst parts of this film is Jodie Foster's immoral role as a teen prostitute (she was 12 at the time).

Photo Courtesy: [Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/YouTube/Public Domain]

After the movie was released, people were frightened that someone like the character, Travis Bickle, may surface, seeing that Martin's intended depiction of Travis' anger before he murders people,

attempts to kill a Senator, and becoming delusional was too real.

Unfortunately, a few years after the release of the movie, John Hinkley Jr. attempted to shoot President Reagan to try to impress Jodie Foster.

Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)

By the late 1970s, it was considered unacceptable and scandalous to make movies about people leaving the Catholic faith to pursue a promiscuous life, yet

Looking for Mr. Goodbar

premiered in 1977 with that exact storyline.

Furthermore, this movie explored the idea of a woman being a children's teacher by day and a bar-hopper looking for one-night stands by night.

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In 1977,

Looking for Mr. Goodbar

(featuring Diane Keaton) bluntly expressed ideas and acts of homosexuality and the idea of a promiscuous lifestyle, so it faced relentless criticism at the time,

and many people disapproved of this American drama movie.

I Spit on Your Grave (1978)

I Spit on Your Grave

premiered in 1978 as a terrifying horror film that follows the story of a woman who murders a group of men that had abused her.

Even though this is considered a classic nowadays, when it first debuted, people were outraged by the film.

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This movie was banned in various countries in the late 1970s,

and Feminist groups around the world protested the creation and showing of this movie because of the idea of female empowerment through violence and the sick depiction of male-inflicted abuse.

Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)

Most of the criticism for the film,

Monty Python's Life of Brian

, was voiced by the church, seeing that the movie was about a normal person who is accidentally confused for the Messiah, and then finds himself in complicated shenanigans as he continues on his journey.

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In 1979, the creators of this movie sparked controversy when they consistently mocked Jesus Christ throughout the entire film visually and through countless remarks and dialogue,

yet it continued to catch the attention of comedians and fans of Monty Python.

Cruising (1980)

Al Pacino is the prominent star in the movie,

Cruising,

which premiered in 1980, and it was brewing controversy before it even debuted because of its depiction of the gay community.

Furthermore,

Cruising

was about an undercover cop who must pretend to be gay to attempt to catch a murderer who targets homosexuals.

Photo Courtesy: [Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers/YouTube/Public Domain]

Before the movie was completed, protestors would rave outside the production studios and interrupt filming in any way that they could, and when the movie was unfortunately completed,

people were outraged by the ideas that the movie presented about aggression toward the gay community.

The Evil Dead (1981)

Every horror fan knows the 1981 Sam Raimi film,

The Evil Dead

, which reached the status of an instant classic and went on to have two additional movies added to the series.

Bruce Campbell is the primary star of this film as he plays the character of Ash, a young adult who faces chaos with his friends after trying to enjoy a weekend at a cabin in the woods.

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The Evil Dead

is by far one of the best movies ever made, but it sparked extreme controversy when it premiered due to a scene involving sexual abuse performed by nature (in the movie, the force of evil is concentrated in the forest).

Later, the director apologized for the intensity of the scene and said that he has learned more about the concepts of filmmaking since then.

White Dog (1982)

In 1982, director Samuel Fuller wanted to attempt to approach the idea of racism in a movie, and he did so by creating

White Dog

, which ended up being so controversial that it was shelved for almost a decade before it was shown on the big screen.

Photo Courtesy: [elfj/YouTube/Public Domain]

White Dog

is about a black dog trainer who tries to train a dog to undo his condition of attacking people of color, and even though he was able to do it, the movie ends with the dog unexpectedly attacking a white person.

This film was only shown in five theatres before it was shelved and was one of the most controversial films made in 1982!

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

The Twilight Zone

is a classic sci-fi TV series that first premiered in 1959 and due to its popularity,

Twilight Zone: The Movie

was created in 1983.

This film continued the idea of an anthology, so it contained four episodes and was also directed by four people.

Photo Courtesy: [Admiral Titan Entertainment/YouTube/Public Domain]

Twilight Zone: The Movie

was controversial because three people were murdered during the making of the film, including Vic Morrow, Myca Dinh Le, and Renee Shinn Chen, and after the accident,

three people, including Steven Spielberg, were arrested for manslaughter.

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

A horror-themed Christmas movie was never really done before 1984, so

Silent Night, Deadly Night

, had caught the interest of numerous people when it premiered.

This movie may have been successful at its first debut if the production company wouldn't advertised the film on TV while children were watching.

Photo Courtesy: [ScreamFactoryTV/YouTube/Public Domain]

This Christmas movie is about a demented child who grows up to murder people in a Santa costume, and when children had seen the ad for the movie on TV,

parents instantly and vigorously protested the movie, and critics also stated their disapproval toward the film.

Hail Mary (1985)

Hail Mary

was one of the most controversial movies of the 1980s, and it premiered in 1985 under the direction of Jean-Luc Godard, who was called out by the Pope for his disgusting portrayal of the Virgin Mary.

Not only did the Catholic and Christian churches condemn this movie, but the city of Boston also banned the movie from all theatres.

Photo Courtesy: [Cohen Film Collection/YouTube/Public Domain]

Wherever

Hail Mary

did premiere in 1985, irritated protestors were out front of the theatre attempting to stop the showing of the movie, and in Minneapolis,

people had even broken into a theatre to steal the film so that it would not be shown.

Blue Velvet (1986)

Blue Velvet

(directed by David Lynch)

is considered a tremendously controversial movie because of its disturbing images such as eccentric ways to consume drugs and sexual abuse, and actors' careers were ruined over this film due to its intensity.

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Even though this movie is about people being forced into a criminal underworld, it still doesn't excuse the vulgarity of the film,

and multiple people would get into fights at the theatres because of the controversy that this cinematic piece created in the late 1980s.

Bad Taste (1987)

Bad Taste

was banned in Australia (after three weeks of being in theatres) and multiple other places due to its extensive amount of gore throughout the storyline, which is about harvesting humans.

Even though

Bad Taste

was a cheap parody movie, it became a part of cinematic history because of the controversy that it created.

Photo Courtesy: [MondoBizzaroTV/YouTube/Public Domain]

Peter Jackson was the one to direct this horror movie, and it made a terrifying first impression on audiences across the world when it debuted in 1987, and

it was edited down many times into a short gore movie before it was banned in multiple locations.

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Martin Scorsese was known for making controversial movies, and in 1988, he upset the Catholic Church after making

The Last Temptation of Christ

, which was "morally offensive", and even Mother Teresa protested the movie and its depiction of Jesus.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

The Last Temptation of Christ entertained the idea of Jesus having a dream while being crucified, and it featured him living an ordinary life that includes Mary Magdalene. Furthermore, protestors were a normal sight outside of movie theatres when the film premiered.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Do the Right Thing

sparked extensive controversy when it premiered in 1989 because it was analyzed as racist, especially when critics warned the public of possible riots that may occur because of the movie's debut; when the film was released, no riots broke out.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

This American drama is about a riot that breaks out on a simmering summer day in New York,

and it feeds into racist stereotypes that caused massive debates amongst the public about the stance of racism in the U.S. Unfortunately, in

Do the Right Thing

, the exact opposite was done.

Goodfellas (1990)

In the 1990s, a multitude of gangster movies started to be made, and in 1990, Martin Scorsese kicked the decade off with Goodfellas, which is about a group of Italian-American gangsters who enjoy their lives of crime. When the film first debuted, swarms of controversy surrounded it, but now, we know it as a classic.

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Goodfellas

won 15 awards, but not before it was intensely criticized for its portrayal of Italian-American gangsters who are part of the mob, along with the violence that skimmed too close to reality for some audiences.

After it had survived the controversy,

Goodfellas

went on to inspire many other gangster films.

JFK (1991)

In 1991, Oliver Stone created the movie,

JFK

, which was about his opinions on what had happened the day that President Kennedy got shot.

Before the film had even premiered, controversy already started to spark, for people were scared that the movie would bring about misinformation.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

People all across the world disapproved of this speculation film, although it did inspire members of Congress to release sealed documents that pertained to the assassination case.

Furthermore, Stone's movie was so controversial because it implied that the U.S. government was actively involved in the murder.

Basic Instinct (1992)

Basic Instinct

was yet another film that implied that homosexual people are dangerous, and it was so controversial that members of the gay community would protest outside the movie theatre when it premiered by spoiling the ending of the movie for people.

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Even though the protestors were attempting to stop the showing of the movie, they actually brought attention to the film, and people were attracted to the controversy involved with

Basic Instinct

Additionally, the main actress, Sharon Stone, benefitted from the controversy as the movie became a box-office hit.

Indecent Proposal (1993)

In 1993,

Indecent Proposal

sparked controversy due to its storyline, which involved a married couple who is offered $1 million if the wife sleeps with the businessman making the offer for a night.

This film caused an uproar because the audience found themselves questioning what they would do in such a situation.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

The storyline for

Indecent Proposal

was provocative, to say the least, but it still caught the attention of mass audiences including journalists and TV personalities, and, in a cinematic sense,

the movie was a hit because of all the attention it accrued soon after it premiered.

Natural Born Killers (1994)

When

Natural Born Killers

premiered in 1994, critics were terrified that people would follow the example of the main characters in this film, who committed crimes together as a love-struck couple.

Unfortunately, in a sense, the critics were right, because murders committed by a teenage couple happened shortly after, and they blamed this movie as an influence.

Photo Courtesy: [two seven/YouTube/Public Domain]

Before the movie debuted in 1994, director Oliver Stone (who was known as controversial) attempted to get a rating for this film multiple times before authorities were able to agree on something,

and nowadays,

Natural Born Killers

is known as a classic cult movie.

Kids (1995)

Kids

is loaded with controversial and disgusting scenes, and the film is about a group of teens who are subject to crime and violence on the streets of New York City.

Additionally,

Kids

is not for the weak-stomached, for it contains scenes about HIV, violence, and sexual abuse.

Photo Courtesy: [george botans/YouTube/Public Domain]

This movie was so controversial that the director (Larry Clark) hired a lawyer in case he was sued for child endangerment, and authorities had a tough time rating this movie, so much so that it was released as "unrated".

Not to mention, this movie was not easy to rate because it was too similar to reality.

Crash (1996)

Some people consider

Crash

a horror movie, although it was not originally intended to be that way, and it turned out to be the most controversial film from that year (1996) because it was about people who were attracted to car accidents and injuries associated with them.

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At the time of its release, Italy and Britain swiftly banned the movie, it was a disgrace to the Cannes Film Festival (there was a negative audience reaction),

and people actively stopped

Crash

from winning any cinematic awards despite protests from the director.

Funny Games (1997)

In 1997, the movie, Funny Games premiered, and it was a disgrace to film history, with the director bringing nothing but disappointment to offer. Furthermore, this movie wasn't popular before or after it came out due to its extreme and horrendous content.

Photo Courtesy: [HD Retro Trailers/YouTube/Public Domain]

This movie is about a young boy, a mother, and a father who are tortured by two men while on vacation, and the ending of the film was known as dull to most critics.

Altogether,

Funny Games

was a disturbing film that was unbearable for any audience to watch.

Bulworth (1998)

Bulworth,

which came out in 1998, is disturbing due to its storyline and exploitation of ideas and is about a white, suicidal politician who attempts to gain popularity and votes by completing strange acts.

Not only is the imagery vulgar, but there are also over 100 curse words in the movie.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

Bulworth

is packed with racist content including racist language and actions (including impersonating people of color), and that was the main criticism that the director faced when the movie premiered.

Even though the director intended for the movie to be comical, it brought nothing but controversy!

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

Before the premiere of the movie,

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

occurred in 1999,

South Park

was already known as one of the most controversial TV shows of all time, so when the creators presented the world with a movie, everyone knew it would gain loads of criticism.

Photo Courtesy: [Animated Movie Central/YouTube/Public Domain]

Most critics were worried that children and young adults would draw influence from this movie and act out as the kids do in the film, although it did not cause an uproar like most people thought it would.

Furthermore, over 400 curse words were used in this R-rated movie!

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Requiem for a Dream

was so controversial from the start that authorities were unsure as to how to rate the film for its debut, and it is most known for having extremely explicit sexual content.

Even though the movie is too graphic for most people, it was at least directed well.

Photo Courtesy: [Movieclips/YouTube/Public Domain]

The explicitness of this movie brought it a lot of trouble, for most actors didn't get any interviews about their roles as drug addicts in

Requiem for a Dream

due to the nature of the content,

and the director could not escape criticism when this movie debuted.

Ichi the Killer (2001)

In 2001, the horror movie,

Ichi the Killer

premiered, and it was about a spiteful man who was seeking revenge and was able to do so after locating and befriending a psychotic serial killer.

Even though the director was known to be crazy, no one expected such violence and gore to appear in this film.

Photo Courtesy: [Rotten Tomatoes Indie/YouTube/Public Domain]

The director of the movie

received major criticism for the abuse and violence that was depicted in this film, and people thought that the storyline was glamorizing such behavior;

other people believed that the glamorization was irony.

Irreversible (2002)

The American mystery drama,

Irreversible,

premiered in 2002 under the direction of Gaspar Noe, and it was not popular among the masses due to its depiction of people in the gay community.

Not only is the movie homophobic, but it also contains extreme violence.

Photo Courtesy: [EK DUM FILMI/YouTube/Public Domain]

This movie takes place in Paris and is told in reverse-chronological order, and people were exceptionally upset by the director's portrayal of homosexuals because he made them out to be criminals, stereotypical, and even demonic. Irreversible is about a man who gets assaulted in the streets of Paris, and some say it has one of the most violent scenes ever seen on film.

Dogville (2003)

Dogville

is a controversial film that exposes ideas such as female suffering, the perception of immigrants, and much more, and it was mainly flagged after it premiered in 2003 because of its "anti-American" theme.

Some people took great offense to the attack on democracy and freedom, while others saw it as a universal theme.

Photo Courtesy: [Pablo Fdez Alonso/YouTube/Public Domain]

Lars von Trier was the writer and director of the movie

and Nicole Kidman was one of the primary cast members who helped tell the story of a woman who was attempting to escape from the mob by integrating herself into a small town in Colorado and working there.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

If you are a fan of Michael Moore, then you've heard of his controversial film,

Fahrenheit 9/11

, which sparked conflict and tension across countless communities as Michael pointed out debatable ideas, particularly about how the 9/11 attacks were planned by the U.S.

Photo Courtesy: [Michael Moore/YouTube/Public Domain]

Michael made a film about his beliefs surrounding George Bush and his involvement with 9/11, and in the movie, he made it clear that he believed that former President Bush had planned the attacks for his own agenda.

Even though it was an extremely controversial movie, it was one of the highest-grossing documentaries ever!