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Some films are so extreme, so vile, and so utterly repulsive that entire countries decided they simply couldn't be shown in theaters. Join us as we count down the most disgusting movies that were banned from screening around the world! Our list features films that shocked censors, outraged audiences, and pushed the very boundaries of what cinema is allowed to depict.
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00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we'll be discussing films whose severe content caused
00:10them to be banned from screening within a certain country.
00:13I'm going to sacrifice a woman just for you.
00:16Like the idea?
00:17The only thing I'd like, I'd really like, is to meet you face to face.
00:24A Clockwork Orange
00:26And I vidded right at once what to do.
00:36It's one thing for a movie to be banned by outside forces, but director Stanley Kubrick
00:41actually decided to voluntarily impose a ban on his adaptation of Anthony Burgess' novel
00:47A Clockwork Orange.
00:48This took place shortly after Kubrick's film was released in the United Kingdom, an area
00:53where copycat criminals decided to take inspiration from Alex DeLarge and his droogs.
01:03This infamous reputation surrounding Kubrick's now-classic vision of unrepentant evil also
01:09applied to its source material, since Burgess' novel has faced pushback and bans as recently
01:15as 2020 from places like public libraries.
01:19You needn't take it any further, son!
01:22You proved to me that all this ultra-violence and killing is wrong!
01:26Caligula
01:27Although I have taken the form of Caius Caligula, I am all men as I am no man, and so
01:34I am a
01:35god.
01:36It's one of those films that, depending upon who you ask, is either a masterpiece of transgressive
01:43cinema or a slice of sleazy adult cinema clad in historical fringe.
01:47We're speaking of Caligula, an erotic epic that featured enough behind-the-scenes drama
01:52during its production to make it a legend, while its subsequent release in cinemas codified
02:04that infamous reputation.
02:06Director Tinto Brass, screenwriter Gore Vidal, and Penthouse Magazine publisher Bob Guccione
02:11famously clashed over the tone and execution of Caligula, while prints of the film were confiscated
02:17in countries like Italy almost immediately after its release.
02:21This was despite the presence of legends like Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole, and Malcolm
02:25McDowell in the cast.
02:27Marquee names credited alongside adult performers for this WTF sex-focused bacchanalia.
02:42The Last House on the Left
02:44The video-nasty era refers to a period of moral panic that morbidly captivated the imaginations
02:59of parents and legislators across the United Kingdom, institutions that famously decided
03:04not only to ban the sadist videos, but also to prosecute distributors and even regular shop
03:10owners who decided to carry movies like 1972's The Last House on the Left.
03:15And I want you to put it in your mouth.
03:17And I want you to blow your brains out.
03:20No!
03:20Blow your brains out!
03:22This undeniably gritty and greasy exploitation film from director Wes Craven was refused a
03:28film certification in Britain, and would later see its VHS release pulled from shelves.
03:33Other countries also decided to ban Craven's film in response to the realistically depicted
03:38violence perpetrated against its two female leads, Sandra Peabody and Lucy Grantham.
03:52Black Sunday
03:54But before putting them to death, human justice anticipated divine judgment by burning into
04:01the flesh of those damned ones, the brand of Satan.
04:05Isn't it interesting how some movies that are lauded now for either their technical skill
04:10or formative creative choices faced censorship and pushback during their initial release?
04:20It's Dr. Kruvayan!
04:22Director Mario Bava is considered today as an icon of Italian cinema.
04:27Yet, his Black Sunday from 1960 was actually refused a release certificate by, you guessed
04:33it, the United Kingdom back in the day.
04:35An edited-down version of Bava's atmospherically gothic vision would be released to British theatre
04:40characters a year later, in 1961.
04:43Fans would have to wait a while to catch this sumptuous horror classic uncut in cinemas and
04:49on home video.
04:50A storm prevented the flames from destroying her wicked soul.
04:54But today, her innocent victims have broken the spell of Satan.
05:01Braindead, a.k.a.
05:03Dead Alive
05:10Sometimes, we can sort of understand the justification behind how films like Peter Jackson's Braindead,
05:16a.k.a.
05:16Dead Alive, faced severe censorship and theatre bannings back in the day.
05:21This is a film that wallows, often literally in the red stuff, despite being a black comedy
05:26at its core.
05:27Party's over.
05:33None of the humor present within Dead Alive seemed to be enough to combat moral outrage,
05:38however, since Jackson's platter and splatter saw itself unwelcome in countries like Finland
05:43and South Korea.
05:44Heck, the full 104-minute cut of Braindead remains impossible to find in Germany, although outlets
05:51like SlashFilm have reported on a reconstruction in the works for a potential release on 4K Blu-ray.
05:58Dead and that blonde woman, you caught them together and you killed them, didn't you?
06:04How dare you speak to me like this, didn't you?
06:08Saw 3D
06:09Do something!
06:10Are you both strong enough to walk away from what is destroying you?
06:14Or will you fight one more time for the heart that binds?
06:18We may think we live in a world where basically everything is available for streaming or home
06:23video at any given moment, but that's not exactly true.
06:272010 wasn't that long ago after all, and it was back then, where the seventh Saw film,
06:33Saw 3D, was briefly banned in Germany.
06:41Teutonic fans of this gruesome and grisly franchise would have to wait until 2013 for a German court
06:47to reverse a ban that made Saw 3D unwatchable for that country's audience.
06:51It's important, then, to take note of how different countries view violent or disturbing content
06:57in many different ways, and take action in similarly specific manners.
07:02No!
07:03Game over.
07:04No!
07:07Antichrist
07:15Filmmaker Lars von Trier is no stranger to provoking his audience with some of the most
07:20harrowing, depressing, and outright envelope-pushing cinema in the world.
07:25His Antichrist from 2009 didn't only tease transgression via its title, however, but delivered
07:30upon that promise with some truly graphic on-screen violence.
07:37Bastards!
07:37You're leaving me!
07:38Fuck it!
07:39It was this violence, combined with themes of grief, sexism, and loss, that resulted in
07:45France banning the film in 2016.
07:47It took seven years for Antichrist to survive this ban hammer, achieving a French re-release
07:54that was saddled with that country's most restrictive rating.
08:00Chaos Reigns
08:03The Toxic Avenger
08:09My little Melvin!
08:12He must have finally reached puberty!
08:15Troma Entertainment remains the house that Toxie built, a fierce independent film company
08:21that has prided itself on giving the people what they want.
08:24And, at least in the case of the original Toxic Avenger, what the 80s movie going public
08:29wanted was gratuitous sex and exploitative violence.
08:32The head-crushing scene that takes place at the Tromaville gym was just one of the infamous
08:38sequences that proved too toxic for some locations.
08:41Ontario, Canada is one example.
08:45We're going to get him!
08:47We're going to get him!
08:52Elsewhere, countries like Germany and Singapore also showcased edited-down versions of Toxie's
08:58chemical-fueled rampages against all of Tromaville's weirdest and most depraved villains.
09:04Murder!
09:07Roar!
09:08Roar!
09:09Roar!
09:09Roar!
09:10I'm going to keep you a lesson you'll never forget!
09:12The Evil Dead
09:20Horror fans love The Evil Dead.
09:23They also love its star Bruce Campbell, an actor whose knack for hammy comedy is as broad
09:27as his famous chin.
09:28Yet, it's easy to forget just how rugged and extreme Sam Raimi's original film was back
09:34in 1981, and how The Evil Dead found itself edited and banned right from the start.
09:47The film's gore and violence were one thing, but there was also an infamous scene of tree
09:53assault that assisted The Evil Dead in being pulled from theatres and banned on home video.
09:57Raimi's harrowing horror vision became one of the most high-profile video nasties,
10:02a cult classic whose reputation remains firmly intact today.
10:12Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer
10:16Don't do that, Otis, she's your sister.
10:18Okay, I was only kidding around, Henry.
10:20Tell her you're sorry.
10:22Okay, I'm sorry.
10:23It's one thing for exaggerated or fanciful horror movies to face the banhammer from pearl-clutching
10:29members of outmoded ratings boards.
10:32It's another entirely for a film like Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer, to strike a real
10:37nerve with even the most battle-hardened cinephiles.
10:40That's because director John McNaughton and crew crafted a dingy and realistic depiction
10:44of death, a ripped-from-the-headlines tale of amoral evil that felt like anything but fantasy.
10:50What do you mean?
10:53It's either you or them, one way or the other.
10:57McNaughton's 1980s lensed film wasn't even released to most cinemas until 1990.
11:02And even then, its unrated status reflected the MPAA's original levy of X to the film.
11:08Henry also made the video-nasty list in Britain, further adding to its infamous legacy.
11:14You guys need any help?
11:17Otis, do you need some help, or can you do it yourself?
11:24The Devils
11:25Written and directed by Ken Russell, The Devils is an enormously controversial fictionalized film
11:31about the historical French priest, Urbain Grandier.
11:35But the devil has spoken, and to doubt his word is sacrilege.
11:42Grandier was executed in the 17th century due to accusations of witchcraft.
11:47The Devils is filled with explicit violence, including scenes of self-harm and Christ being nailed to the cross.
11:54This, combined with the movie's overt and offensive sexual imagery, riled censors around the world.
12:00Why don't you offer up your pain to God?
12:03You live by your senses, obviously you can die by them.
12:06The Devils was heavily edited and rated X in the US and UK.
12:11It was also outright banned in Finland.
12:13People in the latter country weren't able to see the movie until 2001, three decades after its release.
12:20If they are not driven out, your devils might, by their infernal arts, prevent the torture from being as excruciating
12:26as it should be.
12:27And then you would never confess, and your soul would be damned for eternity.
12:32The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
12:33By today's standards, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre is arguably tame.
12:48A good chunk of the violence is committed off screen, and the film isn't all that gory, all things considered.
12:54This was an intentional creative decision, as director Toby Hooper wanted a PG rating.
13:00That didn't come close to happening.
13:02The MPAA initially bypassed the R rating and went straight to X, the 70s equivalent of NC-17.
13:10I'll do anything you want.
13:16The movie faced an even worse reaction in other countries.
13:20Canadian theaters in Ottawa were threatened by authorities for showing it, and the BBFC banned it in Britain for a
13:26time.
13:26This was one of many locations to outlaw the film, joining the likes of Brazil, Ireland, France and Sweden, to
13:33name a few.
13:42Maniac
13:43A cult classic of the slasher genre, Maniac follows a serial killer named Frank Zito, who targets women.
13:55The movie initially received poor reviews and was heavily criticized for its violence.
14:01Indeed, the killings in Maniac are shown in explicit and graphic detail, which doesn't always make for comfortable viewing.
14:14The film came out without a rating in the United States, and the BBFC refused to pass it in the
14:20UK.
14:20This resulted in a de facto ban, and its release was prohibited for over 20 years.
14:26It was finally passed in 2002 with edits, but it didn't see a full, uncensored release in the country until
14:332022.
14:42Hostel Part 2
14:43The first Hostel was gross enough, but like many sequels, Part 2 ramped up everything that made the movie so
14:50successful.
15:00In this case, that meant turning the violence from extreme and disgusting to borderline unbearable.
15:06It was even labeled sadistic by the MPAA when they slapped it with an R rating.
15:10Some countries weren't so lenient.
15:18The movie was banned in New Zealand, as the necessary edits to eliminate the problematic content weren't made.
15:25It was also heavily censored in Germany.
15:27The so-called extended version has been outlawed in the country, and the film's distribution has been made illegal.
15:41I Spit On Your Grave
15:42Roger Ebert famously dubbed this movie a vile bag of garbage, and many censorship boards would agree with him.
15:50I Spit On Your Grave is an exploitative revenge film in which Jennifer Hills hunts and kills those who've hurt
15:56her.
15:56To this day, the movie is extremely hard to stomach, with lengthy scenes of overt sexual violence.
16:01In fact, the producer tried making the movie as revolting as possible.
16:14Once it was rated R by the MPAA, more disturbing content was added, warranting an X.
16:20Many European countries argued against the content of the movie and prohibited its release in theaters.
16:25In fact, it remains banned in Ireland as of 2022.
16:39Cannibal Holocaust
16:40There are notorious movies, and then there's Cannibal Holocaust.
16:44Four youngsters who never came back.
16:46But let's have a look at them at the beginning of their incredible adventure.
16:50Much ink has been spilled regarding this movie's reputation and its place in film history.
16:54An early found-footage film, it follows a small group of filmmakers who go missing in the Amazon rainforest.
17:07The violence is so detailed and graphic that some people thought it was real, and the movie's director was charged
17:14with homicide.
17:15Evidence eventually exonerated him.
17:17It's also filled with real animal mistreatments.
17:20The controversy snowballed, resulting in widespread bans around the world.
17:24The prohibitions reached all corners of the map, including, but certainly not limited to, New Zealand.
17:34The Human Centipede 2
17:36Full Sequence
17:37Society has arguably become more accepting of movie violence throughout the years.
17:48What passes as mainstream horror today would struggle to be accepted just a few decades ago.
17:53The Human Centipede 2, full sequence, is a rare exception, because it's just that graphic.
17:59This infamous film was met with backlash for its horrifying visuals and sick story.
18:11It was initially banned by the BBFC, who even argued that it was an obscene film that might defy a
18:19national act of parliament.
18:20It was eventually passed following some significant edits.
18:24A similar series of events occurred in Australia, and the movie was essentially outlawed in New Zealand.
18:29It was never released at theatres, and even the DVD is banned there.
18:34This music is driving me crazy.
18:40I can't stand this anymore.
18:42Pink Flamingos
18:44John Waters is one of the most popular cult filmmakers of all time.
18:48And Pink Flamingos may be his masterpiece.
18:51Watch, as Divine proves that not only is she the filthiest person in the world,
18:56she is also the filthiest actress in the world.
19:00But the midnight movie certainly isn't for everyone.
19:03The entire film calls itself an exercise in poor taste, with drag queen Divine playing the so-called filthiest person
19:10alive.
19:19The MPAA gave the movie an NC-17 rating in 1997, citing a wide range of perversions, which is an
19:26apt description.
19:27The ending alone, which involves donk feces, is definitely not for the faint of heart.
19:32Perhaps, not surprisingly, the movie garnered quite the reputation, and was banned in multiple countries, including Switzerland, parts of Norway,
19:40and Australia.
19:41It's a little gross, but I liked it.
19:42Well, it was really the grossest film I'd seen.
19:47A Serbian Film
19:48Perhaps the most notorious movie of our time, a Serbian film's reputation certainly precedes it.
19:53The story follows a man named Miloš, as he is forced to participate in a sickening snuff film.
19:59It's been studied in academic circles, and its director claims that it's a piece of political commentary.
20:04But most people struggle to look past its repulsive elements.
20:18Filled to the brim with inappropriate elements, a Serbian film has been repeatedly challenged by film censorship boards.
20:25Numerous places, including but not limited to Spain and New Zealand, have banned the film since its release in 2010.
20:31I don't know what I'm writing, I don't know what I'm shooting, and you don't need to know.
20:39If you know, I wouldn't drink that good.
21:12Sallow, or the 120 Days of Sodom
21:15For many, Sallow, or the 120 Days of Sodom, exists as the ultimate intersection between arts and tasteless perversion.
21:24Now it'll take an hour till I can overcome that disgusting image and get excited.
21:28The film explores many intense themes and takes cues from some classic works of art.
21:33Even its filmmaking is generally well-regarded, and some consider it a classic piece of cinema.
21:39But others can't ignore the depravity at the center of the movie, with the story revolving around the mistreatment of
21:44teenagers at the hands of libertines.
21:46Listen, you insignificant wretched nothings, you are here solely for our pleasure.
21:51Expect none of the kindness you knew in the outside world, like liberty or the ridiculous idea of showing pity
21:57to others.
21:57A slew of countries took umbrage with the content and banned it from theaters, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and
22:04New Zealand.
22:05Even today, Sallow, or the 120 Days of Sodom, makes for a supremely challenging watch.
22:18Have you ever walked out of a movie?
22:20Let us know in the comments.
22:22Let us know in the comments.
22:26Let us know in the comments.
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