Some completely missed the mark
Some of the most celebrated and accomplished films ever made have been subject to censorship. Reasons for their suppression vary. Most obviously, perhaps, it's because of excessive violent or sexual content. However, movies with religious or politically sensitive themes are also prone to the censor's wrath. And there are pictures that have been withheld or edited simply for including cast members who identify as LGBTQ+. Whatever the reasons, a banned or controversial film is very often a successful one, the publicity surrounding its repression only serving to excite the box office.
So, what famous movies fell foul of censorship? Find out by clicking through this list of banned or edited films.
'The Da Vinci Code' was banned in a number of countries including Syria, Belarus, and Lebanon, seen as it was as an affront to Christianity. The film is still highly frowned upon by both Catholic and Muslim leaders who believe the narrative contradicts the truth as written in the Bible and the Quran about Jesus.
Lines of dialogue uttered by Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) confirming their mutual affection for one another were cut before 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' was screened in China. The affirmation of a gay relationship between the two characters was deemed too controversial by Beijing, so, with a wave of its wand, the Chinese censor made the offending narrative disappear.
Steven Spielberg's dazzling take on the 1961 classic was banned in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE for the inclusion of a transgender character played by nonbinary actor Iris Menas.
Unbridled profanity, sexual content, and depiction of drug abuse all contributed towards 'The Wolf of Wall Street' being banned in Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, and Zimbabwe. And many additional scenes have been cut in the versions playing in India.
'Eternals' was pulled from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait after Disney reportedly refused to cut a same-sex kiss. The fact that the film features Marvel's first openly gay family also caused consternation among Gulf State censors.
An infamous scene involving, among other things, a handful of butter helped ban 'Last Tango in Paris' around the globe. Chile suppressed the film entirely for nearly 30 years under its military government, and the film was similarly withheld in Portugal. Italy and Spain also banned it, as did Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, Singapore, Venezuela, and Canada.
Set in Slovakia, 'Hostel' was subsequently rebuked by Slovakian authorities for the film's depiction of the country as undeveloped, poor, and uncultured. But it was Ukraine that banned the picture, citing excessive violence and brutality.
'Fight Club' fell foul of conservative Chinese values. The film's violent ending where multiple buildings are seen exploding was initially replaced by a black screen, over which was written: "The police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding." It adds that Tyler was sent to a "lunatic asylum" for psychological treatment and was later discharged. The censorship was widely ridiculed, even by domestic audiences, and in 2022 Chinese streaming giant Tencent reinstated the original ending.
Martin Scorsese's take on the life of Jesus Christ and his struggle with various forms of temptation, including fear, doubt, depression, reluctance, and lust, remains one of the most banned films in the world. Numerous counties refused to screen the picture on its initial release, including Greece, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Even today places like Singapore and the Philippines refuse to screen it. The reason? The film's departure from the gospel narratives and, in particular, a scene where Jesus and Mary Magdalene consummate their marriage.
Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' was considered so blasphemous and controversial by the UK film censor that it was widely banned in many British theaters. Numerous countries followed suit including Ireland, which didn't lift its ban until 1987.
The revelation that German actor Gert Fröbe, who portrayed Auric Goldfinger, was a former member of the Nazi Party resulted in 'Goldfinger' being banned in Israel.
When it was previewed in 1953, UK censors expressed genuine fears that 'The Wild One' would provoke antisocial behavior and nihilistic attitudes among British youth. They subsequently slapped a ban on the film that was only lifted in 1968.
An anomaly on this list in that 'Clockwork Orange' wasn't banned per se. Rather its director, Stanley Kubrick, withdrew the film from British release after it received widespread criticism for excessive violence. 'A Clockwork Orange' was, however, eventually banned in several countries including South Africa, Singapore, and parts of Canada. It was officially rereleased in the UK in 2000.
One of the most controversial films in modern cinema history, first rushes of 'Caligula' included footage of real intimate activity, scenes the cast were unaware of. The uncut version of the film is banned in multiple countries. The film's principle actors—Malcolm McDowell, Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole, John Steiner, and John Gielgud—later disowned the production.
Clint Eastwood's iconic Inspector Harry Callahan ended up firing blanks in Finland after the country banned 'Dirty Harry' for its excessive violence and an apparent unsympathetic disregard for mental health issues (the movie's bad guy is a kidnapping psychopathic killer).
Ken Russell's 'The Devils' is rarely screened. The film's graphic portrayal of violence, sexuality, and religion ignited harsh reaction from censors, and it was quickly banned in many countries. Where it was shown, 'The Devils' was heavily edited to the point of becoming nonsensical.
Spielberg's masterpiece was banned in several Muslim countries, notably Indonesia, for being too empathetic towards Jews. Malaysia, in fact, dropped the picture due to "material offensive to Muslim majorities," while censors in the Philippines were more worried about the film's sexual content.
'Natural Born Killers' was a victim of the censor in several countries, but it was Ireland's refusal to screen the picture for fear that it had inspired copycat killings in France and the US that made headlines, a turn of events that worried even Quentin Tarantino, a filmmaker not known for being economical with violence.
Unsurprisingly, the political satire was banned in Germany and in all countries occupied by them at the time. Elsewhere, 'The Great Dictator' was suppressed in parts of South America and in the Irish Free State. And it was first shown in Spain as late as 1976.
An intimate scene in 'Oppenheimer' was altered using CGI to provide a topless Florence Pugh with a computer-generated black dress after several countries in the Middle East as well as India objected to her lack of modesty. The decision to do so was made in order to secure distribution in those territories.
Stanley Kubrick's 1957 anti-war film ended up banned in France for 18 years because of its anti-military tone. Spain and Switzerland also withheld the film for many years. In the United States, screenings of 'Paths of Glory' were forbidden in all US military establishments, both at home and overseas due to its pacifist leanings.
Federico Fellini's 1960 classic 'La Dolce Vita' was banned for many years in Italy after the Vatican perceived the film as offensive to Catholics. It was a sentiment shared by Spain: the movie was suppressed there until the death of Francisco Franco in 1975.
As with 'Hostel' and the citizens of Slovakia, residents of Kazakhstan took great offense to Sacha Baron Cohen's mockumentary dark comedy and its depiction of what he presented as a completely backwards country. A ban was inevitable. Russia, too, chose not to screen the picture, citing its offensive content.
Marvel's 'Logan' became the first film in China required by law to feature an age-restriction warning in its marketing material, and this after it had already undergone significant cuts. But the movie's producers had the last laugh: 'Logan' went on to top China's box office despite the censor's handiwork.
Due to her former involvement in the Israel Defense Forces and the disparaging remarks allegedly made by her towards Palestinians, Israeli actress Gal Gadot has seen two of her films, 'Wonder Woman' (2017) and 'Death on the Nile' (2022), banned in Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, and in several other Middle Eastern countries.
'Barbie' has enjoyed phenomenal success. Except in Vietnam. The nation's cultural chiefs objected to a scene in the film where a hand-drawn map is shown that apparently reinforces China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, a disputed area that Vietnam insists falls within its own sovereign boundaries. Yep, 'Barbie' is banned in Vietnam because of an erroneous child-like doodle!
Sergei Eisenstein's seminal production, 'Battleship Potemkin' was banned by various countries and regimes for different reasons. Notably in the US, it was initially forbidden on the grounds that it "gives American sailors a blueprint as to how to conduct a mutiny." Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was equally nervous about its content, banning it over fears it might incite a riot against his authority.
A remake of the 1956 classic 'The King and I,' 'Anna and the King' received a ban in Thailand after censors believed that the movie's content shed an unfavorable light over the Thai monarch.
Daryl Hannah's mysterious mermaid character had her bare butt blurred by the CGI police after objections were raised by streaming service Disney+ regarding her partly exposed rear end. The original 1984 picture was screened fish tails and all. The Disney+ version, meanwhile, flounders somewhat in its odd attempt at appropriateness.
Wes Craven's directorial debut was this exploitation horror flick noted for its exceptional use of violence. It was banned in the UK for 30 years and then only released on DVD. In the US, the film passed the censor, but only after numerous cuts were made.
The fact that 'SATC 2' is set in the United Arab Emirates was always going to cause problems (it was actually filmed in Morocco where the production was plagued with objections from Muslim conservatives and off-screen rivalry between certain cast members). But after its release, the picture was promptly banned in Abu Dhabi—the very city in which the film is supposed to play out. It was subsequently dropped across the entire UAE.
Sources :(Variety) (Newsweek) (BBC) (The New York Times) (Library of Congress) (Los Angeles Times)
Banned, cut, or edited: Movies that were censored
These films met the censor!
MOVIES Cinema
Some of the most celebrated and accomplished films ever made have been subject to censorship. Reasons for their suppression vary. Most obviously, perhaps, it's because of excessive violent or sexual content. However, movies with religious or politically sensitive themes are also prone to the censor's wrath. And there are pictures that have been withheld or edited simply for including cast members who identify as LGBTQ+. Whatever the reasons, a banned or controversial film is very often a successful one, the publicity surrounding its repression only serving to excite the box office.
So, what famous movies fell foul of censorship? Find out by clicking through this list of banned or edited films.