Since the goal of horror is toshock and disturb, it’s no wonder that so many horror movies end up as the subjects of major controversies. Sometimes the controversy can be used to a film’s advantage, with filmmakers usingnotoriety as an effective marketing strategy. At other times, however, the controversy can tank a movie’s chance of success, throughheavy censorship or outright bans.
What makes a movie controversial is complicated. A film thatbreaks the most closely held taboos in society–cannibalism, incest, pedophilia, and necrophilia–is almost guaranteed to be a target for outrage. Likewise, horror movies that include religious elements often sparkaccusations of blasphemy or insensitivity by religious groups. Sometimes, though, a movie can be controversialsimply by beingtastelessor handling tough subjects in an exploitative way.
10’Freaks' (1932)
Directed by Tod Browning
Compared to other notorious horror movies,Freaksis light on gore and sexual content, butthe controversy lies in its casting of real sideshow performersin the main roles. The story is fairly simple: a little person, Hans, who performs with the circus is seduced by beautiful and proud trapeze artist Cleopatra after she discovers that he’s set to inherit a fortune. She and strongman Herculesscheme to murder Hans and take his money, but Hans uncovers the deception. Along with the other sideshow performers, Hans takesrevenge on his cold-hearted bride.
The reaction toFreaksover the yearshas been mixed. Some viewers seean empathetic and humanizing portrayalof sideshow performers, while others see exploitation. Even today, disability representation still has a long way to go, butaudiences in 1932 were even less accustomed to seeing people with disabilitiesand deformities onscreen. While Tod Browning was a successful director at the time, having made theclassic Universal monster moviesDraculaandFrankenstein,the controversy surroundingFreaksdamaged his career.
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9’Peeping Tom' (1960)
Directed by Michael Powell
IfPeeping Tomhad been made by any other director, it might have flown under the radar and been forgotten. However,Michael Powellwasa highly respected British director who made award-winning movies, such asBlack Narcissus(1947) andThe Red Shoes(1948). Powell’s 1960 horror movie, about a photographer named Mark whomurders women with a knife attached to a camera tripod, appalled audiences and critics alike.Peeping Tomisnow considered a classic, but at the time,it effectively ended Powell’s career.
The film is relatively tame by modern standards, but one of the film’s twists is especially nasty: in addition to a knife, there is a mirror attached to Mark’s camera,forcing his victims to watch themselves die. The movie’s focus on watching and being watched can be seen asa chilling commentary on the way women are objectified.Peeping Tomis often called a proto-slasher, and while the films that followed in its footsteps are far more gruesome, Powell’s movie still holds a dark power.
Peeping Tom
8’Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' (1986)
Directed by John McNaughton
WhileHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killeris based on real-life murderersHenry Lee LucasandOttis Toole, the facts are under dispute. Lucas, a well-known pathological liar, exaggerated the details of his crimes during his confession. However, directorJohn McNaughtongave the filma gritty realism that makes the events feel agonizingly real. Thecold casualness with which Otis and Henry commit their horrific deedsis sometimes more upsetting than the acts themselves.
The film was shelved for nearly four years before it was widely released, andseveral scenes had to be cut before it could be shownin the UK. Another problem was the film’s X rating, which was still associated with pornography at the time and made the film difficult to distribute to theaters. However, critics praisedHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killerfor its effective low-budget filmmaking as well asan impressive lead performance byMichael Rookerin the role of Henry.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
7’Last House on the Left' (1972)
Directed by Wes Craven
ForLast House on the Left, writer and directorWes Craventook inspiration fromIngmar Bergman’s classic film,The Virgin Spring. Craven’s movie follows the basic plot points of that earlier work: A young woman is raped and murdered in the woods, andher attackers unknowingly receive shelter from her parents. Once the parents realize that their guests are responsible for their daughter’s death,they exact revenge on the rapists. Craven’s version of the story, though, is far more gruesome and exploitative.
Last House on the Leftwasheavily censored before its release, andmost versions available now are relatively toned down. While there is a gory disemboweling scene and a part where the vengeful mother bites off a rapist’s penis, the sexual assaults themselves are not shown in explicit detail. The film’s notoriety made foran effective marketing campaign, with posters that read, “To avoid fainting keep repeating, it’s only a movie… only a movie… only a movie… only a movie…” The movie remains a controversial entry into the rape-revenge subgenre, but its defenders rank it asone of Craven’s top films.
The Last House on the Left
6’Possession' (1981)
Directed by Andrzej Żuławski
At the most basic level,Possessionis aboutthe collapse of a marriage and the psychological effect it has on the couple, Mark and Anna. The two leads,Sam NeillandIsabel Adjani, are mesmerizing in their roles, withAdjani especially turning in a wrenching performanceas the increasingly unhinged Anna. The film’smost disturbing sequenceshowsAnna in the throes of a violent breakdown–screaming, writhing, and oozing blood and slime from every orifice.
In the 1980s, conservative groups in Britainfought to have certain films recognized as “video nasties,”andPossessionwas one such movie. As a result of the classification,Possessionwasbanned in the US and the UKbefore a heavily edited version was released. Whilecensorship prevented the movie from enjoying much successat the time, thanks to a passionate cult following, the uncut version of the movie isnow available and widely recognized as a masterpiece.
Possession
5’The Exorcist' (1973)
Directed by William Friedkin
Considered by many to bethe scariest movie ever made,The Exorcisttells the story ofa young girl named Regan who starts to change in terrifying waysafter a demon takes hold of her soul. The movie also focuses onthe effect of the possession on the people around her, from her panicked mother, Chris, to the troubled priest, Father Karras, who leads her exorcism.
The movie is disturbing not just because of theshocking acts the demon forces the girl to commit, but also because of theconvincing work of the make-up artists. Over the course of the film, Regan transforms from an ordinary young girl to a rotting, deformed, vomit-spewing monster. The movie was a success–although there were reports ofaudience members running from the theaters–but home video of the film was laterpartially banned in the UK.
The Exorcist
4’I Spit on Your Grave' (1978)
Directed by Meir Zarchi
I Spit on Your Graveis one of the more notorious entries in an already controversial subgenre–rape-revenge. In the film, Jennifer (Camille Keaton) leaves New York City andrents a lake house where she plans to work on her novel all summer. At first, she enjoys the peace and quiet, boating and sunbathing. However, somelocal men have taken notice of the visitor and decide to attack herfor a bit of excitement.
Jennifer is sexually assaulted by the four men, and scenes of the attacks take up nearly a half hour of the film’s runtime. The movie isdifficult to watch because of its graphic, unflinching depiction of the rapes. While other rape-revenge films, such asLast House on the Left, cut away during the rape scenes,I Spit on Your Gravefinds the camera lingering on the brutal acts.Critics have slammed the filmfor itsartless filmmaking, amateurish acting, and illogical plotting.
I Spit On Your Grave
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3’Cannibal Holocaust' (1980)
Directed by Ruggero Deodato
As a controversial movie,Cannibal Holocausthas a little bit of everything: rape, cannibalism, and animal cruelty. The story follows an anthropologist, Harold Monroe, who is bent on discoveringwhat happened to a documentary crew that disappeared in the Amazon rainforest. At first, it seems like the crew were tragic victims of a violent Amazonian tribe, but Monroe uncovers evidence thatthe crew brutalized and provoked tribe membersto make their film seem more exciting. The tribe then killed the crew in retaliation.
Some of the film’s gory murders were so realistic that the director, Ruggero Deodato, wasarrested and put on trial for making a snuff film. The actors were forced to show up in person toprove that they were still alive. Another problem was thatsix live animals, including a turtle in one especially graphic scene, were butchered onscreen. In spite of–or maybe because of–the controversies,Cannibal Holocaustis a highly influential film, a precursor tothe modern found-footage genreand the inspiration forEli Roth’s 2013 filmThe Green Inferno.
Cannibal Holocaust
2’The Devils' (1971)
Directed by Ken Russell
As far as controversial films go,Ken Russell’s masterpieceabout religious hysteria in 17th-century France isn’t particularly punishing to watch. However,The Devilsis intense and sure to offend religious sensibilities. The story is about a nun, Sister Agnes (Vanessa Redgrave), whobecomes sexually obsessed with a priest, Father Grandier (Oliver Reed). Jealous of Grandier’s marriage to another woman, Sister Agnesaccuses him of abuse and witchcraft, sparking a brutal witch huntby Church officials.
Upon its release,The Devilswascondemned by the Vatican as sacrilegious, especially for its orgy scenes involving naked nuns and a crucifix. The film was alsocriticized for its over-the-top sexuality. Where the movie hasn’t beenbanned outright, it has been highly censored. To this day, a full, uncut version of the film is nearly impossible to find, and the movie disappears from streaming sites for years at a time. This is a shame, as the movie isa gorgeous work of art with important commentaryon political corruption.
The Devils
1’A Serbian Film' (2010)
Directed by Srđan Spasojević
A Serbian Filmisone of the most disturbing films ever made, not only because of its scenes of torture and sexual assault, but also because of its taboo-breaking scenes of pedophilia and necrophilia. In the movie, retired porn star Milos isoffered an incredible sum of money to perform in an art film. From the beginning, it’s clear that something is off about the project, but by the time Milos realizeshe’s involved in a real-lifesnuff film, it’s too late to back out.
The director,Srđan Spasojević, claimed that he wanted topush back against political correctness in the Serbian film industryas well as comment on economic and political turmoil in the country. However,the events depicted onscreen are so depraved that they overwhelm the deeper message–if any such message truly exists. The movie has beenbanned in at least 46 countriessince its release. Aside from a few defenders, the consensus is thatA Serbian Filmis exploitative trash that only succeeds at shock for shock’s sake.
