There are numerous reasons why a movie could get banned anywhere. While most of these banned films have historical, political, and religious contexts that challenge the status quo, some are just extraordinarily violent.
We've collected a list of films that have been banned around the world, and some of them might really surprise you...
The Wolf of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese had a lot to say in this ceremoniously loved and equally hated film that came out in 2013. The Wolf of Wall Street follows a young stockbroker (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who hits it big and loses his mind-blowing his newfound wealth. Scorsese packed this one full of drugs, sex, and partying, but he didn't lay off the corporate fat-cats who actually live and act this way in real life.
Cover Your Eyes!!
This movie was banned in Malaysia, Nepal, Zimbabwe, and Kenya due to its graphic imagery. Listen, we don't condone drug use, violence, or money laundering, but we think that these countries could have used their time a bit wiser when they passed legislation to ban this movie. That being said, this one isn't for the kids.
Brokeback Mountain
This movie was one of the most important films to come out in the early 2000s as far as boldness and social integrity go. Brokeback Mountain takes the viewer on a journey navigating the relationships of two cowboys who were engaging in a sexual relationship while hiding it from their loved ones. The end is tragic, and Brokeback Mountain speaks clearly to what was wrong about the perception of homosexuality at the time.
Shut Down from the Ground Up
Brokeback Mountain was by far the most impressive film to come out in 2005. So, why didn't it win the Best Picture award, despite sweeping all of the Best Picture and Best Director prizes on the annual circuit? Well, Hollywood critics say that institutionalized homophobia was most likely to blame. Additionally, this movie was banned in several Middle Eastern countries and China for its depiction of a homosexual relationship.
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons have always had a household reputation of being crass, un-godly, and generally upsetting to older, more conservative families. But, The Simpsons Movie ban didn't come from public outcry. It came from a government trying to suppress a revolution.
Viva La Revolución!
The country of Burma banned the distribution of The Simpsons Movie nationwide. Evidently, the primarily yellow and red color scheme was the chosen colors of a local rebel militia. By the way, The Simpsons Movie 2 was just announced, and it's likely that this one isn't going to get banned there, so what gives?
The Interview
This 2014 Seth Rogan/James Franco movie depicts two American journalists who attempt to infiltrate and assassinate North Korean prime leader Kim Jong-un. It doesn't take a genius with a political sciences degree to understand why this wasn't received well.
The World Just Hated the Idea
This movie got banned in Russia, where the political powers use the media to paint Kim Jong-un as a stable world leader with equal power to the US and allied territories. Needless to say, Kim Jong-un didn't like this depiction of his likeness. But, all American movies are banned in North Korea anyway, so it's likely that the general population there doesn't even know that this exists.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
This horror masterpiece still holds up to today's standards. With its unapologetic gore, refusal to let the good guy win, and its counterculture overtone, there's no wonder why this movie got demonized when it was released in 1974. This movie always has been, and will forever be, one of the most important horror films to ever exist.
Blood and Guts? No Thank You!
This movie got banned in West Germany, Singapore, and numerous Scandanavian countries because of its disturbing imagery and violent theme. Believe it or not, this movie is still censored in some of the places that it was originally banned. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the grandfather of the slasher genre, and it deserves a watch if your local government permits it.
Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola is an absolute legend in the film industry. With his name on titles like The Godfather Part I-III, The Outsiders, and Rainmaker, you'd expect everything he makes to be received with open arms. However, as soon as Apocalypse Now came out, people were up in arms about the movie's content.
A Scary Testimonial
Apocalypse Now is a conversation about the Vietnam War controversy. This movie was banned in South Korea because of its "anti-war" theme. South Korea lifted its ban on the movie recently to showcase what's considered to be one of the greatest war movies of all time.
All Quiet on the Western Front
You might not have heard of this movie before (probably because it came out in 1930) but you do probably know exactly what the subject matter is nowadays. Back when America was drafting soldiers during the consecutive World Wars, All Quiet on the Western Front was released, and it showed the terrifying happenings on the frontlines of the war. This movie was viewed as anti-patriotic and was shielded from American audiences, not banned though.
Banned By the Right People
Fortunately, America was fighting for the morally correct side of history. So, the American government was willing to stop shielding the movie from society and allowed it to be shown in theatres through the 1930s and 40s. However, during the same time, this movie was banned in Germany for its anti-Nazi stance, and it was banned in Australia and New Zealand to promote pro-war efforts within their small communities.
A Clockwork Orange
Stanley Kubrick's depiction of a dystopian future and a group of sociopathic youngsters got banned for good reason. The graphic displays of both sexual assault and gory violence won this movie the death sentence in many countries. Kubrick himself was the reason the movie was banned in the UK. It wasn't until his death in 1999 that the movie became available in most European countries.
The Story Behind the Story
After A Clockwork Orange's release, Kubrick noticed that there were some copycat murders happening around the UK. A 16-year-old boy murdered an elderly homeless man after "hearing" about a similar scene in the movie that had yet to be released. This was deeply upsetting for the director, so he decided to pull the movie from the UK market altogether.
The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Temptation of Christ was developed by Martin Scorsese in 1988. It was a departure from the biblical method of describing the life of Jesus, which more realistically depicted Jesus's mortal temptations. Particularly, the ones that were of a sexual nature.
Not for the Religious Types
This movie was banned in Isreal on release, but was later allowed when it was rebranded as "satire." The Last Temptation of Christ was completely banned in Singapore, where it is still illegal to show. Luckily, in America, we have the ability to freely watch things even if they go against the institutionalized belief of Christianity in the government. But, if it weren't for the first amendment, we would likely be disallowed from viewing the movie.
The Blue Kite
This is one of the most important and culturally powerful films to come out of Asia in the 1990s. The Blue Kite shows the terrible reality of living in mainland China during the 1950s and 60s. This movie was banned by the Mao administration. Subsequently, director Zuhangzhuan Tian was given a 10-year filmmaking ban for making the movie itself.
Sending a Message
The Blue Kite is told from the perspective of a young Chinese boy growing up in Bejing around 1950. This movie depicts the long-covered-up cultural revolution in central China, and it speaks to the terrible reality of living under an oppressive government. This movie will likely force you to observe the people's plight in China. You might even learn something if you sit through the whole thing.
Battle Royale
You probably didn't know this, but it's widely assumed that this movie inspired The Hunger Games. Much like how The Hunger Games introduces its premise, Battle Royale selects several young individuals from a Japanese grade school and isolates them on a remote island. The students are then forced to murder one another until only one remains.
Banned, Not Bad
Battle Royale kept its drama and dark humor at the forefront of their movie the entire time. Fortunately, because of the time period (the movie came out in 2000), this movie became a cult classic and it did not disappear into unspoken history. This movie was banned in several countries (it's still banned in Germany), but it's considered to be one of the most successful Japanese films ever.
The Life of Brian
Monty Python's portrayal of Jesus Christ was only a little different than Scorsese's. The Life of Brian follows a Jesus figure through the comedy fueled, intentionally whitewashed land of Jerusalem. Unfortunately, priests and defensive critics didn't sit with this satire well.
The Passion of Brian
For those who don't know, Brian was born in Bethlehem on Christmas day in a stable right next door to Jesus Christ. He goes through his entire life being mistaken for Jesus in an extremely nuanced way that was lightyears ahead of its time for 1979. The Life of Brian got banned in Norway, but they ended up using that in their favor by promoting the movie with posters that said: "So funny, it was banned in Norway!"
Cannibal Holocaust
If you've actually seen this film, you probably know why it got banned. Cannibal Holocaust is one of those "found-footage" movies that feels too graphic to be convincing, but somehow its authenticity sticks. This movie was hugely influential, but it has been equally demonized and censored.
This is the Most Banned Movie Ever, Period.
Cannibal Holocaust came out in 1980. It was immediately banned in 40 countries, but over time those countries eased their grip over the media that the world craves to consume. That being said, this horrific, gore-laden movie is still banned in New Zealand.
Persepolis
This animated film came out in 2007. Persepolis is based on a graphic novel that was written by the director, Marjane Satrapi, about the Iranian revolution and women's suffrage. This movie is an autobiography translated from comic form seamlessly into a dramatic, beautiful cartoon.
Banning a Masterpiece
Persepolis was banned originally because it was "offensive to Iran and Islam," but public outcry forced this film to see the light. However, the Iranian government did everything in its power to pull this film from festivals and out of theaters in the surrounding areas. This is one of the most important animated films ever made, seriously.
Hail Mary
Can you believe that people were prude enough to ban this film in 1985? Hail Mary is a modern take on the story of Mary, Jesus' mother. In this film, Mary is demonized for getting pregnant despite not being with anyone. Society around her collapses as people she knew and trusted the most reveal that they do not believe her and are willing to cast her from their lives because of their ethical quandary.
The Pope Wasn't Thrilled
Between the "blasphemy" and graphic sexual content, it wasn't too hard for Catholic and Christian lobbyists to get this movie banned in their communities. Hail Mary was banned in Brazil, Argentina, and the Vatican. Pope John Paul II even said that the movie "deeply wounds the religious sentiments of believers." That being said, it's totally worth a watch.
The Departed
Usually, filmmakers tend to tailor their flicks to be observed by a worldwide audience instead of just local Americans. Scorsese didn't care much about that. The Departed was banned in China because it criticized the internal government of China depicting a scenario where Beijing was working with local cops to purchase "advanced military computer hardware." This movie didn't make it far overseas, but it's considered to be an American classic.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Borat is undeniably a satirical comedy. However, several countries banned this movie (INCLUDING Kazakhstan) because Borat mocked the American national anthem. Six years later, Kazakhstan lifted their ban on the film (because it increased its tourism industry), but it's still banned in many other places.
Scarface
Not to be confused with Al Pacino's Scarface, although it's based on the same dude. This Scarface came out in 1932, and it genuinely rivals the violent nature of the newer one. For that reason, this movie got banned in five states and five cities.
The Exorcist
This movie was banned in the United Kingdom before it even got released. Audience members (remember, this is 1973) were reported leaving the movie theater in hysterics, vomiting, and uncontrollably shaking. This movie was even banned in places in the US for a long time. Nowadays, The Exorcist is considered a horror essential.
Schindler's List
Many people believe that this movie is some of Stephen Spielberg's greatest work. But, certain countries in the Middle East don't like the flick very much. Evidently, within Schindler's List, there is "propaganda with the purpose of asking for sympathy to nudity." Therefore, this movie is barred in Indonesia, Lebanon, Malaysia, and a few others.
Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is famous for a multitude of reasons. First of all, this was far from one of the first horror movies ever produced, but for some reason, the fact that horror was being marketed to a wide audience scared the hell out of legislators. The movie made it through Hollywood's review board (barely), but some small towns boycotted showing the film in theaters because its imagery was "sadistic" and "degrading to the human race."
Noah
Several Middle Eastern countries banned this movie long before it was even released. Noah was intended to depict the Christian prophet Noah and his conquest to build the ark and survive the great flood. In many Islamic areas, it is illegal to consume media that suggests that there was even a notion of Christian prophets.
120 Days of Sodom
This early art film was banned in the UK (and many other places) because of its graphic sexual and violent nature. This movie is actually intended to be a commentary about free-market consumption and ethical expression of self. The movie was released in the UK after 25 years uncut and uncensored in 2000.
The Battle of Algiers
This movie was created to mock the French intentions behind the Algerian War in the late 1950s through the 60s. The French government banned it because of its pro-Algerian message. But, after 6 years (when the French got what they wanted from the impoverished North African territory), France unbanned the film.
Battleship Potemkin
This movie came out in 1925. It is a silent movie that depicts the mutiny of a Russian battleship in 1905, which prompted the uprising Nazi Germany to ban it nationwide. The fascist regime feared that the movie would incite a Marxist revolution.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Kubrick purposefully wanted to stir up some political drama with this challenging film. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a satyrical look at how the Cold War impacted society. The movie was banned in Finland because of its proximity to Russia.
Duck Soup
When Duck Soup came out in 1933, the Marx brothers cemented their hatred for Benito Mussolini through the art of film. Because of this, Duck Soup got banned in Italy and Germany. It wasn't banned in Germany because it was anti-Mussolini, it was banned because the Marx brothers were Jewish.
The Great Dictator
It should not come as a surprise based on the time period of this movie's release that it wasn't received well in Germany. Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in The Great Dictator to provide satyrical education about the dangers of fascism. Naturally, the movie was banned in Germany, and it was banned in many Latin American countries that were occupied by Nazi sympathizers after the war had ended.
Amazing Grace
This movie follows two night's worth of secret recordings from some of Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace album, recorded in LA's New Temple Missionary Baptist Church. These recordings were harnessed by Sydney Pollack, who has since passed. Aretha Franklin's lawyers have stopped every attempt to distribute this film because Pollack technically owns the rights to it, despite being dead.
Zoolander
Zoolander was banned in a few different places for some different reasons. It was banned initially in some Middle Eastern and South Pacific countries because of its vaguely homosexual undertones. But, it was most notably banned by the Malaysian government because the plot of the film centers around Derek Zoolander being a sleeper agent destined to murder the prime minister of Malaysia.
The Birth of a Nation
If you don't know about this movie, you're probably living a more blissful life than most. The Birth of a Nation depicts a fictional America that was "saved" by members of the KKK. This movie is horrendously racist, whitewashed, and factually incorrect. The Birth of a Nation is so unbelievably ethically and morally reprehensive that it has been banned in Ohio, Kansas, West Virginia, Vegas, Pittsburgh, and Chicago.
Birth Control
This movie was created by sex ed teacher, activist, and founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger. She wanted to show the world that family planning, and the empowerment of women, came hand in hand with dropping the stigma around contraceptives. However, this movie came out in 1917, which was a bad year for women's suffrage. This movie was banned in America, and was only to be showed heavily censored "in the interest of morality, decency, and public safety and welfare."
Freaks
Freaks was a disturbing early thriller type movie that starred a group of disabled sideshow circus acts who get revenge on their ringleader when his heart gets broken by a trapeze artist. Freaks was banned for 30 years in the UK because it showcased disabled folks. The film is only available to view through a second-recording home-video format that's pretty difficult to find.
The Outlaw
This Howard Hughes film was blocked because the primary directive of the director was to showcase as much of Jane Russell's boobs as possible. She didn't really appreciate that, and neither did the 1943 Hollywood board of approvals. Once Hughes cut one minute of content (all breast-related), the movie was given the OK.
Titicut Follies
This strange documentary was intended to look like something it isn't in order to attract public attention. Unfortunately, this movie (which is about the terrible treatment of the criminally insane inmates at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution) was banned because it "violated the rights of the patients," despite the crew recording their consent before the filming happened. It's assumed that the Massachusetts Correctional Institution was probably just terrified that the American people would object to their terrible treatment of the mentally ill.
I Am Curious
This movie was banned in Massachusetts because it was practically pornography. I Am Curious depicted many sexually explicit scenes, in which the protagonist was canonically under the age of consent. When this movie got banned by the governor of Massachusetts, the Supreme Court overturned the ban, and changed the textbook rules of what makes a movie "obscene."
Pink Flamingos
Do you know who John Waters is? You probably know his most prolific work: Hairspray. But, before Hairspray received major critical acclaim, Waters produced a movie called Pink Flamingos, which got banned in several small towns around America. The movie was banned because it depicted suggestive homosexual and heterosexual intercourse and indecent exposure. However, this movie's banned status actually made it significantly more famous within the communities that it was made for. So in a way, the ban was a double-edged sword.
The Tin Drum
This 1979 German drama was banned in Canada and Oklahoma for including a pedophilic scene in which a young boy and an older woman engage in sexual conduct. Despite this scene being universally regarded as morally reprehensive, the Oklahoma board overturned their ban and helped fund a documentary about the issues behind obscenity in this film.
Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story
Legendary director Todd Haynes wrote, produced and directed this 43-minute-long documentary about Karen Carpenter and her lifelong struggle with anorexia. This movie came after Carpenter's death. When Richard Carpenter, Karen Carpenter's father, viewed the film, he objected to Haynes' description of Karen's family life and hired a team of lawyers to get the movie banned. Carpenter's lawyers were able to get the film blocked via copyright infringement, and the movie is still banned today.
Ernest and Bertram
This 2001 mockumentary depicted the relationship of Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie as a scandalous, closeted homosexual scandal. While the creators of Sesame Street have not denied that Bert and Ernie are potential lovers, this adult representation of the children's characters is far too vulgar (and homophobic) to be considered appropriate for release. Legal action was taken against Peter Spears (the director of Ernest and Bertram) and he was forced to cancel all screenings of the film.
The Profit
This movie was a parody documentary about L. Ron Hubbard and how he became the cult leader behind Scientology, Hollywood's favorite "alternative" religion. No original names or likenesses were used, but the Church of Scientology was able to attain an injunction against the film. This just goes to show, money talks, and rich people have enough power to cover their tracks.
Silent Night, Deadly Night
This 1980 slasher movie was intended to be just like the other popular slasher films that are connected to holidays. However, all the other slasher films are more connected to holidays that aren't Christmas. Parents in Brooklyn, Chicago, and Milwaukee all protested this film, which ended up getting the movie much more attention than its traditional marketing route got. So, in the end, the movie was boycotted, which is practically just an unofficial ban.
Haxan
This Swedish silent film was banned in the United States because it depicted acts of witchcraft and satanism. Haxan was a large proponent behind the "satanic panic" of the 1980s because of its re-cut and re-release that came out in 1960.
Cocksucker Blues
For the first time in this article, a movie that wasn't banned by an oppressive government group! Cocksucker Blues was a documentary created about the 1972 Rolling Stones US tour that was just a bit too revealing for the band's comfort. They barred the movie from being released, edited portions themselves, and decided that the movie could only be shown four times a year.
The Vanishing Prairie
Disney only has a couple of movies that have been banned, and even those are tame considering the context. The Vanishing Prairie was one of the earliest household nature documentaries. However, the movie got banned because it showed footage of a buffalo giving birth, which was a bannable offense in New York in the 1950s. The ban was lifted two years after it was instated.
Ecstasy
It was 1933, nobody knew how to understand sexuality, and for some reason, it was the government's job to determine what was morally correct and what wasn't. The star of this film, Hedy Lamarr, was nude in one scene, and in another, the director shot a close up while she and her costar were engaging in non-contact movie sex. America lost its mind at this horrific display of immoral sexuality. In fact, Lamarr's husband attempted to get every copy of the movie destroyed multiple times.
The Song of the South
The Song of the South was one of the first live-action and animation hybrid films, but once times started to change a bit more and Disney realized that their film was tone-deaf, they decided to bury it and apologize. You see, The Song of the South perpetuated stereotypes that were absolutely racist, even for 1946. Disney missed the mark. They apologized, banned the movie themselves, and moved on.
Hillary: The Movie
This 2008 film violated the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which prevented any piece of "slanderous" media (whether it's funded by the opposition or not) to be released within an individual's campaign tenure. The Republican party viewed this movie as propaganda, because it actually reflected Hillary in a positive light, despite Hillary's opposition to the film's release. This law was reviewed and amended in 2010, two years after it was finalized, but the film never came out in a broad sense.
The Yes Men Fix the World
This HBO documentary follows two con-artists who infiltrate political spheres and masquerade as powerful businessmen to expose and mock exploiters of the lower class. The documentary was blocked from its release in 2010 due to lawsuits that were being filed against Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonnano (the film's creators). The movie ended up getting "leaked" and those who were filing the lawsuits were exposed for being unjust, greedy corporate scumbags that went out of their way to harm innocent people for a quick buck.
Convention City
This movie was made just one year before the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines were thought up and enforced. Convention City follows a salesman who was trying to seduce his boss's underage daughter. The movie was banned in all of the US just one year after its release, and it is "lost" today (for good reason).