It’s incredible how much societal attitudes around what’s shocking change over time, meaning that once controversial films appear relatively mild in hindsight. This can be the case across genres, as trailblazing comedies, dramas, and horror movies lay the foundations for subsequent movies to push cinematic boundaries into previously uncharted territory. This was why horror movies that once left viewers running from theaters now appear pretty mild compared to today’s most shocking media representations.
Some of the most controversial movies of all time can feel pretty mild by today’s standards, as filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and William Friedkin pushed audiences well past their comfort zones with truly subversive films. Other movies tested the limits of tolerance, and once shocking representations of LGBTQ+ characters no longer feel controversial at all. These changes in what constitutes a controversial film highlight just how much society has progressed over the past few decades and signaled positive social and political development.
10 American Pie (1999)
American Pie’s raunchy humor pushed audiences’ tastes to their limit
The coming-of-age teen sex comedy American Pie was a cornerstone of popular culture in the year before the millennium. With seriously raunchy humor that went further than any comedy before it, critics were divided over controversial scenes such as Jason Biggs’ character literally having sex with a pie, witnessing semen in a beer cup, and having mochaccino spiked with laxatives. While these ideas remain crude to this day, they’re no different than any other antics portrayed in a teen comedy, and looking at how vulgar and sexually explicit later films became, they can even feel relatively tame.
Comedy has always been a boundary-pushing art form, and it’s no surprise that the crude humor of American Pie laid the groundwork for subsequent movies to push things even further. This was even the case for the franchise as later American Pie sequels and spin-off movies continued exploring the same type of humor, mostly with diminishing returns. While the first American Pie was a shocking release that revived the teen comedy genre in the 2000s, looking back, it’s a document of simpler times when audiences could still be shocked by something as mild as an apple pie.
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American Pie is a raucous teen comedy and the film that launched a revival of the genre. It follows a group of high school friends determined to lose their virginity before graduation and delves into the misadventures of the four boys as they navigate the complexities of relationships, peer pressure, and parental mishaps. You’ll never look at warm apple pie the same again.
Director Paul Weitz , Chris Weitz Release Date July 9, 1999 Writers Adam Herz Cast Jason Biggs , Chris Klein , Thomas Ian Nicholas , Alyson Hannigan , Shannon Elizabeth , Tara Reid Runtime 95 minutes Budget $11 million Main Genre Comedy Expand
9 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show was seen as subversive but now appears simply camp
The Rocky Horror Picture Show was a definitive release in LGBTQ+ cinema that has achieved truly iconic status in the nearly 50 years since it was first released. As a rock musical that embraced B-movie tropes and included an alien transvestite from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania, the over-the-top sexuality of the subversive nature of this film was truly trailblazing. As Tim Curry excelled in his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the widespread influence of Rocky Horror meant lovers of the film still dress up for interactive screenings of the film to this day.
However, it’s difficult to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show today through the same lens viewers first saw it. What today appears as an outrageous, campy good time was truly subversive back in 1975, as Rocky Horror was not only exploring themes of self-discovery and personal expression but making a political statement about LGBTQ+ people no longer remaining unseen in society. While Rocky Horror has maintained a cult following in the years since its release, what was once trailblazing now seems tame, which showcases how much more progressive society has since become.
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Originally based on a stage play, The Rocky Horror Picture show is considered one of the most significant countercultural films of all time and maintains a wide cult following to this day. The film stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick, and follows Brad and Janet, a young couple who, after experiencing car trouble on a stormy night, are taken in by scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter, an alien transvestite who lives in a nearby castle with his equally colorful servants.
Director Jim Sharman Release Date August 15, 1975 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Richard O’Brien , Jim Sharman Cast Richard O’Brien , Peter Hinwood , Tim Curry , Barry Bostwick , Nell Campbell , Patricia Quinn , Susan Sarandon , Meat Loaf Runtime 100 minutes Franchise(s) The Rocky Horror Picture Show Budget $1.2 million Main Genre Comedy Expand
8 Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy was rated X for its controversial portrayal of male prostitution
Midnight Cowboy was the only X-rated movie to ever win Best Picture at the Academy Awards and was highly controversial for its portrayal of male prostitution. The X rating, which was the equivalent of the current NC-17 rating, was reserved for films featuring explicit violence or graphic sexual content and was deemed for adults only. However, looking back on Midnight Cowboy’s story of an unlikable friendship between two wayward hustlers, it’s hard even to understand why it garnered such a harsh categorization.
Midnight Cowboy showcased the dark underbelly of New York City and those who found seedy and often unethical ways to make a living in it. With Jon Voight as the naïve prostitute Joe Buck and Dustin Hoffman as the limping con man Ratso Rizzo, Midnight Cowboy featured some sexual content but nothing that went much further than what could now be depicted on the average adult-oriented release. Midnight Cowboy was essentially a social commentary that tested viewers’ sensibilities, although its themes of drugs, prostitution, and sexual assault have become far more common in mainstream media today.
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Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama directed by John Schlesinger. Starring Jon Voight as Joe Buck, a naive Texan who arrives in New York City with dreams of becoming a successful gigolo, and Dustin Hoffman as Ratso Rizzo, a con artist with health issues. The film explores their unlikely friendship and struggles for survival in the gritty urban landscape. It was notable for its raw and unflinching portrayal of city life and complex characters.
Director John Schlesinger Release Date May 25, 1969 Writers Waldo Salt , James Leo Herlihy Cast Dustin Hoffman , Jon Voight , Sylvia Miles , John McGiver , Brenda Vaccaro , Barnard Hughes Runtime 113 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
7 Dogma (1999)
Dogma’s perceived blasphemous content led to religious groups protesting the film
Director Kevin Smith expanded upon the slacker stoner characters he had created for movies like Clerks and Mallrats with his most ambitious film, the religious fantasy Dogma. With Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as two fallen angels hoping to utilize a loophole to get back into heaven, Dogma was controversial for its perceived blasphemy and received criticism from religious groups. Infamously, Smith himself attended one of the protests against Dogma (via Collider) and, without revealing his identity, told news reporters, “I don’t think it stands for anything positive.”
While the controversy around Dogma was due to religious groups believing the movie to be anti-Catholic, watching it today, it’s clear the film was never a tirade against organized religion. In fact, the message of Dogma was about the importance of faith, and the movie was set in a universe where Christianity was proven to be true. The Catholic Church was an institution that had its fair share of controversy, and looking back on Dogma, it appeared they got off light when it came to condemnation.
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Dogma is a 1999 comedy that revolves around two fallen angels, Bartleby and Loki, who try to get back to Heaven after getting thrown out by God. It is part director Kevin Smith’s the View Askewniverse, and it counts with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Linda Fiorentino, Jason Lee, and Jason Mewes.
Director Kevin Smith Release Date November 12, 1999 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Kevin Smith Cast Ben Affleck , Chris Rock , Matt Damon , Alan Rickman , Linda Fiorentino Runtime 130 minutes Budget $10 million Expand See at Walmart
6 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project’s found-footage style meant some believed it was a real documentary
The found-footage genre has become so commonplace in horror movies throughout the 21st century that it’s hard to see The Blair Witch Project as anything but mild. However, this couldn’t have been further from the truth back in 1999, when some viewers were left terrified and believing that the film’s content was actually a documentary and that those involved in it had really died. These controversial beliefs were encouraged as the marketing campaign (via Guardian) for The Blair Witch Project listed some of the actors as “missing” or “deceased.”
While horror viewers today can quickly spot the fictional nature of The Blair Witch Project, for audience members encountering a found-footage movie for the first time, it was harder to tell. Through series like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield, this style has felt increasingly tame, and it takes a lot more than a standard found-footage story to have viewers quaking in their boots. However, the stunt paid off, as the movie was produced on an initial budget of $35,000 to $60,000 but has since grossed nearly $250 million (via Box Office Mojo.)
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The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 horror film that follows three film students who venture into the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland. As they document their search for the Blair Witch legend, strange and unsettling events unfold. Presented as found footage, the film is directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, and it pioneered the found footage genre in mainstream cinema.
Director Eduardo Sánchez , Daniel Myrick Release Date July 30, 1999 Studio(s) Summit Entertainment Distributor(s) Summit Entertainment Writers Daniel Myrick , Eduardo Sánchez Cast Joshua Leonard , Michael C. Williams , Heather Donahue Runtime 81 minutes Franchise(s) Blair Witch Sequel(s) Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Budget $60 thousand Expand
5 Don’t Look Now (1973)
Don’t Look Now’s sex scene shocked viewers at the time of its release
Director Nicolas Roeg produced a powerful examination of grief and the effect the death of a child can have on a relationship in his acclaimed thriller Don’t Look Now. With Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie in the starring roles, this controversial film utilized an innovative editing style with flashbacks, flashforwards, and impressionist imagery to create a surreal and ethereal atmosphere. However, the artistry of Don’t Look Now was overshadowed by its controversial sex scene, which pushed the boundaries of mainstream cinema.
The sex in Don’t Look Now was unusually graphic for its time and featured acts rarely depicted on-screen during the 1970s. It remained controversial even in the years after its release as a television airing of the film led to floods of complaints from viewers who were shocked by the film’s content (via Guardian.) Looking back on Don’t Look Now today, it’s interesting just how tame these acts seem, especially considering the full-frontal nudity, explicit sexuality, and mainstream popularity of later television series like Game of Thrones.
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Grieving parents John and Laura Baxter travel to Venice following the accidental drowning of their daughter, Christine. While in Venice, they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom claims to be a psychic who can communicate with Christine’s spirit. As Laura becomes increasingly convinced of the psychic’s abilities, John begins experiencing eerie visions of a small figure in a red coat, reminiscent of what Christine was wearing when she died.
Director Nicolas Roeg Release Date November 18, 1973 Writers Daphne Du Maurier , Allan Scott , Chris Bryant Cast Julie Christie , Donald Sutherland , Clelia Matania , Hilary Mason , Adelina Poerio Runtime 110 minutes Budget $1.5 million Main Genre Horror Expand
4 Basic Instinct (1992)
Basic Instinct’s depiction of homosexuality and infamous interrogation scene were controversial
Basic Instinct was an erotic thriller about a high-profile murder investigation that was highly controversial upon release. With explicit content, violence, and depiction of homosexual relationships, Basic Instinct was the subject of protests but also achieved mainstream success and grossed an impressive $352 million at the global box office. While much of the controversy related to its depiction of homosexual relationships and a bisexual character’s role as a psychopathic murderer, it was the infamous interrogation that has enveloped much of the conversation around Basic Instinct.
This was when Sharon Stone’s character Catherine Tramell briefly uncrossed her legs to reveal a total lack of undergarments, which pushed the boundaries of what could be depicted in a mainstream movie. While this would certainly garner a strict rating today, showing full-frontal nudity has become far less shocking in the years since and could even be considered tame based on what’s portrayed in adult-oriented movies in the 2020s. While the controversial aspects of Basic Instinct have been central to the movie’s reputation, this was a shame as it overshadowed the other aspects of this enjoyable neo-noir thriller.
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*Availability in US Director Paul Verhoeven Release Date March 20, 1992 Writers Joe Eszterhas Cast Michael Douglas , Sharon Stone , George Dzundza , Jeanne Tripplehorn , Wayne Knight , Denis Arndt , Leilani Sarelle , Bruce A. Young Runtime 128 minutes Expand
3 The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist was so controversial that some cities attempted to outright ban the movie
The Exorcist kicked off a cultural conversation around horror movies and even became the first horror to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. However, this was also paired with major controversies, as The Exorcist not only terrified viewers but reportedly led to physical reactions as audience members fainted and even vomited due to the extremity of what they had witnessed on screen (via Collider). While The Exorcist remains a very scary film, the intensity with which viewers reacted to this demonic story of possession feels excessive.
The Exorcist faced widespread criticism as groups like the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Film and Broadcasting stated it could encourage belief in the occult and Satanism (via Chambers.) However, its influence was incredibly far-reaching, and The Exorcist had a major effect on the horror genre, even acting as the inspiration for a whole subgenre of exorcism-based horror movies. While there’s no denying The Exorcist can still get a fright out of modern viewers, the shocking content of the film feels far less disturbing today.
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The Exorcist is a supernatural horror film based on the novel released in 1971 and was directed by William Friedkin. When a young girl is passed by a powerful demon, two Catholic priests are brought to her home to attempt an exorcism to expunge the demon.
Director William Friedkin Release Date December 26, 1973 Studio(s) Hoya Productions Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers William Peter Blatty Cast Max Von Sydow , Linda Blair , Lee J. Cobb , Ellen Burstyn , Jason Miller , Kitty Winn , Jack MacGowran Runtime 122 minutes Franchise(s) The Exorcist Sequel(s) The Exorcist: Believer , Exorcist II: The Heretic , The Exorcist III prequel(s) Exorcist: The Beginning , Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist Budget $12 million Main Genre Horror Expand
2 Psycho (1960)
Psycho’s revolutionary depiction of sex and murder feels entirely mild today
Alfred Hitchcock broke down many cinematic boundaries with the release of Psycho, a film that not only tested the limits of horror movies but even featured the first flushed toilet onscreen (via Collider.) With iconic music, the timeless character of Norman Bates, and a uniquely eerie atmosphere, Psycho featured unprecedented levels of sexuality and violence, as its opening scene of Marion Crane in a bra, Norman’s cross-dressing, and notorious shower murder were truly trailblazing. Taking all these things together meant Psycho was a genuinely subversive movie in 1960.
However, looking back on Psycho today, all of these aspects seem very tame, and it’s a testament to how much the horror genre has changed that this was, at one point, the pinnacle of controversial filmmaking. Despite the tame nature of its content, Psycho has remained a beloved classic that’s no less effective due to its relatively mild horror sequences. Psycho laid the groundwork for almost everything that came after it in the horror genre and was a terrifically entertaining piece of horror history.
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In this now-iconic Alfred Hitchcock thriller, a secretary embezzles forty thousand dollars from her employer’s client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel. The place is run by a young man under the domination of his mother — and he soon turns out to be far more threatening than he appeared at first.
Director Alfred Hitchcock Release Date September 8, 1960 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Joseph Stefano , Robert Bloch Cast Janet Leigh , Martin Balsam , Anthony Perkins , John Gavin , Vera Miles Runtime 109 minutes Franchise(s) Psychonauts Sequel(s) Psycho 2 Budget $806 thousand Main Genre Horror Expand
1 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre pushed the horror genre further than it had ever gone before
While slasher movies involving unstoppable, single-minded killing machines have been common fodder for horror movie storylines, this was a uniquely terrifying concept when The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was released in 1974. With a power tool-wielding serial killer who wore the flesh of his victims, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was a highly controversial film whose intense gore and deviant sexual content pushed the audiences well past their comfort zones. As a genuinely disturbing piece of filmmaking, director Tobe Hooper tested the limits of social acceptability.
However, for as terrifying as the film has remained, the litany of rips offs of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre meant the excessive violence and grotesque imagery was far less shocking today. By laying the foundations for the Halloween, Evil Dead, and Blair Witch franchises, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre became less of a surprise and almost tame in comparison to what other films have since depicted. It’s an important piece of film history and a true horror classic, but to get the same reaction out of viewers today takes a lot more.
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Five friends traveling through rural Texas encounter a family of cannibals led by the terrifying Leatherface. As they fall victim one by one to the gruesome horrors, they must fight for survival against relentless and unimaginable terror in a macabre and chilling fight for their lives.
Director Tobe Hooper Release Date October 11, 1974 Writers Kim Henkel , Tobe Hooper Cast Marilyn Burns , Allen Danziger , Paul A. Partain , William Vail , Teri McMinn , Edwin Neal Runtime 83 minutes Main Genre Horror Expand
Sources: Collider, Guardian, Box Office Mojo, Guardian, Collider, Chambers, Collider