It’s incredible how much societal attitudes around what’s shocking change over time, meaning that oncecontroversial filmsappear 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 mostcontroversial movies of all timecan feel pretty mild by today’s standards, asfilmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and William Friedkin pushed audiences well past their comfort zoneswith 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.
10American Pie (1999)
American Pie’s raunchy humor pushed audiences' tastes to their limit
The coming-of-age teen sex comedyAmerican Piewas 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 overcontroversial 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 ofAmerican Pielaid the groundwork for subsequent movies to push things even further. This was even the case for the franchise as laterAmerican Piesequels and spin-off moviescontinued exploring the same type of humor, mostly with diminishing returns. While the firstAmerican Piewas 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.
American Pie
Cast
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy that follows four high school friends as they enter a pact to lose their virginity before college. The film explores their comedic and often awkward attempts to fulfill this goal, set against the backdrop of typical high school experiences and senior prom.
9The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show was seen as subversive but now appears simply camp
The Rocky Horror Picture Showwas 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 ofRocky Horrormeant lovers of the film still dress up for interactive screenings of the film to this day.
However, it’s difficult to watchThe Rocky Horror Picture Showtoday through the same lens viewers first saw it. What today appears as an outrageous, campy good time was truly subversive back in 1975, asRocky Horrorwas not only exploring themes of self-discovery and personal expression but making a political statement about LGBTQ+ people no longer remaining unseen in society. WhileRocky Horrorhas 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.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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.
8Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy was rated X for its controversial portrayal of male prostitution
Midnight Cowboywas 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 onMidnight Cowboy’sstory of an unlikable friendship between two wayward hustlers, it’s hard even to understand why it garnered such a harsh categorization.
Midnight Cowboyshowcased 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 Cowboyfeatured some sexual content but nothing that went much further than what could now be depicted on the average adult-oriented release.Midnight Cowboywas 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.
Midnight Cowboy
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.
7Dogma (1999)
Dogma’s perceived blasphemous content led to religious groups protesting the film
Director Kevin Smith expanded upon theslacker stoner charactershe had created for movies likeClerksandMallratswith his most ambitious film, the religious fantasyDogma. With Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as two fallen angels hoping to utilize a loophole to get back into heaven,Dogmawas controversial for its perceived blasphemy and received criticism from religious groups. Infamously, Smith himself attended one of the protests againstDogma(viaCollider) and, without revealing his identity, told news reporters, “I don’t think it stands for anything positive.”
Whilethe controversy aroundDogmawas 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 ofDogmawas 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 onDogma,it appeared they got off light when it came to condemnation.
6The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project’s found-footage style meant some believed it was a real documentary
The found-footage genrehas become so commonplace in horror movies throughout the 21st century that it’s hard to seeThe Blair Witch Projectas 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 (viaGuardian) forThe Blair Witch Projectlisted some of the actors as “missing” or “deceased.”
Whilehorror viewers today can quickly spot the fictional nature ofThe Blair Witch Project, for audience members encountering a found-footage movie for the first time, it was harder to tell. Through series likeParanormal ActivityandCloverfield, 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 (viaBox Office Mojo.)
The Blair Witch Project
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.
5Don’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 thrillerDon’t Look Now. WithDonald 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 ofDon’t Look Nowwas overshadowed by its controversial sex scene, which pushed the boundaries of mainstream cinema.
The sex inDon’t Look Nowwas 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 (viaGuardian.) Looking back onDon’t Look Nowtoday, it’s interesting just how tame these acts seem, especially considering the full-frontal nudity, explicit sexuality, and mainstream popularity of later television series likeGame of Thrones.
Don’t Look Now
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.
4Basic Instinct (1992)
Basic Instinct’s depiction of homosexuality and infamous interrogation scene were controversial
Basic Instinctwas 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 Instinctwas 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 aroundBasic Instinct.
This was whenSharon Stone’s character Catherine Tramell briefly uncrossed her legsto 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 ofBasic Instincthave been central to the movie’s reputation, this was a shame as it overshadowed the other aspects of this enjoyable neo-noir thriller.
Basic Instinct
Catherine Tramell is an extremely seductive writer and the main suspect in a murder case. Police officer Nick Curran is tasked with solving the crime, but becomes strongly attracted to Catherine, putting his own life at risk.
3The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist was so controversial that some cities attempted to outright ban the movie
The Exorcistkicked 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, asThe Exorcistnot 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 (viaCollider). WhileThe Exorcistremains a very scary film, the intensity with which viewers reacted to this demonic story of possession feels excessive.
The Exorcistfaced 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 (viaChambers.) However, its influence was incredibly far-reaching, andThe Exorcisthad 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 denyingThe Exorcistcan still get a fright out of modern viewers, the shocking content of the film feels far less disturbing today.
The Exorcist
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.
2Psycho (1960)
Psycho’s revolutionary depiction of sex and murder feels entirely mild today
Alfred Hitchcock broke down many cinematic boundaries with the release ofPsycho, a film that not only tested the limits of horror movies but even featured the first flushed toilet onscreen (viaCollider.) With iconic music, the timeless character of Norman Bates, and a uniquely eerie atmosphere,Psychofeatured 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 meantPsychowas a genuinely subversive movie in 1960.
However, looking back onPsychotoday, 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,Psychohas remained a beloved classicthat’s no less effective due to its relatively mild horror sequences.Psycholaid the groundwork for almost everything that came after it in the horror genre and was a terrifically entertaining piece of horror history.
Psycho
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.
1The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
While slasher movies involving unstoppable, single-minded killing machines have been common fodder for horror movie storylines, this was a uniquely terrifying concept whenThe Texas Chain Saw Massacrewas released in 1974. With a power tool-wielding serial killer who wore the flesh of his victims,The Texas Chain Saw Massacrewas 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, directorTobe Hooper tested the limits of social acceptability.
However, for as terrifying as the film has remained, the litany of rips offs ofThe Texas Chain Saw Massacremeant the excessive violence and grotesque imagery was far less shocking today. By laying the foundations for theHalloween,Evil Dead, andBlair Witchfranchises,The Texas Chain Saw Massacrebecame 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.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a horror film released in 1974, following five friends who encounter a deranged family in rural Texas. As they strive to survive, they face terrifying ordeals orchestrated by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, a central figure in this chilling narrative.
