Top 10 Movies That Made the World Angry

If you know John Waters, you know that he likes to swim in controversial waters. The filmmaker isn’t called the “Pope of Trash” for nothing. His filth masterpiece “Pink Flamingos” goes for broke with its graphic, shocking, and boundary-pushing story. Waters lets his leading star Divine play “the filthiest person alive,” with the latter engaging in some brutal acts that will either make you laugh or sick. The movie became a cult favorite while also being banned in different countries, willfully defying the concept of “good taste.” It’s not hard to imagine censors finding it obscene considering moments like the infamous finale with a dog. All these years later, the project hasn’t lost any of its edge.

Director Michael Moore is no stranger to ruffling feathers. His documentaries delve into sensitive topics such as capitalism, gun control, and American politics. “Fahrenheit 9/11” might be his most divisive film, taking a pointed look at the Bush administration in the 2000s. While some liberals loved it, many conservatives took issue with potential inaccuracies. The movie received the Palme D’Or at Cannes[a], but some critics claimed it was just a hit piece. Moore was already known for his confrontational style, but this documentary showed him courting even more controversy. The filmmaker continues to be a polarizing figure.

It’s fair to say that you shouldn’t show this one to young children. “A Clockwork Orange” is yet another masterwork from Stanley Kubrick, dealing with violence in an explicit way. In the early 1970s, this sci-fi adaptation was considered brutal for its depiction of gang activity and assault. Kubrick even pulled the film from British theaters after concerns grew about people allegedly inspired by it to commit acts of violence. The filmmaker confronts taboo subjects here in a stylized manner, causing some audiences to recoil at Alex DeLarge[b]’s crimes. This includes a home invasion that serves as one of the movie’s boldest scenes. People continue to debate its content, execution, and themes to this day.

Some people find this comedy to be both funny and offensive. Sacha Baron Cohen sends his Kazakhstani journalist to America, taking the nation by storm with the character’s ignorance. The successful film drew praise, criticism, and even lawsuits. Several people featured in the movie did not appreciate the final product, feeling that they’d been misled or made to look foolish. Kazakhstan also took offense at more than a few gags at their expense. Cohen has a special way of luring people into funny traps, forcing them to confront taboos or politically incorrect material. The sequel brought the hero back for even more wacky hijinks.

With some awards buzz and topical subject matter, “Zero Dark Thirty” landed in hot water upon release. Kathryn Bigelow[c]’s film dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden with several depictions of torture. Viewers from all sides found these intense scenes offensive and misleading. Some felt that the movie condoned enhanced interrogation techniques, while others worried it asserted false claims about the investigation. It somehow united diverse critics from Hollywood actors to Republican senators like John McCain. Even with so many people hating on it, the film still earned several nominations and won an Oscar for sound editing.

Even when you’re making a silly comedy, you can find yourself offending people. This happened to the Monty Python troupe after releasing “Life of Brian.” The film pokes fun at religion, with a plot about a man mistaken for a Christ-like figure. Many found this to be more of a frontal assault on Christianity and its founder. This led to some places taking formal action, with areas of the United Kingdom and other countries like Norway banning it. Much of the debate centered around whether or not the comedy could be considered blasphemous. The controversy only fueled its success, with the film becoming a classic regardless of censorship.

This movie might be best known for being offensive. You might not even know why, but be forewarned that this one lives up to its reputation. “A Serbian Film” is about a desperate man that agrees to star in a project that’s disturbing on multiple levels. One of the most infamous scenes is horrifying just by description, but you could say the same for about half of the runtime. Unsurprisingly, this film about a snuff film earned an NC-17 in America and was banned in many places. It’s so extreme in its content that it received a wave of strong reactions from audiences and critics.

Bill Hader once jokingly called this the “best date movie on earth.” It’s obviously far from that, taking audiences to intensely dark places and showing the worst humanity has to offer. Director Pier Paolo Pasolini did not pull any punches, showing what happens when rich Italian men kidnap teenagers during WWII. It’s an adaptation of the Marquis de Sade’s work that follows power-hungry people with sadomasochistic fantasies. There’s scene after scene of horrifying acts, prompting many countries to outright ban the release. It also inspired a police raid in the UK and allegations of obscenity. The movie continues to provoke audiences and challenge them with its harsh subject matter.

Best known for his crime dramas, Martin Scorsese[e] also made a notable adaptation of “The Last Temptation of Christ.” The movie follows the title character’s life and death with one significant change. In a scene that had some Christians up in arms, Christ is tempted off the cross and tries to live a normal life. This was a major point of contention amongst some audiences as protests and accusations of blasphemy followed. In one extreme episode, a Paris theater screening the film was set on fire with several people seriously injured. Scorsese’s life was even threatened, showing just how much some people opposed the existence of such a movie.

When this film came out, it was seen as a driving force for the newest version of the Ku Klux Klan. D.W. Griffith’s movie was considered groundbreaking on a technical level and otherwise morally compromised. The plot deals with Civil War and Reconstruction-era America, making the racist hate group the heroes at the end. “The Birth of a Nation” also drew protests from the NAACP[f] for propping up white supremacist messaging. If you hear about it today, it’s still mentioned as one of the darker chapters of early feature filmmaking. Griffith’s work stands as arguably the most infamous and offensive American movie.

Did we forget another offensive movie? Let us know in the comments below.

[b]duh-LARGE https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/2e2a7bc1-1b11-44c3-9012-10830b8ff686
[c]Kathryn bigga-LOH https://youtu.be/CT20M2eUTzI
[d]sah-LOH https://forvo.com/word/sal%C3%B2/#it
SAW-dum https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sodom
pyare PAO-loh pah-soh-LEENY https://forvo.com/search/Pier%20Paolo%20Pasolini/it/
mar-KEE duh SAWD https://youtu.be/xhJzlcs0Pso?si=yBNj2_6taCfmL71X&t=999
[e]Martin score-SESSY - not score-SAY-zee https://youtu.be/YXIxJQaPa_k?t=38
[f]en double ay see pee