When films are released worldwide, they become subject to a great number of cultural norms
and values. And not every project can appeal to all audiences across the globe. Sometimes,
a country deems a particular film so offensive that they are left no choice but to ban it
from their theaters. But is that a reasonable reaction? Here are Screen Rant’s Movies
That Were Banned for Crazy Reasons
The Interview
More memorable for its controversy than its comedy, The Interview turned out to be one
of the weirdest Hollywood debacles in recent memory. The story of an American talk show
host being tasked by the CIA to assassinate North Korea's head of State was sure to turn
some heads, but things got out of hand very, very quickly. North Korea banned the film,
apparently ordering that anyone in the country caught watching a bootleg copy would meet
a firing squad or a prison sentence. But that only scratches the surface of the fallout:
the movie was also on its way to being banned in the United States. Claiming to have hacked
Sony's computers as punishment, the so-called "Guardians of Peace" threatened terrorist
attacks upon movie theaters which showed the film on its Christmas Day release. When theater
chains began to cancel showings, Sony resorted to digital sales so the movie wasn't a total
loss, and in the end, The Interview screened without incident, but it was still a bizarre
footnote
for what was a mainly mediocre comedy.
E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial
Steven Spielberg’s E.T. is one of the most successful and beloved films of all-time thanks
to its touching story of friendship that enthralled viewers of all ages. But it wasn’t the best
pick for family night in Scandinavia. Children under 11 in that country were barred from
seeing it because the Swedish Film Board said it portrayed adults as “enemies of children.”
It’s true a majority of the grown-ups in E.T. weren’t exactly friendly towards Elliott
and his pals, but this seemed a bit rash and cost youngsters a thrilling moviegoing experience.
After all, all stories need a villain.
2012
Everyone has different tastes in film, and some people only like to watch movies that
make them happy. Some take that to the extreme, which is what happened when North Korea banned
the disaster flick 2012. 2009 was the year of Kim Il Sung’s 100th birthday, and to
keep the party atmosphere alive in the country, they did not want anything negative being
shown at their movie theaters. Yes, the destruction of the world can be distressing to watch,
but 2012 was just a big dumb action movie that nobody – except the North Korean government
– took seriously. Makes you wonder what films they did show.
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons are known for their irreverent style of humor, but who could have predicted
they’d start a political controversy? When The Simpsons Movie was premiering in 2007,
Burma banned the project from screens because the family’s skin was yellow. Apparently,
red and yellow are the official colors for the National League of Democracy, which was
the biggest threat to leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party at the time. No matter
what your beliefs are, it’s hard to argue that The Simpsons Movie was making grand statements
in favor of Burmese democracy, so we’re still trying to get our heads around this.
Blue Jasmine
Audiences were drawn into Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine due to a mesmerizing performance
by eventual Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, but moviegoers in India couldn’t see what all
the awards buzz was about. The country banned the film because characters are shown smoking.
A law in India requires an anti-smoking PSA to be shown on the screen for films that depict
smoking. Allen refused to amend his project, and it wasn’t shown. We’re all for taking
down big tobacco and improving our health, but this was taking it a little too far. It’s
not like Blue Jasmine tried to promote the benefits of cigarettes, which would be something
else entirely.
Borat
Sacha Baron Cohen was going for serious shock value when he starred in the comedy Borat,
and shock he did. His portrayal of an insensitive and anti-Semitic news reporter exploring America
offended audiences around the globe, including Russia, where the fake Kazakhstan punchlines
weren't met with laughter. The country refused to show the film in theaters, feeling several
scenes "offend viewers' religious or national sensibilities." Germany also attempted to
get Borat banned, citing defamation against the very-real gypsy populations within their
borders. Borat may have been a hit in America, but the humor obviously didn't translate worldwide.
Those are our picks for movies banned for crazy reasons. Are there any we missed? Which
banned films have you scratching your head? Sound off in the comments section below and
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