The release of Fifty Shades of Grey has been banned in India, despite scenes involving nudity being removed from the film. The country follows the likes of Kenya, Malaysia, and most of the Middle East in not allowing the controversial, BDSM-themed film to be shown.
We decided to take a look back at some other huge films that it may (or in some cases may not) surprise you to know were also banned around the world.
Source: NoahExodus: Gods and Kings & Noah
Two 2014 biblical epic films caused a great deal of controversy upon their release. Ridley Scott’s Exodus was banned in Egypt over what the culture minister explained were ‘historical inaccuracies’ – such as claiming that Moses and the Jews had built the pyramids. The film was also banned in the United Arab Emirates over similar ‘mistakes’. Similarly Noah was banned in the UAE, as well as Qatar, Bahrain and other countries because it apparently contradicts the teachings of Islam.
Source: The Interview PosterThe Interview
Seth Rogen’s film depicting a plan to assassinate Kim Jong-un probably caused the biggest international crisis in the history of cinema. North Korea called it an act of war, Sony Pictures computer systems were hacked, and terrorist attacks were threatened against cinemas screening the film. All of this prompted Sony to cancel the release, although this was quickly confirmed to be a bad idea when even President Obama called it ‘a mistake.’ It ended up having a limited release, but we’re pretty sure it still isn’t being shown in North Korea.
Source: A Clockwork Orange PosterA Clockwork Orange
This is an interesting case as the film wasn’t so much banned as it was withdrawn by its director, Stanley Kubrick. There was building pressure for the film to be banned after the occurrence of a few copycat crimes, but when Kubrick and his family started receiving death threats at their house, he made the decision to withdraw the film from British distribution. It wouldn’t be seen again for 27 years, when the ban was lifted after Kubrick’s death in 1999, shortly before the release of his final film Eyes Wide Shut.
Source: Life of Brian ScreenshotLife of Brian
Religious outrage over films isn’t just confined to 2014 blockbusters, as the Monty Python film Life of Brian was banned in numerous British counties, as well as Ireland, Norway, and many other countries because it was considered to be blasphemous. Interestingly, a local ban in the Welsh town of Aberystwyth was lifted after cast member Sue Jones-Davies, who played Judith Iscariot, was elected town mayor in 2009, thirty years after the film’s original release.
Source: The Girl With The Dragon TattooThe Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Like Fifty Shades of Grey, David Fincher’s English language version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was banned in India over sexual content. The film classification board requested that several scenes be edited, but Fincher refused to do so, resulting in Sony Pictures abandoning their plans for the film’s release.
Source: The Happening PosterThe Happening
Remember the 2008 Mark Wahlberg film The Happening? No? It’s ok, neither do the people of Bridgend in Wales, where the film was banned. The town and surrounding area was plagued by a spate of unexplained suicides, and the film, which is about the release of an airborne toxin that causes people to kill themselves, was deemed a little too close to home.
