Making a controversial movie is dead easy. Just say something guaranteed to offend and provoke outrage.
Want to see how simple it is to make a controversial movie? Just make one featuring Jesus Christ as a gay guy. Instant controversy no matter how bad or worthless the movie happened to be.
But making a good controversial movie is a lot harder. Making a movie that makes a valid point, that says something real, that isn't just about poking a hornet's nest with a stick to provoke a reaction, that's harder.
I was thinking of early examples of good controversial movies. "Payton Place" was a good example. It walked up to thast smiling, inane, plastic made of image of middle america Hollywood had created and ripped its mindlessly grinning face right off, exposing the ugly realty most peolle knew existed and wanted to ignore. Yeah, even in ward and june's neighborhood you'd find rape, incest, abortion and other stuff no one mentioned publicly back then so the victims just got swept under the rug, told they just have done something to deserve it because it just didn't happen to "good people" and you didn't want to embarrass your family.
Peyton place took real balls to make and release and boy was it controversial as I recall from my social studies class. (Way before my time but I caught it on tv.)
Yeah it was controversial and maybe it let some people talk about some things and some victims were able to stop feeling like they "deserved it". So it was good in some context.
What do you consider a controversial movie thst was good and why?
The first one that comes to mind is CHINATOWN, which explored a situation of incest in a high profile above-the-law family. Considering the times in which this movie came out, I believe it was a pretty heavy subject.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY - controversial at the time, not today. Masterpiece.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE - Still somewhat controversial. A very serious philosophical exploration of free will.
ANTICHRIST - Maybe the most divisive movie of recent times. Went too far, for sure, but has a real nightmare quality that's hard to shake.
THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST - Only controversial with a small group of dimwitted protesters. It's actually a very Christian and moving movie.
THE DEVILS - Nuns gone wild! Wouldn't be as controversial if it came out today. Suffered a lot from the initial controversy and never completely recovered.
FREAKS - Still makes me uneasy, but I don't think the freaks were exploited
Honestly I don't remember anyone ever considering CHINATOWN controversial, but I was too young when it came out to pay attention. I'm sure someone did, but it was nominated for 11 Oscars.
Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2019, 07:48:35 AM
MIDNIGHT COWBOY - controversial at the time, not today. Masterpiece.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE - Still somewhat controversial. A very serious philosophical exploration of free will.
ANTICHRIST - Maybe the most divisive movie of recent times. Went too far, for sure, but has a real nightmare quality that's hard to shake.
THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST - Only controversial with a small group of dimwitted protesters. It's actually a very Christian and moving movie.
THE DEVILS - Nuns gone wild! Wouldn't be as controversial if it came out today. Suffered a lot from the initial controversy and never completely recovered.
FREAKS - Still makes me uneasy, but I don't think the freaks were exploited
Honestly I don't remember anyone ever considering CHINATOWN controversial, but I was too young when it came out to pay attention. I'm sure someone did, but it was nominated for 11 Oscars.
Not gonna lie, I'm mostly saying that because of what my dad told me about it. I watched the movie and loved it, nowadays that plot twist isn't that shocking but I can see it somewhat relevant back then. Maybe the times we were living in Argentina in those years could've added to the shock factor (a military dictatorship ended in 1973 while another started in 1976, and movies like this were banned).
Quote from: Gabriel Knight on September 26, 2019, 08:52:01 AM
Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2019, 07:48:35 AM
MIDNIGHT COWBOY - controversial at the time, not today. Masterpiece.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE - Still somewhat controversial. A very serious philosophical exploration of free will.
ANTICHRIST - Maybe the most divisive movie of recent times. Went too far, for sure, but has a real nightmare quality that's hard to shake.
THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST - Only controversial with a small group of dimwitted protesters. It's actually a very Christian and moving movie.
THE DEVILS - Nuns gone wild! Wouldn't be as controversial if it came out today. Suffered a lot from the initial controversy and never completely recovered.
FREAKS - Still makes me uneasy, but I don't think the freaks were exploited
Honestly I don't remember anyone ever considering CHINATOWN controversial, but I was too young when it came out to pay attention. I'm sure someone did, but it was nominated for 11 Oscars.
Not gonna lie, I'm mostly saying that because of what my dad told me about it. I watched the movie and loved it, nowadays that plot twist isn't that shocking but I can see it somewhat relevant back then. Maybe the times we were living in Argentina in those years could've added to the shock factor (a military dictatorship ended in 1973 while another started in 1976, and movies like this were banned).
I bet Trevor will tell us it was banned in South Africa too!
I reckon BIRTH OF A NATION qualifies...I don't care for it myself.
TRIUMPH OF THE WILL as well.
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955) - A movie about heroin addiction in 1955? You bet! It didn't receive a Production Code Administration seal of approval until several years after it was released.
I consider all of the following both good and controversial:
Eyes Wide Shut
Bonnie and Clyde
Straw Dogs (1971)
Scarface
Life of Brian
The Rules of the Game
Citizen Kane
The Last House on the Left
The Wild Bunch
The Loved One
Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2019, 07:48:35 AM
...Honestly I don't remember anyone ever considering CHINATOWN controversial, but I was too young when it came out to pay attention. I'm sure someone did, but it was nominated for 11 Oscars.
CHINATOWN owes part of its greatness to the sleazy cultural slam; incest was still taboo in 1974... particularly since
FAYE DUNAWAY's character makes it clear she wasn't raped...
Remember! Lots of movies were doing that in the 1970s like
THE EXORCIST or
DELIVERANCE... turning the culture on its ear.
Oh...!
DEATH WISH (1974)
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE became controversial just because it gained attention from Siskel and Ebert's show.
Garbage like SNUFF and BLOODSUCKING FREAKS also gained attention just because they were so vile. But they seem just really stupid once you watch them.
The EXORCIST was good. So was ROSEMARY'S BABY.
Quote from: RCMerchant on September 27, 2019, 01:11:54 PM
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE became controversial just because it gained attention from Siskel and Ebert's show.
I hate that movie.
Quote from: RCMerchant on September 27, 2019, 01:15:10 PM
Garbage like SNUFF and BLOODSUCKING FREAKS also gained attention just because they were so vile. But they seem just really stupid once you watch them.
BLOODSUCKING FREAKS :lookingup: silly, gross, "sexy" :lookingup: Definitely "vile".
Quote from: RCMerchant on September 27, 2019, 01:16:34 PM
The EXORCIST was good. So was ROSEMARY'S BABY.
Great movies. :thumbup:
here's a few more:
Eyes Without a Face
Heaven's Gate
Do the Right Thing
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Brokeback Mountain
Lolita (1962)
Psycho
Requiem for a Dream
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Dressed to Kill
Quote from: Allhallowsday on September 27, 2019, 12:41:26 PM
Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 26, 2019, 07:48:35 AM
...Honestly I don't remember anyone ever considering CHINATOWN controversial, but I was too young when it came out to pay attention. I'm sure someone did, but it was nominated for 11 Oscars.
CHINATOWN owes part of its greatness to the sleazy cultural slam; incest was still taboo in 1974... particularly since FAYE DUNAWAY's character makes it clear she wasn't raped...
Incest is still taboo today! But using it as a plot point in serious movies isn't controversial. True, they didn't allow it under the Hayes Code (along with shots of bare ankles), but I'm not sure it's been really controversial since OEDIPUS REX and that was what... like 1950? :wink:
Maybe CHINATOWN was controversial when it came out, though, and I'm just too young to remember.
Cultural slam.
I believe Polanski ran to France after f**king an underage girl and made TESS, and folks made of that what they will. It raised eyebrows.
( Myself- he shoulda went to jail. If that was my child, I'd kill him.).
Quote from: RCMerchant on September 27, 2019, 04:47:31 PM
I believe Polanski ran to France after f**king an underage girl and made TESS, and folks made of that what they will. It raised eyebrows.
( Myself- he shoulda went to jail. If that was my child, I'd kill him.).
Heartily agreed! It's one thing to separate the man from his work and say Polanski's films were sometimes good, but when I see Polanski himself supported in Hollywood today, by the same people who condemn others for far lesser offenses of speech or opinion, it leaves me wondering exactly why I ever put one dime into supporting such a weird, misguided community.
Quote from: RCMerchant on September 27, 2019, 04:47:31 PM
I believe Polanski ran to France after f**king an underage girl and made TESS, and folks made of that what they will. It raised eyebrows.
( Myself- he shoulda went to jail. If that was my child, I'd kill him.).
Yeah you're right on that. The girl's mother was no shining example of human virtue either. A failed wanna be star she decided to try living her dream of stardom thru her 12 year old daughter who she LET polanski drug and rape hoping he'd make her a star so her worthless mother could live her dream.
What really p**ses me at Hollywood is how they all want the LADA to drop the charges ant let polanski return to Hollywood. I mean the allegations against say Kevin spacey are nowhere near as heinous as what polanski actually did, but Hollywood years to embrace polanski while spacey is an absolute pariah.
I donct know, maybe people pity polanski since he bad two families murdered by two of the 20th centurys most infamous figures, Hitler and Manson. Yeah, he had some really bad luck but thst doesn't give anyone a pass on raping a 12 year old girl.
No, I'll agree with anyone who dumps on polanski. BTW I can't say I liked any of his movies. The only one I kmow much of was the fearless vampire killers. Non of his other movies made enough impression to make me remember them.