17 films that were banned in some countries (30 photos)

We bring to your attention an interesting list of films - from old black-and-white comedies and horror films to the latest releases animated films — which, for various reasons, were banned in film distribution in certain countries.





Interestingly, if earlier films were banned mainly because of the cruelty, violence or blasphemy shown in them, now prohibitions come to the fore due to the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations.

1. Animated film "Spider-Man: Web of Universes" (2023) was banned in the UAE, Egypt and Lebanon due to the fact that one of frames it shows the trans flag



Here is the frame



2. The comedy Barbie (2023) was banned in Vietnam because that there is a scene that shows a map with a "nine-dotted line"



This is the separator used by China to indicate their territorial claims in the South China Sea. Not all countries with them agree, so this is not the first time that the image of the nine line dotted lines in the film leads to its ban.

3. For example, in 2019, an animated film was banned in Vietnam movie Everest. The Philippine government has also called for a boycott of it.



4. The animated film "Buzz Lightyear" (2022) was banned in several member states of the OIC (Organization of Islamic cooperation), including Egypt, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, due to kiss between characters of the same sex



Disney originally cut this scene entirely, but in it was added back after a group of Pixar employees opposed in an open letter to Disney



Then alternatives were released in some countries. version of this scene, for example, where the word "girlfriend" ("girlfriend") was changed to partner.

5. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) was banned in several US cities because of "controversial topics about Christianity"



And not only in the USA. From 1979 to 1987 the film was banned in Ireland, from 1979 to 1980 it was banned by Norway. Studio even used these bans as a way to promote the film. For promotion pictures in Sweden, for example, added the slogan "The film is so funny, that it was banned in Norway.”



6. The Eternals (2021) was banned in Saudi Arabia and Oman, because the superhero Fastos (the first openly gay man in Marvel heroes) in the film there is a husband with whom he kisses in the frame



The same painting was banned in Kuwait and Qatar, but rather of all, because in these countries they have a bad attitude towards blasphemous film depictions of gods and prophets



7. Fifty Shades of Gray (2015) was banned during many countries - for example, in Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates - for showing explicit scenes of sexual content



In the UAE, they offered to release a shortened version of the film, but the studio would have had to cut 35 minutes of "inappropriate scenes" to make it happened so it didn't work



8. The film "Borat" (2006) was banned in Russia and in a number of others. countries for “offensive attitude towards religious or national feelings of some people



9. The Da Vinci Code (2006) was banned in a number of countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, due to "blasphemous content"



For example, in Jordanto the conclusion that he "denigrates the memory of Christian and Islamic figures and contradicts the truth written in Bible and Quran about Jesus



10. Wonder Woman (2017) was banned in Tunisia and Lebanon because Gal Gadot, the Israeli-born film star, served a mandatory two-year service in the Israel Defense Forces



Lebanon has a law to boycott Israel, but apparently it "inconsistently observed". That's why other films featuring Gal Gadot were broadcast there without a ban, for example, "Furious 6" and "Knight of the Day"



11 The Human Centipede 2 (2011) Was Temporarily Banned In Australia Due To "Level Of Violent Depictions"



Australia has an RC category ("Refusal of Classification") for things like movies and video games. In fact, everything that this rating, cannot be "sold, rented, advertised or legally imported into Australia. "The Human Centipede - 2" originally received an RC rating because it contained "gratuitous, exploitative or offensive images of violence with a very high degree of impact and cruelty. The film was later re-introduced to get a new rating.



12. The animated film Go (2020) was banned in several countries of the Middle East, because it depicts gay character



13. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) was banned in the UK for several reasons. Primarily because he was "too creepy and frightening" for the general public



Carl Laemmle, one of the unofficial producers of The Phantom opera”, tried to challenge this ban back in 1926, but the Association film distributors stood their ground



14. Horror film in the slasher genre "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) was banned in some European countries, including Finland in 1974–1996, due to excessive violence



The film was originally released in the UK and demonstrated in London, but then was banned for 25 years. British the film classification board even banned at the time the use of the word "chainsaw" in movie titles.



Tobe Hopper, the director of the film, disagreed with the ban, claiming that there is "relatively little gore" in the film itself. He is detailed talked about one scene in particular when Pam's character is hung on meat hook, saying, "You don't see the penetration. You don't see the spray blood. The camera pans to her body suspended above the tub... People don't they see the flowing blood, but they themselves think everything out.

15. Natural Born Killers (1994) was banned in Ireland, because copycat killers appeared there, inspired by painting



The Censorship Board of Ireland did not initially name the true reason for the ban. In addition, the UK release of the film was delayed. until next year because the British Board of Film Classification not sure if it should be shown.



Oliver Stone, the director of the film, defended his offspring, explaining that it is "a satire on how the media can turn serial killers into celebrities."

16. Film "Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness" (2022) was banned in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt, because it features a lesbian



17. And finally, all the films of the Marx brothers were banned in Germany because their creators were Jews



The Marx Brothers have made more than a dozen films together over the course ofai 20-40s, and although their mother, Miene Schoenberg, was born in Dornum (a village in Germany), their films were banned in that country.

Ireland also banned the Marx Brothers film Monkeys tricks "(1931) for almost 70 years - until 2000, fearing that he "provoke the Irish to anarchy"



A better known film by the Marx Brothers, Duck Soup (1933), was banned in Italy for over ten years by order of Benito Mussolini, because the painting made fun of dictators, and Mussolini I took it as a personal insult.