Controversy is nothing new to art. Whenever a new art form or movement gains enough traction within the mainstream, scandals are sure to follow. Charles Dickens, Edouard Manet and Leo Tolstoy have all had careers pockmarked by moral outrage. Even legendary masters have not been exempt from the firing line; Michelangelo was once contested over his fresco The Last Judgement.
What separates cinema from other art forms is its link with the public. Cinema is art en masse, in the nature of both its production and its exhibition. Gathering a collection of observers under a huge screen gives it a potency that was quickly realised as a means of manipulation. This advantage of influence did not go unnoticed by political parties. Nazi propagandist Hans Traub declared in an essay that “without any doubt the film is a formidable means of propaganda.”
Even when the film has not been created with the intent of pushing an ideology, cinema is capable of usurping or unsettling audiences’ preconceived attitudes towards their government or social standing. For some, this was considered dangerous and, therefore, had to be monitored to see what was fit for public consumption.
The list of controversial films is almost endless, especially when you consider the cultural nuances between countries and communities that effects a film’s reception. With that said, specific themes and genres (and filmmakers themselves) populate many lists and articles on this particular topic.
It will come as no real surprise to readers to find that Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ was met with outrage because of its sexualised and religious content. Nor will the censoring of classic ‘Video Nasty’ I Spit on Your Grave (it still remains banned in Ireland). The fact that these films contain extreme acts of violence and sex (often blurring the lines thereof) or tackle sensitive topics such as religion or abuse makes them the easy target of media and public discussion about the impact of cinema.
Read more:
http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2015/15-great-movies-that-caused-unexpected-controversy/#ixzz3t2ljcnpS
