There is a well-known French phrase, the success of a scandal, which essentially describes the phenomenon in which a work of public art becomes more popular because of its notoriety—and that the controversy it arouses contributes, in whole or in part, to its subsequent popularity. English speakers may be more familiar with the adage “There’s no such thing as bad publicity” – something a few directors and film production companies have had to keep in mind when their films become the subject of a major discourse.
Movies are works of art, and all art is created to arouse the opinion of its audience. Some opinions are stronger than others, and sometimes there comes a time when a film arouses such a strong, widespread, and contagious opinion among the population that it becomes controversial. This can be a blessing and a curse, depending on the filmmakers’ intentions, but it almost always means your film will be remembered. Somethingeven if it’s not remembered for being particularly good.
Some films are more controversial than others, and here we’ve collected ten films from the past half-century whose public controversy upon release almost overshadowed the films’ actual content. Whether due to their extreme violent or sexual content, religious absurdity, lending credence to debunked conspiracy theories, almost inciting an international incident, or a combination of all of these things, these films have been subjected to such a fervor of popular outrage that, for many of them, people have made them want to see them more.
10 films that sparked great controversy upon their release
In many ways, the controversy made these films a bigger deal.
Gallery source: Emma Stefanski
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