Controversial hype is a tricky hand to get dealt. On one
end, controversy can help allure an audience, but inversely, it can shy viewers
away. All of the films on this list have been victim to one or the other, and
in watching them all, I’m curious as to why.
Good or bad, classic or dud, the films below were labeled as
controversial from the onset, but the point I’m getting at is: what’s all the
fuss about?
Head over to Movie Mezzanine to view the list.
I'm glad to see Hounddog on here. I hate movies with rape scenes, I have a hard time watching them, but this movie had one of the least graphic rape scene's of all time. And SO many people freaked out about it. It drove me nuts.
ReplyDeleteSilence of the Lambs and Brokeback Mountain were just people bitching just to bitch. Nothing really controversial there. The Human Centipede just fell flat on it's face. Whatever chance that film had at controversy was ruined when Tom Six realized he can't craft a proper screenplay.
Great list, by the way! Loved reading it.
Thanks so much Brittani!!
DeleteI'm so glad we agree on these. Discussing the Hounddog "controversy" was tricky, because I didn't want to slight rape as no big deal. I too detest rape scenes in films, but that specific hype was absurd. Lambs and Brokeback are indeed people bitching just to bitch. So aggravating.
Centipede is definitely a piece of garbage, for many reasons other than its "taboo" content.
Great list! Among the films I've actually seen, I agree with virtually everything you said. This kind of pointless controversy sometimes draws undeserved attention to mediocre movies, doesn't it? It sounds like The Human Centipede is just crappy film-making. And while I haven't seen The Da Vinci Code, I read the novel and was underwhelmed. It was a passably decent thriller, but why was it the most talked about book of the moment? And if anyone was bent out of shape over the alleged religious falsehoods, he need only glance at the spine of the book, where it clearly said "Fiction."
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see a picture of Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, I smile because I remember seeing it with my mom. I made a comment about the nudity and she said "If I had a figure like that, I wouldn't own clothes." You can see where I got my sense of humor.
Thanks! Pointless controversy can DEFINITELY draw undeserved attention to meh films. The Human Centipede sucks, period. Not good, not controversial.
DeleteThat line by your mom made me literally laugh out loud. Priceless, just priceless!
My mom was awesome. ;-)
DeleteNormally i'm not a prude at all when it comes to movies, but Lolita still creeped me out a bit. Not sure what that says about me
ReplyDeleteHa, nah man, that's fair to be creeped out by that film. I just don't think it's that bad, you know? You want BAD, check out Adrian Lyne's remake. Whoa.
Delete“calumnies, offences, and historical and theological errors.”
ReplyDeleteSounds like the Bible to me.
Right-on list as always; I agree with everything you've said here about the films I've seen, or am simply aware of. I never thought 'Dirty Harry' was that right-wing, and I'm usually pretty sensitive to that sort of thing. It certainly rails against bureaucracy and, to an extent, glorifies vigilantism, but I took that to be standard, meat-and-potatoes movie morality.
Speaking of which, "a trashy and enjoyable blend of sex, drugs, and murder" has really sold me on 'Basic Instinct.'
hahha YES! Fuck man, that Bible line was hilarious.
DeleteDude, Basic Instinct is classic trash. Highly recommend it on that basis alone. Expect only that, and you'll be good.
Brokeback Mountain and The Da Vinci Code seem like they had the most widespread controversy, but most controversial films end up being pretty tame in hindsight.
ReplyDeleteWhat about The Last Temptation of Christ? That film firmly establishes the context of its religious subject, yet there was a big controversy over it. Don't see what the big deal was with that film.
I was tempted to add that one, but I actually think it deserves (some of) its controversial status. Homeboy got off the cross and made that love. That was bold. It didn't deserve quite the amount of rhetoric it received, but some was well earned.
Delete