Posted on 06/10/2006 3:26:08 PM PDT by brigada
The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly (aka the official magazine of office receptionists) takes a stab at listing the 25 most controversial movies of all time. "Every now and then, a film comes along that can genuinely get someone's goat without any studio goosing. Films whose incendiary elements can inspire an offended party to pick up a picket, call for a boycott, even pray for divine intervention. These can be important, progressive, taboo-shattering films--or merely films that feature a lot of randy humping. They can also be films that are truly, objectively despicable." I have real problems with EW's list: I mean, where's Carnal Knowledge? Blackboard Jungle? Easy Rider? Apocalypse Now? I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang? Gentlemen's Agreement? Bad Day at Black Rock? Not to mention the original Manchurian Candidate which after the JFK assassination was withdrawn from circulation for 25 years? Or Song of the South, which is still Disney's biggest embarrassment for showing "happy slaves" onscreen. I could go on and on.
But here's their roster: 1) THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Marty Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ generates cross-burning on then Universal studio head Lew Wasserman's front lawn but is only #6 while this tops the chart. Huh?). 2) A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. 3) FAHRENHEIT 9/11. 4) DEEP THROAT. 5) JFK. 6) THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST. 7) THE BIRTH OF A NATION. 8 ) NATURAL BORN KILLERS. 9) LAST TANGO IN PARIS. 10) BABY DOLL. 11) THE MESSAGE. 12) THE DEER HUNTER. 13) THE DA VINCI CODE. 14) THE WARRIORS. 15) TRIUMPH OF THE WILL. 16) UNITED 93. 17) FREAKS. 18) I AM CURIOUS (YELLOW). 19) BASIC INSTINCT. 20) CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. 21) BONNIE AND CLYDE. 22) DO THE RIGHT THING. 23) KIDS. 24) CALIGULA. 25) ALADDIN.
Posted by Nikki Finke on Saturday, June 10th, 2006 at 12:48PM | Permalink
But here's their roster: 1) THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Marty Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ generates cross-burning on then Universal studio head Lew Wasserman's front lawn but is only #6 while this tops the chart. Huh?). 2) A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. 3) FAHRENHEIT 9/11. 4) DEEP THROAT. 5) JFK. 6) THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST. 7) THE BIRTH OF A NATION. 8 ) NATURAL BORN KILLERS. 9) LAST TANGO IN PARIS. 10) BABY DOLL. 11) THE MESSAGE. 12) THE DEER HUNTER. 13) THE DA VINCI CODE. 14) THE WARRIORS. 15) TRIUMPH OF THE WILL. 16) UNITED 93. 17) FREAKS. 18) I AM CURIOUS (YELLOW). 19) BASIC INSTINCT. 20) CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. 21) BONNIE AND CLYDE. 22) DO THE RIGHT THING. 23) KIDS. 24) CALIGULA. 25) ALADDIN.
Posted by Nikki Finke on Saturday, June 10th, 2006 at 12:48PM | Permalink
Actually, the list is pretty accurate, I'd say, until you reach about number 5 on the list.
United 93? Give me a break. That was about 2 weeks of controversy.
The Passion was only controversial at the Ethical Society.
You are so correct, or the only people The Passion was controversial are to people who hate Jesus. Than again, I guess Jesus was a very controversial man.
But the people at EW truly disgust me.
Scorsese's movie was controversial to a point, but it was all one-sided--the movie made little money.
The Passion, on the other hand, was a mammoth hit, which of course inflamed those calling it anti-Semetic and whatever into high-gear.
I take it you're offended by the label, but for an artist there are few labels as sought-after as "controversial".
If everyone thinks something is good or bad there is no controversy. In this case, there were LOUD and numerous supporters and opponents of the film. It created a huge controversy, whereas Last Temptation was about hardcore Christians vs. film critics, and the public generally stayed away. In The Passion, the public took a side.
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