Film is a medium that has more power than almost any other. The ability to capture a moment in time and hear the words along with that event give power to the understanding of an idea. Society flows through issue after issue
within. No
matter how good people have it, there will always be problems to talk about. On
the same note, when life gets hard people will, without a doubt, make
themselves heard.

When motion pictures became mainstream, it changed our lives, society, and communications forever. Now you could actually see what artists were trying to convey! You could look at things with your own eyes, rather than just being able
to read them and not necessarily being able to visualize what the real story was is
in the creator’s eyes.

Films are part of what makes up the very fiber of
ourselves.

Films are political. Films are sentimental.
Films are reflections of time.
Films are emotional facilitators.
Films are also controversial.

Because of its prominent place in our culture, there are tons upon tons of contentious feelings surrounding film. The history of censorship is a complicated and confusing one. Movies tend to bring to light things that we
hide in the deep vaults of our mind. Both what we want to see, and don’t want to see.

Violence, pain, and bloodshed have always existed in the world, but seeing them as entertainment is hard for some to comprehend. Lives, even ones of fictional roots, are still seen as deep and dear. By seeing death and suffering
we see not just the lives of the person in question, but the lives of everyone. Homosexuality, birth control, child abuse, and other such topics also bring about a divide in what people see them as.

Despite such harsh topics involving violence and other things, sex has proved itself to be the primary causation of such divided views, and still does so to this day. But, why is sex such an issue if all it takes to see nudity is look in the
mirror? It’s how we reproduce, and the desires and natural curiosities are
built into our minds with concrete force, so why does it seem like a taboo to see
and so hush-hush to speak of? It’s all because it IS so deep. It’s not just a
nonchalant part of life, it’s personal. Films have taken what we see as
personal and showed them to us, and make us look at the images that run through
our minds.

All of this is important. This form of entertainment is part of us and of our lives.

Censorship should be seen as a blessing.

It draws attention to the films in question.

Making everyone want to see the art wrapped within.

Poking at curiosity is quite amusing.

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These are 4 films that have taken a place as some of the
most controversial forms of entertainment of all time….

A couple played by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton use a young couple to facilitate their hatred for each other. There is a great deal of spousal abuse that takes place, mostly involving a woman being punished for what her husband doesn't like. In entirety, it is extremely tense battle of words and liquor between husband and wife.

When first premiered in 1966 it was released only in censored versions out in theaters.

At this time, the 2 main characters had a great deal of natural tension between them in life. They divorced, and this films comes off as more real than fiction in that regard.

This is a beautiful example of melding prime actors with perfect dialogue to create tension and develop story. One of the most powerful pieces ever created, it will stand the test of time as a classic.

2. Sybil

A woman named Sybil suffers from dissociate identity disorder (aka: multiple personalities) that stem from a very disturbing and dark period of childhood abuse at the hand of her mentally-disturbed mother, and a father who did nothing to help. You watch her transition as she has these mental attacks and how her life suffers after she is discovered by a Freudian psychologist whom tries to help her with her illness.

This is based on the actual story of a woman named Shirley Ardell Mason who died in 1998.

In particular, when they show you the scenes of the abuse that led to her trauma it is hard to watch. A small child is subjected to sever emotional and sexual abuse and calls out for the help that never comes for her.

I highly recommend this film because it has some of the best visuals of a dissociate identity disorder attack out there. You feel all that she is feeling and you understand how it hurts her. This movies is packed full of emotion and needs to respected for that.

3. Blue Velvet (1986)

A suburban town has a very dark secret that is brought to the surface through an investigation of a young man and woman in their hometown. A couple is leading very dark, sexual, and violent lives under the cover of the quiet setting of their location.

This a classic which has been banned in 3 cities, and 4 TV networks (including the censored versions) because it can be viewed as "unamerican" based on the fact that the perpetrators are hiding under the "american dream" they emit on the surface.

It's a more modern version of a classic noir, which reflects how people's minds can work in very intricate and odd ways. It has a very memorable style of camera work and dramatic scenes that keep you on your toes. This is an example of revival of noir style films at it highest point in the 80s, and has helped keep this genre strong an everlasting.

4. Salo; 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

A violent group collect teenagers and submit them to 120 days of mental abuse, neglect, and sexual torture for the purpose of their own entertainment and experiment

The torture scenes are violent and hard to watch at points. There is rape, sodomy, deindividualization through deep pain and humiliation, and even harsh scenes such as a part where they make a young adult eat bread filled with metal nails, and much more.

The author wrote this story while in jail on a roll of paper over a long period of time in the 1700's.

A very powerful movie that captures the dark side of life and people by exaggerating acts of the everyday into horrible unspeakable things. It makes us step back and look at society as a whole. It also has some of the most gorgeous camera work. Some of the sweeping shots mirror Stanley Kubrick's style, and it uses a great deal of alternative shots to capture the situation. It's a very harsh, but beautiful film.

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Art takes many forms, but film seems to be the most life-changing in our world.
It creates tensions with our society though.
But, tensions must be embraced to truly understand the world we live in.
See controversy as a way to open doors.
Not all that is "forbidden" should be.

Censorship brings about creativity, and passion.
Enjoy the concept.