It is often that the greatest films of all time end up eliciting some controversy, as the most radical works of art tend to brush up against social norms and force audiences to be more introspective. Films that are challenging have the ability to stand the test of time because of the continued debate that they inspire, but that does mean that their initial release may be masked by some initial controversy.
The 1990s were a very interesting decade for cinema, as despite the high amount of action blockbusters being released,many popular films dealt with transgressive themes and discussed relevant political topics. The increased popularity of independent films coming out of the Sundance Film Festival meant that smaller projects were given even more freedom to work outside the studio system. Here are the ten most controversial movies from the ‘90s where the audience missed the point.
10’Reservoir Dogs' (1992)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Reservoir Dogswas the landmark directorial debut ofQuentin Tarantino, who transformed into a “superstar director” whose popularity eclipsed many of his peers.Reservoir Dogsdrew backlash from many audiences who felt that it was too violent; in fact, the legendaryA Nightmare on Elm StreetfilmmakerWes Craven walked out of the theaterbecause he felt that the infamous “ear cutting” torture scene had crossed the line of good taste.
Reservoir Dogsuses violence as a source of comedy, as the film focuses on morally repugnant characters who face the consequences of their actions after the jewelry heist goes awry.The shock effect is the entire point that Tarantino was trying to convey, as it is impossible to watchMichael Madsendancing to “Stuck In The Middle With You” without recognizing that it is played to be very tongue-in-cheek.
Reservoir Dogs
9’Eyes Wide Shut' (1999)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Eyes Wide Shutwas the final film directed by the legendaryStanley Kubrick, who died only shortly before the film was scheduled to be released in theaters. Although there was certainly a lot of controversy over its prolonged sex scenes, which nearly earnedKubrick’s film an NC-17 rating,Eyes Wide Shutbecame a subject of debate about whether or not the director was trying to allude to real conspiracies involving secret societies controlling the world.
Eyes Wide Shutis an analysis of the interiority of a marriage, and shows how jealousy and emasculation can lead to increased feelings of paranoia. While the conspiracy bait was the necessary conduit for the narrative,Eyes Wide Shutis more focused on toxic masculinity (as depicted byTom Cruise’s hilariously insecure performance) than it is on secret cult organizations that hold strange meetings in New York City.
Eyes Wide Shut
8’Natural Born Killers' (1994)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Natural Born Killersbecame very controversialbecause of its subject material, as the film examined how two serial killers played byWoody HarrelsonandJuliette Lewisenacted a violent spree across the country, which subsequently earned the attention of the media.Natural Born Killersexamined the ways in which the media became obsessed with violence, and thus sensationalized it.
Director Olvier Stone tried to make the serial killers in the film “cool”in order to show how they were perceived by the public, but this was obviously a work of satire to show how easy it was for reporters to mischaracterize truly deranged people. The fact that so many audiences were swept up in the mythic characterization of these violent characters almost seems to prove Stone’s point better than anything else could have.
Natural Born Killers
7’Trainspotting' (1996)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Trainspottingbecame an instant cult hit for its use of slang, erratic visual sensibilities, and an all-time great soundtrack to explore why heroin had become popular among young people in Scotland. While the film elicited some backlash for the high amount of drug abuse depicted in the film, it becomes fairly clear by the very end that heroin is destructive, and only puts characters like Renton (Ewan McGregor) in a perpetual state of misery.
Trainspottinguses its eye-popping visuals to show how seductive heroin can be to young peoplewho feel like they do not have a place in the world, but then shows the consequences of becoming addicted to one’s physical and mental health. Although some objected to the very notion of drug use in the film,Trainspottingis actually fairly instructive as a warning about why illegal substances should not be used.
Trainspotting
6’Starship Troopers' (1997)
Directed by Paul Verhoeven
Starship Troopersis the boldestsummer blockbuster action movie of the 1990s, as it is designed to emulate the propaganda films likeTriumph of the Willthat were used byAdolf Hitlerand the Nazi Party during the lead-up to World War II. The thin characterization, cheesy lines, and basic narrative were created intentionally by directorPaul Verhoevenin order to emulate the straightforward, dehumanized nature of propaganda cinema.
Starship Troopers’ sense of satire may have been lost on some audienceswho went into the film expecting another fun popcorn film likeIndependence DayorMen in Black. However, by the timeNeil Patrick Harrisshows up at the very end in an SS uniform, it becomes fairly obvious thatStarship Troopersis seeking to condemn fascism, radicalization, and militarism in any form that they happen to take.
Starship Troopers
5’South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut' (1999)
Directed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncuthad to fight to get released, as the sheer amount of profanity that the film contained forced it to go through several rounds of edits with the MPAA in order to earn an R-rating. Even though theSouth Parkseries had already had its fair share of controversial moments,South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncutreceivedadditional blowback for its depiction of Saddam Hussein and Satan.
South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncutis a satire of censorship, and shows how those who hide behind political correctness are often unwilling to solve the systematic issues that they seem so intent on ignoring. Ironically, it’s the foul-mouthed boys Cartman, Kenny, Stan, and Kyle that end up saving the world and preventing a war between the United States and Canada from breaking out into an armed conflict.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
4’JFK' (1991)
JFKis wildly inaccurate as a biopic, as it invents entire characters, events, and testimonies that never actually happened. While some may have disregarded the film entirely based on the fact that it is essentially historical fanfiction, it was clear thatJFK’s real goal was to get its audience thinking about the events that led up to the dark day in Dallas in November 1963.
JFKquestions what partiesmay have stood to benefit from the assassination of a United States president, as Kennedy’s death allowed his Vice President, Lyndon Johnson, to take more aggressive steps to put American troops on the ground in the Vietnam War. WhileJFKoffers catharsis to those looking for answers, it is earnest in showing the repercussions that Kennedy’s death had on the next three decades of modern American history, particularly concerning the Cold War.
3’Funny Games' (1997)
Directed by Michael Haneke
Funny Gamesis a film that is easy to dismiss as a work of exploitation, asMichael Haneke’s pitch-black horror film centers on two enigmatic young men who kidnap and torture a rich family that they meet at their lakeside estate. While some may have felt that Haneke went too far with the violence,Funny Gamesis designed to test the audience’s tolerance level and examine what finally drives people over the edge.
Funny Gamesis alsoa profound satire of capitalism, as the classical differences between the abusers and the victims are very prominent. It was clearly a project that Haneke felt was worthy of eliciting discourse and debate, as he later decided to remake the film in the English language with a 2007 film starringNaomi WattsandTim Roth, which earned some controversy in its own right.
Funny Games(1997)
2’Basic Instinct' (1992)
Basic Instinctchanged the erotic thriller genre forever, as the film’s graphic sexual content and overall obscenity caused many thin-skinned critics to dismiss it as trash. As with many of Verhoeven’s films, everything inBasic Instinctis heightened to a point of extremity; characters are presented as caricatures because they are meant to reflect real societal woes.
There was much discourse over the performance by Sharon Stone, as many critics felt that her character was objectified and overtly sexualized. However, it was evident that Stone’s character, with her sexual freedom and overall confidence, was meant to be an empowering one. In comparison,Michael Douglasplays a bumbling fool whose sexual insecurities and lack of confidence leave him embarrassed and ineffective whenever he tries to carry out his mission. Critics clearly missed the point initially, asBasic Instinctended up inspiring a new wave of erotic thrillers throughout the rest of the decade.
Basic Instinct
1’Man Bites Dog' (1992)
Directed by Rémy Belvaux
Man Bites Dogis one of thebleakest crime thrillers ever made, with sequences of violence that are enough to make even the most hardcore cinephiles look away. The film centers on a crew of documentary filmmakers who begin following a serial killer and eventually begin assisting him in carrying out his crimes.
Man Bites Dogsatirizes the role that the media plays in perpetrating violence, and suggests that even the most moderate observers can’t help but lionize the violent figures that they are covering. While the film received blowback for its disturbing scenes of torture and assault, the graphic context was necessary in showing how “objectivity” is impossible when trying to examine those who seek to cause chaos and inflict pain among others. The use of the mockumentary structure may have taken viewers off guard, as traditionally it’s a model that is reserved for more comedic films.
