Is a movie controversial, or just ahead of its time?

As we evolve and change as a society, it makes sense that our perceptions of art will change as well. The Birth of a Nation (1915) was so popular in its time it was screened at the white house, but is now widely condemned for embracing white supremacy. Meanwhile, other films like the 1979 Monty Python film Life of Brian may have started out embroiled in controversy but have since gone on to enjoy cult comedy status. 

Then there are films that will always be controversial. The torture porn/found footage film Cannibal Holocaust (1980) was so realistic that the director was questioned on murder charges. And the 2017 film Mother was wrongly marketed as a mass-appeal Jennifer Lawrence project when really it’s a art-house allegory about God and Earth.

The purpose of art is to rebel, question things, and make statements. So no matter what their status eventually becomes, controversial movies will always be important. No matter what Disney tries to tell you, as a society we can’t survive on superhero movies and franchises alone. 

For those interested in the history of controversial movies, a suggested reading/listening list: 

1. Tunzelmann, Alex Von (2008, December 25th) Life of Brian: birth, blessings and blasphemy, The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/dec/25/life-of-brian-monty-python-reel-history#:~:text=Monty%20Python’s%20Life%20of%20Brian,contemporaneously%20with%20Jesus%20of%20Nazareth.

     2. Brody, Richard (2017, September 18th) “Mother!” Review: Darren Aronofsky’s thrilling, horrifying, nearly unbelievable satire of fame, The New Yorker Magazine

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/mother-darren-aronofskys-thrilling-horrifying-nearly-unbelievable-satire-of-fame

    3. Stokes. M (2008) D.W. Griffith’s the Birth of a Nation: A History of the Most Controversial Motion Picture of All Time, Oxford University Press

https://www.amazon.ca/D-W-Griffiths-Birth-Nation-Controversial/dp/0195336798

   4. Longworth. K (2019, November 25th) Splash Mountain (Six Degrees of Song of the South, Episode 6) You Must Remember This

http://www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com/episodes/tag/Song+of+the+South

  5. Castoldi. G L, Grainger. J (2011) Cannibal Holocaust: The Savage Cinema of Ruggero Deodato, FAB Press

https://www.amazon.ca/Cannibal-Holocaust-Savage-Ruggero-Deodato/dp/1903254655

Credits

This episode was hosted by Jerry Gabriel and Stephanie Laughlin

The episode was edited by Jerry Gabriel

Blog posts and research done by Stephanie Laughlin