5 Iconic Movies That Almost Got Banned Before They Even Hit Theaters

Requiem For A Dream Lost Its Appeal — And Went Out Unrated Anyway

Darren Aronofsky's addiction nightmare got slapped with an NC-17 almost entirely over its final montage, especially the scene where Marion performs for a room of men. Aronofsky appealed, arguing that trimming even a frame would gut the film's message, but the appeal was denied and Artisan released it unrated in theaters anyway, with a softer R-rated cut following later for video.

Team America Had To Resubmit Its Puppet Sex Scene NINE Times

Trey Parker and Matt Stone's marionette sex scene between Gary and Lisa was originally a minute and a half long, and the MPAA kept slapping it with an NC-17 no matter how much they trimmed it. The scene had to be submitted nine separate times — with cuts to positions, urinating, and defecating puppets — before it finally scraped by with an R just days before release, and the extended cut later surfaced unrated on DVD.

Boys Don't Cry Got Hit With NC-17 Over A Female Orgasm — Not The Rape Scene

Kimberly Peirce's Brandon Teena drama initially received an NC-17 largely because the MPAA felt a same-sex love scene — and the length of Lana's orgasm during it — was too explicit, even as they had no issue with the brutal rape and murder sequence. Peirce ultimately trimmed the love scene to secure an R rating so Fox Searchlight would distribute it, a decision she called out for its blatant double standard around sex versus violence.

Basic Instinct Got Resubmitted To The MPAA Eight Times Before It Squeaked By

Paul Verhoeven's erotic thriller was originally rated NC-17 for its explicit sex and violence, and Verhoeven ended up trimming roughly 35 to 40 seconds — softening the opening ice-pick murder and a rough sex scene — to land an R. Contractually obligated to deliver that R rating, he submitted the film to the board at least eight times before it passed, and the uncut version later surfaced unrated on home video while the theatrical cut became a massive box office hit.

American Psycho Nearly Lost Its R Rating Over 18 Seconds Of A Threesome

Mary Harron's satire hit an NC-17 wall over a three-way sex scene between Patrick Bateman and two escorts, even though the film's chainsaw murders sailed through without a single note. After Lions Gate appealed and lost, Harron trimmed about 18 seconds — mostly nudity and a suggestion of rear-entry sex — while keeping the scene's mirror-gazing centerpiece intact, and secured the R rating she needed for a wide release.