The NC-17 rating, known as “X” before being replaced in 1990, isthe most controversial rating in MPAA history. Receiving it often indicated that the film’s content was too intense, provocative, or appalling for general audiences to handle, resulting in the movie being almost destined to fail at the box office. It’s never often the intent for filmmakers to make their movies with this rating in mind, but sometimes it’s unavoidable and can occasionally work in their favor.
There truly aresome incredible NC-17/X-rated moviesout there. While the rating is given to many films across multiple genres, it often appears more in horror.In fact, many iconic NC-17 horror movies have been released throughout the years that blew audiences away with their shocking and disturbing content.Despite the ratings working against them, they continue to be praised by viewers and still are today. Here are ten of the NC-17-rated horror movies, ranked.
10’A Serbian Film' (2010)
Directed by Srdjan Spasojevic
Starting off this list is perhaps themost vile and disturbing movie of all time,A Serbian Filmdirected bySrdjan Spasojevic. It’s an intense splatter flick that follows a semi-retired porn star (Srjan Todorovic) who, to provide for his family and get out of his line of work, agrees to one last job, only to find himself partaking in a hardcore “Snuff” film.
Hardly any other flick has amassed as much shock and controversy asA Serbian Film. It barely made thecut to release as NC-17 in the US, removing over three minutes and 48 seconds of footage.It’s a truly appalling film that ramps up the intensity and makes it hard for the audience to sit through. It’s perhaps the violence and bleakness that’s madeA Serbian Filmsuch a standout over the years.
A Serbian Film
WATCH ON FANDANGO AT HOME
9’Crash' (1996)
Directed by David Cronenberg
The master of Body Horror,David Cronenberg, hasn’t shied away from creating controversy with his works, as he’s produced somealarming and bizarrecontent that has tested the limits of showing on-screen violence and depravity. One of his most controversial films was 1996’sCrash, a dark erotic thriller starringJames Spaderas a film producer who becomes involved with a masochist group of people who fetishize car crashes after he survives one himself.
Though technically classified more as a dark erotic thriller than straight-up horror, the imagery and violence shown inCrashare truly disturbing. There are graphic and explicit sex acts and moments that delve heavily into sadomasochism. Because of its content, it was rated NC-17, the first one sincePaul Verhoeven’sShowgirls. But despite this rating, the film was a moderate hit, even receiving a Palme d’Or nomination at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
Crash is a provocative psychological thriller that follows James Ballard, a film producer who survives a severe car accident and becomes entangled in a strange subculture of people who find erotic excitement in car crashes. Alongside his wife Catherine and other like-minded individuals, including the enigmatic Vaughan, James delves deeper into this dangerous obsession.
8’Santa Sangre' (1989)
Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky
From legendary cult filmmakerAlejandro Jodorowskycomes hisbizarre, dream-like horror classicSanta Sangre. It’s a heartbreaking and highly disturbing psychological tale of childhood trauma and identity crisis as it follows the tragic story of Fenix (Axel Jodorowsky), a young former circus artist struggling with his inner turmoil and as he sees visions of his deceased mother asking him to go on a killing spree for her.
The film was initially released as NC-17 in the US for its graphic violence, but it was also edited for an R rating, trimming a few explicit moments.Although it didn’t receive a wide release,Santa Sangrewas well-received by critics, who praised its surreal imagery and tragic themes. It’s definitely worth watching, though it can be pretty intense at times.
Santa Sangre
WATCH ON TUBI
7’Cannibal Holocaust' (1980)
Directed by Ruggero Deodato
Ruggero Deobato’sCannibal Holocaustis one of the most iconic X-rated horror movies ever made. It’s about a famed anthropologist who embarks on a journey to recover the lost footage of a doomed documentary film crew after they went missing and later killed while recording a lost tribe in the Amazon rainforest. However, after recovering the footage, he discovers the horrifying truth about what really happened when the crew encountered the natives.
A film that shocks and disgusts viewers to their core, this early Italian found-footage story created a firestorm of controversy when first released, evenleading the director to be charged with obscenities. It’s shockingly brutal, unrelentingly graphic, and depicts some of the most horrific imagery ever shown on screen. However, despite its infamous reputation, it’s become a recognizable cult classic in recent years because of its boldness. Cannibal Holocaust is certainly not for most audiences, but it’s still a notable film that left a deep impression on the horror genre.
Cannibal Holocaust
During a rescue mission into the Amazon rainforest, a professor stumbles across lost film shot by a missing documentary crew.
6’Frontier(s)' (2007)
Directed by Xavier Gens
Coming from theNew French Extremity movement,Frontier(S)is a 2007 Swiss-French horror film written and directed byXavier Gens. Set during a highly contested presidential race and civil unrest, a small Parisian street gang pulls off a daring robbery to escape the chaos. However, when they split up after one of them is injured, two robbers are forced to wait at a seemingly peaceful family-run inn, holding out for the others to join them. But soon, they realize the horrible secret that the Inn is run by a family of cannibalistic Neo-Nazis.
The violence and gore inFrontier(S)are undoubtedly striking and sure to leave a lasting impression on audiences. Its horrific content is often compared to what was shown inThe Texas Chainsaw MassacreandHostel, both of which also pushed the envelope in terms of intense on-screen violence. But just like those two, this film has also become praised for its intensity and willingness to go all out with the gore.
Frontier(s)
A group of young thieves escapes the turmoil in Paris following a political election and seeks refuge at a remote inn, only to encounter a sinister neo-Nazi family. As tension escalates, the gang must confront the horrific reality of their situation and fight for survival.
WATCH ON AMC+
5’Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' (1986)
Directed by John McNaughton
John McNaughton’sHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killeris one of the most unsettling, brutal, and intense depictions of a mass murderer ever brought to the silver screen. With graphic kills and an unrelentingly bleak tone, it’s a frightening tale thatblends fact and fiction. It’s about a drafter named Henry (Michael Rooker) who coasts from one part of the US to the next, killing people indiscriminately.
Along with provocative films of the time likeThe Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover,andTie Me Up! Tie Me Down!,Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killerwas a contributing filmthat pushed the MPAA to create the NC-17 rating.No matter how many different ways it could be cut, McNaughton’s film would be slapped with an “X” regardless, encouraging him to release it uncut in all its glory.It was a wise decision, as the film has become revered for its intense imagery and chilling performances. Though incredibly hard to sit through, this edgy horror classic is a must-watch for horror buffs.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Drifter Henry teams up with fellow ex-con Otis for a series of brutal, random murders. As they descend deeper into violence, Otis' sister Becky becomes entangled in their dark world. The film offers a stark, unflinching portrayal of a serial killer’s psyche and the disturbing impact on those around him.
4’Peeping Tom' (1960)
Directed by Michael Powell
Slasher movies often teeter on the NC-17/X rating, but thankfully, most of the time,they manage to avoid it. However, that wasn’t the case for one of the first films that started this subgenre,Peeping Tom, a 1960 horror thriller directed byMichael Powell. It follows the story of a disturbed photographer, Mark Lewis (Karlheinz Böhm), as he goes on a killing spree, murdering his victims while recording their dying expressions of terror.
Peeping Tomis a landmark of the horror genre.It’s a revolutionary proto-slasher that broke new ground in depicting on-screen violence in the early days when audiences hadn’t seen anything like it before. Unfortunately, it received a massive backlash from critics who detested the horrible acts shown and its suggestive sexual content. The negative feedback was so intense it was the contributing factor thatended Michael Powell’s directing career. Despite its controversy,Peeping Tomhas slowly garnered much better recognition over the years. Today, it’s finally viewed as a groundbreaking classic, and it is thanks to modern audiences who recognize its brilliance.
Peeping Tom
Mark Lewis, a disturbed cameraman, films the reactions of women as he murders them, a habit rooted in his father’s cruel psychological experiments. Mark’s obsession with capturing fear on film leads him into a relationship with his neighbor Helen, who discovers his horrifying secret. As the police close in, Mark chooses to end his life on camera, completing his macabre documentary.
3’The Devils' (1971)
Directed by Ken Russell
The Devilstells the story of a sexually repressed nun, Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave), who accuses her crush, Priest Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed), of witchcraft after she becomes jealous of his marriage to another woman. A brutal witch-hunt ensues as the investigation becomes a sinister scheme by the corrupt Cardinal Richelieu (Christopher Logue) to take over Grandier’s control over the French city of Loudun.
Widely regarded asone of the most controversial movies in history,Ken Russell’s 1971 historical horror dramaThe Devilsis an intense, visually shocking masterpiece that never shies away from its edgy themes.Many brutal moments of torture and sexually explicit content resulted in the film being banned by several countries.Despite the many hardships it’s seen over the years,The Devilscontinues to be an essential film of the horror genre, one that pushed the envelope and stunned audiences with how graphic it can truly get.
The Devils
The Devilsis currently unavailable to stream in the US & Canada
Directed by Sam Raimi
DirectorSam Raimimade horror history withThe Evil Dead, a 1981 splatter horror cult classic that has become cited as one of the most beloved and iconic films of the genre. It stars the one and only Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, a young man whose peaceful cabin-in-the-woods get-away with some friends turns into a bloodbath as they encounter flesh-possessing demons after accidentally awakening them from the sinister “Book of the Dead.”
To sayThe Evil Deadis graphic and disturbing is an understatement.It’s an immensely violent gore-fest that broke censorship boundaries of the time, showing increasingly over-the-top gore, bloody harm, and provocative imagery that chilled audiences to the bone.Even its most controversial “tree attack” scene was so intense thatRaimi has expressed regret for shooting it. But aside from this one moment,Raimi was unfazed by the MPAA and strove to create his film the way he wanted it, as dark and disturbing as possible and free without restraints. It’s since become a staple of the horror genre.
The Evil Dead
Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.
RENT ON AMAZON
Directed by George A. Romero
George A. Romero’s zombie horror masterpiece,Dawn of the Dead, swoops in to take the top spot as the best NC-17/X-rated horror movie ever made. Considered by many asthe perfect zombie film, it’s an intense and gripping classic that follows a small group as they hold out during an undead apocalypse in an isolated shopping mall, battling hordes of zombies and other dangerous survivors.
This gory classic broke new ground for the zombie subgenre and horror movies in general due to its unflinching depictions of graphic violence. Because of its intense on-screen violence,the film became a censorship nightmare for the MPAA, who originally slapped it with an X-rating before it was ultimately released unrated to increase ticket sales.It certainly paid off asDawn of the Deadwould go on to become a massive commercial hit, eventuallygrossing over $55 millionand becoming one of the most beloved cult classics.
