Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:

Search

Passion ‘most controversial film’

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Sunday June 11, 2006

Biblical epic The Passion of the Christ has been named the most controversial movie to date by in the recent edition of US magazine Entertainment Weekly.

Mel Gibson’s film depicting the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ began a “culture-war firestorm unrivalled in Hollywood history”, the magazine says.

The film caused upset around the world because of its extreme violence and because many thought it anti-Semitic.

Second in the most contentious list is 1971′s futuristic A Clockwork Orange.

Stanley Kubrick’s film is about a teenage thug Alex, played by Malcolm McDowell, who is subjected to extreme aversion therapy by the authorities after committing a string of violent acts.

The film’s graphic scenes – it shows a gang rape to music from Rossini – were thought to have sparked copycat attacks in Britain and police at the time warned it was receiving a “demonic” level of attention.

Director Oliver Stone has two films in the list of 25 films. His 1991 movie JFK, is at number five while 1994′s Natural Born Killers is at number eight.

Recent release The Da Vinci Code comes in at number 13 because of the worldwide debate author Dan Brown’s story has sparked.

His book and subsequently the film claims Jesus Christ had a relationship and children with Mary Magdalene.

Another recent film, United 93, ranks in 16th position because of concerns that it came too soon after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The film provides a real-time account of the fourth plane to be hijacked on 11 September 2001.

Also on the list are Fahrenheit 9/11, Deep Throat, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Deer Hunter, Basic Instinct, Do the Right Thing and Kids.