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List of films banned in the United States

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This is a list of films that are or have been at one time or another banned in the United States; including films banned in some American cities or states. This also includes television specials, and films that were not banned from theaters but were banned from airing it on television.

List

[edit]
Film Release
date 		Date(s)
banned 		Reason
Stag films 1896-1930 1934-1970s Banned during the Hays Office Code for the obscene nature in these films,[1] despite them only shown in private parties.
All Charlie Chaplin films 1914-1952 1940s-1956 Memphis, Tennessee's longtime board chief Lloyd T. Binford had a strong history of banning every single Charlie Chaplin movie due to his objection to the popular actor's private life. However throughout time, the Memphis area outside of the city screened his movies without a single warning. A few examples include the 1952 film Limelight being screened in neighboring West Memphis, Arkansas to avoid Binford's reaction. And on May 2, 1954, the First Unitarian Church in Memphis screened one of his silent movies to a test audience with a capacity of 100 people. Binford replied that the church would "violate the law" if they screened the 1915 movie A Burlesque on Carmen. They did, the audience enjoyed it with heavy laughter, and there was nothing "morally" wrong with the picture. Shortly after Binford knew about the church screening the movie, Binford replied that he might've send police to stop the showing but failed, adding that he "hasn't received anything extra left to say."[2]
Three Weeks 1914 1915 Banned in Charleston, West Virginia due to immoral behavioral content.[3]
The Birth of a Nation 1915 1915–1916 Banned in several American cities for its racist content and portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis, and the states of Ohio, Kansas, and West Virginia,[4] as well as "dozens" of other jurisdictions.[3] Unbanned in 1916 outside of Kansas.[5]
Purity 1916 1916 Banned in the state of Kansas, and several other cities across America including Dallas, Kansas City, Jackson (MS) and Washington, D.C. among others due to the use of nudity.[3]
Birth Control 1917 1917 Produced by and starring Margaret Sanger; banned, with the New York Court of Appeals holding that a film on family planning work may be censored "in the interest of morality, decency, and public safety and welfare".[3][6]
Häxan 1922 1922–1929 Banned until 1929 due to the use of torture and nudity. Its themes of witchcraft and Satanism may also have been a factor in the ban.[7]
Babe Comes Home 1927 1927 Briefly banned in portions of the Chicago Metropolitan Area due to scenes of Babe Ruth chewing tobacco and spitting in the film. Mrs. Albert L. Stevenson, a film censor member, later recommended that "the censors do not believe that there is an inherent virtue in chewing tobacco and don't wish the children in Highland Park to believe that one must chew to achieve fame." The ban was later lifted.[3]
The Road to Ruin 1928 1928 Banned in Stockton, California due to its content.[8]
Party Girl 1930 1930 Though passed[by whom?] for theatrical screening, several cities banned the film due to its depiction of prostitution, namely Birmingham, Alabama.[9]
No Limit 1931 1931 Banned in Riverside, California by the city's censor boards due to "notoriety", as its star, Clara Bow, was at that time present in the trial of Daisy DeBoe, a former secretary of hers who had been charged with grand theft auto in Los Angeles.[10]
11 Warner Bros. short films 1931-1944 Since 1968 Nearly dozen animated short films, including Hittin' the Trail for Hallelujah Land, Uncle Tom's Bungalow, and Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs, were pulled from circulation under Censored Eleven.[11]
Scarface 1932 1932 Banned in five states and five other cities due to "glorification of crime."[3]
Ecstasy 1933 1933–1937 Banned in the US from 1933 to 1937 due to its erotic content.[12][13]
8 Popeye the Sailor short films 1933-1952 Since the 1990s Banned from television rotation as politically incorrect. Some of the short films, like Spinach Fer Britain, Seein' Red, White 'N' Blue, and Wigwam Whoopee, were seen on the anthology series The Popeye Show on Adult Swim in the early 2000s.[14] One of them briefly appeared on Boomerang before being removed for its potentially offensive stereotyping and sexualization in the background.
G Men 1935 1935 The State of Illinois Board of Censors banned one of the top-grossing films of 1935 in Chicago due to its depiction of the trapping of John Dillinger, which the censor felt might've made children "too excited".[15]
Amateur Fire Brigade 1935 1936 On February 11, 1936, the State of Ohio banned the anti-New Deal cartoon after its request by the state's censor due to its content that seeks to arouse passions, emotions, and prejudice, and encourages disrespect for the office of then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt.[16]
Spain in Flames 1937 1937 The compilation film/newsreel was banned in a few states including Ohio and Pennsylvania, and multiple cities across the country including New Brunswick, New Jersey, Waterbury, Connecticut, and Provincetown, Massachusetts, due to the film's plot being reported as "harmful and tortured."[17][18]
The Birth of a Baby 1938 Since 1938 Banned in New York City by the state's Motion Picture Censors, and in Cincinnati, Ohio by the city's manager Clarence Sherrill due to the film being reported as "non-educational" and as it lacked certification by the state's Board of Motion Pictures Censors. The Cincinnati Police Department's chief Eugene T. Weatherly later viewed the film and described the picture as "positively terrible."[19]
Gone with the Wind 1939 2020 Briefly removed from HBO Max in response of George Floyd protests.[20]
Yes, My Darling Daughter 1939 1939 The Motion Picture Division of New York State Education Department briefly banned the Warner Brothers movie in New York due to the film's description and role failure. The New York State Board of Censors immediately got into big arguments toward the state's Department Of Education shortly after its ban. Censors replied that it could be "absolutely" okay and approved to be sent to theaters across the state, but some New York State Censors believed that it may set a "dangerous example".[3]
The Ramparts We Watch 1940 1940 The March Of Time documentary was briefly banned all across Pennsylvania due to portions of the film being termed as "part of the fear propaganda being disseminated by Germany", which demonstrates scenes on the German invasion of Poland and clips from the German film "Baptism of Fire".[3]
Strange Cargo 1940 1940 Banned in Detroit by Frank D. Eaman and Charles W. Snyder of the Detroit Police Department because it was said to have "a general spirit that is contrary to certain religious ideas."[21]
Two-Faced Woman 1941 1941 This film's theme (adultery) caused it to be banned in New York City, among other places.[3]
Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy 1941 Since 1941 Suspended after the initial release due to the alleged relationship between Raggedy Ann and her brother Andy depicted as lovers instead of siblings, mistaken as incest.[22] Because of this, Andy would remain absent in the Noveltoons cartoons until A Musical Adventure in 1977. This particular short can easily be found on YouTube.
Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat 1941 Since 1949 Banned after the 1948 reissue for the excessive racist content as Walter Lantz stated that he would never distribute the short film on television.[23]
12 Bugs Bunny short films 1941-1960 Since 2001 Dozen Bugs Bunny cartoons were withdrawn from broadcast; they were perceived as being "politically incorrect".[24] One of them was already banned under Censored Eleven since 1968.[11] Most of them only limited their release on collectible home medias.
Ossessione 1943 1943–1976 Banned for 33 years because the plot was based on James M. Cain's novel The Postman Always Rings Twice to which MGM owned the rights. It took until 1976 before copyright issues were resolved.[3]
Red Hot Riding Hood 1943 Before 1984 Red Hot Riding Hood and all other short films featuring Red were not allowed to be broadcast on television due to the restrictions of the television code, which indicated that the character's scantily clad suggestiveness would not be appropriate for children.[25][26] The description of the front VHS cover of Cartoons for Big Kids from 1989 stated that the films featuring Red were indeed "banned from television".
The Burning Question, Mom and Dad, No Orchids For Miss Blandish, Without Pity, Woman Of Antwep, Gigi (1949 French version), She Shoulda Said No!, and The Paris Waltz (along with 11 other films) 1943-1950 Since between 1949 and 1952 =Sydney R. Traub of the Maryland State Board of Motion Picture Censors took over as the main chairman on May 2, 1949. Under his tenure, the board banned a total of 19 films in the state between May 1949 and March 1952. Almost all of the films he banned depicted normal and gay sexual relationships, sexual content, drug addiction, nudity, racial invasions, extreme violence, and pregnancy. Several of the listed banned features were unlisted. Another film, On Polish Ground, was banned for reasons other than sex or narcotics. The board claimed that the documentary's representation of Poland in World War II was "false and fraudulent".[27]
Western Approaches 1944 1944 The Hays Code banned the British film for "mild profanity", but the British Film Office responded with an angry note to the Hays Code that December, replying that they've been "unnecessary prudish" in banning the film despite being "shot at sea with merchant navy men playing in all parts".[28]
Wilson and Heavenly Days 1944 1944 Both the Woodrow Wilson biographical film and the RKO film starring legendary radio comedians Fibber McGee and Molly were briefly banned by the War Department due to the film containing material that was construed as violating provisions of the Soldier Voting Act.[29]
Suddenly, It’s Spring 1944 Since 2018 Withdrawn from television rotation due to a scene containing an offending image that is unsuitable for children.[30]
We Accuse 1945 1945 A documentary story about the Kharkiv war criminal trials, banned by the Hays Code due to many concerns and complaints about pictures of Nazi atrocities, as well as the word "damned" being used.
Brewster's Millions 1945 1945 Banned in Memphis, Tennessee, due to Brewster's African-American servant was treated too well.[31][32][33][34]
Dillinger & Dead End 1945/1937 1945 Both films (including the 1945 reissue of Dead End) were banned in Memphis by Lloyd T. Binford and his censors due to both features being conducive to crime.[33][34]
The Southerner 1945 1945 Banned in Memphis by censors due to the film being reported as "giving the nation the wrong idea about the South".[33][35][34]
Scarlet Street 1945 1946 On January 4, 1946, the New York State Censor Board banned Scarlet Street, relying on the statute that gave it the power to censor films that were "obscene, indecent, immoral, inhuman, sacrilegious" or whose exhibition "would tend to corrupt morals or incite to crime." One week later the Motion Picture Commission for the city of Milwaukee also banned the film as part of a new policy encouraged by police for "stricter regulation of undesirable films." On February 3 Christina Smith, the city censor of Atlanta, argued that because of "the sordid life it portrayed, the treatment of illicit love, the failure of the characters to receive orthodox punishment from the police, and because the picture would tend to weaken a respect for the law," Scarlet Street was "licentious, profane, obscure and contrary to the good order of the community." ... Universal was discouraged from challenging the constitutionality of the censors by the protests of the national religious groups that arose as the Atlanta case went to court.[36]
Duel in the Sun 1946 1947 Banned in Memphis due to the film's plot being reported as "mature throughout the film". Lloyd T. Binford said in a statement that it started with "two murders, then a rape, then a train wreck, and ended with two murders".[37]
The Martins and the Coys 1946 Since 1988 The first segment in Make Mine Music is withdrawn from the film for the depictions of gun violence that were deemed unsuitable for children. Disney has since refused to release the film with this particular segment intact, even by request.[38]
Curley 1947 1947 Banned in Memphis by Lloyd T. Binford. He wrote a letter to distributor United Artists saying that "'[the board] was unable to approve your 'Curley' picture with the little Negroes as the south does not permit Negroes in white schools nor recognize social equality between the races, even in children.'".[37][39]
Uncle Tom's Cabaña 1947 Since 1954 Banned after the 1954 reissue for the excessive racist content.[23] However, it made a limited release on laserdisc in 1993[40] before putting it in obscurity indefinitely.
Bicycle Thieves 1948 1950 The Italian prize-winning movie was banned all over the United States by MPAA in March 1950 due to the use of urination by a little boy and disturbing culture including scenes from inside of a bordello.[41]
Drug Addict 1948 Since 1948 The 34-minute National Film Board of Canada documentary by Robert Anderson was banned by Federal Bureau of Narcotics commissioner Harry J. Anslinger because its clear illustration of drug addiction as an illness was diametrically opposed to his policies. Anslinger went as far as to formally request that the Canadian government ban the film within its own borders; the request was refused. Technically, 'Drug Addict' remains banned.[42]
Mouse Cleaning and Casanova Cat 1948, 1951 Since 2004 Banned from subsequent releases as uncut versions are since refused by Warner Bros. Entertainment.[43]
The Miracle 1948 1950–1952 The second part of the Italian film "L'Amore" (or "Love" in English) was banned all over the United States, as it was condemned by the National Legion of Decency, which termed the part as "anti-Catholic" and "sacrilegious". Shortly afterward in the middle of February 1951, the State of New York revoked the license to show the film from the state's Board of Regents. The ban led to the law's Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson which led to a decision by Supreme Court in 1952 that the film was a form of artistic expression and was protected by the First Amendment.[44]
A Song Is Born 1948 1948 Banned in Memphis due to both its plot and racial content, which also featured scenes of both whites and negroes dancing together.[45]
Lost Boundaries 1949 1949 Banned in Atlanta and Memphis; liable to "create dissension and strife between members of the white and colored races, and would be likely to cause disorders, disturbances, and clashes between the races."[46]
Bitter Rice 1949 1951 Exactly 11 months after the ban of Bicycle Thieves and The Miracle, police crackdowns and bitter Catholic oppositions led the state of New York censors to ban a third Italian film, Bitter Rice.[47]
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye 1950 1950 The film was banned in Ohio as "a sordid, sadistic presentation of brutality and an extreme presentation of crime with explicit steps in commission."[48]
Stromboli 1950 1950 The Syndicate Theaters Circuit chain that served 320 Indiana movie theaters at the time of the film's release banned the RKO movie in the Hoosier State exactly one week before the film's release because Ingrid Bergman was part of the cast, and the Allied Theater Owners of Indiana replied by mail that she was discredited and failed to discipline errant stars.[49]
His Mouse Friday 1951 Since 1959 Banned after the 1958 reissue for the excessive racist content and is refused to be televised.[50] Only limited its release on collectible home medias.[51]
Cease Fire 1953 1953 The Korean War film was banned all over the United States for a brief time due to the terms "hell" and "damn" being heard in the dialogue.[52]
The Moon Is Blue 1953 1953 Banned in Jersey City, New Jersey as "indecent and obscene."[53]
The Vanishing Prairie 1954 1954 The Walt Disney documentary was banned in New York on August 10, 1954 due to a clip where it demonstrated a buffalo giving birth. The ban was lifted after a complaint by the American Civil Liberties Union.[54][55]
The Bamboo Prison 1954 1955 The Korean War film was banned in Memphis due to its "inimical" content.[56]
All Speedy Gonzales shorts 1955-1969 1985-1986, 1999-2002 Right after the longtime The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show's departure from CBS and return to ABC at the start of the 1985-1986 season as The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour, all shorts that starred Speedy Gonzales were banned from the program because of Mexican stereotypes before the packaged series remerge into the longtime The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show name, which introduces the Tweety shorts that were omitted from the previous package for unknown reasons.[57] In 1999, Cartoon Network banned all of Speedy's shorts following the same censorship back in 1985, but was lifted in mid-2002 following a grass-roots campaign in part of Hispanic groups.[58]
Baby Doll 1956 1956–1957 Banned in Memphis, Nashville, and Atlanta due to the film plot's culture, which a member of the Memphis Board determines the film as "immoral." It was the first picture to be banned after the death of Memphis censor chief Lloyd T. Binford. Binford died at the age of 89 on August 27, 1956, and his death became national headlines. The film was intended to be demonstrated in Nashville (via the Tennessee Theatre) in January 1957, but was banned by its local censor from being shown within the city; as such, the film ended up being booked for three drive-in theaters within Davidson County.[59]
Busy Buddies and Tot Watchers 1956, 1958 Before the 1990s Two CinemaScope Tom and Jerry short films were withheld from being televised for satirizing child neglect and endangerment.
Portland Exposé 1957 1957 The film was banned regionally by local agencies in the Pacific Northwest, particularly in Portland, Oregon—its setting—due to its depiction of crimes inspired by those committed by crime boss Jim Elkins.[60][61]
The Immoral Mr. Teas 1959 1962–1963 Banned in Baltimore (along with two other films) for a 12-month hiatus by Maryland's State Of Board Censors on November 8, 1962 due to its sexually explicit content.[62]
Hideout in the Sun 1960 1960 Banned in Memphis by the Board of Censors shortly after the film's release in February 1960 due to nudity.[63]
Victim 1961 1961 Banned in many American cities due to language.[64]
All Tom and Jerry short films by Gene Deitch 1961-1962 Before 1988 Gene Deitch's Tom and Jerry shorts were never televised prior to the late 1980s due to its legal dispute with Rembrandt Films in Czechoslovakia.[65]
Naughty New Orleans 1962 1963 An exploitation film on downtown New Orleans was banned in Memphis by the Board of Censors in May 1963. The censor, Minter Somerville Hooker, did not view the film as obscene but said she banned it anyway.[66]
Flaming Creatures 1963 1964 Banned in New York City because of sexual content.[67]
Promises! Promises! 1963 1963 Banned in Cleveland by the Cleveland Division Of Police, Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh Police, and several other cities due to explicit nude scenes, though later the Cleveland court decided the nude scenes in the film were not lewd after all. The ban took place a few weeks prior to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.[68][69]
My Bare Lady 1963 1963 The 64-minute British exploitation film (along with one other exploitation film) was banned in Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh Police due to its content shortly days after Pittsburgh's ban on Promises! Promises! The ban came before the arrest of two Cameraphone Theatre (East Liberty) owners after complaints from showing the film three days prior to Kennedy's assassination.[70]
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! 1964 1964–1965 The Notre Dame-based film (along with the book from which it was adapted) was banned in New York by a judge due to the main characters depicted as "drunken party boys" before the film premiered around Christmas 1964 in selected 200+ theaters. Supreme Court Justice Henry Clay Greenburg called the situation "ugly, vulgar, and tawdry."[71]
Viva Maria! 1965 1966–1968 Banned in Dallas for sexual and anti-Catholic content, prior to the United States Supreme Court striking down the ban and limiting the ability of municipalities to ban films for adults in Interstate Circuit, Inc. v. City of Dallas.[72]
Titicut Follies 1967 1968–1991 Banned from distribution in Massachusetts to the general public by court order because the film was considered a violation of the privacy of the prison inmates it filmed.[3]
The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R. 1967 Since 1999 Despite being passed in theaters, the Chuck Jones Tom and Jerry short was banned from later television airings from Cartoon Network and was never broadcast on Boomerang due to rapid flickering that can cause epileptic seizures. Only limited its release on collectible home medias.
I Am Curious (Yellow) 1967 1969 Banned as pornography. After three court cases, the ban was lifted when the anti-obscenity laws concerning films were overturned.[3][73]
Injun Trouble 1969 Since 1969 Banned after premiere for the excessive racist content and still remains unavailable to this day.[74]
Death of a Legend 1971 1973 The 49-minute Audubon Society-sponsored Canadian documentary about the remaining wolves in North America was banned in Florida by the Broward County Public Schools due to scenes of mating sequences as was reported by parents from two students who complained about the scenes.[75]
Pink Flamingos 1972 1972–1997 Banned in Orange County, Florida, for 25 years because of explicit sexual content, animal cruelty, and depiction of its lead character, Divine, eating dog feces in the end.[76]
The Thorn 1974 Since 1974 (seized in 1984) Closed days after opening in New York City for misleading marketing exploiting the fame of one of its co-stars, Bette Midler. It was blocked from opening on re-release in 1980. The film was briefly distributed on home video under a new title before Midler threatened legal action.[77][78]
Coonskin 1975 1975-1987 Ralph Bakshi's blaxploitation film received backlash as the film was pulled from theaters, regarding it as racist by CORE.[79] Coonskin would not see the light of day again until it surfaced on home video with a new title 12 years later.
Really Rosie 1975 1997-2002 Limited animated adaptation of Maurice Sendak's The Nutshell Library series had ceased broadcast in the late 1990s and remained absent until it surfaced and downsized on DVD in 2002, which removes "The Ballad of Chicken Soup" sequence due to concerns of children demonstrating self-strangulation, which became a serious matter in children’s television today.[80]
Monty Python's Life of Brian 1979 1979 Banned in several towns for showing controversial themes about Christianity.[3]
The Tin Drum 1979 1997 Briefly banned in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, when a district court judge deemed the film child pornography. The shot in question depicted a child embracing a naked woman. The verdict was overturned on appeal.[81]
The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw 1980 Since 2008 Suspended by Sony Wonder as unavailable on later video releases after GoodTimes' DVD issue in 2002 without reasons given.
If You Love This Planet 1982 1982 Designated as "foreign political propaganda" by the Department of Justice and suppressed in the United States.[82][83] Despite this, it went on to win the 1982 Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject.[84]
2 Peanuts TV specials 1983, 1994 Since between 1994 and 2008 After Warner Bros. bought distribution rights to the Peanuts specials in the late 2000s, 2 of these specials, It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown[85] and You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown,[86] are no longer seen in circulation due to copyright restrictions. 4 other specials, including Snoopy! The Musical, It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown, It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown, and It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown, are not distributed by Warner Bros. as put in obscurity for unknown reasons. Yet, the Girl in the Red Truck special is assumed to rather be disregarded as shelved in later years much to numerous disapprovals.[87]
Return to Oz 1985 1985 The Disney live-action film was banned for a very short period of time in the Ingham County Library near Lansing. At the time, the library had scheduled it and Beverly Hills Cop for a free film program, which was cancelled because of non-compliance with a recommendation by the school board that insisted on only films that the MPAA had rated G be shown at the library. The ban was lifted soon afterward.[88]
Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story 1987 Since 1990 Banned from circulation for copyright infringement after its original television airing by PBS as song covers by The Carpenters were used without permission.[89][90]
The Last Temptation of Christ 1988 1988 Banned in Savannah, Georgia when city leaders sent a petition to Universal Pictures requesting a ban. However, it opened in Savannah on September 23, 1988, six weeks after its national and worldwide debut.[91]
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue 1990 Since 1990 This mini-movie only aired once on numerous networks in America (alongside other channels around the world) before permanently withdrawing it from circulation due to Jim Davis' character Garfield was used without permission and has yet to see the light of day on television.[92]
Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby 1993 1993-2001, 2003-2012 Banned after the initial broadcast for its questionable content in a children’s movie and remained unseen on television for nearly a decade.[93] Then was withdrawn again until it surfaced on DVD in 2012.
The Santa Clause 1994 1996-1999 Confiscated from the markets due to an incident caused by a little child from Steilacoom, Washington making a phone call that was taken from one point in the film, which turned out to be an actual sex line number, incurring a $400 phone bill.[94] The film returned to the markets much later with the number removed.
Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden 1996 Since 1996 Banned after its initial broadcast for the depictions of racial atrocities and child murder attempts as declared "unsuitable for television".[95]
Belly 1998 1998 The film about the rise-and-fall of two violent criminals was banned from the Magic Johnson Theatres chain due to concerns regarding the film's overwhelmingly negative and violent depictions of African-Americans alongside its potential to incite disruptive behavior at their theaters in Los Angeles, Houston, and Atlanta.[96]
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 1998 2002-2004 Pulled from television rotation due to the dark subject matter, which is edited for subsequent release.[97]
An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster 1999 2017 Banned from Universal Kids without reasons given. Yet, it ran on Freeform with the TV-PG rating in 2019 resulting its exploited thematic material and age disparity sexuality were not suitable for younger children.[98]
Toy Story 2 1999 2018-2019 Pulled from television rotation due to a brief sexual content during the mid-credits, which was later censored for subsequent releases.[99]
Cry Baby Lane 2000 2000-2011 (alleged ban) Aired on Nickelodeon in October 2000. It was not seen after its initial broadcast as it received backlash by parents disapproving the film's themes that were deemed unsuitable for the attending audiences, led to the result of being banned from subsequent showings. It was then responded that Nickelodeon merely forgotten the film, resulting its absence for 11 years.[100] The tape was found and uploaded on Reddit in 2011.[101] Another Nickelodeon film, The Electric Piper, was not seen after its second run in 2003[102] and was also mistaken as a banned film as Nickelodeon responded to have forgotten it as well.
The Profit 2001 2002–2007 A film that borrows elements of the life of L. Ron Hubbard, it was prevented from release when the Church of Scientology claimed the film could taint the jury pool in the wrongful death trial of former member Lisa McPherson. While the injunction has since been lifted a few years after the suit was settled and the film is no longer banned per se, a legal dispute with investor Robert S. Minton continues to hold up the release. The Disinformation Book of Lists and The Times have characterized The Profit as a "banned film" in the United States.[3][103]
Ernest and Bertram 2002 Since 2002 Gay parody of Ernie and Bert was confiscated when Sesame Workshop served the film's producers with a cease and desist order for violating the use of Sesame Street characters.[104]
Arthur: It's Only Rock 'n' Roll 2002 Since 2004 This Arthur special is no longer seen in circulation two years after its release as Cookie Jar Group opt not to renew this special after CINAR's folding[105] due to copyright restrictions. This special has been displayed on Amazon Prime Video, but subsequent purchases has since been disabled.[106]
Death of a President 2006 2006 Shortly after the mockumentary film's release in Canada and the United Kingdom, many American movie theater chains including AMC, Regal, and Cinemark refused to run the controversial British feature and banned it due to its depiction of a fictional incident in which then-President George W. Bush was assassinated. Regal's president Dick Westerling replied that "we do not feel it is appropriate to portray the future a assassination of a president". At the same time, CNN and the National Public Radio announced that neither network would accept commercials for the film due to its extreme nature.[107]
Hounddog 2007 2007-2008 After the screening at Sundance Film Festival in January 2007, the film was withheld from being theatrically released since Dakota Fanning was involved in a part of the movie's rape scene when she was 12, receiving intense controversy.[108] The ban was lifted in September the following year.[109][110] The film was boycotted from theaters by the protest of concerned mothers days after the release, citing that the damage has already been done to the child actress.[111] The film did receive a home video release after the theatrical screening.
Hillary: The Movie 2008 2008 A political documentary about presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, it was prevented by the Federal Election Commission from being aired on video-on-demand on cable TV shortly before the 2008 Democratic primaries as an "electioneering communication" mentioning a candidate within 30 days of a primary, an apparent violation of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (aka "McCain-Feingold"). The ban and much of the BCRA was then overturned by the Supreme Court in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.[112]
Bill Cosby 77 Unreleased Since 2014 It was scheduled to be released on the streaming service Netflix on November 28, 2014. However, it was cancelled and shelved in response of the Bill Cosby sexual assault cases 10 days before the scheduling date,[113] considering it banned.[114]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Doherty, Thomas Patrick (1999). Pre-Code Hollywood: Sex, Immorality, and Insurrection in American Cinema 1930–1934. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-11094-4
  2. ^ "Lloyd T. Binford". Our Memphis History. August 10, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kick, Russ (2004). The Disinformation Book Of Lists. The Disinformation Company. List 68: "16 Movies Banned in the U.S.", Pages 236–238. ISBN 0-9729529-4-2.
  4. ^ "The Birth of a Nation (1915)". Filmsite.org. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  5. ^ "Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media » The Birth of a Nation and Black Protest". Chnm.gmu.edu. Archived from the original on November 23, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  6. ^ Message Photo-Play v. George H. Bell, 179 A.D. 13 (1917).
  7. ^ "Haxan (1922) - Articles". TCM.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "FILM BANNED". Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. June 21, 1928. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Party Girl Banned in B'Ham; Coming Strand". Dothan Eagle. Dothan, Alabama. July 19, 1930. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "CLARA BOW FILM BANNED BY RIVERSIDE CENSORS". Chattanooga Daily Times. Chattanooga, Tennessee. January 22, 1931. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "Out of Circulation Cartoons (1931–1944) at the TCM Classic Film Festival". Tcm.com. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  12. ^ Dane S. Claussen (2002). Sex, Religion, Media. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 26. ISBN 9780742515581. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  13. ^ Gerald R. Butters (2007). Banned in Kansas: Motion Picture Censorship, 1915-1966. University of Missouri Press. p. 240. ISBN 9780826266033. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  14. ^ Grandinetti, Fred (2004). Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History. McFarland & Co. pp. 201–202. ISBN 9780786416059.
  15. ^ "'G. Men' Film Banned in Chicago". The Evening Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. April 25, 1935. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Ohio Censors Put Ban On Anti-New Deal Cartoon". The Buffalo News. Buffalo, New York. February 11, 1936. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "FILM ON SPAIN BANNED; New Brunswick Bars Showing as Red Propaganda". New York Times. March 25, 1937. p. 27.
  18. ^ "Waterbury Bars 'Spain in Flames'". New York Times. July 21, 1937. p. 12.
  19. ^ "BABY FILM BANNED". May 14, 1938. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  20. ^ Vanacker, Rebecca (June 9, 2020). "HBO Max Silently Removes Gone With The Wind". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  21. ^ ""Strange Cargo" banned in Detroit for "obscenity"". March 28, 1940. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  22. ^ Patricia, Hall. Raggedy Ann and Johnny Gruelle: A Bibliography of Published Works. Pelican Publishing. p. 179. ISBN 9781455610846.
  23. ^ a b Sampson, Henry T. (1998). That's Enough, Folks: Black Images in Animated Cartoons, 1900–1960. Scarecrow Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-8108-3250-3.
  24. ^ "Network Pulls Bugs Bunny Shows". Daily Press. June 12, 2001.
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  28. ^ "Deny British Film Banned in America". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. December 3, 1944. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ ""Wilson" And "Heavenly Days" Films Banned To US Troops". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona. August 10, 1944. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
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  45. ^ "Jazz film banned in U.S. city". Newcastle Herald. December 4, 1948. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
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  48. ^ Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
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  53. ^ "JERSEY JUDGE SEES 'THE MOON IS BLUE'; Superior Court Jurist Says He Will Give Decision Today on Film Seized as 'Indecent'". The New York Times. October 16, 1953. p. 33.
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  76. ^ "No Pink Flamingos Here!". Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
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  86. ^ This particular special featured football mascots owned by NFL and was not reissued after the initial VHS release since 1994.
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