Horror movies that were banned, From the exorcist to a Serbian film

Anna Last Updated: March 28, 2024

21 minutes read

Horror movies cause the viewers’ fear because of the mood and violence in their theropod. But sometimes, the situation progresses so that some of them face problems in broadcasting.

The horror genre is one of the fields that has many fans. The creators of horror films seek to show horror in different ways. Sometimes, they resort to violent and bloody scenes to induce a sense of fear, and sometimes, they play with the viewer’s mind and lead him to the dark realm of fear and terror through otherworldly issues. However, we cannot deny that sometimes, intentionally or unintentionally, the direction of affairs is out of the hands of the producers of the film. The scenes become so disturbing and violent that issuing a license to release the movie on the cinema screen is no longer possible.

This is what happened to the names mentioned in this list. To show the shadow of fear, they have gone to the point where they forced the officials of the film review departments in different countries to ban the broadcast of these works due to the profaneness, torture, or shocking scenes of the film, or to remove parts of the movie with the censor blade, and then Allow it to be screened. But as always, when it comes to bans and restrictions, the mind becomes more curious and eager to watch these movies.

So, if you’re looking for something a little more dangerous, darker, and more violent than the usual horror movies, this list is exactly what you need. While some of the mentioned cases are among the classic and well-known works of horror cinema and are classified as cinematic masterpieces, others have no unique content value and are even more annoying than attractive. However, since they have been restricted or censored and problems have accompanied their release, they have a place in this list.

From genre-bending films like The Exorcist to more modern films like Serbian films, there are all kinds of works on this list. Films that faced problems such as being seized and banned due to violence, depiction of torture, or alarming scenes. Stay with HBL to review a list of these banned movies in the future.

Warning: This article contains disturbing images

1- The Exorcist movie

The Exorcist movie

Genre: Horror
Director: William Friedkin
Actors: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and Linda Blair
Publication year: 1973
The average score of The Exorcist on IMDB: 1/8

The horror movie The Exorcist was made based on a novel of the same name. The story is about a twelve-year-old girl named “Regan” possessed by the devil. We witnessed the desperate efforts of her mother, who tried every possible way to save her daughter. Finally, we reached out to two priests to exorcise everyone. Put things back to normal. This movie is one of the best works of the horror genre. In his time, Jangir was nominated for ten Oscars, among which he won two awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound.

Perhaps the main reason for the appeal of this film is its focus on psychological horror instead of showing physical violence. In this way, the type of horror depicted in the movie was far from the usual style, in such a way that it can be said that The Exorcist transformed the modern meaning of horror and highlighted it from another angle. In addition, the effective use of music and impressive voice acting caused the viewer fear and terror. It made the audience more deeply involved in the mood of the film.

At the time of its release, the British Board of Film Rating (BBFC) decided not to release it on home video systems. In 1998, another film showing in theatres was successful enough to make people eager to watch this work again. In this way, in the late nineties and with the personnel changes in this board, the common standards were also changed, and permission was given to distribute the home video of the movie The Exorcist. The film was broadcast on British television for the first time in 2001, almost 30 years after its initial release.

2- Conquest movie

Possession movie

Genre: Drama, Horror
Director: Andzhi Zhuofsky
Actors : Isabelle Ajani, Sam Neill and Margit Carstensen
Publication year: 1981
The average score of Possession on IMDB is 3.7

Tassir is a joint production of France and West Germany filmed in West Berlin. It is a horror drama about a man named Mark who suddenly finds himself in the middle of family chaos: his wife has requested a divorce, and their relationship has become very fragile, which eventually causes Mark severe mental problems. The film’s story is similar to a metaphysical game, the story of an endless cat-and-mouse chase that ultimately leads to a spiritual search. On the other hand, numerous symbols and themes are noticeable throughout the film, and overall, this police story acquires a scary and exciting flavor.

The atmosphere and plot of the film caused this work to be banned, mainly as it contained aspects of self-harm, references to suicide, and a display of extreme jealousy, etc. After a limited release in the UK, Conquest was labelled an inappropriate film and was banned for over a decade due to its violent content. Finally, in 1999, this film got a chance to enter the home video section.

On the other hand, the release of this film without censorship in America also faced problems. However, the broadcast of this film was never officially banned. However, a version was heavily edited, and finally, we saw the release of movie versions with different deletions. For example, in one of the censored versions, the film’s time was reduced by about 40 minutes. The result was that the film, which was also a challenging work, turned into a completely different movie.

Finally, in 2000, the original version of this film was widely available in the United States. However, it should be emphasized that its plot may seem confusing. Still, its atmosphere was not more violent than other horror films of its time. Therefore, this level of strictness and censorship of the film is unexpected.

3- Slenderman movie

Slender Man movie

Genre: horror, mystery, thriller
Director : Sylvain White
Actors: Joey King, Julia Guldani Telles, and Annalise Basu
Publication year: 2018
Average rating of Slender Man on IMDB: 2/3

The story of the Slenderman horror movie revolves around scary but imaginative content. A prevalent and famous internet legend about a tall, faceless creature that kidnaps children: it is natural to see scenes with teenagers in danger, suffocation, kidnapping of children, and, of course, sudden and nightmarish horror scenes in this movie.

The critics’ not-so-favorable feedback and the adverse reaction of many audiences put this film in a difficult situation. But what was the reason for this cold encounter? It can be said that until now, it has rarely happened that Hollywood seeks to tell a sad story that has recently been the main headline of the day’s news. People’s anger about this film also stems from this issue. This film was a familiar and unpleasant story for a group of Wisconsinites who had lost their daughters under the influence of Sunderman’s story. In 2014, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weir were killed by multiple stabbings of one of their friends during a ceremony to appease this imaginary creature.

Sometime before the case of this crime was closed in the courts, Sony started the production of the movie Slenderman. However, the progress of the project could have been faster. Due to the delay in the film’s release, the legal disputes related to the copyright, and the disgruntled parents of the accident victims, the project was constantly delayed. It deviated from the right path. But none of these issues could stop the release of Sunderman. However, in an extraordinary but understandable move, several movie theatres in the area where the crime took place banned the screening of this film. The Avalon Theater and the Foxy Bay Cinema Grill near the crime scene announced they would not show the movie.

In early August, just before the movie’s first showing in theatres, the Marcus theatre chain also decided to collect the film from some areas in Milwaukee and Waukesha, citing their respect for those who died because of this incident. Were affected. However, people could drive to neighboring regions and watch movies in other cinemas, even in these areas. Ultimately, it became clear that there was no way to prevent this movie from showing in cinema halls.

4- Human Millipede 2 movie

The Human Centipede 2 movie

Genre: Horror
Director: Tom Six
Actors: Lawrence. R. Harvey, Ashlyn Yenni, and Maddie Black
Publication year: 2011
The average score of The Human Centipede 2 on IMDB: 3/8

Tom Six wrote and acted in the movie Human Centipede and was also one of the producers of this work. Despite all the criticism about this film, Human Centipede received good attention in the media. But we live in a world where the censor’s blade still cuts.

As a result, those involved gave themselves the right to remove part of the content of this film. However, some viewers considered the actors’ performance, the story’s narration, and the ongoing violence in it inappropriate. As a result, we saw the ban on this film. From the point of view of this group, the movie “Human Centipede” is shocking, ugly, and lacking in creativity, which easily violates even the most basic moral concepts.

The first film of the human centipede series is a traditional horror film with a unique concept that was met with disgust by the audience. The second film was so extreme that even the British Film Rating Board rejected it. The reason for the decision, panel members said, was that the film could violate the law related to the distribution of indecent works, which angered the film’s director, Tom Six.

The angry director even announced that he had made a horror movie. Isn’t a good horror movie supposed to be scary? In the end, with some modifications, this film was allowed to be released in the UK. The film was also released after editing in Australia, but it is banned in New Zealand. But the exciting thing is that the third movie of this series was allowed to be broadcast without any problems, and there is no ban on its broadcast anywhere in the world.

5- Bonnie game movie

The Bunny Game movie

Genre: Horror
Director : Adam Remeyer
Actors: Rolling Gatsick, Jeff Renfrew, and Dirty Page
Publication year: 2011
The average rating of The Bunny Game on IMDB is 3/3

The story of the movie Baj Bonny is about a woman who responds positively to a wrong proposal. A response that causes her to suffer because the man catches her and tortures her severely. This is where it seems that sometimes horror works willingly step towards destruction and go to the point where the viewer is shocked and even disgusted to scare the audience.

Of course, this issue is not new, and other films in different decades faced similar problems. People constantly criticize these movies for such matters, especially since it has even been claimed that the creators of these works torture their actors. In recent years, we have seen such claims. So it’s no wonder the British Film Rating Board voted to ban the film.

In a statement regarding this decision, the board members pointed out that the abuse and violence against the female character of the story took up a significant part of this film. The central focus on the unrelenting physical abuse of a helpless woman would not be acceptable to a sadistic kidnapper. As a result, there will be no, even censored, version of the film to convince the panel to agree to release it in the UK.

6- Inn movie: Part two

Movie Hostel: Part 2

Genre: Horror
Director: Eli Roth
Actors: Lauren German, Heather Matarazzo, and Bijou Phillips
Publication year: 2007
Average rating of Hostel: Part 2 on IMDB: 5.5

Inn is a horror movie made as a sequel to the original movie. The difference between this movie and the original version is the desired subject. In the original film, the story was about men, but in Inn 2, the report focuses on three women—the level of three art students in Rome who have to go to a village in Slovakia. But on the way, they are kidnapped and sent somewhere. They are persecuted and tortured to satisfy affluent customers. The violence used in the film has made this work quite suitable for adults. However, Germany restricted its distribution.

On the other hand, many residents of the Green Continent may have a problem even with the first Inn movie, which presented an unpleasant image of the continent. But even then, only the country of Ukraine banned the film. Also, the fact that European countries were shown in this film as if tourists are being persecuted there for money is one of the reasons for banning this film. However, this movie is still legally available for private viewing, but you are not allowed to show it to others, for example, in your front yard.

The movie “Inn” is also banned in New Zealand, but with the removal of scenes of severe torture and violence, two countries, Malaysia and Singapore, have issued permission to release it. Britain was facing a similar problem; British politicians announced that this film might and should be declared illegal, and the exciting thing is that one of the politicians who gave a speech against this film finally admitted that he had not even seen the movie.

7- Faces of Death movie

The Faces of Death movie

Genre: Documentary, Horror
Director: John Alan Schwartz
Actors: Michael Carr, Samuel Berkowitz, and Mary Ellen Bridgeton
Publication year: 1978
The average score of The Faces of Death on IMDB: 2/4

The main character of this documentary-like film is a pathologist named Francis Gross. In the role of narrator, he shows the audience several clips collected from various sources that reveal the terrible ways of dying. Most of the film contains images of natural deaths and their side issues, but some are faked.

Despite the negative reviews, the film succeeded at the box office and sold more than 35 million worldwide. Also, the movie “Faces of Death” began a cult movement, and it was later noticed due to its creative look. This encouraged the makers to come up with other sequels that either used less fake footage or didn’t use any phony footage at all.

In line with marketing and heating the rumor market about this movie, it has been mentioned that the broadcast of this movie has been banned in 46 countries of the world. However, upon closer examination, it is clear that only a handful have even taken the trouble of creating an official restriction on the film’s release. Countries such as Australia, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have banned film distribution due to the promotion of violence or possible abuse of the film’s subject matter. They considered this movie.

Although some of the scenes of death in this film are real, the film Faces of Death, unlike other works such as “Cannibal Holocaust,” even prepared scenes of violence against animals in a fake manner. However, it was banned in Britain until 2003. Finally, it was allowed to be released only after these scenes were removed. Although the original film was finally allowed to air in Australia, its three sequels are banned despite similar content.

8- The film Death Effects

Traces of Death movie

Genre: Documentary, Horror
Director: Damien Fox
Actors : Damien Fox, Maritza Martin Munoz and Emilio Nunes
Publication year: 1993
Average scores of Traces of Death on IMDB: 4

Unlike Faces of Death, which involved actual or re-created deaths, the film Death Works has an entirely different mood. This film contains authentic images of people dying or being injured. The film also includes clips of violent crimes.

This work should be considered one of the most soulless horror films ever made and is nothing more than a long show of violence and crime scene images produced to cause shock and discomfort to the audience. One of the films in this list confronts us with the issue that sometimes strictness is necessary. Of course, watching this movie is not recommended to any viewer, but is it necessary to ban and censor it? Such a view has been approved in some countries, as The Deathly Hallows is considered illegal in the UK.

This film is not educational or entertaining and consists only of shocking and disturbing images lined up one after the other. The British authorities also needed help with the film’s strong language. They declared that they were worried about the effect of this film on young people.

Australia has banned the entire series of death films. It has introduced them against the standards of morality and decency generally approved by an adult and reasonable audience. They have found these films offensive, a reaction that may seem exaggerated. This movie might be footage of real-life events, but is it worth watching as a movie? No, But was it essential to face it with such strictness and ban the film completely? The answer to this question is negative because there is no need for this strictness. However, opinions on this matter are very diverse.

9. Movie Mike

Mikey movie

Genre: Thriller, Horror
Director: Dennis Semester
Actors: Brian Bonsall, Josie Bisset, and Ashley Lawrence
Publication year: 1992
Mikey’s average score on IMDB: 5.6

Mikey is a child who needs the security of a good home and the warmth of a loving family. He spent his whole life having to move from one house to another. Mikey eventually finds his new loving family, though we don’t get a happy ending because all those responsible for caring for him in the past died in unexplained accidents.

Yep, don’t let this kid’s innocent face fool you, Poof, because Mikey is a cold-blooded killer who turns his deadly attention on his new family and anyone who gets in his way. Child psychologists believe that watching this movie harms children because it may harm them. For this reason, this film has several edited versions that, by removing violent scenes, even reduced the impact of the film’s scenario.

But the ban on Mikey’s movie was more due to the release time of this movie than a lot of taboo-breaking done in it. The film was released just after the murder of three-year-old James Bulger by two ten-year-olds, which caused the film to be banned in England. This true crime was very shocking. But, instead of the original killers, Mikey appeared as the accused and was found guilty of that crime.

The next thing to consider is that the ban on this film has not been lifted even in the following decades, and its public screening is still prohibited. The British Board of Film Rating has stated that the current ban does not mean the film will never get a chance to be released; it will just have to be returned for review, although this claim is false, and the film remains in legal limbo. Hits.

10- The Evil Dead movie

The Evil Dead movie

Genre: Horror
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Richard DeManicure
Publication year: 1981
The average score of The Evil Dead on IMDB is 4.7

Dead Evil by Sam Raimi is the story of five young students trapped in an old cottage, facing an evil demon bent on destroying them all. Due to high violence, inappropriate relationships, and shocking scenes, this film has been censored, and countries such as Singapore, Finland, and Ukraine have banned its broadcast.

However, the popularity of this film and the reputation it gained for itself was such that it caused concern to those involved in the censorship department. In fact, at first, the British Film Age Rating Board members were divided into two groups after seeing this film. A larger group considered it a ridiculous movie that could not be taken too seriously. But the other group thought it was disgusting work that should be banned. Finally, the board of directors decided that removing parts of the film would be better.

But even the release of the edited version of the film faced problems. Finally, some of its performances were seized by the judicial authorities. This film was not allowed to be released until 2001, primarily due to the anger of religious critics and supporters of the family foundation. But when the outrage subsided, the board finally agreed that the film was not bad enough to be banned.

11- The movie Land of the Dead

Land of the Dead movie

Genre: science fiction, thriller, horror
Director: George Romero
Starring: John Leguizamo, Asia Argento, Dennis Hopper and Simon Baker
Publication year: 2005
Average rating of Land of The Dead on IMDB: 6.2

Land of the Dead is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where survivors face a massive zombie invasion. However, there are other problems. The survivors flee to the city, surrounded on three sides by the river, and an electric fence protects the other side. However, Romero’s purpose in showing this film addresses the idea that humanity harms itself more than any other external danger. Ultimately, zombies establish a more democratic government by selecting a class system.

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine banned the screening of this film due to cultural sensitivities. It got to the point where a distributor could face criminal charges if he released the film regionally. This decision raised concerns about government interference in media affairs. This issue was especially noticed because even the UK considered this film suitable for teenagers.

However, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that the reason for banning this film was the depiction of cannibalism. Not because the scenes of people being devoured are gruesome but because of the concern that such content would create negative sentiments in a region once plagued by famine. Of course, the movie Land of the Dead was made about 72 years after those terrible events, and it is unclear whether watching it could open this old wound.

12- The movie I Spit in Your Grave

I Spit On Your Grave movie

Genre: horror, thriller
Director: Meir Zarki
Actors: Camille Keaton, Eran Taber and Richard Pace
Publication year: 1978
The average rating of I Spit On Your Grave on IMDB is 5.6

The movie “I Spit on Gort” should be considered a remarkable work for its graphic depiction of violence, and the amount of screen time devoted to violent scenes, including harassment and rape, made the film challenging to release in the UK.

The organizations responsible for commissioning the movie tried to block its release by labeling it a “hateful video.” Roger Ebert called the film a work so sick, degrading, and reprehensible that it is hard to believe it exists; he added that it lacks artistic value. Of course, these critics were not the only ones who didn’t like the film because of its blatant and excessive violence. Many countries were utterly disinterested in broadcasting this film for a long time.

Canada banned the film outright but later allowed different provinces to decide whether to show it within their borders. Britain only allowed a censored version of the film, while Norway, Iceland, and West Germany banned it widely, citing violence against women. On the other hand, this film was banned in Australia twenty years after its initial release, which could have been more valuable and practical according to the available copies. Of course, this ban was finally lifted in 2004; however, in a country like Ireland, the broadcast of the film I Spit on Gort is still prohibited.

Even now, people watch this movie skeptically; many consider it one of the worst movies ever made. Perhaps these controversies made the movie I Spit on Gort become one of the cult works. Apparently, in 1974, the director of this film met a young woman who had a similar experience in one of the New York City parks. This event inspired him to make this film.

13- 3D Saw or Seven Saw movie

Saw 3D movie

Genre: horror, mystery
Director : Kevin Gruytert
Actors: Tobin Bell, Costas Mendler, and Betsy Russell
Publication year: 2010
The average score of Saw 3D on IMDB: 5.5

The level of violence and persecution scenes depicted in the Saw film series is not hidden from anyone. The story of Saw Haft or Saw 3D is about a man who suddenly finds himself in the middle of a real game due to his false claim about being involved in a game of life and death. He must endure pain and torture to save his wife’s life. To buy. On the other hand, we have Mark Hoffman, who is looking for Jill Tuck, the ex-wife of John Kramer, known as Jigsaw.

After the release of several films from the Saw series, some countries decided to ban the release of this film. However, it was only after the release of the sixth film of this series that we saw extensive measures to ban this film. At that time, Spain temporarily restricted the release of the film.

Of course, why this film received such a reaction is still a mystery because anyone who has seen this film sees little difference between it and the previous films. Spain announced that the movie’s violent scenes should be removed for wide release. Still, Thailand banned the broadcast of this movie altogether. It cited the reason for this decision as a threat to public safety. They got into trouble. Public screening of these films was banned in Germany.

In general, many saw the 3D Saw film as similar to the previous versions and not a living nightmare. It is so terrifying to know that it should be prevented from being released.

14- The film is a Serbian film

A Serbian Film

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Horror
Director : Serjen Pasjevic
Actors: Serjan Todorovic, Sergi Trifanovic and Katerina Zode
Publication year: 2010
Average rating of A Serbian Film on IMDB: 5

A court in San Sebastián, Spain, has banned “A Serbian Film” due to what it called a “threat to sexual freedom.” However, in October 2010, the film was screened at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain, where adults watched it only.

The main reason for paying attention to this movie is its violent theme, primarily associated with scenes of child abuse and harassment. If you remember, Ukraine blocked the release of the movie Land of the Dead simply because of the pain and bad memories of the past. In contrast, a Serbian movie openly uses historical horrors to justify the carnage it depicts. This film is recognized as one of the most extreme examples of the horror genre made worldwide.

The amount of inappropriate images of murder, torture, and harassment in this film is so significant that it was banned in countries such as Germany, Norway, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Spain, and Singapore. The countries that finally allowed the broadcast of this film put censorship and removal of very disgusting scenes of this film on their agenda. In Spain, the director of a film festival faced criminal charges for only allowing the film to be screened, as the authorities considered the film to be a display of child pornography. The charges were later dropped.

15- Chainsaw murder movie in Texas

Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie

Genre: Horror
Director: Tobe Hooper
Actors: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, and Alan Danziger
Publication year: 1974
The average rating of Texas Chainsaw Massacre on IMDB is 4.7

Due to the type of violence depicted in this work, the screening of the film Murder with a Chainsaw in Texas has been banned in many countries of the world, and many cinema halls have stopped showing it. The reviews about this movie were mixed, but there is no denying that the movie was a huge financial success and did well at the box office. Also, this film has an excellent reputation as one of the best and most influential horror films.

As the title suggests, the main instrument of murder in this movie is a chainsaw, and the leading killer is a huge man with a scary mask who uses any disgusting method to hunt down his victims. The movie is full of scenes of torture and bloodshed. Of course, perhaps in recent years, with the boom in broadcasting such films, this level of violence is understandable for the viewer. Still, at the time of the broadcast of this film, it was difficult for many to digest and watch. It was considered a shocking experience.

British censors couldn’t decide about this horror classic, so they belatedly banned the film a year after its release, which remained in place until the late 90s. Australia also banned the release of the movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre in cinemas. Of course, the list of countries that made a similar decision is very long, including Brazil, Chile, Finland, France, Iceland, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Ukraine, and West Germany pointed out.

The sequel of this film also faced problems in the field of censorship, so Australia banned its broadcast for 20 years, and even when illegal copies were sold in local stores, we saw a harsh reaction from the country’s judicial authorities. This film was banned briefly in Germany and Singapore, and the UK also demanded that 20-25 minutes of violent scenes be removed from the film to allow it to be screened. This was met with a negative response from the film’s producers. Finally, this film was released in the UK in 2001 without any modifications.

In general, horror films have a disturbing and unpleasant atmosphere. Because of this, their broadcast is sometimes restricted or banned. These films often have dark themes, intense violence, and sharp language. Slasher movies, zombie movies, or movies that point to otherworldly and unexplainable issues, each in their style, play on the soul and psyche of the audience and sometimes involve them mentally. But anyway, if you enjoy the experience of fear and horror and welcome it enthusiastically, then even the forbidden works can be fun for you. But be careful because our mind loves to play with images and imagination.

Finally, what is your opinion about the names introduced in this list? Which of these works have you had the experience of watching, and which of them did you get to know? In what kind of content do you find fear? Are slasher movies full of blood, gore, or fear of unknown and supernatural issues? HBL is still eager to be with you, dear ones. Be sure to share your valuable opinions and views with us and your other friends; thank you.