The 50 most controversial movies of all time

Last Tango In Paris (1972)

The Movie: Grieving widower Paul (Marlon Brando) and French fille Jeanne (Maria Schneider) embark on a no-names affair, the graphical nature of which sent censors into a tizzy. It was X-rated in America and Britain.

Most Controversial Moment: Paul gets out the butter as a lubricant for anal sex.

Monty Python's Life Of Brian (1979)

The Movie: Despite the Monty Python 's team's defence that the film is specifically not about Jesus but the religious mania surrounding Brian (Graham Chapman), Cleese and Palin were hauled onto telly to be grilled by a priest and conversative pundit Malcolm Muggeridge.

Most Controversial Moment: Jesus rallies his fellow crucifixees in a rousing singalong of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life .

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

The Movie: Tragedy struck during the filming of John Landis' segment of the sci-fi anthology when a helicopter crashed, killing star Vic Morrow and child actors Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi. Worse, by law, the latter two shouldn't have been on set at that time.

Most Controversial Moment: Bigot Bill Connor (Vic Morrow) is forced to relive the experience of minorities he has racially abused, and becomes a Vietnamese man under fire from U.S. helicopters.

In The Realm Of The Senses (1976)

The Movie: Nagisa Oshima's erotic tale of a torrid sexual affair, full of unsimulated sex, bridged the gap between sincere art-house cinema and pornography, and wasn't released uncut in the UK until 2011. Too scandalous to be made in his native Japan, Oshima edited in France.

Most Controversial Moment: Sada Abe (Eiko Matsuda) strangles lover Kichizo (Tatsuya Fuji) to death during sex, then cuts off his penis.

Freaks (1932)

The Movie: Although made before the Hollywood Production Code came into effect, MGM still cut the scariest scenes of their carnival horror after negative previews. Even the released cut was too much for British censors, who banned the film for 30 years.

Most Controversial Moment: After Cleopatra cuckolds midget husband Hans, the freaks attack, transforming her into a deformed "human duck."

Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer (1986)

The Movie: John McNaughton's harrowing, verite-style horror wasn't released until 1990. Even then, UK distributors tussled with the BBFC until 2003, when the uncut version was finally issued.

Most Controversial Moment: After Henry (Michael Rooker) and Otis (Tom Towles) kill a family, Otis molests a woman's corpse - and then we see that the killers are rewatching the footage at home.

The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988)

The Movie: Devout Catholic Martin Scorsese reckoned his film was a tribute to Jesus' inner strength. French fundamentalists thought differently, firebombing the Paris cinema showing the film.

Most Controversial Moment: The temptation, as Jesus (Willem Dafoe) sees a visitation of a normal life, which includes making love to Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey).

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

The Movie: The godfather of 'found footage' movies - about a documentary crew becoming the victims of their cannibal subjects - saw director Ruggero Deodato arrested for murder after allegating of killing his actors.

Most Controversial Moment: Deodato proved that he hadn't really had a girl impaled… but the footage of animal slaughter, including a monkey being macheted in the skull, is real enough.

Nekromantik (1987)

The Movie: This West German necrophilia drama about a murderous couple getting it on with the corpse of their victim was banned in so many countries it's never even been submitted to the BBFC.

Most Controversial Moment: Betty (Beatrice Manowski) puts a steel pipe onto the skeletal remains of her lover in lieu of a penis.

The Day The Clown Cried (1972)

The Movie: Jerry Lewis' misguided Holocaust drama was meant to be a breakthrough in his career. Instead, financial difficulties and Hollywood's appalled reaction meant it was unfinished and rarely seen, with Lewis reportedly keeping the one surviving copy in a safe.

Most Controversial Moment: Helmut the clown (Lewis) leads the children into the Auschwitz gas chambers.