Film has long served as a platform for boundary-pushing and innovation in entertainment. However, some films, reflecting earlier social, political, and cultural contexts, would simply not see the light of the day in our current times. Elements in these films such as tactless narratives, graphic violence, instances of child mistreatment, racial epithets, slurs against the LGBTQ+ community, and so on, may have been historically tolerated but would not be permissible today. In this blog post, we will delve into 40 such films which, while potentially successful in their time, would not pass muster in today’s society.
Pocahontas
Pocahontas stands as the sole Disney princess whose characterization was founded on an actual person. The movie came out in 1995 and was widely successful. However, the narrative of Pocahontas falling for an English colonist has generated discomfort for many, due to the fact that in reality, she was a minor when she wed John Smith. Although the Disney version didn’t depict Pocahontas as underage, this unsettling reality can take away from the film’s enjoyment. If launched in the current time, the film would likely face harsh criticism from both aficionados and critics.
Glitter
At least once in our life, we’ve all sung the lyrics to “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey, and no doubt she’s an incredible singer. However, the movie she starred in was definitely not one of her good decisions. Glitter focuses on a woman who has to give up on either her rising career or relationship. Why can’t a woman have the best of both worlds? We wouldn’t blame you if you start yawning and want to close the movie midway. Glitter received only a 6% rating on the Tomatometer and a 2.3/10 rating on IMDb.
Disney’s Aladdin
We’re sure almost everyone in the world is familiar with one of the most famous Disney movie, Aladdin. The animated movie came out in 1992 and quickly became a hit and is now considered as one of the classics; it even had a live-action adaptation made in 2019. However, if you watch the movie again, you’ll notice how racist it is, and the overall storyline is pretty useless, too, with no good take-home message. Apart from that, it shows subtle racism towards Middle Easterners as they’re portrayed to be savages and unsophisticated. To think that it’s a movie made for children definitely makes us uncomfortable.
Forrest Gump
There are movies that you might have considered amazing at one point in your life but once re-watching them, you realize their pointlessness; Forrest Gump is a huge example of this. Even though it’s known to be one of the greatest movies, there’s no denying there are a lot of problematic scenes in it. The director’s attempt to show American history in a way to make the U.S look better was a bit weird. Movies are a work of fiction, but this one takes it to another level; how can a mentally disabled person run so many miles, meet various famous personalities and also end up with millions of dollars?
Back To The Future
Since its release on July 3, 1985, Back To The Future has consistently ranked among classic favorites. The film quickly gained notoriety, capturing the hearts of young audiences of the time as much as it does today. The movie has secured a substantial 8.5/10 rating on IMDb. Despite its popularity, some viewers argue the movie courted controversy with scenes depicting incestuous overtures, bullying, and racial slurs. Nonetheless, relative to other films, it maintains a higher overall rating, so it’s recommended that you see it for yourself to draw your own conclusion.
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is considered as one of the worst batman movies ever made. In this era of franchise fatigue, it’s hard to imagine a movie like Batman Forever getting made. This 1995 entry in the Batman franchise was notoriously overstuffed, with too many characters and subplots crammed into its two hours running time. It’s also a pretty dark and downbeat film, which likely wouldn’t fly with today’s audiences. It has a weak plot and the female characters wear revealing clothes which would not be tolerated now.
Manhattan
There’s no way that a movie like Manhattan could be made today let alone achieve the success that it did in 1979. The movie follows a plot where a 40+ year old man and a teenage woman fall in love. The concept itself seems a bit too weird as the girl is still underage. Over the years there have been sexual allegations against woody Allen involving teens and underage children. That has further tarnished the image of the movie and woody Allen himself. he has obviously denied the accusations. Even if someone tried to make a movie like this in the modern world, there will be a big uproar to get the movie out of all cinemas.
Mac and Me
Despite the general intrigue surrounding alien-themed movies, “Mac and Me”, which premiered on August 12th, 1988, failed to impress audiences. Its storyline appears to have taken a leaf from the book of E.T but fell short of its brilliance. The film unravels the journey of extraterrestrial creatures in search of a new home, where one befriends a boy, Eric, who uses a wheelchair. The peculiar scene where the alien family is revived by drinking Coca-Cola may leave you puzzled, questioning your choice of movie. Therefore, its IMDb rating of a mere 3.4/10 comes as no surprise.
Monty Python: Life of Brian
In an era where people are more accepting of the good things and offended by the bad traditions from the past, it’s hard to imagine a movie like Monty Python: Life of Brian ever getting made. The film is rife with religious satire, and even features a scene where the main character is crucified. It’s safe to say that this movie would never get past today ‘s censors. Even if it does, it is going to be panned by billions of Catholics from all over the world. That means a large chunk of the movie goers wouldn’t even think about watching it.
The Polar Express
We can’t be the only ones who think The Polar Express has a lot of creepy vibes attached to it. Even though it’s a Christmas movie, the animation can easily make it feel like a horror movie. The story is about a boy going on a magical train to the north pole to meet Santa Claus, and during the ride, he meets a lot of people. The end message of the movie is that apparently, gifts are the true meaning of Christmas; pretty materialistic, we would say. Kids should understand the importance of family time during holidays instead of just receiving gifts.
Super Mario Bros.
When transitioning a top-tier video game into a film, it’s critical to ensure you’re executing it as flawlessly as possible. However, this doesn’t seem to have been the primary concern for the creators of the Super Mario Bros. movie. The storyline feels feeble and illogical, failing to match the excitement and adoration garnered by the game itself. For those who cherish their childhood recollections of playing Super Mario Bros., we’d advise giving this movie a wide berth to avoid disappointment.
Baby Geniuses
Have you ever pondered the notion of infants’ choice of babble? It seems the man behind ‘Baby Geniuses’ did, spinning it into a full-fledged motion picture. Although promising in theory, the reality proved to be a disaster. March 12, 1999, marked the release of the film which was greeted by a less-than-enthusiastic reaction from cinemagoers once it was launched. This sentiment was underscored by the mere 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Given the outlandish storyline that includes not only chattering babies but ones performing disco dance moves, karate strikes and plotting against grown-ups – what other outcome could they have expected?
Dogma
This Kevin Smith movie from 1999 would never be made in today’s era. It’s a religious satire that is blasphemous, crude, and just downright offensive. Even if it could get made, it would be so heavily censored that it wouldn’t be worth watching. When it was released in 1999, the actors, directors and the movie itself all received massive criticism from the catholic community. We are now living in a time where people are more accepting of each other and they prefer watching something that does not hurt the sentiments of billions of people all over the globe.
The Jerk
Who doesn’t like Steve Martin? He is one of the best comedians to have ever graced the big screen. The Jerk is considered as the one of the funniest movies ever, however we can’t be so sure if it would be able to duplicate its success in the modern world. The characters casually use derogatory words and don’t refrain from racial slurs either. Steve Martin seems to be proud of his work. He believes that the movie may not be a hit in the modern world but for its respective time period it was a great movie.
Battlefield Earth
This 2000 film was based on the novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and starred John Travolta (who at that time was a very devoted member of the Church of Scientology). The film was a critical and commercial flop, and is generally considered one of the worst movies ever made. In this era of more sophisticated special effects and better storytelling, there’s no way a movie like Battlefield Earth would be made. Scientology itself is very controversial but people hated this movie because of the poor acting and even worse editing and camera angles.
The Toy
Brace yourself for this one. Kids asking their parents for toys isn’t something out of the ordinary. But what if that toy is an African American man. Yes, you read that right. The plot of this movie revolves around a wealthy and spoiled child who asks his dad for an African American man as a toy. It does seem a bit too odd even for 1980s standards. A movie like this would cause an uproar today. We don’t think anyone in Hollywood would even think about making a movie like this in today’s world.
The Police Academy Series
The films of the Police Academy series, which came out in the 80s and early 90s, revolved around individuals journeying through police training to become officers. These films gained considerable popularity during their time, but would likely face extensive criticism if produced in the contemporary era. The series has received backlash due to its comedic representation of the police force and the allegations of racism and sexism within its content. Comedy that may have been acceptable or amusing in the 80s would probably lead to cancelation of the film and its cast in the current cultural climate.
Jack Frost
No one wants their loved one to ever pass away and no one would ever want their loved one to die and then get brought back as an evil looking snowman. That is the plot of this movie. Michael Keaton plays the character of the snowman. He dies in a car crash but with a magic harmonica he is brought back to life as a snowman. It may sound like a hearty movie but not only is the snowman a little scary but there are also some scenes that seem a bit weird especially for a children’s movie.
Sixteen Candles
Sixteen Candles was a hit film in its time, yet its pertinence and appeal have dwindled with changing societal norms. The film contains a disturbingly explicit sexual assault scene where a female character is put under drugs before being exploited, an element likely to stir controversy among contemporary audiences given the gravity of the issue. Beyond this, the movie also perpetuates racial biases against Asians. At a time when efforts are being made to eliminate racial prejudice, films with a similar undertone like Sixteen Candles seem unsuitable.
Big
This comedic gem featuring Tom Hanks was unveiled to the public in 1988, and promptly gained the title of one of the most hilarious films of its era. Appreciated by audiences for its high-caliber performances, the movie unfortunately misses the mark slightly when it comes to the execution of its storyline. The narrative centers on a child who, thanks to a fortune teller machine, abruptedly becomes an adult. While this concept provides ample instances of humor and innovation, it gets uncomfortable when romantic elements are introduced. Essentially, given that Tom Hanks’s character is technically a boy trapped in a man’s physique, romantic sequences turn awkward, portraying an older woman in romantic scenarios with essentially a kid.
Home Alone 3
This is another surprising entrance on our list. Even though it is a fun movie but there is something really wrong about having terrorists as main villains in a children’s movie. Not to mention some of the scenes are just too violent for young viewers. Kids might look at this movie and want to try some of things that the protagonist tries on the villains. It might end up causing harm to the kids or other people in their surroundings. Film makers might be able to make similar movies in today’s world but they will have to avoid putting in certain things that don’t seem appropriate for young viewers.
Tootsie
Tootsie features a man who dresses up as a woman to get ahead in his career. It’s a rather controversial subject in the modern world. There are many different things to see here. First the movie’s plot kind of signals that women tend to get more roles in movies as compared to men. In today’s world where women are fighting all over the world for equal pay, this aspect of the movie might not fly. Secondly it can also create a controversy with the LGBTQ community who might not see anything funny in it and to be honest we don’t either.
Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee was released in 1986 with a plot consisting of a female journalist traveling to the Australian outback to meet with a rare crocodile poacher to interview him. He saves her from a crocodile attack and ends up going to New York with her, and obviously, they fall in love. There were a lot of sexist scenes in the movie that can get super annoying. Plus, killing animals for money might have been considered cool during those times, but now it’s majorly frowned upon. The hero’s personality in the movie is unbearable as he reeks of arrogance and calling him a bully would be justifiable.
Heathers
Heathers came out in 1988, having a plot consisting of teenagers and their typical cliques, but in this, two people go on a spree to murder the popular kids and make it look like suicide. The intention of this movie was supposed to be satire, but they tried way too hard and became cringe-worthy material instead. Dark humor can be funny if done in the correct way, but this movie just made it seem tasteless. All the movie showed was bullying, killing people for absolutely no reason, and using vulgar words. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, let it stay that way.
Caddyshack
Many fans would be confused to see this movie on our list. And that is understandable as the movie has developed a strong cult following over the years. However, when the movie was released back in 1980, it wasn’t admired by the viewers. Most of it had to be because of the several changes to the script \at the last minute. This is why it sometimes feels like the movie does not follow a proper storyline and make its more confusing for the viewers.
48 Hours
If you want to see a movie about two men who spend an entire weekend racing against the clock to solve a crime, then you’ll have to go back in time to the 1980s. The “48 Hours” was popular in its day, but it’s hard to imagine a studio green-lighting such a project in today’s market. Don’t get us wrong; we love buddy cop movies as much as the next person but not if the movie is entirely focused on male characters and the female cast members don’t get a lot of screen time. This is what happened with 48 hours. Even though this movie pioneered the buddy cop genre, they still missed out of screen time equality.
Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles is known to be one of the funniest movies that came out in the seventies. The story of the movie is about a politician who wants to evict the whole town so he can make his railroads. In order for his plan to succeed, he manipulates the governor to hire a black sheriff so that the townspeople become hostile and leave on their own. And from this scene onwards, the racism can be seen dripping in almost every scene of the movie. Along with that, there are a lot of inappropriate derogatory terms thrown at many ethnicities. This film wouldn’t survive in today’s world.
Three Men and a Baby
Like many other movies, Three Men and a Baby’s plot revolves around how men don’t even know the basics of how to take care of a baby. In the movie, one of the three friends have a child, and all of them become the baby’s caretakers. Overall, the movie was pretty stereotypical and filled with lousy humor that wouldn’t even make you laugh internally. It’s baffling how three grown men have no idea how to care for one child, and the cherry on top was the addition of drugs in the plot. It’s an overrated comedy movie that you can skip on your watch list.
The Master of Disguise
Have you ever seen a movie and wondered, “what on earth did I just watch?” well then, you’ll understand our sentiments if you’ve unfortunately seen The Master of Disguise. The movie is about hidden powers in a family by which they can disguise themselves. In the start, the main character doesn’t know of his power but eventually finds out and saves his parents by mastering his power. The movie was supposed to be a comedy, but we and the majority of other people couldn’t find a drop of humor. It has flat jokes and is definitely not worth watching. So, save your time and watch something else.
Animal House
How do we begin to talk about the lousy writing of the movie Animal House? Its storyline and dialogues are filled with everything that any sane person would consider wrong. The plot revolves around a college fraternity house filled with troublemakers who make life hell for the Dean, who tries to stop them. There’s a combination of racist, sexist, homophobic, and misogynistic scenes that you’ll come across very often while watching this movie. Since it was released in 1978, it got away with all the inappropriate material and was actually considered funny back then. However, the majority of people who have re-watched it have realized how awful the movie is and the fact it would never be popular if it had been released in these times.
Ishtar
The Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman-starring Ishtar is the epitome of a movie that would never be made in this day and age. A massive box office bomb, the $55 million film only grossed around $14 million domestically. The story of two down-on-their-luck musicians who travel to Morocco in hopes of making it big, Ishtar was ripped apart by critics and is now considered one of the worst films ever made. It goes to show that even actors like Dustin Hoffman can’t save a movie if the story is bad. Another reason that the movie wouldn’t make it to cinemas today is the fact that the movie is considered misogynistic. Even James Bond has evolved in the recent years. This goes to show how important it is to make movies that are more relevant in the modern market.
Stripes
There would be no way that a movie like Stripes could be made in this day and age without an equal focus being given to the female characters. In the original film, the women are treated as objects for the male gaze. There is a scene where one of the main characters ogles a woman in a bikini and another where he and his friends go to a strip club. While the movie is set in the 1980s, these scenes would not be able to get past the censors in today’s climate. The Me-Too movement has led to a greater awareness of how women are portrayed on screen and there is now a greater demand for strong, complex female characters.
Mr. Mom
The aim for this movie might have been to look progressive, but just one look at the title itself will make you roll your eyes. Aren’t both the parents supposed to be there for their child? Because the name of the movie suggests as if it’s only normal if the mother takes care of the kids. If the dad, does it, then the same thing becomes something special even though he’s as responsible for the child as the mother. The movie was about a man who just lost his job and became a stay-at-home dad while his wife became the breadwinner.
Chasing Amy
In this film from 1997, a heterosexual man becomes enamored with a lesbian woman. This film would not have made it past production in today’s world. Certain aspects of the movie imply that sexual orientation is a matter of choice, not an inherent aspect of one’s identity. This depiction received backlash from the LGBTQ community, and with their increasing societal influence, such depictions have since become obsolete. There’s little doubt that those involved in the film’s creation now regard it as a significant misstep in their careers.
The Love Guru
Should you wish to fully comprehend the concept of cultural appropriation, a viewing of The Love Guru would indeed enlighten you. The filmmaker took it upon themselves to present India in an overly stereotypical light, which might elicit an eye-rolling response, particularly when focusing on the attire. At the heart of the story is an American “guru”, who grew up in India and returns to the US to claim the title of top guru. His assignment involves boosting the morale of a struggling hockey team. We are fond of romantic comedies, however, this film wasn’t up to mark.
Soul Man
In today’s world we all know the very justified uproar against doing blackface. It is a “no-no” both in movies and in real life. However, in 1986 things were a little different. The plot of this movie would never be green-lit in today’s Hollywood. The main character of the movie is a white man who poses as a black man to get a college scholarship. This film was released in 1986 and is considered one of the most racist movies ever made. Even in 1986 there were certain criticisms against the movie. Another weird thing about the movie is that Ronald Reagan was president at that time and his son had a small role in this movie. We can’t even imagine a president’s son being part of such a project in present day.
Porky’s
In today’s climate of political correctness and sensitivity, it’s hard to imagine a movie like Porky’s ever being made. The film is full of crude humor and sexual innuendo, and would likely be considered offensive by many. One of the major reasons that this movie would be panned in the modern world is the amount of misogyny in it. Even young boys in today’s world wouldn’t condone the behavior of the boys we see in the movie. Movies like these may be loved by some portion of moviegoers but everyone can agree that such movies don’t send a good message to the younger generations.
The Crying Game
The Crying Game is a 1992 British thriller film that wasn’t hated by fans when it was released however some of the content in this movie wouldn’t be acceptable today. The film follows an IRA member who kidnaps and holds a British soldier captive in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, only to develop a bond with him. The movie was criticized for being racially insensitive and also for being misogynistic. The bad treatment of transgender and female characters also didn’t send a good message to the audience.
The Bad News Bears
This is another one of those movies that was loved by viewers when it was released but one that hasn’t aged well. The plot of the movie is good but there are several reasons that would cause an uproar in today’s world. The movie is about a retired baseball player who becomes the coach of a children’s baseball team. In one scene, one of the children is verbally abused. And people don’t like to watch such content where child abuse is being highlighted like it’s nothing problematic. The characters also use racially insensitive language and not to mention the kids are seen smoking which itself is enough to keep the film outside of cinemas.
National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers
The name itself could potentially alienate contemporary viewers. Present-day audiences wouldn’t appreciate a film centered on gold diggers. The plot involving two men initially attempting to swindle a rich lady before converting their scheme to marry her is utterly misogynistic and wouldn’t be produced in today’s time. The film includes several scenes showcasing violence against women, which no media entity would ever want to encourage.