10 Controversial Movie Scenes That Were Cut Before Release
1. The Rape Of Christ - The Devils
Nearly half a century on Ken Russell’s The Devils is still considered controversial, with Warner Bros withholding the film from a proper re-release. The Devils drew major flak at the time thanks to its depiction of corruption within the Catholic Church, bloody violence and graphic nudity.
With the film being protested left, right and centre the studio forced Russell to make several edits, so he removed some of the spicier material. One scene he had to remove altogether depicted “possessed” nuns going crazy and sexually assaulting a statue of Jesus. The scene was thought lost for decades after, only to be recovered and aired for the first time during a documentary on the film in 2002.
Even now it’s a shocking scene, and it’s easy to see why Warner Bros. had second thoughts about it leading up to release.
Can you think of any other controversial scenes that had to be removed from a film before release? Share your choices in the comments.