10 Films That Were Too Shocking For Audiences

Even though Tobe Hooper’s movie played in America’s Drive-ins without causing riots, BBFC Secretary Stephen Murphy felt that the focus on “abnormal psychology” would be too much for British audiences and refused to issue an X certificate, effectively banning the picture.

In 1975, Murphy was succeeded by James Ferman, who refused to certify a film he described as “the pornography of terror.” The picture remained in limbo until it was sneaked out as an uncertified video in the early 80s, but when the Video Recordings Act required that home entertainment be brought into line with theatrical exhibition the film again disappeared into obscurity.

The movie wasn’t available legally until 1999, when in the wake of Ferman’s departure from the BBFC, the Board re-examined the film and concluded that the movie was “less likely to disturb adult viewers, many of whom would feel the film to be dated and feeble compared to modern horror offerings.”

25 years after first being submitted for classification, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was finally screened in cinemas and was subsequently released uncut on home video.