Beginning in 1933 the Catholic Legion of Decency, a Catholic film register with an aim for the "purification of the cinema," wrote reviews and rated films on a regular basis. Since then it has changed name and position many times but still continues to write regular movie "reviews" (they are more like short synopses) and provide a Catholic-oriented rating system. This system doesn't hold much power outside the Church but it goes as follows; A-I: Suitable for all audiences A-II: Suitable for adults and adolescents A-III: Suitable for adults only A-IV: For adults with reservations B: Morally objectionable in part C: Condemned by the Legion of Decency O: Morally offensive (in 1978 B and C ratings combined to form O) This list concerns those films given the C or O rating depending on which side of 1978 they fell. These films were provocative and controversial enough to be banned/condemned by the Catholic Church. Whilst reading this list it is important to remember that these reviews are the opinions of Catholic Bishops at the time. Especially myself, as a Catholic, cannot stress enough the fact that these are not a representation of the opinion of all Catholics, merely the committee who authored them. I certainly do not agree with all of these opinions and am confident that a film's artistic merit is maintained, despite any religiously based reviews.
Student from Sydney, Australia. Fascinated with the films of Jean Cocteau, Darren Aronofsky, Federico Fellini, and Martin Scorsese. Also an avid watcher of The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and Dexter (no spoilers please). Moreover, loves to play sport and challenge the laws of the English language.
