Buzz
Can you imagine a government banning a family film from release? Since these movies are aimed at younger audiences, they usually steer clear of content that might upset film censors. Yet, these films—though seemingly harmless on the surface—were blocked from being shown in certain countries for bizarre reasons that often don’t seem to hold up. Are controversies lurking in every corner, or were these films banned for genuine concerns? Let’s explore.
10. Every Marx Brothers Film (Germany)
The Marx Brothers are a cornerstone of comedy. Between 1905 and 1949, they produced thirteen feature films, with many of them regarded as some of the funniest ever made. However, from 1933 to 1945, their films were banned in Germany for one simple reason—the Marx Brothers were Jewish. But it wasn’t just Germany that took issue with their films. Italy banned their 1933 movie 'Duck Soup' because Prime Minister Benito Mussolini felt personally attacked, while Ireland banned their 1931 film 'Monkey Business' for its perceived promotion of anarchism (though they later allowed a censored version of the film).
9. Beauty and the Beast, 2017 (Kuwait and Malaysia)
The 2017 remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' stirred controversy when director Bill Condon teased a 'gay moment' before its release. Kuwait and Malaysia, both predominantly Muslim countries, banned the film due to its perceived homosexual themes, although the only actual 'gay' moment in the film is a brief three-second scene of two men dancing. However, Malaysia later approved an uncut version with a P13 rating, with the Ministry of Home Affairs stating that 'the gay elements in the film are minor, and [do] not affect the positive elements featured in the film'.
8. The Barnyard Battle (Germany)
In 1929, Germany censored the Mickey Mouse short 'The Barnyard Battle', which shows an army of cats battling mice. The censorship occurred because the cats' helmets resembled the German military 'pickelhaube'. Both Germany and the UK also banned another Mickey Mouse short, 'The Mad Doctor', due to its horror elements.
7. Little Women (Manila)
In 1998, actress Claire Danes made disparaging remarks about Manila, describing it as 'smelling of cockroaches, with rats all over'. In response, the Philippine government declared her 'persona non grata', and Manila imposed a ban on all her films, including 'Little Women', a highly praised family classic. Although Danes later apologized for her comments, the ban remains in place.
6. Barney’s Great Adventure (Malaysia)
This one remains somewhat puzzling. Malaysia banned the 1998 film 'Barney’s Great Adventure' for being 'unsuitable for children to watch'. Parents and educators have long criticized the Barney franchise for presenting 'a one-dimensional world where everyone must be happy', which led to several controversial parodies and even legal cases. Despite Barney's reputation as one of the most disliked franchises, no official reason was given for why the movie was deemed 'unsuitable'.
5. Abominable (Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia)
Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia all banned 'Abominable', a DreamWorks Animation film about a Yeti and an adventurous girl. The reason? The film features a map with a version of the 'nine-dash line', a disputed boundary claimed by China over parts of the South China Sea, which overlaps with territorial claims from Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
4. Back to the Future (China)
China banned 'Back to the Future' for depicting—of all things—time travel. The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television justified the ban by stating that time travel in media trivializes 'serious history', which they argued should no longer be encouraged. While the reasoning may seem odd, it was also the very essence of 'Back to the Future'.
3. Christopher Robin (China and Taiwan)
This case takes the top spot as it’s the only instance where a country blocked a film due to an Internet meme. Yes, after a series of memes spread by PewDiePie (who was banned for the same reason) in July 2017, which compared Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Winnie-the-Pooh, China censored all references to Winnie on social media. As a result, 'Christopher Robin', a movie based on the beloved character, was banned in China.
2. Shrek 2 (Israel)
While Lebanon banned 'Wonder Woman' because of its lead, Israel took issue with 'Shrek 2' for an entirely different reason. The Hebrew dub included a joke about popular Israeli singer David Daor’s signature falsetto, where a character threatened to emasculate another by saying, 'Let’s do a David Daor on him'. Daor argued the joke would permanently depict him as a eunuch, causing him to become a laughingstock. A Tel Aviv District Court ordered the film removed from several theaters, and the distributors of the Hebrew version later changed the line to 'let’s take a sword and neuter him', which satisfied Daor’s legal team.
1. Wonder Woman (Arab League)
You may not immediately understand why the Arab League banned 'Wonder Woman'. Lebanon removed the film from theaters because of its lead actress, Gal Gadot, who served two years in the Israeli Defense Force and has publicly supported Israel on social media. Due to Lebanon’s ongoing conflicts with Israel, the country prohibits the purchase of Israeli products. However, Lebanon did allow the release of 'Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice', which also featured Gadot, despite a boycott movement. Rania Masri, from the Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel—Lebanon, stated that screening 'Wonder Woman' would 'normalize relations with an enemy state', a stance Lebanon refuses to accept. Tunisia and Qatar also followed suit by banning the film for similar reasons.
