Views and ethics are constantly changing, and nowhere shows this off better than Hollywood. Acting as a record of years gone by, some movies are now so out of sync with modern views that they would never leave the studio today. Here are 18 movies that are too offensive to be made now.
Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks’ Western parody Blazing Saddles is famous for pushing boundaries with its crude humor and racial satire, but these very things that made it a classic also make it unlikely to be made today. The movie’s approach to race relations is outdated, and the offensive jokes are more shocking than funny.
Sixteen Candles
Despite being loved by many, the teen comedy Sixteen Candles contains several elements that haven’t aged well. A Chinese exchange student is called Long Duk Dong and has several stereotypical characteristics, while date r*** is casually brushed off. It’s unlikely any of this would make it out of the studio if modern standards were applied.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Audrey Hepburn is iconic for all the right reasons, but Mickey Rooney’s Mr. Yunioshi is not. He’s a caricature of a Japanese man, shown as a stereotype with no other characterization, and it’s cringeworthy to watch today, with his scenes being offensive to modern viewers.
Gone with the Wind
This Civil War epic remains one of the most well-known films ever made. Still, its romanticized depiction of the Antebellum South was odd even at the time, and its problematic portrayal of slavery makes it extremely dated. The movie’s seemingly nostalgic view of an openly racist and slave-holding society is rightfully shunned by modern society.
Soul Man
In this 1986 comedy, a white student needs to pose as a black man to get a scholarship, so he takes tanning pills to change his skin tone. Things don’t get better from that problematic premise, with the rest of the movie relying on blackface and racial stereotypes for comedy. These unacceptable elements and the insensitive handling of race issues make it a movie that would never be greenlit today.
Trading Places
While this Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd comedy remains popular, several scenes are extremely problematic. Of particular note is the one where Ackroyd’s character Louis Winthorpe III uses blackface as part of the role swap in an offensive scene that would horrify contemporary audiences.
Revenge of the Nerds
Despite being popular enough to start its own franchise, the comedy movie Revenge of the Nerds is often criticized for its problematic portrayal of women and consent. One infamous scene involves a character tricking a woman into intimacy by pretending to be her boyfriend, with this being treated as a funny scene about the nerds getting the better of the jocks.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jim Carrey’s breakout role is still well-known and even loved by some audiences, but we can’t forget the transphobic jokes that would be unacceptable now. The ending treats the reveal of the villain being transgender as a joke and makes them a laughing stock, reflecting outdated and harmful attitudes towards transgender people.
The Toy
This Richard Pryor comedy features a rich white child who is told he can have anything he wants from his father’s store. He chooses the janitor, essentially buying a black man to be his friend. This premise is deeply problematic, with worrying echoes of slavery for modern audiences.
Short Circuit
Fisher Stevens stars as Ben Jabituya in this 1986 sci-fi comedy about a military robot taking on a human personality after being hit by lightning. Unfortunately, Ben Jabituya is supposed to be an Indian character, which Stevens plays with brownface and an exaggerated accent in scenes that are distinctly uncomfortable for modern society.
The Love Guru
A 2008 romantic comedy, The Love Guru, was seen as outdated even when it was released. It faced criticism for its portrayal of Indian culture and heavy reliance on ethnic stereotypes. It performed poorly at the box office and was universally panned by critics and viewers alike, winning three Razzies.
Manhattan
Despite being successful on release and getting classic status, you don’t have to look far to see the problem with Manhattan. Woody Allen stars as Isaac Davis, a 42-year-old man who is in a relationship with Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), a 17-year-old girl. The movie romanticizes this age difference, strongly suggesting that she is the right choice over an older woman.
Porky’s
Four teens go to the club Porky’s. The owner humiliates them, prompting them to vow revenge on him. This movie is notorious for its objectification of women, and many of its scenes have the protagonists harassing them, making it uncomfortable viewing for modern viewers.
The Birth of a Nation
Despite being a landmark in cinema history, The Birth of a Nation has several issues that make it severely outdated and offensive. It is proudly racist, portraying the Ku Klux Klan as heroes that save white women from aggressive African Americans. This overtly racist content would make it completely unacceptable today.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones in this 1984 prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Despite being a box-office success, it has since faced significant criticism for its portrayal of Indians as either evil cultists who enslave children or as helpless victims, needing Indy to swoop in and rescue them.
You Only Live Twice
A Sean Connery Bond film, You Only Live Twice, has him dressing up as a Japanese man, complete with yellowface and eye prosthetics. Unsurprisingly, this doesn’t hold up to modern standards, and the general consensus agrees that this is painful to watch, with many wishing it had never happened.
Soul Plane
A 2004 comedy, Soul Plane, sees some last-minute passengers aboard a black-owned airline create havoc. Unfortunately, much of its humor relies on racial stereotypes and a simplified view of African American culture and issues, playing down real issues faced by them.
Aladdin
Disney’s animated classic Aladdin is not without its problems, either. It shows Middle Eastern culture negatively, with lyrics even referring to the region as “barbaric.” Outside of this, it paints the Middle East as some sort of magical land of flying carpets and genies stuck in the past.
