Have you ever watched a banned movie? You may not know it, but youโve watched plenty on M-Net, and one of them is The Interview, starring James Franco and Seth Rogen.
With a story revolving around a plot to assassinate North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, itโs little wonder the film was banned in said country. Their UN ambassador dubbed it an โact of warโ; but if you consider the kind of comedy these two actors produce, it could hardly be construed as such. ย
As if that werenโt drama enough, Sony Pictures Entertainment (the parent company of Columbia Pictures, who distributed the film)ย was hacked by โGuardians of Peaceโ, and threats were made that cinemas screening the film would be attacked. As a result, the New York City premiere was cancelled, and many major cinema chains chose not to release the film.The Interview thus received a limited release at selected cinemas, and was made available for online rental.
Take a look at what other movies you may have watched on M-Net, which have been banned in various countries for a variety of reasons.
E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1982)
Banned in:ย Scandinavia
This heartwarming tale about friendship was banned for children under the age of eleven, because it portrayed โadults as enemies to children.โ
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300 (2006)
Banned In: Iran
The Zackย Snyder-directed action flick was deemed as Western war propaganda, depicting Persians as weak and tyrannical.
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The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Banned In: China, Egypt, Jordan, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka and parts of India.
Amongst the many accusations of blasphemy, was the deceptive depiction of the Vatican in the film, which led to its ban in many countries. Although not banned in the US, protestors gathered outside cinemas in opposition to its release.
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The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Banned in: Myanmar
For a time, the colours red and yellow were not allowed in films released in Myanmar, which makes it pretty self-explanatory why a movie full of the Simpsons and their yellow-hued community was banned.
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2012 (2009)
Banned In: North Korea
The year 2012 marked the 100-year anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the countryโs first supreme leader. Due to planned celebrations, the North Korean government didnโt want something like a Roland Emmerich disaster movie about the end of the world in their all-important year released in cinemas and spoiling the mood.
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Noah (2014)
Banned In: Indonesia, Bahrain, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China
The film caused fury amongst Muslims and Christians, both groups deeming it as blasphemous. Apart from the religious debate, was the worrying plot point that only Caucasians survive the flood.