IMDb Polls

Poll: Movies You Love, but Dictators Hate

Which of these select movies banned during a past or present authoritarian regime or dictatorship* is your favorite forbidden film? Sources: Wikipedia, The Economist *Democracy Index Scale 0-4

After voting, discuss the topic here.

Make Your Choice

  1. Vote!
     

    The Great Dictator (1940)

    Banned for "mocking dictatorships" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Argentina, Germany, Paraguay, Uganda

  2. Vote!
     

    Fight Club (1999)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  3. Vote!
     

    The Departed (2006)

    Banned for "implying Chinese government would use nuclear weapons on Taiwan."

    China

  4. Vote!
     

    Wonder Woman (2017)

    Banned "in accordance with a decades-old Lebanese law and Arab League policy that boycotts Israeli products, namely Gal Gadot"

    Lebanon, Qatar

  5. Vote!
     

    Apocalypse Now (1979)

    Banned under President Park Chung-hee's regime for "its anti-war themes."

    South Korea

  6. Vote!
     

    Ben-Hur (1959)

    Banned under the regime of Mao Zedong for containing "propaganda of superstitious beliefs, namely Christianity" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    China, Uganda

  7. Vote!
     

    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  8. Vote!
     

    The Simpsons Movie (2007)

    Banned for the "juxtaposition of yellow and red" as unlucky (rebel group colors).

    Burma

  9. Vote!
     

    300 (2006)

    Banned for "its negative portrayal of the Persian military."

    Iran

  10. Vote!
     

    Z (1969)

    Banned for "being critical of the Greek junta, known as the Regime of the Colonels" (in conjunction with a ban on the letter "Z")" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Greece, Uganda

  11. Vote!
     

    Modern Times (1936)

    Banned in Nazi Germany "for advocating Communism" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Germany, Uganda

  12. Vote!
     

    The Green Mile (1999)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  13. Vote!
     

    Schindler's List (1993)

    Banned for "for being propaganda with the intent of soliciting sympathy for the Jewish cause."

    Indonesia, Malaysia

  14. Vote!
     

    Rambo (2008)

    Banned for "negative portrayals of Burmese soldiers."

    Burma

  15. Vote!
     

    The Deer Hunter (1978)

    Banned for "danger of being misunderstood" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Paraguay, Uganda

  16. Vote!
     

    Paths of Glory (1957)

    Banned under Franco's regime for "its anti-military themes" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Spain, Uganda

  17. Vote!
     

    Gladiator (2000)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  18. Vote!
     

    Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

    Banned for "being critical of the Iraq war and being an insult to Saudi Arabia's royal family."

    Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

  19. Vote!
     

    Argo (2012)

    Banned for "its negative portrayal of Iran."

    Iran

  20. Vote!
     

    Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    Banned for "its negative portrayal of the October Revolution and communist Russia" (in conjunction with a ban on Boris Pasternak's novel, both lifted 1994)" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Russia, Uganda

  21. Vote!
     

    Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

    Banned for "a disrespectful portrayal of Arab culture", as "imperialist propaganda", "for being anti-Turkish" and "misrepresentation."

    Jordan, Uganda, Turkey and many other Arab countries

  22. Vote!
     

    The Matrix (1999)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  23. Vote!
     

    The Interview (2014)

    Banned for "justifying and encouraging terrorism via the film's premise about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un." North Korea
  24. Vote!
     

    We Were Soldiers (2002)

    Banned for "distorting the history of a just war and the humanity of the Vietnamese people."

    Vietnam

  25. Vote!
     

    The Death of Stalin (2017)

    Banned by Russia's Ministry of Culture as "... its satire was part of an alleged Western plot to destabilize the country."

    Russia

  26. Vote!
     

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

    Banned in Nazi Germany "for showing democracy working well" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Germany, Uganda

  27. Vote!
     

    Saving Private Ryan (1998)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  28. Vote!
     

    South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

    Banned for "pervasive vulgar language and crude sexual humor, and for some violent images", as well as, "depicting (dictator) Saddam Hussein in a comedic light."

    Burma, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Vietnam and other nations.

  29. Vote!
     

    Team America: World Police (2004)

    Banned for "ridiculing President Kim Jong-Il."

    North Korea

  30. Vote!
     

    Back to the Future (1985)

    Banned for "depicting time travel and superficial depiction of significant historical events."

    China

  31. Vote!
     

    All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

    Banned for "being "anti-German" and anti-militaristic", "imperialist propaganda" and alternatively being too "pro-German." (France, Poland)

    Germany, Uganda

  32. Vote!
     

    American Beauty (1999)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  33. Vote!
     

    The Kingdom (2007)

    Banned for "an inaccurate depiction of a 1996 bombing in Saudi Arabia."

    Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

  34. Vote!
     

    Titanic (1997)

    Banned as part of a "prohibition on Western technology and art including all films" during the five-year reign of the Taliban government (1996-2001).

    Afghanistan

  35. Vote!
     

    Duck Soup (1933)

    Banned for "poking fun at dictators and war", "because the comedy stars were Jewish" and as "imperialist propaganda."

    Germany, Italy, Uganda


Recently Viewed