Sometimes a filmmaker creates a piece of work that pushes the boundaries beyond the qualifications for the "R-rating." Whether it is extreme violence, graphic sex, or some other envelope-pushing facet, certain films necessitate a higher rating, thus the NC-17 rating was born.
Though the rating has been applied to some of the best films of our time, many films that receive an NC-17 rating are edited and resubmitted for a lesser rating (American Psycho, Eyes Wide Shut). These are the 10 most critically acclaimed films that were originally released with an NC-17 rating, as rated by Rotten Tomatoes.
Updated on May 28th, 2021 by Kristy Ambrose: Since the original list was completed a few more films have appeared on the NC-17 radar. Recent films like Deadpool and Logan have proven that a movie with an NC-17 or even an R rating can still be financially successful. The rating continues to be a controversial one, with movies being more heavily scrutinized for sexual content than violence, and there have been a few notable appeals to MPAA rulings. We've added a few more so viewers can judge for themselves.
Henry & June (1990) - 62%
Co-writer and director Philip Kaufman adapted the popular biographical novel for the screen with this Academy Award-nominated take on the love life of novelist Henry Miller. Kaufman's film was given an NC-17 rating for its steamy sex scenes between Miller and his mistress, and the author of the source material, Anaïs Nin.
While the film was fairly well-received at the time, it was ironically derided by some critics for not being erotic enough. Though a good film in its own right, the film is primarily known for being the first film to receive the newly instilled NC-17 rating.
Crash (1996) - 63%
Due to Crash, a bizarre film centered around a group of 'friends' whose common link is their sexual arousal at the sight of car crashes and their victims.
The film's highly graphic sex scenes and signature Cronenbergian violence was enough to warrant the rating, though the film's quality would win it general acclaim and a series of awards on the major festival circuit.
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989) - 67%
Pedro Almodovar has had more than one of his films get slapped with the NC-17 rating from the MPAA, though this remains one of his most vibrant and unusually unsettling visions.
Essentially a story about Stockholm syndrome played as a romantic drama, the film is deceivingly simple on the first watch and garnered a seemingly equal amount of scorn and praise when released stateside. Antonio Banderas manages to strike a great balance between charismatic and malicious and helps sell the ethically murky waters of the narrative.
Man Bites Dog (1992) - 74%
Surely one of the most controversial films of the 90s, this documentary-styled polemic on the cruelty of human nature is one of the more notorious underground films to receive the rating, especially when originally released in 1992.
The film's setup is relatively simple -- a film crew decides to trail a ruthless murderer around as he commits his crimes amidst nonchalant musings on everything from art to the nature of living. A brutal and important film in the cult film circuit, the filmmakers never made another movie.
Bad Lieutenant (1992) - 77%
A dark plunge into police corruption and the depths of some people's depravity, Bad Lieutenant, also released in 1992, represented notable auteur Abel Ferrera's attempt to explore themes of redemption and man's relation to his vices.
Indie legend Harvey Keitel stars in the lead and titular role as a vice-laden cop investigating a horrendous assault on a nun whilst attempting to weather his existential crisis. An exceedingly bleak and challenging film, the technical aspects give the film a gritty look and feel that adds to its unsettling power. One of the boldest movies of the decade, Bad Lieutenant is a low-budget masterpiece that has become a favorite for many of cinema's biggest names.
Shame (2011) - 79%
Filmmaker Shame. Fassbender stars as a man who is intensely addicted to sex, but can't form personal relationships, which comes to haunt him when his sister shows up unannounced.
The film features explicit sex scenes that are integral to the film's thematic goal. It's a dark and cold look at loneliness which goes where many romantic dramas would never dare.
Pink Flamingos (1972) - 81%
Though initially released with an X rating, Pink Flamingos has subsequently been re-rated NC-17. John Waters, the king of filth and transgressive kitsch, released his most iconic and depraved piece of work ever in 1972 with the release of the film. Absolutely disgusting and somehow enthralling to behold, Waters and his muse, Divine, craft one of the most subversive cult films ever made.
The film's loose narrative concerns Divine's character striving to maintain the title of "Filthiest Person Alive," which she does by engaging in a torrent of exhibitions meant to disgust. Unique and important in the history of film, Pink Flamingos made the best of the NC-17 rating.
Inside Deep Throat (2005) - 82%
A documentary about one of history's most well-known pornographic films gained notoriety not only because of the subject matter but also the entertaining take on both mediums. This is a real documentary, however, and not a "mockumentary" in the same spirit as movies like This Is Spinal Tap.
The original movie was made in 1972 and broke a lot of the rules that previously governed the basic premise of most adult films, including being the most successful independent film of the time. The documentary talks about the film's cultural impact and the effect it had on moviemaking in every genre.
Broken English (1996) - 82%
A drama that would be run-of-the-mill if not for the New Zealand setting, It's only rated NC-17 by the MPAA because of one sex scene and the filmmakers appealed the ruling, so don't let the rating put you off a compelling modern drama that shows how small the world is really getting. It mixes the ideals of a hard-nosed Croatian refugee against those of his daughter who doesn't share his old-world views.
His daughter Nina has grown up in Auckland and is involved in a marriage of convenience with a Chinese national and a romantic relationship with the Maori cook who works at the same restaurant that she does. It could be the modern version of Moonstruck but set across the pond.
Last Tango In Paris (1972) - 83%
Controversial even now, as much or more for its off-camera infamy than the actual film itself, Last Tango in Paris is a searing look at grief and eroticism as interpreted through the eyes of Bernardo Bertolucci and is about a recently widowed American who finds solace in an affair with a much younger French girl.
The film owes much of its strange allure to the rapturous cinematography and the disturbing and nuanced lead performance from Marlon Brando. A staunchly anti-Hollywood romance, the film's sex scenes are about as raw and explicit as one can imagine.
