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The 70s and 80s gave us many classics we still enjoy today, movies that have shaped what we understand cinema to be. However, during that experimenting period, many other movies came out that challenge our sensitivities today. We aren’t just ‘emotional,’ we are more comprehensive today when it comes to what is ok to show in movies.
These are the films that you can’t enjoy today due to their content. We’ve also included a few entries that, while technically fine content wise, are physically hard to find, fitting with the theme of media lost to time.
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The Kentucky Fried Movie
This 1977 sketch comedy from the creators of Airplane! is packed with jokes that would never survive a modern studio release. Some sketches are now remembered as much for their offensiveness as their humor.
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Cruising
William Friedkin’s 1980 thriller remains controversial decades later. Its depiction of New York’s gay leather subculture sparked protests upon release and continues to divide audiences and critics today.
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Soul Man
The premise alone makes modern viewers wince. In this 1986 comedy, a white student darkens his skin to qualify for a scholarship, making it one of the most frequently cited examples of an aging poorly concept.
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The Toy
Richard Pryor remains hilarious, but the film’s central premise involving a wealthy man effectively purchasing another human being as a plaything makes many viewers uncomfortable today.
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Revenge of the Nerds
Once considered an underdog classic, the film has undergone major reevaluation. Several scenes involving consent and intimate deception are now discussed far more than the movie’s comedy.
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The Gods Must Be Crazy
This 1980 international hit remains beloved by many viewers, but critics have increasingly questioned aspects of its portrayal of African characters and cultures through a modern lens.
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The Cannonball Run
Packed with celebrity cameos, the film also includes racial and ethnic stereotypes that were common in broad comedies of the era but draw far more scrutiny today.
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Sixteen Candles
John Hughes’ coming-of-age classic remains influential, but several jokes and character portrayals have become recurring points of criticism among modern audiences revisiting the film.
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Bachelor Party
Tom Hanks’ early comedy was a success in 1984, yet many of its jokes reflect attitudes and humor that have become far less acceptable to contemporary viewers.
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The Day the Clown Cried
Jerry Lewis’ infamous unreleased film about a clown in a Nazi concentration camp became legendary largely because almost nobody has actually seen it. It remains one of cinema’s most famous lost movies.
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Let’s Get Harry
This 1986 action film has never achieved widespread availability on modern streaming platforms. It occasionally resurfaces through specialty releases but remains largely forgotten and difficult for casual viewers to locate.
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Nothing Lasts Forever
Despite starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Zach Galligan, this 1984 fantasy comedy was shelved before receiving a proper theatrical release. For years it was nearly impossible to see outside rare broadcasts.
The post Movies from the ’70s & ’80s You Can’t Watch Anymore appeared first on Den of Geek.
