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The NC-17 rating first appeared in 1990 for the movie Henry and June. It replaced the X-rating used throughout the 70s for sexually explicit American films, or as it’s referred to: porn. Don’t get it confused with NA which applies to films that haven’t been submitted to be rated by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
Fifty years ago, and through the early 80s adult film theaters were popular in America’s cities. However, those films were usually labeled “XXX” which alerted viewers that the sexual content was more extreme than an X-rating. However, both labels meant that no one under 18 years old were allowed to view them.
Since the MPA didn’t create the X-rating and therefore films that fell under that category weren’t officially sanctioned by them they created their own, and NC-17 was born. They started putting films that are sexually explicit under this category, but later on, came to include movies with extreme violence. Hard to Kill was the first modern film to receive NC-17 for violence.
Nowadays it seems the MPA isn’t as strict as it was then and the rules of an R-rating have been extended a bit. The last NC-17 film was released in 2022 and that was for the mock Marylin Monroe biopic Blonde (2022) which had a limited theatrical release before heading to Netflix about two weeks later.
Below are some films that the MPA feels are not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. You will see Evil Dead on the list, but that was probably because of the “tree” scene, and there’s Cannibal Holocaust which features realistic human sacrifices and cannibalism.
One of the movies A Serbian Film might arguably be the most disturbing on the list as it deals with unspeakable acts of sexual violence.
We also noticed Rob Zombie’s 31 has an R rating on the trailer. That’s because the MPA originally gave it an NC-17 before he did two re-edits.
Take a look at the films and their trailers below and let us know if you have — or plan to — watch any of them. You can find out where at JustWatch.
31 (2016)
Five carnival workers are kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned, hellish compound where they are forced to participate in a violent game, the goal of which is to survive twelve hours against a gang of sadistic clowns.
Bad Lieutenant (1992)
While investigating a young nun’s rape, a corrupt New York City police detective, with a serious drug and gambling addiction, tries to change his ways and find forgiveness and redemption.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
During a rescue mission into the Amazon rainforest, a professor stumbles across lost film shot by a missing documentary crew.
Crash (1996)
After recovering from a car crash, a film producer becomes involved with an underground sub-culture of car crash victims who are sexually aroused by car accidents, hoping it will help him rekindle his sexual relationship with his wife.
The Evil Dead (1981)
Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.
Frontier(s) (2007)
A gang of young thieves flee Paris during the violent aftermath of a political election, only to hole up at an Inn run by neo-Nazis.
Intent to Kill (1992)
A young policewoman relentlessly tries to bring down a ruthless drug kingpin whom plots his own agenda for his drug distribution empire.
A Serbian Film (2010)
An aging porn star agrees to participate in an “art film” in order to make a clean break from the business, only to discover that he has been drafted into making a pedophilia and necrophilia themed snuff film.
Sorority House Massacre III: Hard to Die aka Tower of Terror aka Hard to Die
While doing the inventory for a lingerie outlet in a high-rise office building, five attractive women are terrorized by a series of bizarre killings. They suspect that the strange janitor, who witnessed another series of killings years back, is at the bottom of the whole thing. Little do they know the real horror that they face in the end.