A town in Wisconsin claimed the spider licking her lips could be “taken in two ways, including sexual.” Balderdash.įrom Here to Eternity: James Jones’ book was censored by the publisher when it was first released to eliminate all references to homosexuality and most of the profanity. My favorite (read “most idiotic”) reason for banning a Dahl book has to do with a certain scene involving the Spider in James And The Giant Peach. James and the Giant Peach: Beloved yarn-spinner, Roald Dahl, appears several times on the banned books list and you may, if you like, substitute the Anjelica Huston version of his fabulously creepy The Witches for this stop-motion delight. Weirdly, that burning coincided with the release of Peter Jackson’s first film in the trilogy (sextology?), The Fellowship of the Rings. Point of fact, Tolkein once told Lewis that The Lord of the Rings was a “fundamentally religious and Christian work unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.” It may not surprise anyone to know that the Powers That Be in New Mexico actually burned a heap of Tolkien’s work outside the Christ Community Church as recently as 2001. The Lord of the Rings: It’s hard to believe that such a benign book was ever on a banned list, but some fundamentalists consider Tolkien’s work to be “irreligious.” Which is odd given Tolkien’s devout Catholicism and his friendship with renowned Christian author C.S. But it holds up over time mostly because of Alan Arkin’s standout performance. Accusations of racial insensitivity are still landing Mitchell’s Civil War saga on banned and challenged lists.Ĭatch-22: One reason Joseph Heller’s searing war novel was challenged was the frequent use of the word “whore.” Mike Nichols’ darkly comic adaptation didn’t enjoy much success upon release (as opposed to the runaway hit M*A*S*H*). The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice disdained Scarlett’s multiple marriages and The Watch and Ward Society expressed shock over Belle Watling’s madam character. This particular ban is extra fun because of the delightful names of the groups so dedicated to its eradication. Gone With the Wind: Margaret Mitchell’s bestseller was initially banned for “racy” language that would seem positively tame by today’s standards. This exploration of dark psychic pain is exactly the kind of material Kubrick thrived on and its no wonder he shows up again on this list. My preference is for the Kubrick not just because of James Mason’s worn yet eager performance, but because of Peter Sellers’ unforgettable turn as Humbert shadow, Quilty. You can swim around in the seaminess of Humbert Humbert and his nymphets with either the 1962 Kubrick film or the 1997 TV version with Jeremy Irons. Lolita: It’s no mystery at all why Nabokov’s book about pedophilia has been banned from its very first publication.
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