NSFW: These 21 NC-17 Movies Should Be on Your List
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Depending on who you ask, an NC-17 rating is somewhat of a special distinction (on film Twitter at least), with only 90 films bearing the rating. Here's a quick history you might not have asked for but you're going to get nonetheless: The Motion Picture Association’s rating system was introduced in 1968, ranging from G to X. By 1990, the X rating had been co-opted by the porn industry and the MPA, clutching their pearls, created a new rating to replace it. There’s a reason the film industry has a reputation for pretension, but that's how the NC-17 rating was born.
The most controversial rating in the film industry, NC-17 is currently the highest rating in the MPA system, meaning “no one 17 and under admitted.” This rating, and all ratings really, have become obsolete in the post-theater streaming era, but who doesn’t love an unnecessary label inviting skeptics to pre-determine the value of a thing? An NC-17 rating does not always designate highly sexual material, though it often does. It also can be slapped on a movie that features violence, drugs, and too much swearing. Well f*ck.
Whether you’re looking for something extra spicy, or you're a teenager looking to defy your parents, here are the best NC-17 and X rated movies of all time. Watch them all and join the corrupted!
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
While we’re feeling angsty, let us begin with Midnight Cowboy. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight as a con man and a sex worker, this film was given an X rating due to its “homosexual frame of reference” and “possible influence upon youngsters.” Midnight Cowboy went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture, the only X-rated movie to take home the award. In 1971, the film was reissued its rightful rating–R.
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Directed by Oliver Stone and starring Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis, Natural Born Killers has a bit of a diehard following. The film follows two lovers suffering from childhood trauma (relatable) whose murder spree becomes sensationalized by the media (all the rage in 2023).
Blonde (2022)
The most controversial movie of 2022 is also the most recent addition to the NC-17 family. Starring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe (but not), Netflix’s Blonde is an adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates biographical fiction novel from 2000.
The Dreamers (2003)
What is worthy of an NC-17 rating? An incestuous love triangle, in this case. The Dreamers is an international film that follows an American student studying abroad in Paris who meets a pair of enigmatic siblings. When in Paris, right? Beyond the erotica, this film features an interesting sub-plot, set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots.
Showgirls (1995)
The only NC-17 film to ever be given a wide theatrical release, Showgirls follows a young drifter on her way to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a showgirl. This film, with all its faults, is a cultural touchstone. Considered by critics one of the worst films ever made, Showgirls has a massive cult following and lasting stamp on modern culture.
Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013)
This French film follows two teenagers exploring love and sexuality, following their relationship from adolescence to adulthood. The film won the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and was considered by many as one of the best films of the year.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
A major bookmark in the history of dystopian narratives, Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange follows a juvenile delinquent undergoing state-sponsored psychological rehabilitation. Regarding that rating, we’re not talking about typical teen delinquency here. Malcolm McDowell’s Alex finds joy in committing rape and “ultra-violence” with his gang of “droogs.” Dark stuff!
Y tu mamá también (2001)
This film comes from auteur filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, the man behind Gravity, Roma, Great Expectations, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban. Y tu mamá también is a coming-of-age film, following two teenage boys on a road trip with an older woman. The film went on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and took home a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.
Crash (1996)
King of divisive ratings and near-unwatchable body horror, David Cronenberg debuted his film Crash in 1996. If the name sounds familiar, his recently celebrated work, Crimes of the Future, made noise at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Crash follows a film producer who survives a car crash and becomes involved in the symphorophilia community–those who are aroused by car crashes, because that exists, apparently.
The Devils (1971)
This British historical drama follows the fall of a 17th-century Catholic priest accused of witchcraft, and a sexually repressed nun who incites the accusations. The film’s X rating comes from its intense violence, sexuality, and of course, critique of religion. The film was banned in several countries, and unfortunately for us, is not available on any streaming service, nor any DVD. This may be one of the most heavily censored films on this list, so if you ever get the chance to see it, do it.
Man Bites Dog (1992)
This mockumentary-style dark comedy follows a team of filmmakers following a serial killer, eventually becoming accomplices in his crimes. Like many of the films on this list, Man Bites Dog has generated a large following in the 31 years since its release.
Bad Lieutenant (1992)
Starring Harvey Keitel as, well, a bad lieutenant, this film earned its rating for drug use and violence.
Shame (2011)
This psychological drama stars Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan as siblings struggling with sex addiction and depression. Since its release, the film has been praised as a realistic depiction of sex addiction, an experience that is not typically well-presented on screen.
Killer Joe (2011)
This crime thriller stars Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, and Juno Temple, and follows a drug dealer in Texas who, down on his luck, puts a hit out on his own mother to collect insurance money. The film’s rating was the source of some controversy, with the director William Friedkin saying, “To get an R rating, I would have had to destroy it in order to save it and I wasn’t interested in doing that.
Happiness (1998)
Unfortunately, this black comedy is tough to track down and currently not streamable, but still worth an honorable mention. Starring Jane Adams, Jon Lovits, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Happiness is a story about human connection, following the lives of three sisters and the people around them. The film’s rating comes from its heavily sexual themes and its portrayal of pedophilia.
Mysterious Skin (2004)
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mysterious Skin is a coming-of-age film that follows two young boys through their troubled lives after suffering sexual abuse as children. One becomes a prostitute, and the other becomes obsessed with alien abductions and other-worldly fantasies.
Perfect Blue (1997)
This Japanese animated thriller follows a pop star who retires from the music scene to pursue acting, becoming a victim of stalking and losing her sense of reality. If you’re a Darren Aronofsky fan, this is one of his favorite films and it actually inspired many of the shots and angles in Requiem for a Dream.
The Evil Dead (1981)
Sam Raimi’s directorial debut The Evil Dead follows five college students in a remote cabin who become possessed by demons and spirits. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest horror films ever made, and spawned a massive media franchise.
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)
From the desk of famed movie critic Roger Ebert, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is intended to be a satirical sequel to the 1967 film Valley of the Dolls. It earned its rating for nudity and sex.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
This psychological horror follows a serial killer on a crime spree, killing with impunity. More than horror, this film is a slasher, which carries much of the weight in its X rating.
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990)
This film was one of a few that were instrumental in the creation of the NC-17 rating. Originally given an X rating, the film’s distribution company sued the MPAA, saying the X rating, which was normally reserved for pornography, was marginalizing the distribution of the film and essentially cutting it off at the knees. As a result, the film got its NC-17 rating and was a hit among critics. The film follows a psychiatric patient who is released from a hospital and kidnaps an actress to make her fall in love with him.
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