Classic Films That Wouldn’t Be Made Today

The film industry is a billion-dollar industry that commands a large presence throughout the world. Many of us watch films and television on an almost daily basis – whether going to the theater or using streaming services from the comfort of our homes – and what we view is often rather influential in how we think, how we act, or what goals we may have. Movies can affect us in such a way that we decide to change the course of our lives.

But the movie business doesn't always have a positive influence. The Hollywood film industry has long been exalted as glamorous, however, in recent years the darker side of the business has come to light. The smiling faces, talk of camaraderie, and dazzling lights seen on-screen were not always what they seemed to be or what we were led to believe. Even the subject matter that a movie once injected into a script is seen as taboo; what once was thought to be a delightful portrayal of people coming together or finding love is now revealed to be quite the opposite.

The Hollywood of today is vastly different than that of yesteryear; films now employ intimacy coordinators advocating for actors during scenes that in previous years led to abuse (the hit film, "Poor Things" in which leading actress Emma Stone won an Academy Award is a perfect example  - an intimacy coordinator was on set to make sure everything went smoothly). With the changes implemented on movie sets, many of the films that were released in previous decades wouldn't make it to the silver screen today. In some films, it's the subject matter that would be halted well before production. In others, the well-being of the actors would take precedence.

Finally, in other cases, a director would know that a film just wouldn't be well-received by modern audiences, which are significantly more progressive than they've ever been. (Don't forget to check out Old TV Shows That Would Never Be Made Today.)

This film was made during an era when the idea of slavery wasn't thought of as horrifying as it is today and didn't include modern-day conscientiousness. The roles of slaves throughout the film are romanticized rather than portrayed as they should have been – the inhumane savagery of slavery.

This musical centers around Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan who fall madly in love. Bigelow is an abusive man who hits Jordan, and instead of recoiling, Jordon accepts the abuse, even saying, "It is possible that someone may beat you and beat you and not hurt you at all." Abuse is an issue that should never be romanticized. In today's world, abuse is called out for what it is and women are encouraged to seek help as they work on extricating themselves (and their children) from dangerous environments and dizzying delusions.

This film was almost not released but when it did make it to theaters, it was filled with off-color jokes and inappropriate dialogue. From Asian slurs to the first n-word uttered by a white man, and then another slur aimed at homosexuals, this movie was rampant with political incorrectness throughout.

This film is a far cry from the perspectives of today's culture, a movie full of parody skits that are purposely irreverent. It certainly garnered laughs at the time with its silly aspects, but it's also full of profanity, sexual topics, and violence. It's a shocking film with no real storyline and those with delicate sensibilities would not appreciate sitting through it today.

Most of the dialogue in this comedy, about an ex-fighter pilot, a crew with food poisoning, and passengers trying to get back on land safely, would most likely never make it out of the writer's room today. Even though it's meant to be a comedic parody, the scenes and language would shock audiences in modern times.

The premise of this film sounds empowering for a group of misfits, but multiple scenes would probably prevent it from getting made today. There was revenge porn, non-consensual sex, homophobia, and racism — all wrapped up in a film that is meant to celebrate the underdogs.

The movie is about a teenager's sixteenth birthday but instead of a celebratory affair, she experiences an awful day. There are several racial and homophobic slurs throughout the film as well as harassment of women, with one character, Ted Hall, implying that he sexually assaulted someone who was passed out after drinking. This behavior is applauded, which is something that would never happen in today's climate.

This film is about a 15-year-old high school student who moonlights as a prostitute is enough to realize that a film with this content would most likely not be made today.

This film follows five teenagers who learn they have more in common than they thought when stuck in weekend detention. Each teen character embodies a certain clique epitomizing a specific stereotype, from the jock and the brain to the rebel and the rich girl. The film touches on important issues, including parental neglect and suicidal thoughts but it's also littered with sexist jokes and bullying/harassment, which wasn't considered inappropriate at the time. These serious issues are glossed over because it was normal then but now those standards are a thing of the past.

This movie is meant to be a comedy/romance and follows a privileged teen who pretends to be a black man so he can reap the benefits of a scholarship and attend his dream school, Harvard. The white actor was plastered with dark makeup to impersonate a person of another race, and this film was widely criticized after its release.

This film is full of stereotypes, with a clear line of division between the popular girls and jocks and the rest of the students, and trivializes serious topics, including murder and suicide. There's bullying throughout the film, which culminates violently. The dialogue takes you by surprise as well, with some characters verbalizing brutal scenes.

This classic film, starring the late Robin Williams, Sally Field, and Pierce Brosnan, has numerous issues – stalking, breaking a court order, and manipulation, which are now understood and regarded as serious improprieties. But in this film, you're led to root for the father of the family who behaves wildly and is completely out of line.

This film was once considered funny but is now thought of as incredibly offensive. It incorporates homophobic and transphobic moments as well as ableist comments. At the time, these issues were overlooked but a movie today would cater to a more progressive audience.

The film centers around the unusual relationship Natalie Portman's character has with a trained assassin (Léon). She clings to him after her family is murdered and he takes her in, eventually teaching her what he knows. You can't help but notice the sexualization of Portman's character as she's costumed in adult female garb, including outfits mirroring those worn by Madonna and Marilyn Monroe. Portman has commented about how she was sexualized as a young actress.

This is a graphic movie depicting the lives of four heavily drug-addicted people from Coney Island with scenes that depict non-consensual sex as well as coercion. It's certainly a warning that trying a little bit of any addictive substance can turn your life upside down but it's hard to watch, especially when viewed through today's cultural lens. (To jump into a different genre of film, explore Old Horror Movies That Are Still Terrifying Today.)

The main character, played by actress Monica Bellucci, is violently raped in an underground pass. The scene, which lasts nine minutes, is shocking and disturbing. This scene, as well as additional moments of sadism and gore, would never make it in a film today.

Marlon Wayans starred in the film that he referred to as a "buddy cop comedy," but some of the themes portrayed have raised eyebrows, one of which was the use of white face makeup to change the race of two African-American actors. Many call it racist, while some consider it satire.

This movie depicts life in high school for the new girl at school, Cady Heron who is coerced by a classmate into joining the "popular" group of girls known as The Plastics. Defined as a comedy, a closer look reveals some serious issues underneath the humor, with one issue being that Coach Carr is a sexual predator. The movie also touches on eating disorders but doesn't address the problem and classifies students into cliques while using slurs and offensive language.

This film was full of mockery and satire aimed at Hollywood, but parts missed the mark. It was surprising that the blackface character portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. didn't cause much controversy at the time, something that would most likely never pass today. Other elements in the film wouldn't be included in modern times either, like the derogatory slurs or how a disabled character is portrayed.