While the controversy brought up by the film: The Passion of the Christ might be fresher in our minds, it is far from the first film to be religiously controversial. Among the top ten most controversial films of all time is another movie that talks about the life of Jesus Christ. This film is known as The Last Temptation of Christ and was directed by Academy Award winning Director Martin Scorsese in 1988.

Upon release, this film was not only picketed against, but banned in many countries due to its portrayal of Jesus as human, instead of godly. The final breaking point is towards the end of the film when he is being crucified. Here he is tempted with the promise of a normal life, married to Mary Magdalene. The film includes a controversial sex scene between the two historical figures. In the end, Jesus� fate remains the same, but the religious powers that be in the Catholic Church felt that this film was a direct assault on their beliefs.

Other films have met the same resistance, of note, the film Dogma (1999) is considered to be so harmful to the Catholic Church that anyone caught viewing the film is supposed to be excommunicated. The film defies the ruling and continues to be immensely popular.

The question left to be asked is if these film cause to much controversy and negative press, then why do they continue to be made? The answer can be found in Media Theory. There is no such thing as bad press, and this fact makes these film more money than some less controversial ones, even if they are not as well made. The big film companies know this. The result is double sided though. While controversial films are allowed their day in the spotlight, they also end up being made and remade over and over again under new titles.

Theory Explination