What Makes a Film ”Morally Offensive”?
That’s the question hosts Bill and Cisco explore in every episode of Morally Offensive. They dive deep into the list of films once Condemned or labeled Morally Offensive by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Film Office (formerly the Legion of Decency).
This controversial list dates back to the early days of Hollywood, when scandals rocked the film industry, and Catholic leaders pushed for censorship. In response, movie moguls introduced the Hays Code—strict moral guidelines enforced with the help of Catholic Joseph Breen. As Hollywood evolved, the Hays Code crumbled, giving way to the modern ratings system in the late 1960s. The once-feared Condemned rating gradually lost its power, morphing into Morally Offensive—a label that no longer carries the weight it once did.
Now, ex-Catholic hosts Bill and Cisco are on a mission to watch every film on this infamous list, from pre-Code musicals to modern body horror. Were these films truly immoral, or just victims of outdated religious fears?
Join them as they re-evaluate these so-called dangerous movies in the context of today’s cultural landscape—where book bans are rising, censorship concerns grow, and the influence of Christian Nationalism looms large.
Warning: Mature themes, occasional strong language, and conversations about religious trauma.
Subscribe now and uncover the films once deemed unfit for human consumption—you might be surprised at what made the list.
After the Hayes Code was slowly chipped away at, Hollywood censorship effectively disappeared, and was replaced with the modern-day ratings system in the late 1960s. During this time, the ”Condemned” rating, now all but neutered by changes in public opinion, mores, and taste, morphed into the less influential ”Morally Offensive” rating. Join ex-Catholic hosts Bill and Cisco, as they attempt to watch every single film on this list, from pre-code musicals to modern body horror. There’s something for everyone in this list, which is chock-full of films deemed unfit for human consumption, by Catholic leaders. In an age where book bans are becoming commonplace, fears of censorship loom large, and the threat of Christian Nationalism is all too real, it seems an appropriate time to revisit this sordid chapter in Catholic history, and to re-evaluate these ”immoral” films.
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What Makes a Film ”Morally Offensive”?
That’s the question hosts Bill and Cisco explore in every episode of Morally Offensive. They dive deep into the list of films once Condemned or labeled Morally Offensive by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Film Office (formerly the Legion of Decency).
This controversial list dates back to the early days of Hollywood, when scandals rocked the film industry, and Catholic leaders pushed for censorship. In response, movie moguls introduced the Hays Code—strict moral guidelines enforced with the help of Catholic Joseph Breen. As Hollywood evolved, the Hays Code crumbled, giving way to the modern ratings system in the late 1960s. The once-feared Condemned rating gradually lost its power, morphing into Morally Offensive—a label that no longer carries the weight it once did.
Now, ex-Catholic hosts Bill and Cisco are on a mission to watch every film on this infamous list, from pre-Code musicals to modern body horror. Were these films truly immoral, or just victims of outdated religious fears?
Join them as they re-evaluate these so-called dangerous movies in the context of today’s cultural landscape—where book bans are rising, censorship concerns grow, and the influence of Christian Nationalism looms large.
Warning: Mature themes, occasional strong language, and conversations about religious trauma.
Subscribe now and uncover the films once deemed unfit for human consumption—you might be surprised at what made the list.
After the Hayes Code was slowly chipped away at, Hollywood censorship effectively disappeared, and was replaced with the modern-day ratings system in the late 1960s. During this time, the ”Condemned” rating, now all but neutered by changes in public opinion, mores, and taste, morphed into the less influential ”Morally Offensive” rating. Join ex-Catholic hosts Bill and Cisco, as they attempt to watch every single film on this list, from pre-code musicals to modern body horror. There’s something for everyone in this list, which is chock-full of films deemed unfit for human consumption, by Catholic leaders. In an age where book bans are becoming commonplace, fears of censorship loom large, and the threat of Christian Nationalism is all too real, it seems an appropriate time to revisit this sordid chapter in Catholic history, and to re-evaluate these ”immoral” films.
The Brood (1979): Government Subsized Cinematic Birth Control
Morally Offensive
2 hours 48 minutes
2 weeks ago
The Brood (1979): Government Subsized Cinematic Birth Control
This week, Bill and Stephanie drag Atlanta filmmaker Nicole Kemper into the delivery room to talk David Cronenberg’s The Brood (1979), a horror movie which doubles as the world’s worst sex-ed film. We’re talking cinematic birth control, belly-buttonless mutant murder children, slutty vintage men’s bathrobes, and why men are absolutely terrified of the female body. Diversions include Oliver Reed’s drunken shenanigans, an attempted cult kidnapping, the Canadian public’s outrage over finding out their tax dollars were financing gorey art, and, of course, we read another Catholic review which completely disregards the artistic merits and possibilities of the horror genre. This is definitely an episode to listen to if you’re still comtemplating bringing children into a violent world which is on fire. For us, the Brood proved to be far more effective than abstinence-only sex education.
Morally Offensive
What Makes a Film ”Morally Offensive”?
That’s the question hosts Bill and Cisco explore in every episode of Morally Offensive. They dive deep into the list of films once Condemned or labeled Morally Offensive by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Film Office (formerly the Legion of Decency).
This controversial list dates back to the early days of Hollywood, when scandals rocked the film industry, and Catholic leaders pushed for censorship. In response, movie moguls introduced the Hays Code—strict moral guidelines enforced with the help of Catholic Joseph Breen. As Hollywood evolved, the Hays Code crumbled, giving way to the modern ratings system in the late 1960s. The once-feared Condemned rating gradually lost its power, morphing into Morally Offensive—a label that no longer carries the weight it once did.
Now, ex-Catholic hosts Bill and Cisco are on a mission to watch every film on this infamous list, from pre-Code musicals to modern body horror. Were these films truly immoral, or just victims of outdated religious fears?
Join them as they re-evaluate these so-called dangerous movies in the context of today’s cultural landscape—where book bans are rising, censorship concerns grow, and the influence of Christian Nationalism looms large.
Warning: Mature themes, occasional strong language, and conversations about religious trauma.
Subscribe now and uncover the films once deemed unfit for human consumption—you might be surprised at what made the list.
After the Hayes Code was slowly chipped away at, Hollywood censorship effectively disappeared, and was replaced with the modern-day ratings system in the late 1960s. During this time, the ”Condemned” rating, now all but neutered by changes in public opinion, mores, and taste, morphed into the less influential ”Morally Offensive” rating. Join ex-Catholic hosts Bill and Cisco, as they attempt to watch every single film on this list, from pre-code musicals to modern body horror. There’s something for everyone in this list, which is chock-full of films deemed unfit for human consumption, by Catholic leaders. In an age where book bans are becoming commonplace, fears of censorship loom large, and the threat of Christian Nationalism is all too real, it seems an appropriate time to revisit this sordid chapter in Catholic history, and to re-evaluate these ”immoral” films.
