'Noah' And Five Other Movies That Sparked Religious Controversy
Darren Aronofsky’s Noah might have faced some religious controversy during its initial opening, but its ridden that wave right to the top of the US box office, becoming a certified sucess already. As Aronofsky surely knew, any movie featuring a religious theme or borrowing from the bible is almost certain to find itself in some kind of hot water, whether it causes protests or even ends up getting an outright ban. For some movies the ensuing publicity translates into box office sales, for others, a bit of controversy doesn't end up creating cash. Here are five other films with religious leanings that faced controversy long before _Noah _stormed the box office.
Battlefield Earth (2002)
A piece of Scientology propaganda or just a really bad film? Most thought this John Travolta flop, which he mostly financed himself, was a bit of both. As it was based on a novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and many thought the movie was an attempt to introduce Hubbard’s writings and Scientology to a younger audience and some even claimed the movie had hidden subliminal messages about the religion. This could have been more controversial if audiences had actually come out to see it. Bad reviews, (the film holds a 2% Rotten Tomatoes rating) meant theatre goers stayed away from this one, whose budget of $73 million made it one of the most expensive flops of all time.
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