Profane movie titles have been a staple of cinema almost since its inception, looking to shock audiences and draw them deeper into the story with the promise of something outside the acceptable social norms. These sensational titles are often backed with equally sensational content, and there are many great films whose offensive name hides the gem underneath.
We rate ten films by their profanity in the title, whether it be swearing, threats, evoking controversy, or in purposeful bad taste, and highlight what makes them great despite the crassness of their approach.
10Don’t F**k with Cats
Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
The hit Netflix Original true-crime documentaryDon’t F**k with Catsfollows the online manhunt for Luka Magnotta, who rose to online infamy for videos torturing cats before eventually posting a video of murdering a man. The three-part docuseries focuses largely on the online sleuthing of a dedicated team of amateurs who witnessed the infamous cat video, chronicling their successes and tragic missteps in trying to find the perpetrator.
What Makes it Great
Don’t F**k With Catsis one of the most engagingtrue-crime docs ever to come out from Netflix, which says a lot given their track record of producing phenomenal documentaries. There are so many twists and turns in the story, and it draws you in with the compelling determination of a small team to bring a monster to justice. Moreover, the film is a frightening glimpse of evil in examining Luka Magnotta, offering a peek behind a depraved mind, whichmany true-crime fans look for.
Stream on Netflix
50 Best Netflix Original Movies to Watch Right Now
Netflix has nearly 1,000 original films at this point, but these are arguably the very best you can watch right now on the streaming service.
9Mod F**k Explosion (1994)
While the titleMod F**k Explosioncomes across more as a pornography or an arthouse project, nothing could be further from the truth. Jon Moritsugu’s micro-budgetpunk-rock-inspired filmexplores the coming of age of a disenfranchised youth named “London” who is struggling to find stability in a teenage wasteland. So where does the film get its name? There is a mod gang in the movie, but ultimately, it is an excellent, attention-catching name that also makes a great hook for an original song to kick off the chaos.
The freedom that can come with low-budget filmmaking allows a broader range of expression than big-budgeted productions. Moritsugu has become a director who thrives in that area of cinema. Its punk-rock attitude and crass comedic wit also resonate with the samecharms of John Watersor Greg Araki. The film has also recently got a re-release through AGFA (American Genre Film Association) along with Moritsugu’sTerminal USA,making it an ideal time to revisit the ’90s punk cult classic.
Stream on Xerb.tv
8Frankenhooker (1990)
Infamously, and unsurprisingly, Frank Henenlotter’shorror comedyFrankenhookerended up at odds with the MPAA, who came back to him initially saying they gave the filmthe first ever “S-Rating,“which they claimed meant “S**t.” Henenlotter had said he was upset, and rightfully so since the MPAA, besides having their ratings and biases, are not critics. Rating issues aside, it is easy to see howFrankenhookercame under scrutiny by name alone. The spin onFrankensteinalready casts the film as adark parody of a literary classic, but to evoke imagery of death and sex in a single word was bound to ruffle some feathers and incite the idea of profanity.
While the plot is essentially a retelling ofFrankensteinwith a scientist resurrecting his girlfriend using parts of from sex workers, Frank Henenlotter (who directed other cult classics likeBasket CaseandBrain Damage) has a comedic wit that is at its sharpest and most quotable here. Patty Mullen also kills it in the titular role, walking around New York’s seedy 42nd street glitching out while asking people, “You wanna date?” Despite the “S-rating,“the ’90s horror filmhas found a solid fan base for good reason.
Stream on Peacock
7Into The Dark, Season1, Episode 7: I’m Just F***ing With You (2019)
Part of the “Into The Dark” serieson Hulu, Adam Mason’sI’m Just Fing With Youis like taking the “it’s just a prank bro” excuse to its most extreme conclusion. The film follows a sad sack/online troll named Larry who is on the way to his wedding, when he meets a prankster named Chester. Chester is a bit of a troll himself, but his pranks are much more vicious and escalate through the night to horrific results. The line “I’m just fing with you” is repeated over and over, in an insulting manner to downplay the horrible acts that Chester puts on Larry, making the title all the more profane.
The story isan entertaining dark comedyand one of the best in the “Into the Dark” series. This is thanks to the many twists and turns, but the real sell is Hayes MacArthur’s portrayal of Chester and how viciously he goes after Larry (Keir O’Donnell). The film is also unrelenting from the beginning, so those who like to squirm at awkward social interactions will find the comedy style a perfect match.
Stream on Hulu
6Faster Pussy Cat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
This one almost teeters on fun (go for it, yell out the title), though at the time of itsrelease in the ‘60sit was more profane, and meant to create a sense of allure at the same time. The title has also been lifted several times over, with other filmmaker adding their spin to the ecstatic call for death from the more cutesyEaster Bunny Kill! Kill!,to the more crassB***ard Serial Killer! Kill! Kill!. Coming from the mind of exploitation filmmaker Russ Meyer, the movie certainly was sensational on release, and had a huge cultural impact. The story follows a group of runaway go-go-dancers turned criminals as they invade a small farm and take a family hostage.
The Best Women-Led Revenge Films, Ranked
Whether it’s revenge for a loved one or getting justice for themselves, women in these roles don’t go down without a fight.
Why it is Great
For those who have not seen or heard ofFaster Pussycat Kill! Kill!, it may surprise you that it is the highest-rated film on this list, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 73% from 30 critics. What was a shock nudie/action/crime film on its release has become one of the era’s most explosive and fun releases over time. The dialogue is highly quotable, and the cast of Tura Satana, Haki, and Lorie Williams as the threeon-the-run convictsare presented as larger-than-life, strong female figures. The film also had a heavy cultural influence, with references to it in everything from Tarantino films to episodes ofThe Simpsons. It even bled into music, with Janet Jackson referencing it in an album cover, and rockabilly bandThe Crampspaying homage to the film both by covering the theme song and embracing the aesthetics of it in their look.
Stream on Roku
5Violated Angels (1967)
The termViolated Angelsis enough to raise concern, but once you break down the story behind the film, it becomes all the more profane. Made only a year after the killing spree of mass murderer Richard Speck, the film was essentially a reenactment of that night of terror, that attempted to dig into the reasoning behind Speck’s murder of several nurses. The 1967 film was controversial due to its proximity to the events, as well as being considered anti-feminist and misogynistic by many.
For those who have dug a bit deeper into the work of director Koji Wakamatsu, and his history in the Japanese film industry, he is a vital figure in understanding the transition from big-budget studio-run industry toan independent film space, allowing those outside of the elite to make cinema. Moreover, the filmmaker thrived in transgressive and confrontational content, with plenty of his movies containing profane titles as a means to titillate. The work is still controversial, but those familiar with that era of Japanese film can find substance and meaningful themes explored in the works of Koji Wakamatsu. The shockingViolated Angelsis no exception.
Currently unavailable to stream or rent
4Street Trash (1987)
Besides the term ‘street trash’ being a blatant mockery of the unhoused, the movieStreet Trashitself plays on other profanities, degrading struggling people even further by showing a man flushing himself down the toilet in the poster art. Thereview from the New York Timeswent as far as to call it “the stuff that civil-libertarian nightmares are made of.” While there was no direct controversy around the movie’s release, it was generally considered in bad taste as it is — essentially, just a chronicle of the unhoused population succumbing to a deadly addiction that causes them to melt.
WhileStreet Trashseems like scraping the bottom of the barrel for content, the film is still considered successful in practical effects. The effect of drinking the deadly and cheap ‘Viper’ only to watch someone melt is quite an unforgettable sight and some of thebest presented in the body horror genre. Those who enjoy dark comedy will also get their fill, as the film has a few infamous scenes, including a game of ‘keep away’ using a specific body part.
Stream on Tubi
3Pure S**t (1975)
Pure S**tmay seem like an insulting name for a movie that sets it up for failure, but this was only one of a few problems facing thisAustralian shocker film. Originally outright banned from being shown, the movie was eventually retitled “Pure S” to help get it through the censors. But even then the vice squad raided its initial showing at Melbourne’s Playbox Theatre in 1976. The film was a financial disaster, and the content matter, which followed a group of heroin addicts as they were trying to score, was heavily maligned in the media, with the press going as far as calling it “the most evil film that I’ve ever seen.”
Pure S**thas since been described as an “underground classic” and has seen much more favorable reviews decades after its release. The film is exceptionally bleak and brutal to get through, as it shows the dregs of societyin a horrible spiral of drug addictioncommitting heinous acts. Still, its brutal honesty in trying to shed light on a drug addiction affecting so many at the time gives the moviea lot of substance and validity. It will also appeal to those who think they have “seen it all,” as it is a unique experience that only existed through underground tape trading until its release on DVD in 2009.
2Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972)
Don’t Torture a Ducklingalready hits those profane notes similar toDon’t F**k with Cats.However, once one digs a bit deeper, it becomes apparent there is something more sinister going on in the movie’s title. The plot follows a detective aided by a young woman investigating a series of child murders in a remote village in Southern Italy. Despite the tragedies forced on the denizens, the heavy superstitious beliefs of the locals and their mistrust of outsiders make the case difficult to solve, putting the detective in the sights of a dangerous killer.
The 11 Most Underrated Italian Horror Movies of All Time
Discover a treasure trove of little-seen horror flicks from Italy!
When considering masters ofItalian horror cinema, a few names always come to mind: Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and the director ofDon’t Torture a Duckling, Lucio Fulci. While Fulci is primarily known for making excessively gory films likeZombieandThe City of the Living Dead,he also crafted memorable Giallo filmslikeA Lizard in a Woman’s Skinand this entry on this list. Sleek, stylish, and with an engaging mystery that keeps you guessing till the last moment,Don’t Torture a Ducklingis an ideal choice for those interested in exploring the best of 70s horror.
1I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
The Jerry Gross Organization
The originalI Spit on Your Gravewas utterly reviled when it came out, and held the (dis)honor of havingone of the greatest film critics, Roger Ebert, give it a spiteful review, calling it “a vile bag of garbage” and “an expression of the most diseased and perverted darker human natures.” However, in true punk-cinema fashion, the trailer used his quotes as promotional material. Still, the critic had a point when looking at the movie objectively: it is a revenge story with little artistic merit. The film, which has no score at all, depicts the assault of a woman and her subsequent revenge on three men. That is the story in its entirety.
Given the spite thrown at the film, it drew the attention of many and garnered a bit of a cult following because of how offensive and profane the mainstream considered it. The simplicity of its delivery also led to a few scenes that evoked the utmost discomfort, something exploitation cinema fans often revel in. This included the famous ‘bathtub scene,’ which can’t be unseen. The film has also seen a resurgence thanks to the extreme horror remakeI Spit on Your Gravein 2010 by director Steven R. Monroe, which also spawned two sequels.
