1. Psycho (1960)
When Alfred Hitchcock released Psycho, audiences had never seen anything quite like it. The infamous shower scene stunned viewers, with quick cuts, shrieking violins, and the shocking death of the apparent main character only halfway through the film. People left theaters shaken, and Hitchcock’s marketing gimmick of not allowing late admissions only heightened the tension. The black-and-white film pushed the boundaries of horror and suspense, leaving audiences both terrified and fascinated.
Over time, though, its shocking nature gave way to parody and imitation. Countless horror films borrowed from its techniques, and by the late ’60s and ’70s, the slasher genre had taken the formula further. While Psycho remains a classic for film buffs, its initial shock factor has dulled. What was once scandalous is now studied in film school lectures and referenced in pop culture spoofs.
2. The Pawnbroker (1964)
The Pawnbroker was one of the first American films to directly address the Holocaust, and audiences weren’t prepared for its raw portrayal. Rod Steiger’s performance as a traumatized survivor running a Harlem pawnshop was deeply unsettling. It was also groundbreaking for its depiction of nudity, which challenged the Production Code that had restricted American films for decades. The movie forced viewers to confront memories of World War II that many preferred to keep buried.
As impactful as it was, the film faded from mainstream conversation. Later movies like Schindler’s List and The Pianist became more recognized depictions of Holocaust survival stories. Today, The Pawnbroker is remembered by cinephiles but isn’t widely revisited by general audiences. Its gritty, difficult subject matter ensured it was never destined for cozy rewatching.
3. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
When Bonnie and Clyde premiered, the level of graphic violence shocked critics and audiences alike. The bloody shootout finale left jaws on the floor, especially since it was paired with stylish editing and romanticized criminals. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s glamorous portrayals made people uncomfortable about sympathizing with murderers. It was also one of the first films to mix graphic violence with a glossy Hollywood sheen.
Despite its influence on New Hollywood cinema, it doesn’t get rewatched by casual audiences as often today. Later gangster films like The Godfather and Goodfellas overshadowed it, making Bonnie and Clyde feel like an early prototype. While it remains a milestone for film historians, many people forget just how scandalous it was at the time. Its once-shocking violence now feels tame compared to modern action movies.
4. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? broke new ground by bringing Edward Albee’s blistering play to the screen almost intact. The film, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, delivered raw profanity, searing insults, and toxic relationships in a way that shocked audiences. People were not used to hearing such blunt language or seeing marital cruelty so vividly portrayed in a mainstream film. It challenged what Hollywood thought could be shown in polite company.
Over time, though, its reputation became more academic than mainstream. Film buffs continue to admire Taylor’s Oscar-winning performance, but casual audiences are less likely to revisit such a caustic story. With no special effects or thrills, its impact depends entirely on dialogue, which can feel dated for modern viewers. It was once considered scandalous, but now it lives mainly in film history discussions.
5. Blow-Up (1966)
When Blow-Up hit theaters, audiences were stunned by its mix of stylish mod culture and unsettling ambiguity. Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, the film followed a London photographer who may or may not have stumbled onto a murder. It pushed boundaries with nudity, existential themes, and a refusal to offer clear answers. The swinging London backdrop made it seem glamorous, but its lack of resolution left many scratching their heads.
At the time, its openness felt daring and shocking, but that quality also made it difficult to maintain widespread appeal. Later thrillers offered more satisfying payoffs, and audiences moved on to other counterculture classics. Today, Blow-Up is praised in film schools as groundbreaking, but it doesn’t often come up in casual conversations about great ’60s movies. Its artsy ambiguity made it both memorable and easy to set aside.
6. The Graduate (1967)
The Graduate made waves with its story of Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate drifting aimlessly and seduced by the older Mrs. Robinson. The film shocked audiences with its frankness about sex and its biting critique of suburban life. Dustin Hoffman’s awkward charm mixed with Simon & Garfunkel’s haunting soundtrack created a movie that felt new and unsettling. The idea of an affair between a young man and a married woman was daring for its time.
As iconic as it was, the movie’s shock value faded as similar stories appeared in later decades. While still well known for its ending and soundtrack, many younger audiences don’t feel the same scandalized impact. It now lives more as a cultural reference than a film people regularly revisit. The controversy that once defined it has softened into nostalgia.
7. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy shocked audiences so much that it became the first X-rated film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. The gritty story of a naive Texan hustler (Jon Voight) and his sickly friend Ratso (Dustin Hoffman) was filled with poverty, desperation, and implied homosexuality—topics rarely seen in mainstream cinema. Its bleak portrayal of New York City left audiences unsettled. People weren’t used to this kind of raw realism on the big screen.
While it remains a landmark, its impact has softened with time. Later films pushed the boundaries of sexuality and street-level grit even further. Today, Midnight Cowboy is more likely to be studied than spontaneously streamed for entertainment. Its initial shock has faded into a reputation for being more depressing than daring.
8. Easy Rider (1969)
Easy Rider captured the counterculture movement in a way that mainstream America found shocking. With Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson in unforgettable roles, the film embraced drugs, freedom, and the disillusionment of the ’60s. Its LSD trip scenes and violent ending blindsided viewers. It was both a celebration and a critique of hippie culture, and it shook audiences unused to seeing rebellion presented so starkly.
Over time, though, its reputation as a cultural touchstone outweighed its appeal as a movie people rewatch. Modern viewers often find its pacing slow and its experimental style dated. While still hailed as a key moment in American cinema, it doesn’t resonate with general audiences the way it once did. The shock has mellowed into a snapshot of a specific moment in history.
9. Belle de Jour (1967)
Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour scandalized audiences with its story of a housewife, played by Catherine Deneuve, who secretly works at a brothel in the afternoons. The mix of eroticism and surrealism made viewers both fascinated and uncomfortable. It raised questions about female desire that few mainstream films dared to explore at the time. The dreamlike sequences only added to its unsettling effect.
Though celebrated in art-house circles, the film never retained wide popularity. Later erotic dramas took things further, and its once-daring subject matter seemed tame in comparison. For casual audiences, it became more of a film referenced in discussions of French cinema than something people rushed to watch. Its initial shock turned into quiet obscurity outside cinephile communities.
10. A Clockwork Orange (1969, limited release in the ’60s)
Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange technically premiered in 1969 at festivals, and even then, it shocked audiences to their core. Its scenes of ultraviolence, sexual assault, and youth rebellion were unlike anything mainstream viewers had seen. The stylish use of classical music over disturbing imagery made it even more unsettling. Early audiences were horrified by both the brutality and the moral questions it raised.
Over time, the film became more widely known after its 1971 release, but the initial late-’60s buzz left many disturbed. Its reputation as a shocking masterpiece still stands, but it’s not a film most people casually put on for movie night. While it influenced countless filmmakers, its disturbing content kept it from being embraced by general audiences in the long run.
11. Peeping Tom (1960)
Released the same year as Psycho, Peeping Tom shocked British audiences with its unsettling story of a cameraman who murders women while filming their deaths. Critics were horrified, calling it perverse and immoral. The backlash was so severe it nearly ended director Michael Powell’s career. Its voyeuristic nature felt too close to home for moviegoers used to more sanitized thrillers.
Though later re-evaluated as a horror classic, at the time it was quickly pushed aside. Its disturbing premise made it difficult for mainstream audiences to accept. Today, it has a cult following among horror fans, but it doesn’t hold the same notoriety it once did. The scandal that once defined it has mellowed into niche appreciation.
12. The Wild Bunch (1969)
Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch redefined violence in Westerns, with its slow-motion shootouts and blood-spattered finale. Audiences were stunned by the brutality, especially in a genre that had traditionally been more clean-cut. The film forced viewers to reconsider the romanticized view of the Old West. Its gritty realism clashed with the heroic cowboy myth that people had grown up with.
While it influenced action films for decades, its shock value faded as Hollywood embraced even more graphic violence. Today, The Wild Bunch is admired by critics and filmmakers but isn’t as well known by casual audiences. Its gritty edge has been absorbed into countless movies since. What was once shocking is now part of the action film playbook.
13. Valley of the Dolls (1967)
When Valley of the Dolls came out, audiences were stunned by its frank depictions of drug use, sex, and the darker side of show business. Adapted from Jacqueline Susann’s bestselling novel, the film pulled back the curtain on Hollywood’s glittering facade and revealed a world filled with addiction and betrayal. For many viewers, the sight of glamorous women spiraling into pills and despair was shocking, especially in an era when the studio system still preferred gloss over grit.
Despite being a box office hit, the film’s reputation quickly soured. Critics mocked its melodramatic style, and over time, it became remembered more for camp value than cultural impact. While it was once seen as daring and controversial, it is now often cited as a guilty pleasure rather than a serious film. Its shock factor faded, leaving behind a kitschy relic of late-’60s Hollywood.
14. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Rosemary’s Baby terrified audiences with its chilling story of a young woman manipulated into carrying the devil’s child. The combination of psychological horror, satanic panic, and Mia Farrow’s vulnerable performance created a sense of dread that lingered long after the credits. Audiences were deeply unsettled by the film’s suggestion of evil hiding in everyday life. It pushed horror into a more modern, psychological realm.
Though still well regarded, it doesn’t shock audiences the way it once did. Later horror films took satanic themes even further, and the cultural fears that once made it terrifying have shifted. While cinephiles admire it as a classic, younger viewers may find its pacing slow. Its initial shock has mellowed into a reputation as one of horror’s building blocks.
