Horror movieshave long been the victim of censorship, but some movies were absolutely hacked apart before they were released to the public. Before the establishment of the Hays Code in the middle of the 1930s, film was a largely unrestrained medium. However, as the Hollywood system solidified, so too did strict censorship rules.
With its sex, violence, and overt terror, the horror genre has vexed censors for generations. Along the way, it has pushed the boundaries of acceptable taste and dragged prudes kicking and screaming into the future. Nevertheless, bodies like the MPAA have been slapping X and NC-17 ratings on horror films that they deem inappropriate to be shown in theaters.
Filmmakers have been forced to make massive cuts to their movies to achieve a theatrical release. This has resulted in a slew of horror films being ruined because the best parts have been left on the cutting room floor. Some have eventually received alternate cuts that put all the best bits back in, while others are forever marred by censorship.
From Beyond (1986)
Director Stuart Gordon’s second foray into the world of H.P. Lovecraft, From Beyond was the spiritual successor to 1985’s Re-Animator. The story follows a group of scientists who accidentally open a dimensional portal while stimulating the human pineal gland. With its goopy special effects and overt sexuality, From Beyond was designed to anger the MPAA.
Despite the censorship, From Beyond recieved glowing reviews and a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The original theatrical cut of the movie was trimmed into oblivion, with nearly every effects shot being shortened to achieve an R rating. Though it didn’t change the story all that much, it detracted from Gordon’s vision. Fortunately, the director’s cut was eventually released in the 2000s, restoring what was cut out of the original release.
The Burning (1981)
Scores of slasher films were produced in the early ’80s to capitalize on the success of Halloween and Friday the 13th, and The Burning was one among many. Years after a prank left him disfigured, the caretaker of a summer camp returns to exact bloody revenge. The Burning was censored into oblivion, and it bombed at the box office.
The original cut of the film featured many gore effects which were completely axed from the theatrical release. For decades, The Burning was just another run-of-the-mill slasher film, until the fully restored version of the movie was released in the 2000s. With its gore intact, The Burning has become a true ’80s horror cult classic.
Night Of The Living Dead (1990)
Remaking Night of the Living Dead seemed like sacrilege, but with makeup maestro Tom Savini at the helm, the project was in good hands. Like the original, the story concerns a group of survivors who flee to a farmhouse to avoid a sudden zombie outbreak. With more at its disposal, the 1990 version aimed to respectfully update the classic.
Sadly, whole scenes had to be cut from the film to avoid an X rating, and Savini’s Night of the Living Dead became a butchered mess when it finally hit theaters. Savini himself blamed the film’s failure squarely on the cuts (via Film Monthly), though modern reassessments have been kinder. An uncut version of the movie released in late 2025.
Cherry Falls (1999)
After the release of Scream, slashers became all the rage in the late 1990s, and Cherry Falls was one of the more interesting cash-ins. A sleepy hamlet is rocked by a series of murders where the killer targets teenage virgins. Following a troubled production, the movie failed to secure a theatrical release in the United States.
Axed down from a potential NC-17, Cherry Falls was further butchered when it was eventually released as a TV movie in the U.S. Because of this, the film was trimmed down to be appropriate for TV audiences, distancing it further from its original intent. Though it has gained cult status, the uncut version still has not been released.
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Stephen King’s only directorial effort was a curious horror relic, and Maximum Overdrive is the oddest film in the writer’s extensive catalog of adaptations. After a comet passes by Earth, machines come alive and begin a killing spree. The finished product was a disaster, but the theatrical version was heavily edited.
Apparently, the original cut of Maximum Overdrivewas so gruesome that it nearly made horror legend George Romero sick. Unfortunately, all the goriest elements were cut to avoid an X rating, and the finished product ended up sickening for all the wrong reasons. The original gory footage is now considered lost media.
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
My Bloody Valentine is one of the most beloved ’80s slashers despite the fact that the theatrical cut saw the film hacked to ribbons. A mining town is preparing for a Valentine’s Day party, which draws the ire of a local murderer who hates the holiday. The Canadian classic tangled with the MPAA, and the ratings board eventually won.
Every kill in the movie was trimmed or changed to appease the MPAA, and restoration efforts have been ongoing in the four decades since the movie’s release. My Bloody Valentine is still a gem, but the awkward editing during the murder sequences is still jarring to this day. Without censorship, it could have been even better.
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has consistently been one of the most controversial in horror movie history, and Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III continued that trend. While on a cross-country road trip, an unsuspecting couple stumbles across Texas’ notorious cannibal family. Eschewing the humor of its predecessor, the third film went for the gusto.
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III was the last film to be considered for an X rating by the MPAA before it was retired.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III was doomed from the start, but a battle with the MPAA didn’t help. Minutes of footage were axed to avoid an X rating, and the censors mostly targeted the gore. Since the movie wasn’t all that good to begin with, it was even worse without the blood and guts that horror fans were looking for.
Event Horizon (1997)
One viewing of Event Horizon is enough to reveal that it was heavily edited, and that ruined what could have been a sci-fi horror hit. The story involves a crew who investigate a spaceship that has suddenly returned after missing for years. A gory and weird romp, Event Horizon was controversial before it ever got in front of the MPAA.
Poor test screenings caused the studio to wildly overreact, cutting important scenes and gruesome details in the process. Much of the deleted footage from Event Horizonis missing, and can never be restored in a proper cut. The movie suffers from a lack of narrative focus overall, but it’s butchered edit amplifies those problems tenfold.
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Every movie in the Friday the 13th franchise was subject to censorship, but Part VII: The New Blood was the most obvious hatchet job. Jason is accidentally freed from the bottom of Crystal Lake, and faces off with a young woman who possesses telekinetic powers. The New Blood scores points for trying something new, but is a dull affair overall.
The biggest issue with the film is that every kill was completely butchered. Instead of artfully cutting around the gory moments, the scenes just end abruptly without a satisfying payoff. Though the minds behind the horror movie could have done a better job, the MPAA’s prudish censorship put them in a technical bind.
