Hello, dear readers. I am once again acting as your movie guru, here to recommend movies to you courtesy of your preferred film rental facility: Randall Library. Today, in celebration of Banned Book week, I thought I would recommend some films to you that were either banned or were based on banned source material.

“A Clockwork Orange”

Directed and written by Stanley Kubrick

Starring Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri, & Miriam Karlin

Rightly considered to be the most controversial film in a career full of controversial movies, Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange” is as frequently banned as the book by Anthony Burgess on which it was based. Following the exploits of the amoral teenager Alex as he travels through a dystopian London committing such horrific deeds as rape, murder, and battery until he becomes a test subject for an experiment that removes him of his free will, this film operates as both horrifying dark comedy (you find yourself laughing out of fear) and as a powerful social problem film. Malcolm McDowell has rarely, if ever, been better at playing a role quite like this. Charming and sophisticated in one scene, violent and sadistic the next, Alex is an utterly captivating monster to watch. If you think you can watch one of the darkest films ever made, give it a try.

“Naked Lunch”

Directed and written by David Cronenberg

Starring Peter Weller, Judy Davies, Ian Holm, & Roy Scheider

Cronenberg is likewise no stranger to controversial films, yet his adaptation of William Burroughs’ beat poetry may just be the most surreal of all his films. A meta-narrative in which the story of the movie is about the creation of the book alongside an adaptation of it can make the viewing a bit of a chore, especially considering how slowly Cronenberg tends to pace his films, and the unusual directions (there is a beetle typewriter who recruits the protagonist as a spy) that the story follows. But it is more than worth it for this incredibly tense, paranoid drama full of ideas and open to interpretations. Peter Weller plays the equally drugged-out and paranoid Burroughs incredibly well, almost as well as Judy Davies plays his wife and her doppelganger. The creature effects are of course top-notch, especially the bizarre mugwomps.

“The Grapes of Wrath”

Directed by John Ford, written by Nunnally Johnson

Starring Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Shirley Mills, John Qualen, & Eddie Quillan

Arguably one of John Ford’s all time best films (which is saying something, for a man with over a hundred films to his name), “The Grapes of Wrath” is a powerful portrayal of the dustbowl lifestyle during the great depression. Following a family in their search for employment, Ford’s epic focuses on the spirit of humanity and the will to survive through even the toughest of times. Splendidly acted, fantastically written and hauntingly filmed, “The Grapes of Wrath” is one of those pieces of popular culture that remains as relevant today as it was when the book was published and the movie released.

“The Lord of the Rings”

Directed and written by Peter Jackson, also written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, & Stephen Sinclair

Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, John Noble, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, & Andy Serkis

Yes, believe or not, Lord of the Rings is based upon occasionally banned source material. But that has not stopped the source material or this adaptation from becoming beloved icons of fantasy. The Ring of Power has been rediscovered as a dark force seeks to reclaim it, so it is up to an incredible cast of characters to fight off evil forces and destroy the Ring. To list the great characters and the actors that bring them to life near flawlessly would take up most of this column, as would the overbearing amount of material that this film gets right. At nearly ten hours long, it moves with a pace that makes you wish you could stay longer in the world that Peter Jackson had brought to life, in what remains to be the only fantasy movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

“To Kill a Mockingbird”

Directed by Robert Mulligan, written by Horton Foote

Starring Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, & Phillip Alford

Perhaps the ultimate argument against censorship in any form, To Kill a Mockingbird is possibly one of the very best pieces of American film of all time. It is such a critically acclaimed and well-discussed work that it is almost redundant to talk about how good the film is. Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in a career defining performance, and the incredibly emotional narrative of a young girl discovering the evils of racism in a southern town are just some of the things that make this not just a film you should watch, but a film you need to watch.

These are my picks for movies based upon banned source material that you should watch. I hope you enjoy my picks, and if you have any films you like that have been or are based upon banned source material, let me know what they are. Until next time, try to have fun, ‘cause life is finite.