Years Later, These 9 Once-Celebrated Movies Have Aged Terribly

What’s considered socially acceptable is tied to an ever-evolving culture, so it makes sense that the movies from a different era might not reflect current-day values. Thus, a film that might have once been considered an untouchable classic could include scenes that now make viewers uncomfortable; it's a part of making movies within a distinct place and time, constrained by what is, at that point, current or acceptable.

Such is the case with the following movies, where each still has fans who appreciate them, but some of the content is questionable at best and cringe-inducing at worst. Although it likely wasn’t intentional, these once-celebrated movies have aged terribly for one reason or another. Many of them are still worth a watch — probably all of them if we're being honest; they just might require a quick hit of the fast-forward button every now and then.

‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961)

Breakfast at Tiffany’s remains a beloved classic and one of Audrey Hepburn’s most well-known performances. The romantic comedy stars Hepburn as Holly Golightly, an active socialite with a wandering spirit who meets the struggling writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard) in her apartment building. Their complicated romance continues to charm audiences and was registered by the Library of Congress in the U.S. National Film Registry. And yet, there’s one aspect of the movie that makes even diehard fans say, “Yeah, go ahead and skip that part.”

The role of Mr. Yunioshi, Holly and Paul’s landlord, is played by the very Caucasian Mickey Rooney. It maybe wouldn’t be as much of a problem if Mr. Yunioshi were adopted or something, but in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the landlord is a man of Japanese descent, and Rooney’s performance doesn’t let you forget it. Rooney’s version of Yunioshi is an over-the-top caricature of Eastern stereotypes with scenes that feel like they’re in a different movie, because they should be.

‘Cobra’ (1986)

The criminals of 1986 Los Angeles only fear one man, and that’s Lieutenant Marion “Cobra” Cobretti. Sylvester Stallone stars as Cobra, the only badge in the LAPD who can get the job done when a dangerous cult named the New World starts killing people around town. When the cult targets Ingrid Knudsen (Brigitte Nielsen), a woman who witnessed their crimes, Cobra will stand as her protector and fight the New World without ever taking off his shades.

Cobra was a big hit for Stallone, and the film became an ’80s action favorite filled with violence, sex appeal, and macho lines uttered by its permanently stoic leading man. Cobra still has a fanbase of people who love the '80s action flick, but as the years go on, the movie is appreciated more often as a comedy. Odd moments, such as Cobra eating pizza using a pair of scissors, contribute to making a movie that now looks like a parody of action movies.

‘Teen Wolf’ (1985)

In Teen Wolf, Scott Howard (Michael J. Fox) is an average teenager whose life is thrown upside down when he finds out that he and his family are a clan of werewolves. Thankfully for Scott, he’s not the type of werewolf that eats people; rather, the teen just grows hair at will and becomes better at playing basketball. Post-monster-puberty Scott becomes famous around his small town, but when the wolf persona makes him lose sight of who he is, Wolf Scott will need to make a decision about his future.

The high school coming-of-age story of a teenager using his wolf powers to become popular is obviously timeless, but some of the humor in the film didn’t age well going into the next century. When Scott works up the nerve to tell his friend, Stiles (Jerry Levine), about his changes, the two use an outdated homophobic slur when the fear is that Scott is about to come out. It’s a jarring moment, but also a reminder of how far we’ve come.

‘Crash’ (2004)

A group of strangers in LA is exposed to the toxic and potentially deadly effects of racism in the drama Crash. Although the characters come from different social classes and nationalities, their paths interconnect in sometimes shocking and surprising ways. The film would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, upsetting a category that many assumed Brokeback Mountain would win.

Crash was praised on its release as a movie that examined racism through an unflinching, authentic lens, but the years have diminished the film’s goodwill with audiences. While a portion of moviegoers still view Crash in that light, others see the coincidence-heavy plot as more melodramatic than the subject deserves. The large cast was meant to show many walks of life, but it ultimately splits the focus in a way that no character receives enough screen time to do an in-depth study of their struggle.

‘Never Been Kissed’ (1999)

Drew Barrymore returns to high school for work and romance in Never Been Kissed. Shy and sweet copy editor Josie Geller (Barrymore) enrolls in a high school to write an undercover piece about the lives of students. Not only is this a career opportunity for Josie, but it’s also a chance to redeem herself after being a social outcast in her first year of high school.

Never Been Kissed was a win at the box office for 20th Century Studios, then 20th Century Fox, but the modern-day issue with the movie is the "rom" part of the rom-com. Josie develops a budding romance with her teacher, Sam (Michael Vartan), and even though she is age-appropriate, Sam thinks she’s a student. Although they don’t act on their feelings, Sam is upset when he finds out she lied to him and possibly used him for a story. Instead of being mad at Josie, Sam should feel relieved that he’s not court-ordered to introduce himself to his neighbors every time he moves.

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‘Sixteen Candles’ (1984)

Sixteen Candles is still a go-to comfort watch for many fans of director John Hughes, but there are aspects of the film that don’t hold up well. The core of the story that follows Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald), a teen whose family forgets her 16th birthday, is innocent enough, but the larger problems involve the boys she goes to school with.

There’s the stereotypical asian portrayal of Long Duk Dong, played by Gedde Watanabe, that comes off as mean-spirited and superfluous. But the more troubling aspect of the plot comes between heartthrob Jake (Michael Schoeffling) and Farmer Ted (Anthony Michael Hall) concerning Jake’s girlfriend Caroline (Haviland Morris). Jake mentions that Caroline is passed out in the other room, saying, “I could violate her ten different ways if I wanted to.” Then Ted trades a pair of Samantha’s panties for the right to drive a barely conscious Caroline away from the party, where the audience is led to believe they have blackout sex.

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‘Revenge of the Nerds’ (1984)

Revenge of the Nerds has enjoyed a sustained cult fanbase that appreciates the raunchy underdog campus comedy. The comedy follows a group of socially awkward but highly intelligent college students who are bullied by the popular fraternity. When the group is kicked out of their dormitory and forced to find a new place to live, they pledge to a rival fraternity, and they get revenge on their tormentors who displaced them. Hence the title of the movie.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that a large number of older sex comedies feature problematic scenes or have messages that aged poorly. However, Revenge of the Nerds has a regrettable scene where the film’s hero, Lewis (Robert Carradine), disguises himself as the boyfriend of his crush, Betty (Julia Montgomery), so that he can have sex with her. When Lewis reveals his identity, Betty doesn’t care because of his sexual prowess, and they become a couple. It’s a “happy” ending for the pair, but it’s a love story they won’t be able to tell their children or the police.

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‘American Beauty’ (1999)

As praised as American Beauty was in 1999, the bloom has since left the rose for the dramedy. The film stars Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, a reserved husband and father whose midlife crisis causes waves in his suburban existence, while inadvertently uncovering secrets that were hiding just below the surface. American Beauty was a critical hit, a financial success, and would take home five Academy Awards, including top honors for Best Picture.

American Beauty’s central plotline hasn’t aged with grace, but to be fair, Lester’s unhealthy infatuation with high school student Angela (Mena Suvari) was controversial for its time as well. No one was in the theater rooting him on. However, accusations leveled towards Spacey about inappropriate conduct leave the film with an unpleasant taste, and the plot that was once seen as edgy and daring is seen by current-day moviegoers as more self-indulgent than wise.

‘Manhattan’ (1979)

In Manhattan, Woody Allen plays Isaac Davis, a television writer looking for love in all the wrong places. Still recovering from the pain of previous failed marriages, Isaac finds solace in dating 17-year-old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). When Isaac meets his friend’s mistress, Mary (Diane Keaton), he becomes enamored with her and pursues a relationship that may complicate and damage his friendship.

Manhattan is usually in the conversation for one of the best films by Woody Allen, but it’s impossible to get past his character's romantic relationship with Tracy. Everyone in the story treats the relationship like it’s normal, and it wouldn’t have been in 1979. Their romance is distracting to the level like if you were watching a drama, and in the background, there was a bear with a chainsaw that no one was acknowledging. In hindsight, a bear with a chainsaw would have been the better choice for this particular story.