Editing Natural Born Killers (section)

== Controversies ==
=== Quentin Tarantino ===
After Quentin Tarantino attempted to publish his original screenplay to ''Natural Born Killers'' as a paperback book, as he had done with his scripts for ''[[True Romance]]'' and his own directorial efforts, ''[[Reservoir Dogs]]'' and ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'', the producers of ''Natural Born Killers'' filed a lawsuit against Tarantino, claiming that when he sold the script to them, he had forfeited the publishing rights; eventually, Tarantino was allowed to publish his original script.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cinema: Tarantino v Stone |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=October 23, 2011 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/cinema-tarantino-v-stone-1592900.html |access-date=September 22, 2018 |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615005912/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/cinema-tarantino-v-stone-1592900.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Tarantino disowned the film, saying, "I hated that fucking movie. If you like my stuff, don't watch that movie." He also claimed to have never watched the film from beginning to end.<ref>{{cite web|date=October 11, 2013|title=Quentin Tarantino: planet Earth couldn't handle my serial killer movie|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/10372875/Quentin-Tarantino-planet-Earth-couldnt-handle-my-serial-killer-movie.html|access-date=September 22, 2018|work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|url-access=subscription|archive-date=June 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615232755/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/10372875/Quentin-Tarantino-planet-Earth-couldnt-handle-my-serial-killer-movie.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lattanzio|first=Ryan|date=January 8, 2021|title=Quentin Tarantino Has Never Seen All of Oliver Stone's Version of His 'Natural Born Killers'|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/08/quentin-tarantino-oliver-stone-natural-born-killers-1234654847/|url-status=live|access-date=March 17, 2022|website=[[IndieWire]]|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221053928/https://www.indiewire.com/2021/08/quentin-tarantino-oliver-stone-natural-born-killers-1234654847/}}</ref>

=== Censorship ===
When the film was first submitted to the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA), employees told Stone they would give it an [[Motion Picture Association of America#X replaced by NC-17|NC-17]] unless he edited it. As such, Stone removed some violence by cutting approximately four minutes of footage and the MPAA re-rated the film as an R. In 1996, a Director's Cut was released on home video by [[Vidmark Entertainment]] and [[Pioneer Entertainment]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/14/arts/film-with-video-cut-needn-t-be-the-director-s-final-word.html FILM;With Video, 'Cut!' Needn't Be the Director's Final Word&nbsp;– New York Times] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909114644/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/14/arts/film-with-video-cut-needn-t-be-the-director-s-final-word.html |date=September 9, 2017 }}. Nytimes.com (1996-04-14). Retrieved on 2014-05-22.</ref> [[Warner Home Video]] later released this cut on Blu-ray.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Natural Born Killers (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]|url=https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Killers-Unrated-Directors-Blu-ray/dp/B002AF4Y96|url-status=live|website=[[Amazon.com]]|date=October 13, 2009 |access-date=September 5, 2017|archive-date=September 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927222139/https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Killers-Unrated-Directors-Blu-ray/dp/B002AF4Y96}}</ref>

The film was banned in Ireland, including&nbsp;– controversially&nbsp;– from [[Film Society#Ireland|cinema clubs]]. The ban was later lifted.<ref name="NYTimesIreland">{{Cite news |title='Natural Born Killers' Is Banned in Ireland |work=NY Times |date=October 28, 1994 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/28/arts/natural-born-killers-is-banned-in-ireland.html |access-date=2013-05-26 |archive-date=August 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828031612/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/28/arts/natural-born-killers-is-banned-in-ireland.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="IFI">{{Cite web |title=Irish Film Institute&nbsp;– Natural Born Killers |url=http://www.ifi.ie/film/natural-born-killers-4/ |access-date=2013-05-26 |website=Irish Film Institute |archive-date=March 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316135501/http://www.ifi.ie/film/natural-born-killers-4/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the UK, though the cinema release was delayed while the [[BBFC]] investigated reports that the film caused copycat murders in the USA and France, it was finally shown in cinemas in February 1995. The BBFC classified the film uncut at [[18 (British Board of Film Classification)|18]], citing strong bloody violence and sexual violence.<ref>[http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/natural-born-killers-1994 BBFC]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319000504/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/natural-born-killers-1994 |date=March 19, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cijnQdfguA0 |title=Natural Born Killers - Oliver Stone (1995) BBC 2 Moving Pictures posted by The Duke Mitchell Film Club on YouTube |website=[[YouTube]] |date=May 22, 2021 |access-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624214030/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cijnQdfguA0 |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was also banned in the Philippines by the [[Movie and Television Review and Classification Board]] (MTRCB), a government agency.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sulat|first=Bert B. Jr.|title=A truly twisted thriller|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ja8mAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6562%2C1846635|access-date=June 20, 2023|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=June 13, 1995|page=21}}</ref>

The original intended UK home video release in March 1996 was cancelled due to the [[Dunblane massacre]] in Scotland. In the meantime, [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel Five]] showed the film in November 1997. It was finally released on video in July 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 16, 2001 |title=Natural Born Killers given video release |work=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/may/16/news1 |access-date=December 12, 2016 |archive-date=March 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309194945/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/may/16/news1 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' ranked the film as the eighth most controversial film ever.<ref>{{Citation |title=25 Most Controversial Movies Ever |date=2010-01-06 |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20221484_18,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106151026/http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20221484_18,00.html |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] (archived at [[Internet Archive]]) |access-date=2016-06-10 |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>

=== "Copycat" crimes ===
{{Main|Natural Born Killers copycat crimes}}
From almost the moment of its release, the film has been accused of encouraging and inspiring numerous murderers in North America, including the perpetrators of the [[1997 Heath High School shooting]] and the [[Columbine High School massacre]]. The Columbine killers even code-named their attack "NBK", an initialism for ''Natural Born Killers''.{{sfn|Muir|2011|p=338}}