There is not enough verified title-by-title information here to responsibly recommend or rank 20 NC-17 and unrated movies. The evidence does establish what NC-17 means and shows why an unrated edition must be identified separately from a film’s rating.
What NC-17 means
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) defines an NC-17 film as one that, in the Rating Board’s view, most parents would consider “patently too adult” for children aged 17 and under. Under the rating’s definition, no one aged 17 or younger is admitted. The MPA also explicitly says NC-17 does not mean “obscene” or “pornographic” in the common or legal meaning. It is an age-based content rating, not a judgment of a film’s quality or artistic merit. Read the MPA’s film ratings information.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Wax Mask (Blu-Ray) | $26.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Gernika - Koldo Serra - Blu-ray - Region B | $11.30 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Last Face (DIRÉ TU NOMBRE - BLU RAY -, Spain Import, See Details for Languages) | $7.85 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Killer Joe | Buy on Amazon |
NC-17 and unrated are not interchangeable
NC-17 is a rating; “unrated” describes a release or version that does not carry a rating. The word alone does not tell you what differs from another cut, or even establish that the version contains additional material. Check the specific edition and its packaging or official listing rather than treating “unrated” as a content description.
One verified example: Orgazmo
Universal’s official Orgazmo page gives the film an NC-17 rating for explicit sexual content and dialogue, and lists an unrated Blu-ray edition. This illustrates that a film’s rating and a home-video edition label can coexist; it does not, by itself, establish exactly how the unrated Blu-ray differs from another cut. See Universal’s Orgazmo listing.
#1 Best Overall
Check the film-specific descriptors
NC-17 films do not all contain the same material. The MPA says descriptors are tailored to individual films; descriptors have accompanied PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 ratings since 1990. Consult the specific title’s rating and descriptor rather than inferring its content from NC-17 alone. The available evidence identifies Orgazmo’s descriptor as explicit sexual content and dialogue, but does not verify comparable details for a twenty-film selection.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why this cannot be a verified top 20
A trustworthy list would need confirmation of each film’s rating or exact unrated edition, plus an editorial basis for calling the selections “best”—such as craft, influence, reception, or genre significance. The evidence available establishes a useful rating explanation and one edition example, but not twenty verified titles or a defensible ranking. Naming a full list anyway would risk mislabeling films or implying that an unrated version has particular content without evidence.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Rank #3
- The Last Face (DIRÉ TU NOMBRE - BLU RAY -, Spain Import, see details for languages)
Rank #2
- Gernika - Koldo Serra - Blu-ray - Region B
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
