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Honestly, the first film that comes to mind in regards to cultural reaction and affect (and seems the most obvious choice) is Jaws.
Peter Benchley's book was already a commercial success with its summertime readability and pop appeal. But it wasn't until Spielberg brought this horror gem to the screen that we really saw the social impact. People ubiquitously reacted with irrational paranoia and fear in terms of getting near the water. The movie gave birth to a culture of swimming fear.
"Controversial" is a whole different topic, however, and I'm not sure that they should be grouped together. In regards to controversy, I definitely agree that The Exorcist had a cultural impact (the crucifix scene definitely stays in my mind).
To a lesser extent, I would argue that Night of the Living Dead was controversial for its racial undertones and 60s police-riot commentary. It was definitely ahead of its time.
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