Nail Gun Massacre

Dir Terry Lofton / 1985 / USA

In 1991 this was cut from 82 to 79mins (v) for an R18+ (Frequent Violence) rating. The cut CBL Video release runs 80min 01sec. The cover states the the film is Banned in the UK. Ironically it only escaped the same fate here because of the cuts. 

The following is a comparison between the CBL tape and the uncut Dutch release from VUH Video. It's interesting to note that many of the cuts simply reduce the length of the scenes. Often they show nothing more graphic than what has already been shown before. The point that the censorship occurs refers to the CBL tape. The amount of missing footage is from the VUH tape.

LINDA'S RAPE

Before - Linda says "Stop please" as she struggles and cries.

CENSORED AT 00min 45sec (25sec missing) - Extension of the rape scene. It contains nothing more explicit to what has been shown before.

After - The soundtrack jumps. We are shown a view of Linda's face as she screams. This is followed my a shot of Mary-Sue hanging out the washing.

THE HITCH-HIKERS DEATH

Before - The Killer says "You should never hitch a ride with a hearse unless you have died". This is followed by a shot of him pointing the nail gun.

CENSORED AT 19min 43sec (11sec missing) - The Hitch-Hiker is shown laying on the ground holding his hand that has been shot.

After/Before - Killer saying "You Hitch-Hikers are all alike" 

CENSORED AT 19min 46sec (12sec missing) - The Killer continues speaking ".......on the road". Second shot of the Hitch-Hiker laying on the road pleading.

After - Killer stoops down next to the Hitch-Hiker and says "Maybe we can still save ya"

DEATH OF HAL AND ANN

Before - The Killer eye view walking through the bushes. As they part we are shown a brief rear shot of Hal and Ann having sex against a tree.

CENSORED AT 33min 28sec (30sec missing) - A continuation of the rear view of them having sex, followed by a side view.

After/Before - Continuation of the side view of them having sex. Hal gets shot in the back of the neck. The nail gun is is then shown, and a shot heard, this is followed by Ann holding her hand against her mouth.

CENSORED AT 34min min 57sec (2sec missing) - As shot of her naked breasts as she is shot in the chest.

After/Before - Another shot of the gun and the sound of it firing.

CENSORED AT 34min 59sec (3sec missing) - Another shot of her naked breasts. The camera pans up to her holding her hand against her mouth.

After - Her body falls to the ground on top of Hal.

DEATH OF BEN

Before- The killer says "Put your hands together". Shot of the gun being raised.

CENSORED AT 37min 36sec (5sec missing) - Ben's hands being shot with the nail gun.

After - Ben hugging the tree and saying, "God why me"

DEATH OF THE CARPENTERS

Before- Killer says "There is one person you didn't leave smiling". He then shoots twice.

CENSORED AT 47min 42sec (7sec missing) - Shot of Carpenter 1 with two nails in his face as he slides to the ground.

After/Before - The Killer talks to C2 about the rape. He eventually says "The party is over". C2 begins to sink to the ground after being shot.

CENSORED AT 49min 12sec (12sec missing) - He continues sliding to the ground. This is followed by another shot of the body of C1.

After - Shot of the Killer as he says "Bye, Bye".

DEATH ON THE CAR

Before - The Killer says to the girl, "I'm sorry, you just don't understand". He then shoots the gun twice.

CENSORED AT 58min 36sec (8sec missing) - Shot of the girl laying on the car bleeding.

After - Shot of the Killer lowering his gun.

CBL Video (Australia) - 80min 03sec
VUH Video (Holland) - 81min 48sec

DVD Comparisons

Naked Cage, The

Dir Paul Nicholas / 1986 / USA

The woman in prison genre again, a censor favourite. Banned (for gratuitous sexual violence) in 1986 at 98mins (v), Hoyts Distribution removed 8 minutes of footage before gaining an R rating. The cut film is on tape from RCA/Columbia, running 90min 09sec. The missing scenes add up to significantly less than 8mins and are as follows.

24min 30sec- (53sec cut) Smiley jumps on top of Ruby, there is a struggle and he subdues her. The scene ends with him saying, "Now you're going to get it"

57min 10sec- (111sec cut) Smiley rips off Michel's blouse exposing her breasts, he then takes down her underwear. She fights back, breaking his nose, then beating him unconscious.

Naked Vengeance

Dir Cirio H Santiago / 1985 / USA

The missing footage discussed for this film is not the work of the OFLC!

This rape/revenge tale from exploitation king Cirio H Santiago was passed with an R18+ rating back in March 1986. However the print that was submitted by Outland Promotions, and released by Vestron Home Video (which runs 74min 26sec) is the American R rated version. At the time it would have been unlikely that the full version would have made it past the Classification Board.

The back cover of the Vestron tape shows a picture of the rapist who gets castrated, standing by a tree, with blood covering his chest. This scene is from the uncut version, and does not appear in the Australian tape.

The fully uncut American Lightning Video VHS runs 97min 12sec (NTSC). If this running time is converted to PAL then it would seem to show that the Australian Vestron tape is missing nearly 20mins of footage!

Nazi Love Camp 27

Dir Mario Caiano / 1977 / Italy

This title is actually listed as being passed at 86mins (v) with an R rating in 1984 for applicant Syme Video. I'm quite confident to say that this never actually came out.  This is very likely as only a few months later Palace applied with the same running time and had it banned. Video Excellence tried twice more in 1985 & 1987 with a cut version running 82mins, but both times this was refused. Reasons for the censors ban was given as gratuitous sexual violence.

Necrophagia: Through The Eyes Of The Dead  

Dir Jim Van Bebber / 2001 / USA

This DVD release from Death Metal band Necrophagia was seized by the Victorian Customs Service. The disc was then submitted to the OFLC who banned it in November 2002.

The disc is described as:
"...... the first ever video release from Necrophagia (featuring Philip Anselmo from Pantera!) Through The Eyes Of The Dead features "And You Will Live In Terror", "Embalmed Yet I Breathe", "Burning Moon Sickness", and "Deep Inside I Plant The Devil's Seed." DVD Bonus features include rare, unreleased footage, interviews, and two bonus clips: "Cannibal Holocaust" and 'They Dwell Beneath."

You will notice the DVD contains their clip for CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, which also features footage from the movie. At the time the film was banned, but was eventually passed R18+ (High Level Sexual Violence, High Level Violence, Animal Cruelty) in October 2005. The bands biography explains the background to the song.

"The single came about when the band was approached by the owner of Grindhouse Releasing to contribute a track to the DVD release of Cannibal Holocaust, considered by horror aficionados as the most vile cannibal movie ever made. Killjoy, an infamous fan of such splatter horror masters as Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento, and George A. Romero, was also excited to film a music video for inclusion on the DVD."

The other bonus clip 'They Dwell Beneath' is the band's tribute to THE LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET. At the time this film had never been released in Australia, though it was eventually passed R18+ (Graphic Violence, Sex Scenes) in September 2005.

Another featured clip is 'And You Will Live in Terror'. This is the bands tribute to THE BEYOND, and first appeared as an extra on the Anchor Bay DVD release. Once again this features footage from a film that originally had problems at the OFLC.

Nekromantik

Dir Jorg Buttgereit / 1987 / West Germany

There are two reports of this being confiscated by customs. The first was from 1992 when it was forwarded to the OFLC who unsurprisingly gave it an RC rating.  Necrophilia, animal cruelty, high level violence would have all contributed to this decision. The second was from 2001 when a videotape was seized.

Nekromantik 2  

Dir Jorg Buttgereit / 1991 / Germany

There are three confirmed customs confiscations of this title. One of these was a VHS from 2001, whilst another took place in 2003 and involved a copy of the US Barrel Entertainment DVD. Like its predecessor, the necrophilia storyline would have been enough to cause this to be seized. 

DVD Comparisons

New York Ripper, The

Dir Lucio Fulci / 1982 / Italy

Violence
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

Greater Union then went away and made nearly five minutes of cuts to the film before resubmitting it. They were obviously not enough, as in February 1985 the censors gave the toned down 86min version an RC rating. The reason for the decision was:

Violence
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

Following this second refusal the release was abandoned, and the film remained unreleased either theatrically, or on video in Australia. 

There is one report from the mid 90's of a customs confiscation of the uncut version.

Twenty years later it was back before the censors. In August 2005 Stomp Visual were awarded an R18+ (High Level Violence) rating for a DVD. Released in October 2005, this uncut version runs 87min 08sec. The cover states:

Banned in Australia for over 20 years

Looking at the uncut Stomp DVD it is easy to see what caused the film to have censorship problems over twenty years ago. The killing of the sex performer (23min) with a broken bottle, and the slashing of Kitty (70min) with a razor both have sexual overtones. In addition, the stabbing of Rosie (10min), Fay hallucination her own murder (37min), the stabbing of Jane (51min), and finally Peter's bloody demise (83min), all contain typical outrageous Fulci gore.

DVD Comparisons

Night of the Wilding

Dir Joseph Merhi / 1990 / USA

16min 33sec-Here the censored version shows Doris being put on to the table whilst shouting "No, No". Missing is approx 15seconds of footage showing her having her top torn off to expose her breasts, and her dress pulled up to expose her underwear. Instead the cut tape shows Betty in the shower.

16min 50sec-The censored version shows a very brief close-up shot of Doris with a gag in her mouth (further censored from the M rated tape). Missing is around 27sec of Doris having her underwear pulled down, and being raped. Instead the cut version again shows Betty in the shower, and one of the rapists approaching the bathroom swinging a baseball bat. Following this a further 22sec of Doris being raped has been removed. The cut tape instead shows Betty in the shower, and the rapist entering the bathroom.

Two years later Eagle Entertainment cut this down to 79 mins (79min 28sec) for an M rated release. This further tones down the rape of Doris, as well as removing (at 10min approx) a couple of baseball bat blows to the security guard.

Nightmare 

aka Schizo

Dir Romano Scavolini / 1981 / USA

In 1987 Palace Video retitled this Schizo, cut it to 89mins (v) (89min 03sec) & were awarded an R rating. Avoid this and try and track down the original Video Classics tape. 

Interestingly, scenes from this possibly contributed to the banning of the made for video horror compilation Terror on Tape.

DVD Comparisons

Nightmare Campus: A Total Nightmare

Dir Koji Yoshikawa / 1996 / Japan

This Japanese anime comes from Toshio Maeda, the man behind Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend . This box set on Central Park Media's Anime 18 label contains all five volumes in the series.

There is a confirmed customs confiscation of the DVD Box Set from 2002. Reasons given were:

"The goods are considered by the Office of Film and Literature Classification to fall within Sub Regulation 4A1(d) of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations."

Night Train Murders  

Dir Aldo Lado / 1975 / Italy

Released by the PAC label, this is on Italian Language video, under the title L' Ultimo treno della notte. This uncut release was previously available in most Italian video stores in Australia.

There is one confirmed customs confiscation of this title.

DVD Comparisons

Ninja Scroll  

Dir Yoshiaki Kawajir / 1993 / Japan

5 Findings on material questions of fact

The content 

5.1 Female Ninja , Kagero , and masterless warrior Jubei are caught up in a web of intrigue, monsters and poison in this Japanese 'Manga' movie

5.2 The Review Board considered the scene of 'coercive violence' (at 11minutes) cited by the former Film Censorship Board as causing the videotape to be classified MA15+. Kagero has her top opened by the monster, her breasts licked, her legs spread apart and licked up and down. In response to her cries of terror he says 'I wouldn't mind raping a dead girl'.

5.3 The Review Board also found a scene at 13 and 62 minutes respectively to constitute depictions of sexual violence, viz

13 minutes: Kagero is the observer of a scene of non-consenting sex, with cries from the female.

62 minutes: The monster has captured and suspended Kagero with ropes, with  hands tied behind her back and one leg raised sideways.. The monster licks his long talon-like finger (with the aim of infecting her with his poison) and approaches with the strongly implied intention of digital rape and genital mutilation.

5.4 The Review Board also found a high and impactful level of violence, with a strong element of relished cruelty throughout the videotape. The genre us used to display violence acts in a graphic manner. The tone of the violence which pervades the videotape was found to amplify and intensify the incidents of sexual violence.

As such, the videotape was found to have a level of violence, including sexual violence, which could not be accommodated in the MA15+ category.

6 Reasons for the Decision.

6.1 The Review Board based its decision to classify the videotape Ninja Scroll 'R18+' in the content, tone and scenes described in 5.2-5.4 above.

6.2 The Review Board concluded that the videotape contained a continuous level of relished violence, which increased the impact of the depictions of sexual violence, and as such was likely to be harmful to those under 18 years.

6.3 The Review Board concluded that the film was unsuitable for a minor to see, within the meaning of Paragraph 3 of the Table under the heading 'Films' in the National Classification Code 

6.4 The Review Board's direction that the consumer advice be 'High Level Violence: Medium Level Sex Scenes' is made having regard to its findings in paragraph 5.2-5.4 above.

7 Summary

The Review Board's decision is to set aside the decision of the Film Censorship Board to classify the videotape Ninja Scroll MA15+, and to classify the videotape 'R18+' with the consumer advice 'High Level Violence: Medium Level Sex Scenes'.

The decision was taken after full consideration of the applicant's submission and after assessing the film as a whole against the relevant legislative criteria and those contained in the current Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Video Tapes.  11-12 July 1996 

Classification Board & Classification Review Board- Annual Report 1996-1997

So the rating was raised from 'MA15+' to 'R18+'. The outcome of all this was that SBS, because it cannot show R rated movies,  now have to cut this for any future screenings. This was indeed the case for its second showing. The scene where Kagero's legs are licked by the monster was removed.

This is was originally released on R4 DVD by Madman Entertainment. There is no reason why this release should not have been uncut, but once again, we have been dumped with a cut British master. Thanks to Khai's comparison of the R1 and R4 DVDs posted at ANIMEMQ,the cuts are as follows.

At chapter 4 entitled 'Tessai Attacks' at 07.48 on the R4 disc, 8 seconds of footage has been removed. According tho Khai:

"During this chapter at 07:48 on the R4 version, and 7:58 on the R1, this is where we miss out on 9 seconds of footage in our release. So on the R4 we're cut off (well the change occurs between the two - so it continues to another scene early) at 7:48, with light reflecting off ninja stars (though you mightn't have noticed they were in fact ninja stars) being the last thing viewed. Then it skips to the top of the tree falling and revealing Tessai (not the webmaster of this site, the rock dude ;>). What you missed in between there were visible ninja starts being thrown into the tree and left plastered into them quite clearly, and also a few branches being hacked and cut off by the ninja stars. If you look out for it, the edit is quite clear on the R4, otherwise you wouldn't have noticed. On the R1 the scene begins at 7:58 and ends at 8:06 rather than remaining at 7:58 (as it is uncut)."

The other cut is to the scene where Tessai molests Kagero,  mentioned in 5.2 of the Review Board report above. Khai describes the cut as:

"The second cut scene is in fact the last cut scene, they must have given up on this violent baby ;) So chapter 5 begins at 09:28 on the R1, and 09:10 on the R4. On the R4 09:20 (09:38 on R1) you'll see a shot where Kagero's clothes are being slightly opened by Tessai as he is about to do something, here we have a whole 43 seconds missing in addition! I think you guys knows what is missing, but basically it's Tessai having a bit of a *cough*lick*cough* of the legs and
*ahem*sucking*ahem* her.. yeah ;) It then continues so it looks like Tessai didn't do all that and we see Tessai sucking her lips with Jubei in the corner, the editing is definitely clear here. So the scene that was cut out on the R4, began at 09:38 on the R1 and ended at 10:22, on the R4 it would have been 18 seconds earlier."

So Khai calculates the cuts to be 51 seconds, all removed by the British censor. The cuts to the Ninja stars are a particularly British hang up. Although relaxed recently, the policy has always been to remove these types of martial arts weapons.

Madman must have received a number of complaints about this unnecessary censorship as they felt compelled to add the following statement to the FAQ on their website.

Why does your Ninja Scroll DVD have missing footage?
Our Ninja Scroll DVD release was actually authored by Manga in the UK and not by Madman Interactive. Unbeknownst to us, they needed to edit out a few seconds of footage involving throwing stars, nunchaku and some sexual violence. Unfortunately we were not informed of this and the title was released with these small cuts. Anyone who is holding off on buying this otherwise excellent DVD can rest assured that if we do eventually release a fully uncut edition, they will be able to “trade up” at a low cost.

In 2003 AV Channel released a Special Edition on DVD in Australia. This is the fully uncut R18+ version.

DVD Comparisons

No Dead Heroes

Dir J.C Miller / 1987 / USA

In 1987 Outland Promotions had an 82min version of this refused because of gratuitous sexual violence.

In the UK this was cut from 82min 21sec to 80min 34sec for an 18 certificate.

No Hard Feelings

Dir Charles H Norton / 1987 / USA 

Palace gained an M rating for this in 1988 when they cut it from 93 to 90mins (v). Reasons for the cuts were given as gratuitous sexual violence. The actual run time is 89m 59s, and seems to be missing the following.

3min approx- The attack on the woman in the car looks like it may be cut.

24min approx- Another attack on a woman also looks shortened.

Cut in the UK from 92m 12s to 91m 11s for an 18 certificate.

Northville Cemetery Massacre

Dir William Dear and Thomas L. Dyke / 1976 / USA

A pre-censored print running 2258.80 mtr (82m 34s) was Refused Registration by the censors in September 1977. The reason give was 'indecent violence'. The distributors appealed against the decision, and in November 1977 the film was awarded an R-rating. This cut print went on to have a theatrical release.

Thanks to Matt for this info regarding the early-80's Video Classics VHS. From the running time it looks like it could be the same pre-cut version released theatrically. Note that there is also a second release on the K&C Video label. Anyone have a scan and running time for this?

I thought you may be interested in some information regarding the old 80:05 Video Classics release of NORTHVILLE CEMETERY MASSACRE as it is definitely cut. 

The scene between 18-20min looks to have been censored in some way. It starts with Putnam beating Chris with his shotgun, some of the blows may have been removed. Putnam's rape of Lynn looks a bit choppy. She says to him "please, please leave me alone". None of the actual rape is shown, however my guess is that it should have appeared after this.  It is followed by Putnam saying to her "listen, listen, listen to me". 

At around 29:30 two bikers are shot in the back, at 41.00 there is an ambush in the drive-in, and between 63:00 to 75:00 there is the final shootout as just about everyone dies.  All these scenes contain lots of splashy blood squibs, and at 67:00 a biker is shot in the head. None of this violence looks obviously cut, but I wouldn't be willing to bet that there wasn't something missing from these scenes.

VCI released the full uncut version on DVD in the U.S. in 2006. Today this would easily get an Australian R-rating in its complete form.

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