Payback
Dir Addison Randall / 1988 / USA
Banned in 1991 at 86mins (v), the following year Video Distribution Company cut this to 82mins (v) for an M rating.
Perdita Durango
Dir Álex de la Iglesia/ 1997 /Mexico-Spain-USA
The missing footage discussed for this film is not the work of the OFLC!
Newvison Films gave this a cinema release in 1998 with an R rating at 125mins (f). The video released on the 21st Century label runs 118min 55sec and would seem to be the same as the one shown in cinemas. The difference in running time is down to the slower projection speed, 24fps for cinema and 25fps for PAL video.The Australian release is missing a large amount of footage, thanks to Mondo Erotico for the following description of the cuts.
"The Spanish version runs 124m 31s, and seems to be uncut. The Australian tape is an abortion running a mere 118m 55s, missing tons of violence and one narrative scene. I was going to say that even the UK tape must be better than this, but it's listed on the BBFC website with a running time of only 118m 10s, from which the BBFC admit to removing 53s - it seems that the cut version released in Australia was submitted to the
BBFC, who cut it further. SIGHT AND SOUND list the running time of the UK theatrical version as 124m 11s after cuts of 53s, which would mean that the version submitted to the BBFC lasted 125m 4s at 24 fps - the Spanish release would run approximately 130m at 24 fps.
The cuts made to the Australian tape are as follows:
13m 41s in. Three shots of Romeo and Perdita making love have been removed.
16m 25s. Part of Romeo's voodoo ceremony involving a bag of heroine has been cut.
16m 31s. A very big chunk has been removed from the voodoo ceremony. This shows Romeo cutting up a corpse, drinking blood and spitting blood over the people watching.
44m 14s. The entire section in which we see flashbacks to Christ's crucifixion has been cut.
45m 38s. A few shots of Romeo raping Estelle have been cut.
46m 25s. A lengthy section has been cut from the rape scene.
67m 59s. The first appearance of Alex Cox's character has been cut. In the Spanish version he is introduced picking up a foetus from the highway.
80m 47s. Six shots have been removed from the start of Perdita's dream, in which her brother-in-law shoots two children. The scene now begins abruptly with the man shooting Perdita's sister.
85m 57s. A complete dialogue scene in which a Mafiosi talks to one of his hoodlums has inexplicably been cut.
93m 40s. A few seconds of Romeo cutting a man's face with a broken bottle have been cut.
The film was made in Super 35, and the unmasked full-screen image of the
Australian release is actually quite good, allowing us to see several
humorous details (such as the sign reading "on sale - fishin' stuff" 22
minutes in) that have been masked off-screen in the 2.35:1 Spanish version.
A-Pix's US DVD of PERDITA DURANGO lasts 121m 8s and is duplicated at 25 fps, which means that it's somewhat longer than the censored Australian release. Curiously,
A-pix's R-rated edition includes almost everything that was cut from the Australian version. However, a number of new cuts have been made. These are as follows:
25s in. The shot of the tiger pulling away Perdita's bed sheet has been shortened, eliminating a clear view of the woman's bottom. According to the
'Mondo Digital' website, A-Pix had to cut certain scenes because they involved under-age sex, but Rosie Perez was 33 at the time of filming! God, the MPAA are getting SO strict!!! (Of course, we have no idea how old the tiger was.)
29s in. A shot of Perdita has been shortened in order to remove a clear glimpse of her under-age 33-year old nipples.
The title has been changed, eliminating the strikingly designed original logo in which a foetus could be seen inside the letter 'O' of the word 'DURANGO'. Curiously,
A-pix's tape has Spanish credits, while the Australian tape has alternate English-language credits.
13m 59s. A shot of Romeo moving a shrunken head over the length of Perdita's body has been cut.
20m 50s. In the Spanish and Australian versions, the scene introducing Estelle's parents begins with a close-up of a TV screen showing THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW. This has been cut by
A-Pix, though the programme is still listed in the end credits.
22m 14s. Another shot of Mary Tyler Moore on the TV has been removed from the middle of the scene.
52m 47s and 52m 50s. As Romeo and Perdita make love in the desert, two separate cuts have been made, eliminating shots of Romeo kissing Perdita's breasts and removing her trousers (though part of this can still be glimpsed in one of the theatrical trailers included on the DVD). Javier Bardem was 28 at the time of shooting - my God, it's virtually child pornography!
76m 1s, 76m 3s and 76m 12s. Three separate cuts have been made to the flashback showing Romeo as a child watching VERA CRUZ. The clips from VERA CRUZ have been cut to a bare minimum, but parts of the film are still clearly visible - if the cuts (which include a strikingly beautiful shot wherein the camera tracks around and behind the outdoor screen) were made for copyright reasons, this would seem to defeat the point of the whole exercise.
88m 16s. The opening shot of the scene with Mr Santos talking to his henchman has been cut. This shows Santos wagging his finger at a little girl and saying "you were bad" (at least that's what I think he's saying - I'm lip reading the dialogue in the Spanish version). This is the only instance of footage being missing from both the Australian and US editions (this entire scene has been cut from the Australian print).101m 8s. A close-up of a Manga cartoon on a TV screen has been removed from the start of the scene where Romeo arrives at his friends' house. The end credits still list this cartoon, which is identified as UROTSUKIDOJI II (LEGEND OF THE DEMON WOMB).
114m 36s. Romeo's death scene has been shortened, completely eliminating the footage from VERA CRUZ which he sees before dying.
The end credits are the same as on the Spanish version: the shot of Perdita walking through the street freezes, then fades to black before the credits roll in Spanish over a black screen. The end credits in the Australian tape are different, and quite superior: there, the shot of Perdita freezes and the credits begin rolling over it - there is then a dissolve to a series of neon-lit buildings observed from the perspective of a moving car. These fade to black about half-way through the credits.
In 2002 Siren released this to R4 DVD. The packaging lists a running time of 125mins and claims that it is the "Original Uncut Version". It actually runs the same length as the tape version, and is missing all the footage described above.
The German DVD is uncut and runs 125min 33sec.
Petites Fuges, Les
Dir Yves Yersin / 1979 / France
Le Ciezio Films had this title rated R18+ in March 1980. Instead they chose to remove 13mtr (28sec) from the 3708mtr (135min 32sec) print in order to secure a lower M rating.
Here is how Cinema Papers described the decision to cut the film and how it compared with the treatment of David Blyth's ANGEL MINE.
"....the distributor secured the director's permission before proceeding. This however, seems to be the exception, not the rule."
Piano Teacher, The
Dir Michael Haneke / 2001 / France - Austria
This title has been included as AN EXAMPLE OF OFLC POLICY. it has not been censored OR BANNED.
Level Four Films had a 131min (f) print passed in June 2002 with an R18+ (Adult Themes, Actual Sex) rating. Madman Entertainment released the film to DVD with an running time of 125min 08sec (v). In October 2005 Madman Entertainment were awarded the same rating for a second DVD release. A censored version premiered on SBS in June 2006.
This is an interesting title as it contains a scene of actual sex.
The following is taken from the REPORT ON THE REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE 2003 GUIDELINES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES. It includes information about the classification of this title. Note that the full report can be accessed at the OFLC website.
REPORT ON THE REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE 2003 GUIDELINES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES
Prepared by Kate
Aisbett, Entertainment Insights
December 2004
Executive Summary
Review process
A review of the first twelve months’ operation of the Guidelines for the
Classification of Films and Computer Games 2003 (the 2003 Guidelines) was
promised by the former Attorney General, the Hon Daryl Williams AM QC MP,
to ensure that the decisions made under the 2003 Guidelines align with
those made under the Guidelines for the Classification of Films and
Videotapes – Amendment No. 3, 2000, and Guidelines for the
Classification of Computer Games – Amendment No. 1, 1999 (the previous
guidelines). The review of the 2003 Guidelines has been conducted and is
the subject of this report.
The principal object of the review is to assess whether the combining and recasting of the previous guidelines into the 2003 Guidelines has had the effect of changing the level of content that falls into the various classification categories for film and games.
7 Examination of Board decision reports
7.6.1 Actual Sex
The Piano Teacher
Depictions of actual sex were found in the comparative year for the Review
period. The Board report for the film The Piano Teacher, classified in the
year prior the introduction of the 2003 Guidelines, describes actual sex
scenes of a similar level of detail and brevity:
Whilst in a booth in an adult shop, views of the video she is watching are shown full screen, including actual fellatio and intercourse. There are also views of magazines on the bookshelves depicting actual sexual activity…
The research on past incidents of actual sex in R18+ classified films and the content in films in the two comparative years suggests that the change in the level of actual sex is not related to the change in guidelines but related to the product in the market in the operational review year
Attachment D – OFLC
responses to titles referred to in the report
The Piano Teacher
On 12 June 2002, the Board classified The Piano Teacher R18+ with the
consumer advice, ‘adult themes, actual sex’.
The Board noted in its report that:
A lonely piano teacher who self mutilates and frequents peep shows in pornography shops forms a liaison with an infatuated student who becomes violent on discovering her masochistic desires.
… The film contains adult themes and depictions of actual sexual activity which cannot be accommodated in a lesser category.
The treatment of the themes of self mutilation, voyeurism, incest and sexual violence have a very high degree of intensity but are not exploitative within the context of the film.
… Although the general rule for Sex at R is ‘simulation, yes - the real thing, no,’ the Board is obliged to consider section 11 of the Act and is of the opinion that, although some scenes may be offensive to some sections of the adult community, the depictions of actual sex in this film can be accommodated in the R classification.
Place Called Today, A
Dir Don Schain / 1972 / USA
G.A. International had a 100min (v) version of this banned in November 1984 for 'explicit and gratuitous sexual violence'.
Thanks to Matt G for this review.
Just caught up with a dub of an old U.S tape release of this Don Schain drama. The running time was 102:55 (NTSC) and it looked uncut. For the first 80mins I was left wondering what exactly the Aussie censors had a problem with. However, at around the 83min mark a naked Cindy is kidnapped by two guys and you know where it is going to end. Here are the scenes that I would say the censors would have wanted removed, in part, or completely. In my opinion this would now pass uncut with an R-rating.
90:24-92:04 - A naked Cindy is released from the sleeping bag with her mouth taped up. The black guy says "You white bitch". He then threatens her with a gun, and then a knife. She struggles and he says "fight, go on, fight". He begins to rape her.
92:04-92:21 - report on TV
92:21- 92:33 - The rape continues
92:33-95:35 - Randy and Carolyn watch a news report
95:35-96:12 - The black guy finishes raping her and then stabs her in the throat. They then run away as the cops arrive.
I've seen many old tapes over the years, but never come across a copy of the censored GA International release. As you mention on your site they also released Don Schain's GINGER. Maybe A PLACE CALLED TODAY is, along with THE ABDUCTORS, a planned release that never appeared.
Predator 2
Dir Stephen Hopkins / 1990 / USA
In 1991 Hoyts-Fox-Columbia Tristar were awarded an R for the uncut print of this title. Instead they cut the more explicit scenes of violence, and were given the more commercial M rating (this was in the days before MA). It is this cut version that was released to cinemas and on video.
Thanks to Peter F for pointing out that the film was also available (sell-though?) uncut on an R18+ VHS.
Predator 2 was released UNCUT on VHS
Time on VHS 103:28 (approx) (Fox Logo and Credits included) (PAL)
Time on DVD (Special Edition) 103:33 (PAL)
In 2001 Fox Home Entertainment gave the uncut R-rated print a DVD release. This restores around 40 seconds of footage as described here. Ironically, at the same time we were given the chance to see the extra footage in Part 2, Part 1 was (for the first time) given a censored release.
Prison Heat
Dir Joel Silberg / 1993 / USA
Yet more women in prison problems at the OFLC. Warner Home Video had this banned in 1993 at 91mins. It was passed with an R in a version that runs 95mins (v), 4mins longer than the original print! I have yet to confirm if this censored version was ever released.
The Thai VCD on the Mangpong label runs 86min 17sec. If this is uncut then I can see very little that the OFLC could have objected to. It's a standard WIP movie, with the usual plot. There are a couple of rape scenes, but these are not portrayed particularly graphically.
In the UK, it was presented to the BBFC with a running time of 87min 26sec, it lost 4min 51sec of this before being passed.
Private Obsession
Dir Lee Frost / 1995 / USA
Peacock had the 103min print of this banned in 1995. No cut release followed.
The English Language Thai VCD release from Mangpong runs 100min 59sec and is presumably uncut. If this is the case then it is hard to see what exactly prevented it from receiving an Australian release.
The plot concerns a man who holds a feminist fashion model prisoner. There are two instances where she seduces her captor in an effort to escape. However, these are not portrayed as the usual type of rape scene that the OFLC often object to.
The unrated DVD has been put out by Image in the US.
Prodigal Son, The
Dir Sammo Hung / 1982 / Hong Kong
No doubt concerned that the violence may have problems, the distributor submitted a 'pre-censor cut version' to the Censorship Board. This 2982.90mtr (109min 01sec) print was awarded an R rating in April 1982. It went on to a Chinese language theatrical release.
It was rated again in January 2005. This time the full uncut version was submitted and passed with an R18+ (Medium Level Violence) classification. Universal Pictures Video issued it on DVD in May 2005.