Take Me
Dir Cha Chuen Yee / 1991 / Hong Kong
In 1992, Chinatown Cinema cut this from 90 to 86min (f) for an R rated Chinese Cinema release. The reasons for the cuts were described by the OFLC as"For 'Take Me', the sequence of sexual violence at issue was considered to offer viewers the message that violence and protests enhance the sexual experience and women are turned on by this behaviour. The scene perpetuates the myth that women want to be, and enjoy being raped."
OFLC and Film and Literature Board of Review-Report on Activities 1991-92,
The Hong Kong DVD can be found on the Ocean Shores label. No Australian video release.
Taste for Fear, A
Dir Piccio Raffanini / 1988 / Italy
Palace Home Video had an 88min (v) version of this banned in 1988. The following year it was cut to 86mins (85min 47sec) and awarded an R18+ rating. It is missing the following scenes:
TEAGAN'S MURDER
Before - "I prefer other instruments". He then presses play.
CENSORED AT 54min 22sec (20sec approx missing) - Teagan is shown on the TV screen tied to a chair and being stabbed. This is mixed with some reaction shots of those watching the tape.
After - Dianne turns her head away from the screen and says "Urgh!"
KIM'S MURDER
Before - The killer shows the same sign as before. Dianne says "It's the same dedication" "Who's it to?"
CENSORED AT 68min 06sec (43sec approx missing) - Kim is shown on the screen getting her throat cut. This is mixed with reaction shots of those watching. One line of dialogue has been removed. "Stop, take it back to the red-head"
After - Laura says "You really think it was George behind all this?"
Taste of Kiwi, A
Dir Peter Wells / 1991 / New Zealand
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney had this short 28min video rated RC in 1992. An appeal against the decision was made to the Review Board but was unsuccessful.
Decision
Reviewed: Refuse to register by the Film Censorship Board
Decision:
This short film, depicting footballers leaving the
field and scenes of male sexual activity, was intended for presentation in
a program of films at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.
The
Chairman declared an interest in the Museum of Contemporary Art, through
its association with the NSW Ministry of the Arts, of which he is the
Secretary, and withdrew. from the discussion.
The
Deputy Chairman, Mr Keith Connolly, took the chair. The members of the
Review Board were in unanimous agreement with the Censorship
OFLC and Film and Literature Board of Review - Report on Activities 1991-92
Taxi Zum Klo
aka Taxi to the Toilet
Dir Frank Ripploh / 1981 / West Germany
Crystal Film Corporation Pty Ltd had this title Refused Registration in May
1982. The 2632.70mtr (96m 13s) print was banned due to:
Sex
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
August 1982 saw a 'Reconstructed Version' submitted missing around five
minutes of footage. The 2496.13mtr (91m 14s) print was passed with an R-rating
for:
Sex
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Justified
Other: Adult Concepts
It is this heavily censored version that went on to have an Australian theatrical release.
The film was no doubt cut to remove, amongst other things, footage of real gay sex, as well a golden shower scene.
Tender and Perverse Emanuelle
Dir Jess Franco / 1973 / France
In September 1981 Filmways had to remove 1min 45sec to gain an R rating. Reasons for the cuts were infrequent medium level gratuitous sex. A 83min (f) print went on to a cinema run, no Australian video release followed.
Tendres Cousines
Dir David Hamilton / 1980 / France-West Germany
In 1981 Roadshow had a 90min (f) print banned for reasons of the sexual exploitation of a minor.
In 1984,Consolidated Exhibitors tried again with a 92min (f) print; this was once again banned. An appeal to the Film Board of Review was unsuccessful.
Terror
Dir Franco Prosperi / 1978 / Italy
Applicant IE International/Cinehollywood had two tapes passed in August 1983. The first is listed as an Italian Language Version, and the second an English Language, Greek subtitled version. Both list a running time of 87mins.
The Cinehollywood tape could be found during the 80's and 90's in many Australian stores that rented Italian Language videos. The running time was presumably uncut at 85min 24sec.
In 1985 Thorn Emi picked the film up for a an English Language release. Despite passing it a year or two earlier, the censors now banned this 86min print. The reason given was 'Gratuitous Sexual Violence'. No cut release followed.
Terror
Dir Norman J Warren / 1979 / UK
In April 1980 Penda Investments removed 19 seconds to gain an 84min (f) R rated cinema run. The cuts were required to remove gratuitous, frequent, medium intensity violence. No Australian video release.
Terror on Tape
Dir Robert Worms / 1983 / USA
In 1985 Hoyts Distribution had this 85min (v) made for video horror film compilation banned due to excessive violence. I assume that amongst the gory clips, the censors were particularly concerned about scenes from the banned films Color Me Blood Red & Nightmare.
Thou Shalt not Kill… Except
aka Sgt Stryker's War
Dir Josh Becker / 1985 / USA
Banned because of gratuitous violence in 1986 at 82mins, no cut release followed. It looks like Showcase Video tried again the same year under the title Sgt Stryker's War, but the censors banned it again.The Dutch tape issued by Video For Pleasure is uncut at 82min 27sec.
Three Kings
Dir David.O.Russel / 1999 / USA
Roadshow had this rated R at 115min (f) in late 1999. Cuts were made, and a more commercial MA rated release hit cinemas in early 2000. The cut version is also listed at 115min, and according to the IMDb is missing a brief close up of a women being shot in the head by one of Sadaam's soldiers.Roadshow have released the full R rated print on DVD and tape.
Thriller: A Cruel Picture
Dir Bo Arne Vibenius / 1974 / Sweden
This was passed for theatrical release in November 1976 with an R18+ rating. The print submitted ran 2523mtr (92min 13sec), from which 12.3mtr (27sec) of 'excessive violence' was removed at the insistence of the Australian censors.
In September 2004 the film made its world DVD premiere on the U.S. Synapse label. So far there has been three confirmed customs confiscations of this title, and rumours of several more.
Details from one letter give the reason only as:
"DVD Entitled "Thriller
" depicting SEXUALIZED VIOLENCE."
"....subject to regulation 4A(1A)(a) of customs (prohibited imports)
reg 1956"
One U.S. based DVD company includes this warning to those in Australia thinking of ordering the film.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMERS - WE HAVE HAD SOME OF THESE DVDS CONFISCATED BY CUSTOMS. SOME HAVE MADE IT THROUGH BUT SOME HAVE BEEN STOPPED. ORDER AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Thundering Mantis, The
Dir Yip Wing-Cho / Prod Chou Fu-Liang / 1980 / Hong Kong
In July 1980 W.Yau submitted a 2565.7mtr (93min 47sec) print for
classification. It lost 16.4mtrs (36sec) of footage before an R rating was
eventually awarded. The reason given for the deletions was violence, which
was described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
With the cuts made the R rating was awarded on the grounds of violence
which was now described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
In February 1981 it was back before the censors, this time submitted by
Joe Sui International Film Co. The (pre-cut?) 2534.30mtr (92min 38sec)
print was passed with an R, again due to violence which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
September 1982 saw the film again being rated by the censors. This time
the applicant was Comfort Film Enterprises. The 2499.00mtr (91min 20sec)
print lost 16.4mtr (36sec). Again the R rating was for violence, which was
once again thought to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
All of the above submissions would have been for local Chinese Language cinema releases.
In June 1985 Gold Seal Video were awarded an R rating for an 80min
print. Despite having an 80min running time on the cover, the actual
tape clocks in at 89min 14sec (v). It is unclear if this is uncut. Once more the rating was awarded on the grounds that
the violence was:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
The IMDb claims that the film had been released in Australia as MANTIS FIST BOXER. Presumably this is the 2004 RBC Entertainment DVD that was issued as part of their Kung Fu Theatre series. It needs to be confirmed if this is indeed the same film, and if so, how complete it is.
Tobacco Roody
Dir Bethel G. Buckalew / 1970 / USA
Regent Trading were originally refused a rating in 1975 with a running time of 86min (f). 14th Mandolin had to remove 4mins before an R rated cinema release could take place in 1979. Two years later K&C Video had an 85min (v) print refused for infrequent, but gratuitous highly explicit sex. Advertisements for King of Video that appeared in early 80's video trade magazines listed this as one of their titles. It needs to be conformed if this was indeed released by them.
In November 2002 Image/Something Weird released this on DVD doubled with (the also banned) SOUTHERN COMFORTS.
Tokyo Decadence
Dir Ryu Murakami / 1992 / Japan
Beyond Films were refused a rating for this title at 113mins (f) in 1992, no cut release followed.Image were this first US company to issue a DVD, this was re-released by First Run Features in 2003. Be warned though, this release, although rated NC17 is missing 26mins of footage that were present in the original Japanese print. See here for details of what is missing. Cult Video in Holland offers the full Directors cut on tape, with English subtitles.
It's best to avoid the 2003 UK DVD on the Blue Light label, as it runs under 90mins!
Toolbox Murders, The
Dir Dennis Donnelly / 1978 / USA
This was due to screen on July 17th 2004 at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. It is rumoured that the OFLC became aware of this and contacted the organisers who pulled it, and three other features from the program. If anyone has any further information on this then please send it in.
The Melbourne Underground Film Festival issued the following press release on July 12th 2004.
STOP THE PRESS - MUFF films banned!!!!The following films have been banned from MUFF by the O.F.L.C:
 | The
Toolbox Murders
| Wife
to be Sacrificed
| Za
Ginipiggu 1 &2 | |
The following description of the film is taken from the MUFF website.
THE TOOLBOX MURDERS
1977 | USA | 94 min
A cheapjack, sleazy, serial-killer thriller that has Cameron Mitchell running amok with power tools and a moonlighting porn star in one of many deadly encounters. Mitchell who’s idea for playing a serial killer seems to have been hatched by observing the guys from the other end of the bar that he was drinking in before coming to work, is allowed to chew the scenery in an unbelievable manic turn that’ll have you shuddering in disbelief and that’s not even considering the amazing and prolonged moments of violence, general non-acting and super surprise ‘sicko’ ending.
Saturday July 17th 3pm | George Cinemas
******
As far as we know this has never been picked up for Australian distribution. If it had been presented to the OFLC in the 70's or 80's then it would have probably have ran into problems. It is however strange that the OFLC picked on this in 2004. Maybe if they had viewed it then it would now pass it R18+ uncut. The milder 2003 remake, available on DVD from 21st Century Pictures, was passed in 2004 with an MA15+ rating.
Torture Train
Dir Ferdinando Baldi / 1979 / Italy
In 1986 JEF Films presented, and were refused (for gratuitous sexual violence) a rating for a 79min print. No cut release followed.
Total Recall
Dir Paul Verhoeven / 1990 / USA
Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films originally received an R18+ rating in 1990. An appeal against the decision produced the following response.Applicant: Hoyts Fox Columbia
Tri-Star Films Pty Ltd
Decision Reviewed: Classify 'R' by the Film Censorship Board
Decision: Total Recall, a futuristic science-fiction adventure starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was classified 'R' by the Film Censorship Board because of its violence. A modified version was submitted by the film's Australian distributors and classified 'M'. It was subsequently discovered that contractual agreements between the director and the producers of the film prevented any version being screened with cuts or modifications. The modified version was therefore withdrawn and an appeal lodged against the original 'R' classification. This appeal was considered by the Film and Literature Board of Review. The distributors contended in a submission to the Board that the film's violence was "tongue-in-cheek" and not to be taken seriously; that the film was pure fantasy in keeping with the comic-strip characters usually portrayed by Schwarzenegger; and that the violence was no more likely to seem real than that of many cartoons.
Total Recall is an expensive film. The special effects are elaborate. The production values are impressive. It is true that the story has a comic-strip flavour, but its tone is by no means light-hearted. The film depicts a fashionably pessimistic view of the future - a world of greater greed and violence unmitigated by greater technological prowess. The action is menacing rather than escapist, and there is a message of sorts at the end. To say that the film is in no way to be regarded as a serious work seemed to us disingenuous; the director presumably took the film seriously enough to forbid any cuts. But even if Total Recall were a manifestly frivolous film its violence would still have formidable impact. It is frequent, intense, and calculated.
Members of the Board of Review were in no doubt that it exceeded the limits of an 'M' classification. All of it was explicit; much of it was highly detailed, and some of it at least was relished. Both individually and cumulatively the violent sequences contributed to a prevailing tone of ruthlessness and savagery. Some of us felt - though such judgements, of course, are ones for the director - that the film would have been no less successful if the violence had been less pronounced. Others of us who enjoyed Total Recall for its spectacle and technical accomplishment, and might have been tempted to treat such a commercially ambitious and potentially popular film with greater indulgence, were nevertheless mindful of the film's power to disturb and its possible effects on young audiences. All of us agreed that Total Recall, in its uncut version, had been properly classified 'R' by the Film Censorship Board, and accordingly we affirmed the 'R' classification. 28 June 1990.
With the appeal unsuccessful, Hoyts cut the film for a more commercial M rating (this was in the days before MA), and released it to cinemas. For a description of some of the cuts see here
Released to tape the following year, in both uncut R and cut M prints. It goes without saying which one to choose. Now out on R4 DVD, in the full R18+ version only.
Tough Guns
aka Tramp Women
Dir Godfrey Daniels / 1972 / USA
Under the title TRAMP WOMEN, a 1673.18mtr (61m 09s) print was submitted to the Censorship Board in May 1980 by SHS Box Office Gold. It was passed only after 44.1mtr (96s) of sex and violence was removed. This was described as:
Sex and Violence
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
With the cuts made the film was awarded an R18+ for sex and violence, which was now described as:
Sex and Violence
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
In 1994 Peacock Films attempted to give the film a video release under the title TOUGH GUNS. The 73min print was Refused Classification, and no cut release followed.
Traces of Death (1993)
Traces of Death 2 (1994)
Traces of Death 3 (1995)
Traces of Death IV: Resurrected (1996)
Traces of Death V: Back in Action (2000)
aka Traces of Death 9th Anniversary Collectors Edition Box Set
Prod Dead Alive Producations / 1993 - 2000 / USA
A DVD box set of the first five episodes in this shockumentary series was confiscated by customs in 2003.
The reason given was:
1x Box Set of 5 DVD's titled "Traces of Death Volume 1 to 5 were seized under subsection 203B(2) being goods suspected on reasonable grounds to be special forfeited goods.
An authorised person believes on reasonable grounds that the said goods are forfeited to the Crown pursuant to Section 229 of the Customs Act 1901.
The DVD's titled "Traces of Death Volume 1 to 5" are deemed to contravene Regulation 4A(1A)(a) of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations.
Train Station Pick-ups
Dir Walter Boos / 1979 / West Germany
A 2628.60mtr (96min 04sec) print of this softcore sex comedy was Refused Classification in December 1979. Filmways cut it down to 2593.29mtr (94min 47sec) and resubmitted the film in April 1980. It was passed R18+ only after the removal of a further 26mtr (57sec).
No Australian Video release. A DVD is available in Japan on the JVD label.
Troma's War
The missing footage discussed for this film is not the work of the OFLC!
Dir Michael Herz - Lloyd Kaufman / 1988 / USA
In July 1989 Roadshow Home Video had a 90 min (v) print passed with an M15+ (Violence, Some coarse language, Sexual scenes) rating. This heavily censored U.S R rated version was eventually released by Applause Video.
Troma have issued an unrated DVD in the US.