Driller Killer, The
Dir Abel Ferrara / 1979 / USA
This title had a troubled time with the our censors in the early 80's. It was submitted in September 1982 by Video Classics in an 86min (v) version, and in July 1983 by Syme Home Video running 90min (v). Both versions were Refused Classification and were never released by either label.
It was back for consideration in November 1984 when 14th Mandolin submitted a 35mm print that ran 2589mtr (94m 38s). Once again it was rated RC. It was finally passed in September 1985 (three years after the initial submission) with an R18+ rating. 14th Mandolin were again the applicant, and the print was described as an 89min Reduced Version. I would assume this running time refers to a video tape and not a 35mm print.
There were two VHS releases of this in Australia, both are cut and run 88m 59s. Cover #1 is on the King of Video label. Cover #2 lists King of Video on the actual tape, but Box Office Int Video on the cover. 14th Mandolin are the distributors behind both of these labels.
The murder of the tramps at approximately 36min and 50min both look shortened. Also missing at 55min is the infamous scene of the drill through the head. A picture of which graced the old UK video cover, and that went a long way to seeing it get banned as a video nasty.
In March 2004 Umbrella Entertainment submitted a 95min (v) version to the OFLC. It was awarded an MA15+ (High Level Violence) for a DVD release. The cover has a sticker on it informing the public that the film was "Previously Banned. Now Released Uncut". Unfortunately this is a 94m 20s censored version. This print seems to have originated from the 1999 UK Visual Entertainment DVD release. At the time Melon Farmers described the situation as:
"54s were pre-cut by the distributor after having taken advice from James Ferman last year. The main cuts were to the head drilling scene but two earlier drill killings also suffered. 46seconds of footage has been added to smooth over some of the gaps."
Full details of the cuts can be found here.
Quite why Umbrella Entertainment released this version is a mystery. The true uncut film would undoubtedly have been passed, if not MA15+, then definitely R18+.
***
At midnight on December 9th 2006 the film had its Australian TV Premiere courtesy of the B-Mania season on the World Movies Channel. Thanks to Sean for sending in this report about the screening
Just thought that you may be interested to know that the recent World Movies screening of DRILLER KILLER was the same as the cut Umbrella DVD version.
I e-mailed the channel to try and get some answers about this strange example of censorship.
17.12.06
To World Movies
Thanks for screening the B Movie season. This is something I'd like to see much
more of on World Movies. The main reason that I am writing is concerning the
screening of DRILLER KILLER last Saturday. I was hoping that you would screen
the uncut version, but instead it was the censored. I am very disappointed that
you did this, and hope that it is not a sign of increasing censorship on the
channel. The version that was shown had an MA rating. I know that (unlike
Showtime), you can screen R-rated films. Why not leave it uncut, and give it an
R-rating?
28.12.06
From World Movies
Thanks for your kind words, we're very glad you're enjoying our B Mania season!
You're right, we did screen the MA version of Driller Killer. Unfortunately,
this was the only print we were able to source in time, and we preferred to
screen this version than not include Abel Ferrara in the season at all.
In all cases, we prefer to screen films uncut, as the director intended, however
in this instance we felt the film was worthy at any cost, so we sourced what we
could at the time. It's certainly not an indication of censorship.
Feel free to contact us with any more feedback you have, happy holidays.
It's good to see the World Movies willing to answer my question. To be honest I didn't really believe a channel that screens uncut versions of IRREVERSIBLE, ROMANCE, IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES, THE IDIOTS, etc, to deliberately cut something like DRILLER KILLER. I would guess that the version may have been sourced from Umbrella. It's bizarre to think that a censored version that was originally prepared to get past the UK censors (who have since passed it uncut) has now turned up on DVD and TV in Australia! As you say, the uncut version would have for many years easily passed the OFLC. Instead we are still waiting! Anyway, the B-Mania season has been screening some interesting stuff, so fingers crossed that it will become an annual event.
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