Electric Blue 001
Dir Adam Cole / 1980 / UK
A 59min (v) tape was banned by the censors in January 1980. An application was made to the Review Board, who in February 1980 agreed with the ban. Electric Blue Australasia subsequently re-edited the tape and achieved an R18+ in March 1980. The exact running time is 58m 06s.
Here is how Cinema Papers described the process.
Another interesting censorship decision is that relating to Electric Blue, a one-hour video tape put out by the owners of Men Only and Club International magazines in Britain. The tape consists of edited highlights of car crashes at Indianapolis, a short film by David Hamilton, interviews in the street conducted by Fiona Hamilton and two segments on naked women.
The first sequence (13mins) is a semi-dramatic episode of a centrefold-type girl as she becomes erotically aroused by the school papers she is marking. The other segment is of housewives as they move about in their houses naked . These sequences are reputably photographed by either husbands or boyfriends.
Electric Blue is the first attempt by a men's magazine publishers to put a magazine on video. Playboy for example is preparing to put out monthly, one-hour specials on cable television in the U.S. and Penthouse is said to be considering doing the same.
Given that video and cable television will
continue to expand, the future of publications on tape seems to be
considerable. The Tasmanian Film Corporation for example has been
examining the idea, though presumably with less 'adult' type projects.
Electric Blue was submitted to the Commonwealth Censor in January 1980 but
was banned for sexual explicitness. This is surprising as it is well
short of being a "blue movie". The overseas marketing of
Electric Blue has in fact been based on the tape's "social
acceptability".
The Australian distributor then went to the Film Board of Review, but the appeal was turned down. Several cuts were unofficially suggested and the videotape was re-edited. The tape still runs 59mins as sections of the tape were re-used to fill-in the three minutes of deletions.
It's unclear how different the Australian tape is to the UK one. Certainly in the segment where Fiona Richmond shows clips from three films it seems that the titles have been changed for the Australian market. Trailers are shown for CASE OF THE SMILING STIFFS, FANTASM, and THE STUD. The Electric Blue tapes were released by a company called Scripglow Ltd, and were distributed by Video Classics. The above three titles are from Video Classics and are offered for the low price of just $69.95!
Electric Blue 002
Dir Adam Cole / 1980 / UK
Electric Blue Australasia had a revised 59min
(59m 13s) passed R18+
in July 1980. The reason given for the deletions were sex, which were
described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
In November 1981, L&M Imports had a 60min videotape Refused Classification.
This was presumably the uncut version.
Electric Blue 005
Dir Adam Cole / 1981 / UK
Electric Blue Australasia had a 60min reconstructed version passed R18+ in July 1981. The actual running time of the tape is 57m 02s.
Electric Blue 006
Dir Adam Cole / 1981 / UK
Electric Blue Australasia had a
60min version Refused Classification in September 1981. A revised 54min
(54m 28s) version was passed R18+ in December 1981. The reason given
for the deletions were sex and language, which were described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
It was Refused Classification again in July 1983, this time running
58mins. The reasons given to the applicant J.Woodforde were sex, described
as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Electric Blue 008
Dir Adam Cole / 1982 / UK
Electric Blue Australasia had a 58min version Refused Classification in
May 1982. The reason given for the ban was sex which were described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
A 54min reconstructed version was eventually passed R18+ in July 1982. Interestingly, the ex-rental tape that was reviewed for this film ran 58m 41s It's possible that both cut and uncut versions were released.
Electric Blue 015
Dir / 1984 / UK
In November 1984 Video Classics had an edited 60min tape rated R. The following month another 60min version was rated X18+. The actual running time of the R rated video is 57m 29s.
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