Film Censorship: A #1

The ABC of Love and Sex: Australia Style

Directed by John Lamond / 1978 / Australia / IMDb

A 2387.2 meter (87:15) version of THE ABC OF LOVE AND SEX: AUSTRALIA STYLE lost 98.7 meters (03:36) before being awarded an R-rating in March 1978. The reason for the cuts was ‘indecency’.

Roadshow Distributors released this version theatrically in Australia.

Video releases

Pakenham Video Library had an 80m videotape passed with an R-rating in February 1984.

The reason given for the R-rating was sex, which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Justified

In November 1984, Roadshow Home Video had a 76:53 videotape passed with an R-rating.

The reason given for the R-rating was sex, which was described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Roadshow released this tape on their Vibrant Video label.

Uncut Umbrella DVD

In July 2009, Umbrella Entertainment released an uncut 82:53 DVD of THE ABC OF LOVE AND SEX: AUSTRALIA STYLE. It was double-billed with John Lamond's previous feature, AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK.

In January 2011, THE ABC OF LOVE AND SEX: AUSTRALIA STYLE was re-released as part of Umbrella's OZPLOITATION DVD BOX SET VOLUME 3.

Uncut Umbrella DVD vs. Cut Roadshow VHS

Thanks to Chris for this review.

The theatrical version of THE ABC OF LOVE AND SEX: AUSTRALIA STYLE lost 03:36, whereas the difference between the DVD and VHS is 05:42.

Umbrella Entertainment DVD – 82:35
Roadshow-Vibrant Video VHS– 76:53

I noticed three scenes that were censored in the Vibrant Video VHS

Sex and blowjob

Before: Narrator says, “concentrate on pleasing each other”.

CENSORED: The DVD footage from 49:36 to 53:16 has been removed from the VHS. This involves further softcore sex, which ends with an actual blowjob.

After: Speeded up scene of a couple having sex on bed.

Masturbating woman

This scene that runs from 55:50 to 57:15 in the DVD has been toned down in the VHS.

A woman sits in front of a mirror with her legs apart masturbating. The VHS removes several close-up shots of her vagina, and at least one of her with her legs apart.

It is odd that cuts were made here as there are two scenes that are in the VHS that are equally, or even more explicit. They are present in the DVD as follows:

23:55 to 24:00 – Close-up of woman running her fingers over her vagina.
28:14 to 28:28 – Close-up of a woman touching her vagina, and running her fingers over the lips and clitoris.

Both of these are uncut in the VHS!

Hardcore penetration

Before: Narrator says, “the orgasm for a woman can be big or little”.

CENSORED: The DVD footage from 62:58 to 64:30 has been removed from the VHS. This involves a couple having rear entry sex. This is the most explicit scene in the film as actual penetration is shown. The censored footage then cuts to a second couple and shows the woman masturbating the man.

After: Narrator says, “P is for pornography” .

There may well be other minor cuts, but these three scenes are the main ones. It is not surprising that the hardcore scenes were removed. What is more surprising is what was left in.

In the scene from 65:35 to 65:34, porn magazines are shown with uncensored hardcore pictures. This was left in the VHS.

It is possible that the censors went a little easier on the film as it was supposed to be a little educational.

AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK: The X-rated version

The other film on Umbrella's DVD was John Lamond's 1974 feature AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK.

In 2002, Andrew Leavold interviewed John Lamond, and he had this to say about the censors and AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK (1974).

CONFESSIONS OF A SLEAZEMONGER: JOHN D. LAMOND, "OZPLOITATION" KING!
mondostumpo.blogspot.com

The funny thing was, when Australia After Dark came out, I found out they wanted about fourteen cuts in it. I found out you could go in front of the censorship board and argue your case. I objected to all the cuts and I won every time, they didn’t cut anything. Because they were intimidated, people didn’t usually turn up to argue, they could safely cut it.

Although there is no evidence that AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK was ever censored, we are intrigued by a 90m videotape that was passed in 1985.

The classification history is a follows.

September 1975: Roadshow Distributors awarded an R-rating for a 2276 meter (83:11) 35mm print.

February 1984: Palace Home Video awarded an R-rating for an 82m videotape.

January 1985: Roadshow Home Video awarded an X-rating for a 90m videotape.

July 2009: Umbrella Entertainment releases 82:25 DVD.

Does this 90m X-rated tape exist?

Daybill image courtesy of moviemem.com

The ABC of Love and Sex: Australia Style (1978) - Roadshow Distributors [au] Daybill

Abducted

Directed by Don Jones / 1973 / USA / IMDb

Prestige Video released ABDUCTED on video during the early 80s, before it was reviewed and banned in 1984, and again in March 1985. Reasons given were 'gratuitous sexual violence'.

Thanks to Chris for this review.

The scene of ‘gratuitous sexual violence’ responsible for the banning of ABDUCTION would have to have been Frank’s attack on Ginger. This takes place from approximately 36m to 39m and involves Franks stripping Ginger (there is some full frontal nudity here) and then raping her.

There are a couple more scenes where John plays Doctor, with Ginger at 28m, and at the end with Bonnie. John gets them to strip as he pretends to be a Doctor. There is no rape of either girl, so I doubt that this contributed towards the ban.

The U.S. R-rating card precedes the Prestige Video release, and the retitling of the film as ABDUCTED is a shoddy computer generated effort.

There was a second release on the Silver Screen Promotions label that ran 86:35. The box title was THE ABDUCTION, though the actual print was titled ABDUCTION, and preceded by the Prestige Video logo.

DEADLY SUNDAY was a later Don Jones film that was also banned in Australia.

Abducted (1973)- Prestige Video [au] VHS Abducted (1973) - Silver Screen Promotions [au] VHS

The Abductors

Directed by Don Schain / 1972 / USA / IMDb

In February 1974, Effie Holdings had a 2483.51 meter (90:46) print of THE ABDUCTORS cut by 95.39 meter (03:29) for an R-rated cinema release. The reasons given for the censorship was 'indecency'.

It was back before the censors in December 1984 when G.A International had a 90m print Refused Classification for reasons of 'Gratuitous Sexual Violence'.

Thanks to Matt G for this information about the film.

The 2002 Monterey Media DVD from the US runs 90:20. I'm not sure if this print is uncut as there is a scene that may be censored. Before the scene a guy says "..and she'll crack", this is followed by the sound of the girl crying. At 20:51 the film seems to jump and we next see the guy sitting on the end of the bed looking at the girl. He begins to rape her, and she eventually seems to enjoy it. Obviously this scene contributed to the film being banned in Australia. There are numerous other censors baiting scenes of naked male and female victims being threatened.

This is a sequel to the movie GINGER that was also banned in Australia in March 1985. Despite the video cover of the G.A. International release of GINGER promising 'One of 3 Action-Packed Ginger Movies', we have yet to see proof that they issued anything but the first movie. If anyone has any information then please let us know.

The Adult Version of Jekyll and Hide

Directed by Byron Mabe, Lee Raymond / 1972 / USA / IMDb

A 2624.33 meter (95:55) of THE ADULT VERSION OF JEKYLL AND HIDE was Refused Registration in May 1975. It was finally passed with an R-rating in December 1983 in a 2441.27 meter (89:14) print. The reason given for the rating was sex, which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Thanks to Matt G for this review of the film.

The Something Weird DVD released in the US runs 91:25, and looks to be uncut. The scene that would definitely have caused our censors problems would have been at 17m when Hide whips, rapes, and kills the girl with a hot poker between her legs. Also at 47m Hide ties up, rapes, then beats a girl to death with a statue. There is also a graphic castration at 78m when the female Hide meets a sailor.

Adventure Kids: Episode 1

Directed by Hideki Takayama / 1993 / Japan / IMDb

BPS Video Services had a 29m videotape of ADVENTURE KIDS: EPISODE 1 banned in 1994.

Kiseki Films went on to release a 28:00 video with an R18+ (High Level Sex Scenes) rating. A comparison between the UK Kiseki release and the uncut version can be found at Movie-Censorship. It is unclear how much of this footage is missing from the Australian version.

The director Hideki Takayama had other Australian censorship problems. His better known UROTSUKIDOJI: LEGEND OF OVERFIEND, and its sequel UROTSUKIDOJI: LEGEND OF DEMON WOMB, were both banned by the OFLC.

Adventure Kid Episode 1 (1993) - Kiseki [au] VHS

Aftermath

Directed by Nacho Cerdà / 1994 / Spain / IMDb

There is a confirmed customs confiscation of AFTERMATH in 1998. This Spanish Waken Video release was obviously taken due its necrophilia storyline.

Customs gave the following reasons for the confiscation.

"....seized under subsection 203b(2) of the customs act 1901 by an authorised person being goods suspected on reasonable grounds to be special forfeited goods"

"Persuant to regulations 4A(1)(1A)(a)of the customs (prohibited imports) regulations the items are prohibited imports and are therefore forfeited under section 229(1)(b)of the customs act 1901"