Film Censorship: Bad Taste (1987)

 

 

 

 

Bad Taste

Directed by Peter Jackson / 1987 / New Zealand / IMDb

One of strangest decisions that the OFLC made in the late 80s was their awarding of a Refused Classification rating to Peter Jackson's BAD TASTE.

In 1989, CBS/Fox were refused a rating for an 88m videotape. A second listing in 1989 showed that the OFLC gave it an M-rating when censored down to 82m. Thankfully, this was never released.

It was not until the following year that a cut 87m video was passed with an R18+ rating. This version was released by CBS/Fox Video, and has an exact runtime of 86:31. A fourth listing shows that applicant, Reid and Puskar also had an 86m 35mm print rated R18+ in 1990. The uncut UK Colourbox tape ran 87:42, which means that the Australian version was censored by approximately 66s.

The tape became one of the final videos to proclaim BANNED IN QUEENSLAND on the cover. Soon after the release, Wayne Goss's Labor Government abolished Queensland's separate censorship system.

A second VHS release appeared in the mid-90s on the JVB label. It ran 86:25 and was also cut.

There is a confirmed Customs confiscation of BAD TASTE from 1992. A dub of the UK Colourbox tape was forwarded to the OFLC, who released it with no problems.

 

 

Uncut at last

BAD TASTE was back before the OFLC in July 2004 for the first time in fourteen years. This time they were more sensible, and passed it with an R18+ (Medium Level Violence) rating. Universal Picture Video released this as a Collectors Edition DVD in September 2004. The film is fully uncut, restoring all the gore missing from the theatrical print, and two previous VHS releases. The longer running time of 91:33 indicates an NTSC print.

 

 

Bad Taste (1987) - CBS/Fox Video [au] VHSBad Taste (1987) - JVB Video [au] VHSBad Taste (1987) - Universal Pictures [au] DVD

 

 

The censored Australian version of BAD TASTE

Here are the scenes that were missing from the JVB tape (presumably the same as the CBS/Fox version) which are present in the Universal Pictures DVD. Note that this is not an exact comparison, so there may be more missing footage. The times refer to the points in the Universal DVD where you can view the previous cuts.

 

BARRY SHOOTS THE ALIEN

3.26 - 3.34: The alien stumbling around with the top part of his head missing.

Bad Taste (1987) - Barry Shoots the Alien

 

 

DEREK AND THE HAMMER

Scene #1 - 14.08 - 14.12: Derek hammers the knife into the boot of the alien.

Scene # 2 - 14.27 - 14.28: Derek hits the knife again into the alien's boot.

Bad Taste (1987) - Derek and the Hammer #1Bad Taste (1987) - Derek and the Hammer #2

Scene # 3 - 15.11: Shot of the knife entering the alien's boot and blood coming out.

Scene # 4 - 15.41 - 15.42: Derek hitting the hammer twice more into the alien's boot.

Bad Taste (1987) - Derek and the Hammer #3Bad Taste (1987) - Derek and the Hammer #4

 

 

GUN IN THE STOMACH

Scene # 1 - 18.53 - 18.54: The alien being shot in the stomach by Derek.

Scene # 2 - 18.58 - 18.59: Derek's gun entering the alien's stomach.

Bad Taste (1987) - Gun in Stomach #1Bad Taste (1987) - Gun in Stomach #2

Scene # 3 - 19.11 - 19.19: Derek pushing the gun through the alien's stomach.

Scene # 4 - 19.21 - 19.22: Shot of the gun firing through the back of the alien.

Bad Taste (1987) - Gun in Stomach #3Bad Taste (1987) - Gun in Stomach #4

 

 

HAMMER HEAD

Scene # 1 - 22.44 - 22.48: The alien dropping the hammer on the other alien's head.

Scene # 2 - 22.58-23.02: The alien's arm being torn off.

Bad Taste (1987) - Hammer Head #1Bad Taste (1987) - Hammer Head #2

 

 

CHAINSAW HEAD

80.07 - 80.08: The alien's head opening up after Derek has used the chainsaw to cut it in half.

Bad Taste (1987) - Chainsaw Head

 

 

Next Films: Baise-moi (2000)