Film Censorship: F

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The Farmer's Daughter

Directed by Zebedy Colt / 1976 / USA / IMDb

THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER was due to be shown at the 8th Melbourne Underground Film Festival in 2007.

 

 

MUFF 8 Program Notes

Melbourne Underground Film Festival 8
Program Notes
Zebedy Colt Double feature: Sex Wish and The Farmer’s Daughter

Two short features (absolute 70s erotica classics) from Zebedy Colt aka Edward Earle Marsh. Sex Wish features a cool electronic soundtrack as Zebedy plays a rapist who breaks into women’s homes with a bag of unusual tricks. Zebedy’s performance is truly bizarre… Then comes The Farmer’s Daughter - clocking in at one hour in length, it’s sort of an erotic version of Last House on the Left. Look out for cheap and nasty sex scenes about home invasion, incest and violation. There’s also an early appearance from comedian and political commentator Spalding Gray getting up to no good… This is true Psychopathology, raw 70s style!
9pm Sat 29 Sept
LOOP

 

 

The OFLC prevent MUFF from screening THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER

The screening was scrapped after the OFLC's Amy Wooding refused to grant film festival exemptions to it, and six other features. This was not the first time that MUFF had run into problems with the censors. In 2004, the OFLC demanded that THE TOOLBOX MURDERS (1978), WIFE TO BE SACRIFICED, GUINEA PIG: DEVILS EXPERIMENT and GUINEA PIG: FLOWERS OF FLESH AND BLOOD be pulled from the festival.

The Melbourne Underground Film Festival issued the following press release on September 20, 2007.

 

MUFF 8 films banned!
September 20th 2007

The Following films have been banned from the OFLC:

70k
Schulmädchen-Report: Was Eltern nicht für möglich halten (aka The Schoolgirl Report)
Sex Wish
The Farmer's Daughter
Ashley & Kisha: Finding the Right Fit
Whore
60 Second Relief

We will replacing them with other films from the MUFF program.

This Sunday 70k will be replaced with a second screening of Streetsweeper… a good MUFF Neu that we can play. Whore and 60 Second Relief are withdrawn and nothing will fill their place. The Other films will be replaced. More details on Monday.

Will the media even cover this? Do people care about censorship in this country?

Letter to OFLC

Here is a copy of a letter sent to our OFLC contact Amy Wooding. Any response we will share with our MUFF audience:

 

Hi Amy, I thought I'd write to you about this year's decision.

So the films I cannot play at MUFF 8 are the following:

70k, Schulmädchen-Report: Was Eltern nicht für möglich halten (aka The Schoolgirl Report), Sex Wish, The Farmer's Daughter, Ashley & Kisha: Finding the Right Fit, Whore and 60 Second Relief

Is this correct?

I will comply and withdraw them from screenings and replace them with films you have granted permission for me to play (like Moonlight and Magic, Left Ear, etc).

A few small questions, you might be able to answer or maybe the OFLC director can answer them (If you have his email I'll cc this to him):

Why is pornography of the most gross and offensive nature (like shitting and pissing films) available for sale in most Adult bookshops in Victoria?

Also: Are not X rated films only supposed to be available in Canberra but for sale in 90% of Adult shops in Vic and NSW and in other states?

Why is MUFF referred to the justice department for wishing to screen a couple of classy or forgotten pieces of erotica with artistic merit to an audience over 18 (who are keen to see them) and nothing done about the illegal X rated sale of videos and DVD's in sex shops that is rampant?

Is there not a hint of corruption or hypocrisy and definitely absurdity here?

Why are X rated films banned at all! It begs the question given the ready availability of it in on the Internet? Available on any PC, anywhere.

A MUFF screening is a minor problem compared to the flaunting of your rules every day of every year by the Adult Sex Industry.

Why are films like Shortbus and 9 Songs passed though they clearly contravene some of your guidelines?

Why is MIFF allowed to play a film like Exterminating Angles in a section that focussed on perversity and erotica though that too contravenes your guideline? And we cannot do it? We will comply with your absurd ruling out of fear of prosecution to our small festival but register our complaint also that this is neither fair or just. We believe strongly it represents a violation of the basic human rights of Australian citizens to freedom of speech, assembly and expression.

Enabling a festival like MUFF or MIFF to play whatever they choose from the classy end of the sex industry will lift both festivals standing in the International community and not reveal a backward 1950's attitude to sex and censorship in Australia. Your own guidelines date from over 50 years ago. Surely a review is in order?

I am cc-ing this email to the MIFF Festival Director Richard Moore for his interest. His comments and feelings on the matter I would be interested to hear.

Any answers to these questions or our complaint will be greatly appreciated from the OFLC.

This letter is not written in disrespect but in a wish for better clarification of the important issues it contains.

Best Regards Richard Wolstencroft

PS. Why is 70k banned it has no sex or violence at all does it?

MUFF opens tonight at Toff in Town come down and support a festival that believes in fighting censorship!

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Directed by Amy Heckerling / 1982 / USA / IMDb

In October 1982, United International Pictures had a 2413.84-meters (88:14) 35mm print of FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH passed with an R-rating. The rating was given because of language, which was described as:

Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

It was also awarded because of sexual concepts.

Despite the harsh classification, the Australian censors still demanded 0.7 meters (2s) of cuts. The reason given for the deletions was 'sexual activity involving a minor'.

 

At the time, Cinema Papers Magazine summed up the cuts very well.

Amy Heckerling's Fast Times (Fast Times at Ridgemont High in the U.S): cut by two seconds for showing 'sexual activity involving a minor'. It is hard to know what the Commonwealth Film Censor expects a filmaker to do when making films about teenage sexuality; pretending it doesn't exist is no answer.

 

We assume that the cuts were made to one, or both of Stacey's two sex scenes. These are with Ron at 19m, and with Mike at 58m.

 

 

VHS and DVD releases

FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH was eventually released on tape by CIC-TAFT Video. This 89m version was rated R in July 1984 for reasons of:

Sex
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Language
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Other
Sexual Allusions

Although it needs to be confirmed, we assume that this was the same as the censored Theatrical version. Thanks to Sarge for the cover scan.

 

Australia Media had a 91m version of FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH reclassified M15+ (Adult Themes, Low Level Coarse Language) in May 1995.

 

It was back before the board in January 2002 when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment were again awarded an M15+ rating, only this time with a revised consumer warning of 'Medium Level Sex Scenes, Low Level Course Language, Drug Use'. This DVD was eventually released on the Universal-Columbia Tristar label. The print had a longer running time of 89:30, indicating that it was an NTSC to PAL conversion. Despite it being rated M15+, we would assume that the above-mentioned cuts have been restored.

Daybill image courtesy of moviemem.com

 

    

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Fear City

Directed by Abel Ferrara / 1984 / USA / IMDb

Seven Keys had a 2642.00-meter (96:34) print of FEAR CITY Refused Registration in January 1985. It was eventually passed in November 1985 when Thorn EMI was awarded an R-rating for a 93m (92:24) print. Although it was not listed as such, this version appears to be slightly censored.

 

Two further VHS releases of FEAR CITY appeared in Australia. One from Warners, and one from Polygram. Neither was uncut, but both were different to the Thorn EMI tape. A more in-depth look at these versions can be found at the Chopping List site.

The 92m Polygram version was passed MA15+ (High Level Violence) in November 1994.

 

 

Censored DVD

In 2007, MRA Entertainment released FEAR CITY on a double-bill DVD with Ferrara's 'R XMAS. This ran 90:50 (not including the Castle Hill Productions intro) and was the US R-rated version.

It was missing both the Rae Dawn Chong and Melanie Griffith lesbian kisses mentioned on the Chopping List site. These are included on the old Thorn EMI videotape.

Movie-Censorship has a comparison between the unrated and US R-rated version.

 

The censorship problems of Abel Ferrara's THE DRILLER KILLER are covered in our database.

 

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Fear Has 1000 Eyes

Directed by Torgny Wickman / 1970 / Sweden / IMDb

In March 1972, Blake Films submitted a 9679-feet (107:50) print of FEAR HAS 1000 EYES. It was passed with an R-rating following the removal of 76-feet (00:51) of 'indecency'.

In September 1972, Blake Films submitted a second 2733.75-meter (99:55) print. The censor noted this as the 'English dubbed version'. This too lost 23.16-meters (00:51) of 'indecency' before the R-rating was awarded.

Image courtesy of moviemem.com

 

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Female Vampire

aka The Bare Breasted Countess

Directed by Jess Franco / 1973 / France / IMDb

In March 1980, Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures received an R-rating for a censored 80m print with the title THE BARE BREASTED COUNTESS. To achieve this it had 02:02 removed for reasons of 'indecency and excessive violence'.

 

In 1983, Syme Home Video had a 90m tape banned.

In September 1985, Platinum Video received an X-rating for an 88m tape. We do not believe that this was ever released.

 

 

Banned Redemption VHS

The Redemption video label was launched in the UK in 1993, and immediately ran into problems with the British censors. In 1995, Redemption launched their label in Holland and Australia (through Siren) with the promise that the films could now be seen uncut in the free world. This turned out to be true for Holland, but unfortunately not for Australia.

The combination of violence and actual sex saw a 98m tape of THE FEMALE VAMPIRE banned in 1995.

TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD and VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD were two other Redemption titles that were banned by the Classification Board. Siren censored both for R-ratings, but FEMALE VAMPIRE was never resubmitted.

 

 

FEMALE VAMPIRE: OFLC Report

Here is what the OFLC had to say about the film on viewing it in 1995.

 

Report to applicant 1995

In the Board's opinion, this erotic nudity-laden and heavily sexually-orientated horror video warrants a Refuse classification under ACT COPO 25 (3) for explicit sex depictions and the inclusion of a separate scene portraying sexual violence against a non-consenting person.

25-26min: glimpses of erect shaft and head of penis in woman's hand and near her mouth as she implicitly fellates him.

45mins: Close up explicit visuals of a woman moving her hand across her pubic hair and genitals in masturbatory action, with her rear to the camera.

Other visuals warrant an R classification, in the Board's opinion, for frequent depictions of sexualised female nudity and implied cunnilingus, fellatio, masturbation and intercourse including implies necrophilia.

A scene from 64-67mins has particular strength however and is key to the overall classification decision. In this scene the Countess is implicitly whipped by a woman who is instructed to do so by a dominatrix. The woman then attacks the dominatrix with assistance from the Countess. As the dominatrix sobs, she is breast mouthed and in close up her underpants are removed. This is followed by implied cunnilingus which she apparently enjoys but which leads to her implied death as the Countess performs implied cunnilingus. This scene could be accommodated in an R classification, in the Board's opinion, but because it is included in a film that contains X rated visuals and 'no depiction of sexual violence, coercion or non-consent of any kind is permitted in this classification' , the scene actually warrants Refuse classification.

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The Final Executioner

Directed by Romolo Guerrieri / 1984 / Italy / IMDb

In February 1985, Filmways had an 87m videotape of THE FINAL EXECUTIONER banned because of 'gratuitous sexual violence'.

A censored 85m version was passed in June 1985. The R-rating was awarded for sex and violence, which were both described as:

Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

The actual running time of the censored Filmways VTC/K-TEL Video release was 87:58.

 

 

THE FINAL EXECUTIONER: What was censored?

Thanks to Matt for this review.

Despite THE FINAL EXECUTIONER being banned for gratuitous sexual violence I have always thought the Filmways VTC tape was uncut as it contains the rape scene that was censored in some overseas prints. I finally picked up a copy of the U.S. MGM/UA Home Video release and can confirm that the Australian version has been censored, but for a very strange reason.

From approximately 28 to 30 minutes, the Filmways VTC tape contains a scene where a girl is raped and murdered. Melvin (one of the gang members) pulls her to the ground, rips open her top to expose her breasts, and then rapes her. The rest of the gang look on. Finally, the youngest member of the gang shoots her dead in the chest. This scene is the same as the uncut U.S. tape.

 

CENSORED SCENE #1

The scene that was removed in the Australian version should take place around the 54-minute mark. See images below.

Before (in Australian version): The hero is hiding in a cellar and looks out as the legs of a guard pass by.

Censored at 53:50 (02:25 removed) – One of the guards is shown putting out a call for help. The young gang member (who previously shot the girl) is shown wired up to a machine as Edra looks on. We are shown that he is watching a replay of Melvin’s rape of the girl, which plays on a TV screen in black and red. The scene continues going back and forth between the screen and Edra and the boy, before Edra kicks out Louis.

Despite 02:25 being removed, only around 35s consists of the rape scene. I may have missed something, but I could not work what the purpose was of watching the replay on the screen. In contrast to the actual rape where the gang is shown cheering Melvin on (uncut in the Australian tape), the TV screen replay shows the boy as distressed, and Edra and the gang looking on concerned (cut from the Australian tape). It is a mystery why this was removed and the earlier scene left complete.

After (in Australian version): The guy in black leaves the room as the girl in the red dress enters.

 

CENSORED SCENE #2

There is a second brief cut of the same footage. Watch carefully and you can see image jump.

Before (in Australian version): Edra looks at the TV screen and says “I want to stay here a while”

Censored at 58:36 (00:02 removed) – Another shot of the rape scene on the TV screen.

After (in Australian version): Edra still stares at the screen.

 

One other difference that I noticed was that the credits of the Filmways VTC tape run 01:25 and play out over a still shot of the hero. Whilst the MGM/UA Home Video credits play out over a black background and run 01:39 because of the longer fadeout music.

The inclusion of the original (28m to 30m) rape scene is definitely strange. Maybe this was released by mistake, as the tape runs 87:58; when you quote the R-rated version as running only 85m. If the rape scene had been removed then this would get it down to 85m

Uncut MGM/UA Home Video = 94:17 NTSC (Approximately equivalent to 90:31 PAL)
Censored Filmways VTC/K-TEL Video = 87:58 PAL

 

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A Fistful of 44's

Directed by Jaacov Jaacovi / 1971 / USA / IMDb

A 79m print of A FISTFUL OF 44'S was banned in May 1978 for reasons of indecency and indecent violence. 14th Mandolin censored it down to 73m and in November 1978 received an R-rating.

14th Mandolin's King of Video label released A FISTFUL of 44's on tape in the early 80s. It ran only 70:45, and was presumably the same as the cut theatrical print.

In February 1984, it became law for all video tapes to be classified. The censors began the slow task of reviewing all the titles that had been released up until that time. Their review of the R-rated King of Video tape resulted in A FISTFUL of 44's being banned. This was obviously due to the presence of several violent rape scenes.

 

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Fox Tang Gi

Directed by ? / 198? / Taiwan

A 66m 35mm print of this Taiwanese sex movie was Refused Classification in September 1989. Yu Enterprises censored FOX TANG GI down to 65m, and in November 1989 it received an R18+ (Frequent Sexual Activity) rating.

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Foxy Ladies

Directed by Chi Lu / 1979 / Hong Kong / IMDb

In October 1981, Joe Sui International Film Co removed 00:09 of frequent, gratuitous, medium intensity violence from FOXY LADIES to gain an R-rating. The censored 100m print of this Golden Harvest production went on to have a Chinese language theatrical release.

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Framed

Directed by Phil Karlson / 1975 / USA / IMDb

FRAMED was first Refused Registration in September 1975 in a print running 2825.00-meters (103:15). The reason given for the ban was excessive violence. A censored 2743.00-meter (100:15) version was awarded an R-rating in March 1976 and United International Pictures went on to give it a theatrical release.

 

 

Censored VHS Release

It was Refused Registration again in July 1985, this time in the form of a 102m VHS. The reason given for the ban was violence, which was described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

CIC-TAFT Video censored the print down to 100m and received an R-rating in March 1987. The reason for the rating was violence, which was described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

The censored 100:14 VHS was released on the CIC-TAFT Video label. This matches the running time of the theatrical version, which would seem to indicate it was an NTSC print.

 

 

FRAMED: Censored VHS vs. Uncensored DVD

Thanks to Matt for this comparison between the Australian tape and the uncut version.

 

This Joe Don Baker revenge tale is (in the uncut version) a true guilty pleasure. Here is a comparison between the Aussie CIC-TAFT VHS, and the uncut Legend Films DVD from the U.S.. There may be other cuts, but these are the ones that were most noticeable.

15min approx- Here Haskins has come to arrest Ron for the shooting. The two get into a very violent and bloody fight. Ron finally kills Haskins by bashing his head four times of the garage floor. The CIC VHS cuts the first two of these (as well as a few seconds before), and only shows the last two.

19min - Susan is threatened by Frank and the blond guy. The CIC VHS cuts the part where she says "Ow, my breasts". The scene then continues with her slowly sliding down the wall before it cuts again. Missing here is around 25s of Frank threatening Susan by pushing the gun close to her mouth. He breathes deeply as he does so as if aroused. No nudity or any rape are shown in the uncut version although it is mentioned later in the film.

83min - In the CIC VHS Ron is shown placing his gun next to Frank's ear. It then cuts around 25sec of him shooting and of the now bloody ear as Frank is bundled into the car.

85min - Ron opens the hood of his car and pushes Frank under it. Missing in the CIC VHS is a shot of the spark plug being pushed into Frank's ear.

97min - The CIC VHS cuts the scene where Ron stabs the Mayor in the back of the hand.

The versions were:
Legend Films (U.S.) DVD 105:49 (NTSC)
CIC-TAFT Video (Aus) VHS 100:14 (PAL)
If the censored VHS is converted to NTSC then it gives a running time of 104:25 which would mean it is missing between a minute and a minute and a half of footage.

You mention the version (presumably uncut) that was first submitted back in 1975 as running 103:15 which does not really make sense when compared to these times. Anyway, I would safely say that now this would get through with all 'excessive violence' intact.

 

 

Censored TV screening

In 2000, FRAMED was screened by Channel 7 Sydney in their mid-day movie slot. We assume the print must have been heavily censored.

Daybill image courtesy of moviemem.com

 

    

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Freeway

Directed by Matthew Bright / 1996 / USA / IMDb

Columbia Tristar Films had a 102m 35mm print of FREEWAY rated R18+ (Adult themes; Medium level violence; Sexual references) in March 1997. The following month saw Columbia Tristar Home Video have a 102m VHS passed with the same rating.

 

 

R-rated FREEWAY was censored

Despite the censorship database not listing it as such, FREEWAY had actually lost two minutes prior to being past with an R-rating.

Freeway to open despite Detours
theaustralian.com.au, September 18, 1997

The Office of Film and Literature Classification has taken such a dim view of parts of a new American film called Freeway that it has demanded two minutes be cut before granting it an R certificate. The film, which has Oliver Natural Born Killers Stone as an executive producer and is the debut feature for writer director Matthew Bright, is to be released locally in its censored version in November.

According to distributor the Globe Film Co, two sequences have been censored: one where Sutherland repeatedly insults Witherspoon with profane language and asks her in a highly ungenteel manner if she would care for a spot of anal intercourse. The other shows dead grandma with her legs spread, her private parts concealed by a vase.

 

 

FREEWAY: What was censored?

According to the article in The Australian, two sequences were removed.

one where Sutherland repeatedly insults Witherspoon with profane language and asks her in a highly ungenteel manner if she would care for a spot of anal intercourse.

This presumably takes place at approximately the 32m point in the VHS release. This is where Bob is talking to Vanessa as they drive. It starts with him listening to her problems of abuse at the hands of her stepfather, to him threatening her with a scalpel.

 

The other shows dead grandma with her legs spread, her private parts concealed by a vase.

The first shot of the dead Grandma is around the 91m mark in the VHS. Bob takes Vanessa to her body. Here we are only shown the top part of her naked torso, with a rope around the neck. The second shot is around the 93m mark where the cops enter the trailer and view the body. Again, only the top half is shown.

 

 

104m version banned

In February 1998, Columbia Tristar Home Video had a 104m VHS Refused Classification. It is unclear why the longer version was submitted as the censored 102m version had already been rated R18+ in April 1997.

The censored version was eventually released on VHS by Columbia Tristar Video and ran 97:43.

 

 

Force Entertainment DVD was censored

In January 2007, Force Entertainment gave FREEWAY its Australian DVD premiere.

 

Thanks to David V. for sending in this disappointing news about the disc.

Being well aware of the censorship issues the film FREEWAY had here in Australia I was quite interested to see what the R4 DVD released by Force Entertainment on Jan 17 would be like. If the details of what was censored from the Australian version listed on your site through the article is accurate, than it appears we are still faced with the exact same censored version of the film. We still only get to see the two quick above the torso shots of the dead grandma on this DVD release, the other shot detailing her with her legs spread out covered by a vase is not to be found.

A line of dialogue also looked to have been edited out during the Freeway conversion when the character played by Keifer Sutherland quizzes Reese Witherspoon's character sexually about her past. The last question he asks her before she starts to flip out and verbally abusing him back seemed abruptly cut almost like a whole bit of middle dialogue was taken out. However the line that was edited from the US release (Reportedly 'Get your pants down you fucking cunt') by the MPAA is actually still present in the Australian version.

Interesting things to note about this release by Force Entertainment is that the DVD version still carries the same consumer advice of "Adult Themes, Sexual References, Medium Level Violence" it received in 1997, infact according to the OFLC database, that was the last time the film was submitted for classification. Another thing is the DVD version of the film runs in at just under 102 minutes (101:57 I think to be exact) and appears to be a NTSC-PAL conversion - 102 minute version listed as being the censored version.

 

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Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

Directed by Joseph Zito / 1984 / USA / IMDb

United International Pictures had a 2496-meter (91:14) print of FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER passed in May 1984, and a 93m version passed in November 1984.
In both cases the reason given for the R-ratings was violence, which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

 

CIC-TAFT Video had an 89m video Refused Registration in January 1985.
The reason given was violence, which were described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

 

 

Censored VHS release

In February 1985, CIC-TAFT had a censored 86m video of FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER passed with an R-rating.
The reason given was violence, which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

This is the first video release, and the actual running time was 86:44. Jason's death scene has been censored in this version.

 

 

Banned again

United International Pictures had a 1001.10-meter (91:25) 16mm print Refused Registration in July 1985.
The reason given was violence, which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

United International Pictures successfully appealed to the Review Board, and in August 1985 the ban was overturned and the 16mm print was rated R.

 

 

Machete death passed in SCREAM GREATS VOLUME 1: TOM SAVINI

Showing just how inconsistent they really were, in 1986 the censors passed the same scene when it was included in the Showcase Video release of SCREAM GREATS VOLUME 1: TOM SAVINI. See our separate database entry for more information regarding this classification.

 

 

Uncensored VHS release

In 1994, CIC-TAFT released an 87:34 uncut sell-through video of FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER. This tape could be identified by the bottom of its front cover, which has the words 'Horror House Unlimited' printed over blood red. Thanks to Peter Verevis for the cover and running time.

 

 

Censored TV print

In 2002, FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER began screening on Foxtel's Encore channel in a print that ran 87:15. Jason is shown getting the machete in the face, but his following death scene is missing.

 

 

Uncut DVDs

The R4 Paramount DVD released in July 2002 was uncut and ran 87:34. It was re-released in 2009 with new packaging.

Daybill image courtesy of moviemem.com

 

    

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The Fruit is Swelling

Dir Man Kei Chin/ 1997 / Hong Kong / IMDb

An 89m 35mm print of THE FRUIT IS SWELLING was Refused Classification in May 1997. A week later Chinatown Cinema had censored the offending footage, and were awarded an R18+ (High level Sex Scenes) rating. The cuts must have been minor because the R-rated version also ran 89m.

 

Here is what the OFLC had to say about THE FRUIT IS SWELLING in their 1996 to 1997 Annual Report.

An eight-year old girl, whose wish to be eighteen years old is magically granted, is the central character of the Chinese language film The Fruit is Swelling. This sex comedy exploits the fantasy theme of a young girl suddenly in an adult body. In a majority view of the board the film warranted an RC classification for a depiction of sexual violence, with a minority view that the film also warranted RC for an offensive/exploitative fantasy and an offensive depiction of a minor.

An alternative minority view was that both the fantasy depicted and the scene of sexual violence was sufficiently implied and undetailed to be accommodated in the R classification. It acknowledged that the film was likely to offend some sections of the adult community but not to the extent that the film warranted an RC classification. The film was subsequently edited and the revised version was classified R.

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Fugitive X: Innocent Target

Directed by David Heavener / 1996 / USA / IMDb

Peacock Films had a 98m VHS of FUGITIVE X: INNOCENT TARGET Refused Classification in July 1996.

 

Thanks to Wayne for this.

The print of FUGITIVE X: INNOCENT TARGET that I viewed came from a US cable TV screening and ran only 94:17. I have no idea why the Aussie censor banned it. The film itself is a cheap action flick that has a “most dangerous game” plot.

From what I saw, I would say it should be MA15+. However, the running time was around four minutes shorter than the print the OFLC banned in 1996. Although I could not identify what was missing, I would assume that the one I viewed was censored of some scene of sexual violence. I can't believe that the scene at 13:15 when Eddie the pimp slaps Alisha and threatens her would have cause an RC-rating. This plot point turns out to be a set-up to trap Adam.

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La Fura Dels Baus: XXX Film Elements

Directed by Fraine Aleuaud - Emmanuel Carler / 2002 / Spain

This film has never had problems with the Australian censors. It is included because the distributor censored it prior to submission to the Classification Board.

 

LA FURA DELS BAUS, the controversial Spanish theatre group, performed their work XXX in Sydney and Melbourne during February and March 2004.

As a backdrop to the performance, they screen sexually explicit film clips. They had performed XXX in a number of countries, and although controversial, they had never felt the need to censor their work.

However, for Australia it was decided to pixelate and obscure the film to prevent any possibility of prosecution. It was also decided to submit the film to the OFLC for classification.

 

The Australian producer, Rodney Rigby, explained why.

"... submitting the video to the OFLC was a necessary safeguard akin to "fire-proofing the scenery".

 

 

Rated R18+ by the censors

New Theatricals submitted the censored 27m film for classification and on February 3rd 2004 and received an R18+ (Strong Sexual Violence, Sexual Activity). The censorship database lists XXX as being the original version and makes no mention of the cuts. This kind of under reporting goes on all the time in the X18+ category. Distributors feel the need to pre-cut to avoid being banned, the OFLC can then safely pass the film and it is listed as an original version. At the end of the year, the OFLC can produce statistics in their Annual Report that show they ban very few submissions.

 

 

Advertising for the shows

The advertising for the show itself carried the warning:

"ADULTS ONLY 18+: This production contains extreme and explicit sexual themes and images throughout.
Persons under 18 will not be admitted in the theatre."

 

One of the creators of XXX, Valentina Carrasco explained her reaction to this being the first country in which they had to censor the film.

"We had this idea of Australia being a very open country and people being relaxed, so when this first arose we thought it was a joke, but it got serious pretty quickly,"

"It was quite unbelievable. The only other place we had a little bit of a reaction, and it was mainly a tabloid reaction, was in London."

"This has never happened before,"
"It doesn't alter the quality of the show because the show's not just about the video. But it was very, very strange to have to do it. We were not expecting that."

 

 

Fred Nile protests against Sydney show

XXX opened in Melbourne on February 4th, and moved to Sydney on the 25th.

 

The review of the opening night in The Sydney Morning Herald stated.

"..... the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification granted an R-rating to XXX's 20 minutes of pre-recorded explicit footage.

However, an announcement before the show, explaining that the footage had been modified to achieve the rating, drew boos from the audience.

 

The Sydney Morning Herald also reported that a protest was held by six of Fred Nile's Christian nutters at the opening Sydney show.

They applied and were refused a police permit, but went ahead anyway. The police were quoted as saying:

"They're pretty gentle people. We're not expecting any trouble"

 

The above quotes are taken from the following articles.

Risque think piece takes on porn world
smh.com.au, February 4, 2004

Show's censorship 'a joke'
sunherald.com.au, February 15, 2004

Sex and sensibility
smh.com.au, February 20, 2004

How to protest politely
smh.com.au, February 26, 2004

 

 

LA FURA DELS BAUS questioned in NSW Parliament

The next day, Fred Nile asked the following questions about XXX in the NSW Parliament.

NSW Legislative Council Hansard
26.02.04
XXX COMMONWEALTH OFFICE OF FILM AND LITERATURE CLASSIFICATION
Page: 6647

Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE: I ask the Minister for Justice, representing the Minister for Police and the Attorney General, a question without notice. Is it a fact that the Spanish hard-core pornographic live stage show and film production called XXX opened last night, until 7 March 2004, at the Enmore Theatre, Newtown? Is it a fact that the Commonwealth Office of Film and Literature Classification, following the Melbourne presentation, proposed to refuse classification to segments of the hard-core pornographic film shown on stage, but finally reclassified those segments R-rated if they were blurred? What action is the New South Wales Police Force taking to enforce the Commonwealth's ruling as State police have the responsibility to stop persons under 18 years of age attending XXX ? What action is the New South Wales Police Force or the Attorney General taking to ensure New South Wales criminal laws concerning offensive behaviour, et cetera, are not being broken by the XXX production?

The Hon. JOHN HATZISTERGOS: I congratulate Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile on the peaceful protest that was arranged at the Enmore Theatre, and I was pleased to learn that apparently there were more police there than there were protestors, according to the news reports. In any event, I will obtain an answer from the Minister and advise the honourable member in due course.

Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile: A peaceful protest.

The Hon. JOHN HATZISTERGOS: A peaceful Christian protest, I was told.

 

NSW Legislative Council Hansard
30.03.04
XXX COMMONWEALTH OFFICE OF FILM AND LITERATURE CLASSIFICATION
Page: 7652

On 26 February Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile asked the Minister for Justice, representing the Minister for Police a question without notice regarding the XXX Commonwealth Office of Film and Literature Classification. The Minister provided the following response:

NSW Police has advised me that officers from the Newtown Local Area Command took appropriate action to ensure that restrictions relevant to the film segments' "R" classification were enforced.

 

 

Background to the OFLC's R18+ rating

The following is taken from the REPORT ON THE REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE 2003 GUIDELINES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES. It includes further information about the classification of LA FURA DELS BAUS: XXX. It shows that despite being pre-cut before submission, a minority of the Classification Board still wanted it banned.

 

REPORT ON THE REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE 2003 GUIDELINES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES.

Prepared by Kate Aisbett, Entertainment Insights
December 2004

Executive Summary
Review process
A review of the first twelve months’ operation of the Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Computer Games 2003 (the 2003 Guidelines) was promised by the former Attorney General, the Hon Daryl Williams AM QC MP, to ensure that the decisions made under the 2003 Guidelines align with those made under the Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Videotapes – Amendment No. 3, 2000, and Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games – Amendment No. 1, 1999 (the previous guidelines). The review of the 2003 Guidelines has been conducted and is the subject of this report.

The principal object of the review is to assess whether the combining and recasting of the previous guidelines into the 2003 Guidelines has had the effect of changing the level of content that falls into the various classification categories for film and games.

 

4 Complaints received by the OFLC

4.3.2 Ministerial Correspondence 1 July 2003-30 June 2004
The OFLC processed 250 items of ministerial correspondence, including letters, emails and facsimiles referred to the Attorney-General in the financial year 2003- 2004. This was about 70% less ministerial correspondence than the previous year. Report on the Review of the Operations of the 2003 Classification Guidelines for Films and Computer Games 27 Main issues raised in the correspondence were:

• the theatre production Les Fura dels Baux XXX and the lack of a classification system for theatre (30 items);

 

7 Examination of Board decision reports

7.6.4 Split decisions for R18+ classifications
The other split decision was for the video components sequences accompanying the theatre production of Les Fura dels Baux XXX by Spanish theatre company La Fura dels Baus. As the Board report describes:

The film elements contain disparate subject matter including female and male genitalia, simulated sexual activity, graphic breast surgery, television news footage and simulated sexual assault.

In the minority view:

… the depictions of sexual violence were explicit rather than implied and that the impact of the material exceeds high. Furthermore, in the view of a minority of the Board, the film as submitted did not have sufficient context or artistic merit to allow it to be accommodated at R.

In the majority’s view the sexual violence scene was implicit and lacked detail. The Board report noted that ‘the implied sexual assault at this point are obscured by pixilation’. The majority argued that the film was ‘unlikely to be screened without the context and narrative of the live production….in the majority view: ‘The work has a serious artistic intent, is not intended to titillate and is likely to be heralded as a controversial work for an adult audience.’

The decision does not indicate a change in standards resulting from the change in guidelines. The Board members formulated their argument based on the 2003 Guidelines statement that ‘sexual violence may be implied’ at R18+. Board members differed in their reading of the film content in this particular case.

 

Attachment D – OFLC responses to titles referred to in the report
La Fura Dels Baus XXX
On 2 February 2004, the Board classified the film component of La Fura Dels Baus XXX R18+ with the consumer advice ‘strong sexual violence, sexual activity’. The theatre production La Fura Dels Baus XXX included video screens displaying disparate subject matter including depictions of sexual activity and sexual violence.

The Board took into account the principle in the Code that ‘adults should be able to read, hear and see what they want’ together with other principles including ‘minors should be protected from material likely to harm or disturb them’.

In applying the classification guidelines, the Board considered that the classifiable elements of the film did not exceed the high impact level and could be accommodated at the R18+ category.

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Fury in Red

Directed by Chong Lei / 1991 / Hong Kong / IMDb

A 92m 35mm print of FURY IN RED was Refused Classification in February 1992. The following week, Yu Enterprises censored it down to 89m and were awarded an R18+ (Medium Level Violence) rating.

 

Here is what the OFLC had to say about FURY IN RED in their 1991 to 1992 annual report.

With regard to Fury in Red, a Chinese contemporary crime drama set in Hong Kong, the board noted a lengthy and exploitative scene....with clear indications of coercion and non-consent. It was considered by the board to be 'indecent' pursuant to the Customs Regulations as the pregnant women's clothing is forcibly removed and her rape by three males is shown in considerable detail, culminating with implied knife cuts to her breasts. The resulting wounds are shown in a subsequent scene

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