Film Censorship: T #1

Take Me

Directed by Cha Chuen Yee / 1991 / Hong Kong / IMDb

TAKE ME was Refused Classification in February 1992.

The OFLC gave the reason for the ban in their annual report.

For 'Take Me', the sequence of sexual violence at issue was considered to offer viewers the message that violence and protests enhance the sexual experience and women are turned on by this behavior. The scene perpetuates the myth that women want to be, and enjoy being raped.

The Chinatown Cinema censored the banned 90m 35mm print down to 86m and were awarded an R18+ (Medium Level Sex Scenes, Nudity) rating on February 5, 1992. TAKE ME went on to have a Chinese language theatrical run.

Thanks to Matt for this review.

TAKE ME is a standard early 90s Hong Kong CAT 3 film that features lots of very lame juvenile comedy. Although there is no full frontal female nudity, Veronica Yip does at least go topless. It is very obvious which scene the censors objected to as it does not sit easily with the rest of the comedy tone of the film.

The set up for the scene is that Milk's painter boyfriend is locked in a room by a girl who is attempting to have sex with him as he resists and tries to escape. The ghost of Milk's dead husband watches on and decides to possess him to do bad things. The offending sequence starts at around 65:30 with the now possessed painter looking to the girl with an evil look on his face and saying "let's play raping, it's funny, you like this". He then picks up a knife and walks towards her. She laughs and thinks it is a joke until he begins to get rough. She attempts to escape, but he pins her to the ground, cuts off her bra, runs the knife over her breasts, and cuts a hole in her underwear.

Around the 67:30 point the tone shifts and the girl is shown licking the knife and enjoying it. She then gets naked on all fours as he runs the knife over her body before they have sex. The scene ends at approximately 69:15. So the total running time for the sequence is around 03:45 which corresponds exactly to the reduced running time that you report of 90m to 86m. It looks like the Chinatown Cinema removed this scene in its entirety. To be honest the film would not have missed it because as I mentioned it does not fit the comedy tone of the story.

The Ocean Shores DVD runs 88:40.

The Takers

Directed by Carl Monson / 1971 / USA/ IMDb

In July 1981, a 75m K&C Video had a 75m tape of THE TAKERS Refused Registration. The reasons given were:

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

Other: Sexual violence

In 1975, the Australian censor also banned Carl Monson's A SCREAM IN THE STREETS (1973).

THE TAKERS review

Thanks to Matt for this review.

The Something Weird DVD of THE TAKERS runs 77:39. The sex is of the softcore variety.

These two scenes are about as graphic as it gets.

16:00 – The naked girl sits on top of EJ and we see his balls as they have sex

45:00 – As Barbara straddles Will, we get a glimpse of what looks like his semi-erect penis.

The problem sexual violence is easier to spot.

At 30m, EJ and Will break into the home of two girls. This scene runs until the end of the film when the husband arrives home and shoots them. Barbara plays along with them in the hope that they will leave. Laura is more reluctant, which forces EJ to get violent with her to make her have sex.

At 61m, the two have still not left. EJ forces himself on one of the women. After a time she is shown enjoying the sex.

The Takers (1971) - K&C Video [au] VHS

A Taste for Fear

Directed by Piccio Raffanini / 1988 / Italy / IMDb

In 1988, Palace Entertainment Corporation had an 88m videotape of A TASTE FOR FEAR banned by the Censorship Board.

In January 1989, a censored 85:47 version was passed with an R-rating. It was released soon after by Palace Home Video.

A TASTE FOR FEAR: The censored scenes

Two scenes were removed to achieve an R-rating. The times below refer to the point in the Palace Home Video where the cut takes place.

TEAGAN'S MURDER

Before - "I prefer other instruments". He then presses play.

CENSORED AT 54:22 (Approx 20s missing) - Teagan is shown on the TV screen tied to a chair and being stabbed. This is mixed with some reaction shots of those watching the tape.

After - Dianne turns her head away from the screen and says "Urgh!"

KIM'S MURDER

Before - The killer shows the same sign as before. Dianne says "It's the same dedication" "Who's it to?"

CENSORED AT 68:06 (Approx 43s missing) - Kim is shown on the screen getting her throat cut. This is mixed with reaction shots of those watching. One line of dialogue has been removed. "Stop, take it back to the red-head"

After - Laura says, "You really think it was George behind all this?"

A Taste for Fear - Palace Home Video [au] VHS

A Taste of Kiwi

Directed by Peter Wells / 1990 / New Zealand

A TASTE OF KIWI was a 2m short that was banned in May 1992.

In June 1992, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney unsuccessfully appealed to the Classification Review Board.

The film presents footage of the New Zealand All Blacks interspersed with gay pornography.

A TASTE OF KIWI: Review Board report

OFLC and Film and Literature Board of Review: Report on Activities 1991-92

Applicant: Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

Decision Reviewed: Refuse to register by the Film Censorship Board

Decision: This short film, depicting footballers leaving the field and scenes of male sexual activity, was intended for presentation in a program of films at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

The Chairman declared an interest in the Museum of Contemporary Art, through its association with the NSW Ministry of the Arts, of which he is the Secretary, and withdrew from the discussion.

The Deputy Chairman, Mr Keith Connolly, took the chair. The members of the Review Board were in unanimous agreement with the Censorship Board that A Taste of Kiwi contains indecent scenes, and accordingly confirmed the decision of the Censorship Board to refuse to register the film. 18 June 1992.

Taxi Zum Klo

Directed by Frank Ripploh / 1981 / West Germany / IMDb

Crystal Film Corporation had 2632.70 meter (96:13) 35mm print of TAXI ZUM KLO was Refused Registration in May 1982. The reason given for the ban was sex, which was described as:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

In August 1982, a 'Reconstructed Version' was submitted that was missing around five minutes of footage. The 2496.13 meter (91m 14s) print was passed with an R-rating for:
Sex
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Justified
Other: Adult Concepts

It was this heavily censored version that went on to have an Australian theatrical release.

The film was no doubt cut to remove, amongst other things, footage of real gay sex, as well a golden shower scene.

R18+ uncut version

In July 2007, an uncut DVD of TAXI ZUM KLO was passed with an R18+ (High level sex scenes and sexual themes). The applicant was the Elizabeth Criminal Investigation Branch of the South Australian Police.

Tender and Perverse Emanuelle

Directed by Jess Franco / 1973 / France / IMDb

In September 1981, TENDER AND PERVERSE EMANUELLE was passed with an R-rating.

To achieve this, the Australian censors demanded the removal of 48-meters (01:45) of footage from the 2286.82-meter (83:35) 35mm print.

The cuts were made to remove sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous

Following the censorship, the sex was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Filmways released the film theatrically in Australia.

The censored footage

Thanks to Matt for this review.

The German X-Rated Kult DVD of TENDER AND PERVERSE EMANUELLE runs 77:22 (PAL).

The scene that would have been cut in Australia starts at 67:00, and runs until 69:15. It shows a girl masturbating Gordon’s erect penis, and Gordon with his hand between her legs. Incidentally, the British censor also removed 01:11 from this scene when Redemption submitted a VHS in 1994.

The rest of the film is standard Euro softcore, and features sex that would unlikely attract the censor’s scissors.

Tendres Cousines

Directed by David Hamilton / 1980 / France - West Germany / IMDb

In October 1981, Roadshow Distributors had a 90m 35mm print of TENDRES COUSINES Refused Registration. The reason given for the ban was the 'sexual exploitation of a minor'.

In April 1984, Consolidated Exhibitors tried again with a 92m 35mm print; but this too was banned.

An appeal to the Film Board of Review was unsuccessful.

Terror

Directed by Franco Prosperi / 1978 / Italy / IMDb

IE International / Cinehollywood had two 87m videotapes of TERROR passed by the censors in August 1983. The first was described as an Italian language version, and the second an English language, Greek subtitled version.

The Cinehollywood tapes could be found for rent during the 80s and 90s in stores that stocked Greek and Italian tapes. The Italian Cinehollywood tape ran 85:24 (PAL). Thanks to Stephen F for the cover scan.

In 1985, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment had an 86m videotape of TERROR banned because of 'gratuitous sexual violence'.

TERROR (1978) : Why it was banned

Thanks to Simon for this review.

Severin Films DVD [us] 89:47 (NTSC)

Severin Film released an uncut version of TERROR on DVD in 2008 under the alternative title of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE BEACH.

There are the two major scenes of 'gratuitous sexual violence' that would have caused TERROR to be banned.

43:30 to 47:15 – Lucia is stripped by Nino and Walter. Sister Cristina arrives to help, but is stopped by Aldo. She is forced to watch as Walter restrains Lucia, and Nino rapes her. This scene is the most graphic in the film, and plays out in slow motion.

71:30 to 75:40 - Walter puts Erica on the sofa, and removes her underwear. In slow motion, Nino gets up, and holds a stick towards her. Although it is not explicitly shown, the implication is that he kills her by forcing it between her legs.

The film builds towards a climax where the tormented women take revenge against the three gang members.

Terror (1978) - Cinehollywood [it] VHS

Terror

Directed by Norman J. Warren / 1978 / UK / IMDb

In April 1980, a 2314.70-meter (84:22) print of TERROR was censored by 8.9-meters (00:19) for an R-rating. The cuts were made for violence, which was described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

The violence in the censored R-rated print was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Penda Investments was the applicant.

The UK Anchor Bay DVD release from 2005 runs 79:24 (PAL). TERROR contains several gory death scenes, so it is hard to judge exactly where the Australian censor made the cuts.

During the late 70s and early 80s, Norman J. Warren had a bad run in Australia. As well as TERROR, his SATAN’S SLAVE (1976) and PREY (1978) were both censored for R-ratings.