American Action Films – Page 3

1990s American action movies that have been cut or banned in Australia.

Cartel

Directed by John Stewart / 1990 / USA / IMDb

In 1991, the OFLC banned a videotape of CARTEL.

A censored version was passed with an R (Medium level violence) rating in January 1992.

Video Distribution Company were the applicant.

Both the cut and uncut versions were listed as running 105-minutes. The actual running time of the VHS released on the Hollywood Studios label was 91:22.

Details of censored footage

Simon reports.
Hollywood Studios (au) – VHS – 91:22
Uncut version – VHS – 94:00 (minus Cobra Entertainment Group title card)

CARTEL was banned because of a scene where a gang of thugs raid a house containing the hero’s sister, nephew and girlfriend. There is only a brief moment of sexual violence, but several other scenes were also removed. The distributor probably over-cut the action because they did not want to resubmit it a third time.

Before – Donna (Crystal Carson) runs to the door with Tommy (Bradley Pierce). She opens it and screams.

Censored 29:58 to 30:18 – The lead thug at the door says ‘Hello Donna’. Another thug grabs Tommy. Donna struggles and shouts ‘Tommy, run’. The lead thug slaps her down to the couch, wipes his face and shuts the door.

After – Nancy (Suzee Slater) screams.

Before – Nancy knocks one of the thugs off the bonnet of the car.

Censored 30:29 to 31:20 – Nancy is chased and pulled to the ground. It then cuts to Donna struggling. The lead thug says, ‘I like it when you fight’ before cutting back to Nancy on the floor fighting with the thug. He slaps her around the face. She grabs a knife, stabs him in the side and escapes. She runs past Donna and the lead thug.

After – Nancy runs into the bathroom with her top ripped open.

Before – Donna smashes a vase on the lead thugs head and escapes. He gets up and chases after her.

Censored 31:55 to 31:56 – Brief shot of Nancy’s dress being ripped as she escapes through the door.

After – Continuation of Nancy escaping through the door.

Before – The lead thug shoots Donna in the back and says ‘Bitch’.

Censored 32:19 to 32:29 – Donna lying by the pool. One of the thugs holds Tommy by his feet over her. She grabs his hand as he is dragged away. She says ‘No’.

After – Thug plunges a knife into the door where Nancy is hiding.

Before – The thug is told to kill Tommy.

Censored 34:10 to 34:54 – Nancy rushes forward but is slapped down onto the bed. Tommy cries ‘Mommy’ as he is taken away. The door is closed and a gunshot is heard. The thug comes back into the room holding Tommy’s toy train. Nancy is hysterical as she is held down on the bed by two thugs.

After/Before – Donna is shown alive by the pool.

Censored 35:01 to 35:24 – Nancy is topless on the bed with the lead thug on top of her. He kisses her body and she spits in his face. Angered, he shouts ‘Fucking whore’.

This is the only censored scene that could be considered sexual violence.

After – The thugs walk over the body of Tommy, who opens and closes his eyes, as he pretends to be dead. We now understand that the thug had only made it look like he shot him.

Death Warrant

Directed by Deran Sarafian / 1990 / USA / IMDb

In February 1991, two 88-minute 35mm prints of DEATH WARRANT received an R (Very frequent violence).

The violence was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

One was for Public Exhibition, the other for Sale/Hire.

A censored 84-minute version dropped the rating to M (Frequent violence, Occasional coarse language).

It was now awarded for:
Violence
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

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

United International Pictures (UIP), the applicant, received all three ratings on the same day.

Censored theatrical

UIP released the M-rated version to disappointed audiences.

March 3, 1991
Predictable but well made, DEATH WARRANT, the latest film starring The Muscles From Brussels never had a chance after the butcher with the scissors mauled it to pieces.

Most viewers may say, “So what?” at the thought of an average action flick undergoing the snip and tuck treatment where the gory bits are concerned. But it’s the how and why which are wide ranging in their implications for audience entertainment.

The “how” includes huge jumps, incongruous sound splices and a finale which is no finale at all because you don’t know what happened to the villain. The “why” is a lot more sinister, especially for the hundreds of disappointed teenagers who booed at this screening. Sure, a few snips score that handy M rating — and the younger action viewers —whereas an R would presumably leave the film intact but miss out the crucial late teenage audience.

Even more annoying is that DEATH WARRANT (what’s left anyhow) was looking remarkably. like Sylvester Stalione’s LOCK-UP or Tom Selleck’s AN INNOCENT MAN, two films noted for their prison violence realism and both M rated.

– Bad cuts unwanted
– smh.com.au

Uncut VHS

The uncut R-rated VHS was released by MGM/UA Home Video in August 1991.

They reissued it, with the same cover, in 1992 as part of the Time Life Video range.

DVD releases

MGM Home Entertainment issued DEATH WARRANT on DVD in 2004. Although uncut, the cover labelled it with the M (Frequent violence, Occasional coarse language) from February 1991.

The 2006 DVDs from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Sony Home Entertainment corrected the error. Apart from the R-rating, they share the same cover art as the 2004 release.

Several R-rated DVDs have since billed it with other Jean-Claude Van Damme movies.

Marked for Death

Directed by Dwight H. Little / 1990 / USA / IMDb

On 9 November 1990, a 93-minute 35mm of MARKED FOR DEATH received an R (Occasional graphic violence) for ‘Sale/Hire’.

16mm and 35mm prints received the same rating on 23 November for ‘Public Exhibition’.

In all cases, the violence was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films, the applicant, opened it theatrically in late February.

VHS – Censored & Uncut

In May 1991, CBS/Fox Video received an M (Medium level violence, Coarse language) for a censored 89-minute videotape. It is unusual for a distributor to prepare a cut version specifically for home viewing.

Fox Video issued both versions for rental in July.

The R-rated print promoted it as uncut on both the cover and tape.

Fox Video released a sell-through tape in 1993 followed by a 1998 reissue from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment as part of their ‘Selections’ line. Both utilise the artwork and rating of the M-rated rental VHS. Such releases sometimes carry incorrect classifications, so it needs to be confirmed if either is uncut.

Imported BBFC censorship

In 2001, MARKED FOR DEATH was released on a double-bill DVD with Brandon Lee’s RAPID FIRE (1992). It was reissued as a stand-alone disc in September 2003.

Although labelled with the uncut 1990 R-rating, in both cases, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment utilised a censored BBFC version.

The 00:22 of cuts, made for the 1991 UK VHS, are detailed by Cutting Edge in their YouTube video.

They note four censored scenes.

57:00 – Hatcher (Steven Seagal) breaks the arm of a Jamaican gang member.

79:45 – Hatcher breaks the neck of a gang member followed by the arm of another.

88:30 – Hatcher gouges the eyes of Screwface (Basil Wallace).

88:45 – Hatcher breaks the back of Screwface and throws him down a lift shaft.

Uncut Blu-ray

Twentieth Century Fox issued a complete Blu-ray in October 2010.

They incorrectly labelled it with the censored M (Medium level violence, Coarse language) from May 1991.

More Seagal in Australia

HARD TO KILL (1990), Steven Seagal’s previous movie, had minor issues in Australia.

After it received an uncut R (Frequent violence) in March 1990, Village Roadshow failed in an attempt to have it reduced to M.

March 30, 1990
The film was accorded an ‘R’ classification by the Film Censorship Board on the grounds of its impactful and realistic violence’ (although a minority of the Board would have allowed an ‘M’.

The Board of Review agreed with the majority. It seemed to us that the violence went well beyond what the context justified, and in many instances was unduly relished by the perpetrators. Far from being “intermittent”, as the distributors have suggested, the violence seemed unremitting; to describe HARD TO KILL – with its grisly procession of blows, kicks, stabbings, shootings and graphic bone-breakings – as an orgy of violence would not, in our view, be unfair. The film has no mitigating qualities, and we agreed that the R’ classification should stand.

– Films Board of Review report

The uncut R-rated print was released theatrically and on Warner Home Video.

Payback

Directed by Addison Randall / 1990 / USA / IMDb

In 1992, an 86-minute videotape of PAYBACK was Refused Classification by the OFLC.

A censored 82-minute version was awarded an M (Medium level violence, Coarse language) rating in February 1992.

The applicant in both cases was Video Distribution Company. It needs to be confirmed if this tape was released.

Gang rape scene behind refusal

Matt reports.
85:27 – VHS – Uncut version
At approximately 47:00, the three members of Strikeforce enter the bar and attack Jason’s (Roger Rodd) friend Molly (Charla Driver). They hold her down over the pool table and proceed to take turns to rape her. The whole scene cuts back and forth between this and and a scene of Jason and Evelyn (Denise Dougherty) having sex. The rape ends at approximately 49:30. This would have been the main, and in my opinion, only scene that troubled the OFLC. Any depictions of rape seem to have routinely landed an RC-rating during this period.

There is another scene at 55:30 where Jason comes across a group of thugs pushing a girl around. She is slapped in the face before he proceeds to kick their assess with some very lame martial arts. I cannot believe that the OFLC would have had any problems with this scene.

The producers behind this are Richard Pepin and Joseph Merhi. They were responsible for L.A. CRACKDOWN 2 (1988), and NIGHT OF THE WILDING (1990), two other films that were banned in Australia.

Australian DVD release

In 2005, PAYBACK was released by Flashback Home Entertainment as part of a ten-pack DVD called MOVIE MARATHON TWO.

They later re-released it on a triple pack, along with PRIME TARGET (1991) and THE OUTSIDER (1994).

Despite the cover stating that the disc was R-rated, all three films were previously classified M. It needs to be confirmed if PAYBACK was the uncut version.

Wrong Bet

aka A.W.O.L.: Absent Without Leave

Directed by Sheldon Lettich / 1990 / USA / IMDb

In September 1990, a 107-minute 35mm twice received an R (Very frequent violence). The submission title was A.W.O.L.: ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

Violence was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

One was for Public Exhibition, the other for Sale/Hire.

The following month, a censored 107-minute version, retitled WRONG BET, was twice rated M (Frequent violence, Coarse language).

Violence and language was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous

Palace Entertainment Corporation, the applicant, released the cut version theatrically in late November.

Censored VHS

In March 1991, Palace Video issued the M-rated version on tape.

The cuts reportedly totalled nearly 00:30.

February 2025
01:38 – The whole scene of Francois being set on fire by drug dealer is missing, and Francois being taken to surgery (11 secs).

02:26 – Close-up shot of Francois burnt face in hospital when he screams “Lyon”, just before it cuts to the foreign legion (2 secs) [Scream is heard over the desert landscape instead].

07:01 – Legionnaire being stabbed through hand by knife, when Lyon escapes from the foreign legion (1/2 sec).

24:06 – The first garage fight, the blonde (heckler’s date) get sprayed by blood, the scene where she taste the blood is missing (6 secs).

92:38 – 2 Close-up shots of Lyon’s hand around Attila’s neck, and one close-up shot of Lyon’s face at the end of the match (9 secs) [There is only one bloody face shot of Attila, instead of the 3 shots in the uncut version].

– Alternate versions @ imdb.com

Uncut VHS

Both WRONG BET and KICKBOXER (1989) were issued uncut by Palace in October 1992. Advertisements promoted the R-rated versions as ‘Never before released’.

Roadshow Entertainment later reissued it on sell-through.

DVD releases

In 2006, Big Sky Video issued the R-rated version on DVD with a cover that promoted it as ‘Uncut’.

There are several Australian releases of dubious origin. One labels it with the original M-rating, while others attach fake MA15+.

Kickboxer 2: The Road Back

Directed by Albert Pyun / 1991 / USA / IMDb

In April 1991, an 88-minute 35mm of KICKBOXER 2: THE ROAD BACK received an R (High level violence).

The following month, a censored 86-minute print dropped the rating to M (High level violence, Medium level coarse language).

Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films, the applicant, released it theatrically in June.

Uncut VHS

In July, Hoyts Distribution received an R (High level violence) for an 88-minute videotape.

First Release issued a VHS in September. The cover promoted it as the ‘Uncut Version’.

DVD releases

Force Entertainment / Beyond Home Entertainment issued KICKBOXER 2: THE ROAD BACK on DVD in 2002. The cover listed it as also available on VHS.

Post-June 2005, there were two DVDs on no-name labels.

Despite being labelled with the May 1991 M-rating, both are likely uncut.

Mobsters

Directed by Michael Karbelnikoff / 1991 / USA / IMDb

On 11 November 1991, a 120-minute 35mm of MOBSTERS received an R (Medium level violence). Three days later, a 118-minute version dropped it to M (Medium level violence, Coarse language, Sex scenes).

The Classification Board explained, ‘…the strongest depictions of violence were deleted, resulting in a visual presentation consistent with the guidelines for ‘M’.

It received an identical R and M-rating on 20 November for Sale/Hire.

In all cases, the applicant was United International Pictures.

They released the censored M-rated version theatrically in January 1992.

Uncut VHS

June 29, 1992
When MOBSTERS was released theatrically in Australia, the films was cut from an R-rated version to an M. In all, five sequences were trimmed to tone down the film’s characters major activities – hard and tough gangsterism. Australian video viewers are going to get the chance to see the whole film – complete and uncut – in the R-rated version being released by CIC.

– A look behind the making of the film
– Video Trader, Vol. 9 No. 25

The R-rated VHS was issued by CIC Video in August. Unusually, the cover did not use the opportunity promote it as uncut and unseen.

Blu-ray & DVD

In 2018, Shock Entertainment issued MOBSTERS on DVD and Blu-ray.

Both were presumably uncut, despite carrying the original M (Medium level violence, Coarse language, Sex scenes) from November 1991.

Stone Cold

Directed by Craig R. Baxley / 1991 / USA / IMDb

In July 1991, a 91-minute 35mm print of STONE COLD received an R (Medium level violence, Coarse language).

With the introduction of the MA still two years away, Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films censored it down to 88-minutes in pursuit of an M-rating. Unfortunately, it again passed with an R-rating. The cuts resulted in the ‘Coarse language’ warning being removed from the consumer advice.

In all cases, Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films was the applicant.

September 2, 1992
With the unedited version of STONE COLD, in which a rogue cop is sent under cover to investigate and entrap a biker gang, the Board considered the film’s overall tone together with the cumulative impact of frequent violence and sometimes assaultive use of ‘fuck’ language, and its derivatives, made restricted classification appropriate. On viewing the reconstructed version, however. the Board remained of the view that it would be difficult to modify the film’s pervasive violent tone and concluded:

“…despite cuts made to some areas of violence, the film still warranted a Restricted Classification for the ongoing, unrelenting volume of violence combined with frequent assaultive coarse language and an anti-social and violent tone…while individual depictions in isolation may well warrant a lesser classification, the film as a package of both visuals and concepts, and particularly the emphasis on violence and its glamorous use both by police and criminals, make this a package best restricted to an adult audience.”

– Office of Film and Literature Classification
– Reports on Activities, 1991 to 1992

Following the unsuccessful censorship, the uncut version was released theatrically.

Video release

In March 1992, an uncut 88:17 (PAL) VHS received an R (Medium level violence, Coarse language).

The applicant, RCA/Columbia Pictures/Hoyts Video, released it on their Video Box Office label.

Australis Media Ltd submitted a 91-minute VHS in October 1995. Despite the running time and availability of an MA15+, it received only an M (Medium level violence). It is unknown if this tape was released.

DVD releases

Two ‘no name label’ DVDs have appeared since 2005.

One has it as M-rated and lacks consumer advice, while the other labels it R18+ (Medium level violence, Coarse language).

Universal Soldier

Directed by Roland Emmerich / 1992 / USA / IMDb

In July 1992, 16mm and 35mm prints of UNIVERSAL SOLDIER received an R (Medium level violence).

The following month, an appeal failed to have the uncut version dropped to M.

August 5, 1992
The Film Censorship Board considered the film to be one of “unrelenting gratuitous violence” and classified it ‘R’. In their appeal, the applicant contended that the violence was of a “comic book” kind and unlikely to have an adverse effect on a mature audience.

The Board of Review agreed that the story was fantastic and unreal, but concluded that the violent depictions, individually and in their cumulative effect, were sufficiently strong to place the film within the ‘R’ category. Accordingly we dismissed the appeal.

– Film Board of Review report

After being cut from 103 to 100-minutes, it passed with an M (High level violence, Coarse language) on 20 August. The Classification Board found this reconstructed version omitted the ‘…more detailed depictions of violence’.

Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films, the applicant, released the M-rated print theatrically in September.

M-rated censorship

Matt reports
Universal Sony Pictures (au) – Blu-ray – 103:20
An unknown contributor posted a list of cuts on the IMDb. The M-rated version was never released on VHS, so it was presumably compiled from a theatrical viewing.

05:30 – Andrew (Dolph Lundgren) shooting the Vietnamese boy (Tai Thai) in the head.

06:15 – Luc (Jean-Claude Van Damme) stabbing Andrew with his bayonet.

61:00 – Andrew firing a syringe through the cheek of Garth (Tico Wells).

62:45 – Luc fighting the men in the diner.

70:30 – Andrew shooting police in the supermarket.

95:15 – Andrew’s body and hand impaled on the farm machinery.

The absence of other equally violent content indicates the IMDb list is incomplete.

Uncut VHS

In October, the 103 and 100-minute 35mm prints received R and M-ratings for ‘Sale/Hire’.

Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films, the applicant, issued only the R-rated version on their Video Box Office label.

The R to M cuts were around three minutes, yet the cover promised it, ‘Contains 11 minutes of previously unseen footage’.

Columbia Tri-Star Home Video released a sell-through VHS in 1994. The rear cover advertised ‘…an additional 11-minutes of footage…not seen at the cinema or on television’.

Uncut DVD & Blu-ray

The 1999 DVD from Columbia Tri-Star Home Video used the original R (Medium level violence) classification.

In June 2006, Universal Pictures Video received an MA15+ (Strong violence, Strong coarse language). Studio Canal/Universal issued the DVD.

Submission of a 254-minute Blu-ray from Universal Pictures resulted in the consumer advice being modified to ‘Strong violence and coarse language’ in May 2010.

It changed again in January 2020 to ‘Strong themes and violence’ for a 364-minute DVD. The applicant was Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. StudioCanal made it available on DVD and Blu-ray as part of their ‘Classics Remastered’ range.

Van Damme in Australia

KICKBOXER (1989), DEATH WARRANT (1990) and WRONG BET (1990) all played theatrically with censored M-ratings.

For DOUBLE IMPACT (1991), Hoyts Fox Columbia Tristar Films lost an appeal against an R (Medium level violence).

August 27, 1991
DOUBLE IMPACT is about twin brothers who avenge the murder of their parents by a Hong Kong triad gang, and was considered by the Film Censorship Board to be “a vehicle for almost continuous violence, including lengthy martial arts sequences with repeated head kicks, karate chops, occasional implied neck breaking and frequent exchanges of gunfire with exploding bullet wounds”.

The Board of Review noted also a lengthy torture scene, in which a man is repeatedly scalded with jets of steam, and the massacre of the parents in the presence of their infant tons, a distressing sequence in which the hysterical screams of the babies are recorded at length.

As the original decision noted, the individual depictions of violence are in most cases not exceptional, but their cumulative impact, together with their repetitive, mindless and frequently gratuitous character, seemed to us to justify a Restricted Classification.

Members of the Review Board recalled that they had taken a similar view in the case of HARD TO KILL, a film of similar content and purposes, and the subject of an earlier appeal. Accordingly, we confirmed the ‘R’ classification for DOUBLE IMPACT.

– Film Board of Review report

Unlike the previous three films, DOUBLE IMPACT (1991) went out in an R-rated version.

The MA-rating began in May 1993, ten months after the problems with UNIVERSAL SOLDIER. Its introduction eliminated the need for distributors to bridge the R to M classification gap.

Fugitive X: Innocent Target

Directed by David Heavener / 1996 / USA / IMDb

In July 1996, a 98-minute VHS of FUGITIVE X: INNOCENT TARGET was Refused Classification by the OFLC.

The applicant was Peacock Films.

No clues to why this was banned

Wayne reports.
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 OFLC banned it is just a cheap action flick with a ‘most dangerous game’ plot.

This version should be MA15+. However, the running time was around four minutes shorter than the print the OFLC banned in 1996. I can only presume this was missing scenes of sexual violence.

At 13:15, Eddie the pimp (Kevin Christopher Lokey) slaps Alicia (Jennifer Moe) and threatens her. This plot point turns out to be a set-up to trap Adam (David Heavener). I cannot believe this scene would have been the issue.

The Rock

Directed by Michael Bay / 1996 / USA / IMDb

A 132-minute 35mm print of THE ROCK received an R (Medium level violence) in June 1996.

In September, a 135-minute censored version dropped it to MA (Medium level violence, Medium level coarse language). It is unclear why it ran three minutes longer than the initial submission.

Roadshow Film Distributors released the modified print theatrically.

Censored VHS

It again received an MA (Medium level violence, Medium level coarse language) in November and an R (Medium level violence) in December. The applicant, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, submitted both 131-minute videotapes.

Hollywood Pictures Home Video released the modified 130:40 (PAL) MA version on VHS.

What was censored?

Melon Farmers has the Cutting Edge report and accompanying YouTube video. They note five cut scenes in the MA-rated theatrical and VHS releases.

73:00 – Alternate footage used to replace bloody bullet hits to bodies during the shootout between Hummel’s (Ed Harris) and Anderson’s (Michael Biehn) units.

84:30 – Mason (Sean Connery) throws a knife at a soldier. Removed was a shot of it entering his throat.

85:30 – A metal tank falling on a soldier removes his yelling and the impact of the tank.

105:30 – Bullet hits to Sergeant Crisp (Bokeem Woodbine), Major Baxter (David Morse) and Hummel (Ed Harris) were censored or replaced with alternate footage.

118:30 – Removal of the impaled body of Captain Darrow (Tony Todd).

R-rated, but still censored

In May 1999, Warner Home Video received an R (Medium level violence) for a DVD. It should have been uncut but was instead a censored British version.

It includes footage missing from the MA print, hence the higher rating, but includes a whole new set of trims. These BBFC cuts are also included in the Cutting Edge report at Melon Farmers and accompanying YouTube video.

Uncut DVD

In October 2001, Buena Vista Home Entertainment received an R (Medium level violence) for a DVD.

This ‘Special Edition’ disc was the first Australian release of the complete version.

R to MA15+ uncut

In June 2007, THE ROCK dropped to MA15+ (Strong violence, Strong coarse language).

The applicant, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, released it on Blu-ray.

Vendetta

Directed by George Saunders / 1996 / USA / IMDb

In June 1996, an 88-minute VHS of VENDETTA was Refused Classification by the OFLC.

The applicant was Peacock Films.

DVD release

Around 2001, Flashback Home Entertainment released VENDETTA on DVD in Australia.

This disc ran 85:11, three minutes shorter than the tape that was banned in 1996.

This print does not appear to contain anything that would trouble the censors. This is just as well because the R-rating on the cover would appear to be fake.

The Jackal

Directed by Michael Caton-Jones / 1997 / USA / IMDb

In January 1998, a 124-minute 35mm print of THE JACKAL received an M (Medium level violence, Medium level coarse language).

The applicant, United International Pictures, precensored it to avoid an MA. This version was released theatrically in Australia.

What was censored?

Melon Farmers has the Cutting Edge report and accompanying YouTube video. The M-rated version only appeared theatrically, so cuts are recreated from the OFLC reports.

They note five censored scenes.

07:15 – Ghazzi Murad (Ravil Isyanov) yells ‘Fuck you! Fuck you, you scar-faced cunt!’ at Valentina Koslova (Diane Venora).

09:30 – A brief shot of blood coming from the mouth of a gang member after Terek (David Hayman) has put an axe in his head.

60:30 – Lamont’s (Jack Black) arm being shot off and him holding the stump.

84:45 – Agent Witherspoon shot in the head and sliding down the wall.

116:00 – Extra graphic impact shots on The Jackal’s (Bruce Willis) body as Mulqueen (Richard Gere) shoots him.

Uncut for home viewing

On April 8, United International Pictures again received an M (Medium level violence, Medium level coarse language) for a cut 124-minute 35mm. Despite being for sale/hire, no VHS release eventuated.

It was followed on 29 April by an MA15+ (Medium level violence, Medium level coarse language) for an uncut videotape. The 134-minute running time included an extra titled THE MAKING OF THE JACKAL. Cinema International Corporation (CIC), the applicant, issued it on VHS.

In August 2001, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment received an MA (High level violence, Medium level coarse language) for a DVD.

The DVD was released by Universal, who followed up with a Blu-ray in 2010.

The Netflix Classification Tool awarded it an MA15+ (Strong Themes, Strong Violence, Strong Blood and Gore) in December 2019.

The classification matrix described,
Strong impact: themes, violence
Moderate impact: language
None: drug use, nudity, sex

In 2020, it was reissued on DVD and Blu-ray by Shock with incorrect consumer advice of ‘Medium level violence’.

Lethal Weapon 4

Directed by Richard Donner / 1998 / USA / IMDb

A 127-minute 35mm print of LETHAL WEAPON 4 received an MA (Medium level violence) on 17 August 1998.

It was followed on 26 August by a 126-minute M (Medium level violence, Medium level coarse language) rated version.

Roadshow Film Distributors released the modified print theatrically.

Cut VHS

Warner Home Video issued the trimmed version on rental VHS in 1999.

What was censored?

Melon Farmers has the Cutting Edge report and accompanying YouTube video.

They note three cut scenes in the OFLC M-rated version.

52:00 – Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li) garrotting the ship captain (James Lew).

89:00 – Wah Sing Ku breaking the neck of Hong (Eddy Ko).

106:00 – A spike emerging from Wah Sing Ku’s back, and Riggs (Mel Gibson) spinning him around.

Uncut VHS, DVD & Blu-ray

The complete LETHAL WEAPON 4 was issued by Warner Home Video on sell-through VHS. The cover promised it ‘includes unseen footage’.

The following LETHAL WEAPON: THE LEGACY VHS box set labelled all four films as Director’s Cuts.

The 2001 Region 4 DVD and 2010 Blu-ray from Warners were similarly uncut.

Three Kings

Directed by David O. Russell / 1999 / USA / IMDb

In December 1999, a 115-minute 35mm print of THREE KINGS received an R (Medium level violence).

A modified version, still listed as 115-minutes, was dropped to MA15+ (High level violence, Adult themes) in February 2000.

It was this print that Roadshow Films released theatrically.

What was censored?

Matt reports.
114:57 – Uncut
I did not view the MA15+ version, but reports mention cuts to one scene.

39:00 – Amir’s Wife (Marsha Horan) is executed by a shot to the head by one of Saddam’s Republican Guard.

It is the film’s most shocking scene of violence, but I would guess only minor cuts to remove the blood spray.

Uncut DVDs

Roadshow Entertainment released the R (Medium level violence) version on DVD.

In April 2006, the consumer advice was increased to R18+ (High level violence) after Roadshow Entertainment submitted a DVD rerelease.