American adult movies from 1974 that have been cut or banned in Australia.
The X-rating, for hardcore sex, was introduced in February 1984.
China Girl
Directed by Paul Aratow / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In November 1978, a 2317.60-meter (84:29) print of CHINA GIRL was banned because of ‘indecency’.
Regent Trading Enterprises were the applicant.
Banned on video
In April 1983, Video Classics had an 84-minute tape refused because of sex, which was found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Passed with a Special Condition
In September 1983, Video Classics had an 83-minute ‘reconstructed version’ of CHINA GIRL passed with the Special Condition ‘that this film/tape will not be exhibited in any State in contravention of State’s law relating to the exhibition of films’.
Modified version still banned
CHINA GIRL was Refused Registration again in December 1983, for the same reason as April.
The 60-minute tape was submitted by Jim Do.
R-rated video release
In May 1987, a 67-minute tape was passed with an R-rating. The running time indicates it had been precut before submission.
Video Excellence was the applicant.
The Danish Connection
Directed by Walt Davis / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In October 1975, a 2605.00-meter (94:57) print of THE DANISH CONNECTION was banned because of ‘indecency’.
The following month, a 2331.00-meter (84:58) ‘reconstructed version’ passed with an R-rating.
Briad Film Productions was the applicant.
Banned in Queensland
On 17 November 1976, the censored R-rated version of THE DANISH CONNECTION was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review.
The distributor was Consolidated Films.
Video releases
In the early 1980s, 14th Mandolin issued THE DANISH CONNECTION on their King of Video label.
This was followed by a release on Vintage Video.
High School Fantasies
Directed by James Bryan / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In October 1977, a 1837.00-meter (66:57) print of HIGHSCHOOL FANTASIES was censored by 38.10-meters (01:23) for an R-rating. The cuts were made to remove ‘indecency’.
Lestrig Trading (aka Lestrig Films) was the applicant.
Banned in Queensland
On 11 November 1978, the censored R-rated version of HIGHSCHOOL FANTASIES was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review.
The distributor was Lestrig Films.
Further reading
For more censored James Bryan (AKA Morris Deal), see the database entries for HIGH SCHOOL FANTASIES (1974), I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU NOT (1974) and BEACH BLANKET BANGO (1975).
I Love You, I Love You Not
Directed by James Bryan / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In February 1978, a 2414.00-meter (87:59) print of I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU NOT was censored by 39:00-meters (01:25) for an R-rating. The cuts were made to remove ‘indecency’.
14th Mandolin was the applicant. It was released on their King of Video label.
The Life and Times of Xaviera Hollander
Directed by Larry G. Spangler / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In July 1976, a 1947:00-meter (70:58) print of THE LIFE AND TIMES OF XAVIERA HOLLANDER was banned because of ‘indecency’.
Blake Films were the applicant.
Banned on video
In July 1983, it was ‘Refused Registration’ again, this time in the form of a 60-minute videotape. The reason for the ban was sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
A. Davis was the applicant.
Censored video releases
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF XAVIERA HOLLANDER was finally passed with an R-rating in February 1986 following the removal of 00:02-meters (00:03) of footage from a 1947:00-meter (70:58) print.
The cuts were made to remove sex, which was found to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
…while the sex in the censored R-rated version was described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
This was followed in February 1987 by a tape of a 49-minute ‘edited version’. It was passed with an R-rating for the same reason as the February 1986 classification.
In both cases, Video Excellence was the applicant. It is unclear why they chose to resubmit the film in a heavily censored version when it already held an R-rating.
Panorama Blue
aka Blue Visions
Directed by Alan Roberts / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In July 1974, an 83-minute 70mm print of PANORAMA BLUE was banned because of ‘indecency’.
14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Hardcore in mid-1970s Australia
December 4, 1974
CP: Could we talk a little about censorship? Censorship at the moment seems almost at a standstill. On the one hand we have the federal organization which seems to be allowing soft-core films through, and is indeed leaning towards medium-core. The major distributors and exhibitors seem to be saying, “Go any further, let in hard-core, and we’ll lose our system of uniform censorship. The states will retrieve their federal delegations of the censorship power.” Yet Queensland in fact has already done this and has banned EROTIC ADVENTURES OF ZORRO, SEX AIDS [AND HOW TO USE THEM] etc.Filmways has obvious moneyspinners like NOTORIOUS CLEOPATRA still banned, but is on record as saying it doesn’t think DEEP THROAT or DEVIL IN MISS JONES should get through. What is Filmways’ present attitude?
WARD: Our attitude is this: we feel that the film industry is an industry to entertain. Now whether it be artistically entertaining or commercially entertaining is quite separate. But we feel that the industry as a whole can’t afford to accept DEEP THROAT, MISS JONES, BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR and films like this. On the other hand there are movies like PANORAMA BLUE, and though I saw only 15 minutes of it, I didn’t find it objectionable. I think by and large the censor is being realistic, but things are fairly unpredictable in this area at the moment.
CP: Do you think censorship decisions should be based on precedent, in other words if film A shows a man ejaculating and is passed, then films B and C with a man ejaculating should also be passed?
WARD: I don’t think so because a hard-core film with a man ejaculating can be very different to an artistic film of a man ejaculating. I think this is the whole problem with censorship. Where do you draw the line? How can you draw a line? I am relatively happy with the composition of the Censorship Board and Board of Review at the moment.
– Robert Ward, Dendy Filmways
– Cinema Papers No. 4
R-rated censored version
A heavily censored 1729.00-meter (63:01) version was finally passed with an R-rating in August 1979.
14th Mandolin was again the applicant.
In the early 1980s, they released it on tape on their King of Video label.
Video Classics submissions
In December 1983, Video Classics had an 83-minute version of PANORAMA BLUE passed with the Special Condition ‘that this film/tape will not be exhibited in any State in contravention of State’s law relating to the exhibition of films’.
In February 1984, they also had an 86-minute tape passed with an R-rating.
X-rated & R-rated videos
In February 1984, the X-rating was introduced in Australia. That month, a 56-minute version of PANORAMA BLUE was passed with this new classification.
This was followed in April 1985 by a 58-minute R-rated tape. It was awarded for sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Both submissions were made by 14th Mandolin, who retitled it BLUE VISIONS and released it on their Pink Video label.
Pretty Wet Lips
aka Women in Peril
Directed by Carl Stanfill / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In September 1974, a 2224.00-meter (81:04) print of PRETTY WET LIPS was banned because of ‘indecency’.
A cut 2012.00-meter (73:20) version was Refused Registration in November 1974. The following month, the Films Board of Review upheld the decision of the Film Censorship Board.
The same 2012.00-meter (73:20) print was resubmitted for possible classification in November 1976. However, once again it was banned because of ‘indecency’.
In all three cases, Blake Films was the applicant.
Retitled, resubmitted & rejected again
In March 1981, a heavily censored 669.70-meters (61:01) 16mm print was submitted under the title WOMEN IN PERIL. This was banned because of sex and violence, which were found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
A 633.70-meter (57:45) version was refused in September 1981. The violence had been toned down, as now, only the sex was found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
It was Refused Registration for a third time in March 1982 in a ‘second reconstructed version’ running 623.50-meter (56:49). The sex was now described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
However, ‘sexual violence’ was now also listed as a reason for refusal.
In these three cases, 14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Roughie sex & violence
Matt reports.
Alpha Blue Archives (us) – 2014 DVD as PRETTY WET LIPS – 73:31
The plot involves a couple called Buster and Chickie (Sunny Boyd). They kidnap and rape a girl, before invading a woman’s house, take her hostage and finally and assault her.
7.00 approx. – Buster strips and rapes a kidnapped girl in the back of a van as Chickie drives.
18:00 approx. – Buster and Chickie take Ellen (Mary Steely) hostage in her house. Buster has sex with her on the springboard and in her pool. Meanwhile, the girl they kidnapped is forced to go down on Chickie.
26:00 approx. – Norma (Kathy Reeder) and Ellen’s husband have sex.
40:00 – The final 23-minute sequence includes the previous two victims being threatened with a gun or a knife before and during sex. Eventually, Ellen’s husband and their neighbour fall victim to the home invaders before the tables are turned.
It is very easy to see why the Film Censorship Board continued to refuse this roughie. The sex is not hardcore but is still quite explicit. Apart from the affair that Ellen’s husband has with Norma, the other sex begins as non-consensual but inevitably develops into the victim enjoying it. This would have been an issue that no amount of cuts could conceal.
Super Ball
Directed by Charles Edward / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In January 1978, 2172.00-meter (79:10) ‘pre-censor cut version’ of SUPER BALL was passed with an R-rating.
132.93-meters (04:50) of footage had been removed.
Lestrig Trading (aka Lestrig Films) was the applicant.
Banned in Queensland
On 23 November 1978, the censored R-rated version of SUPER BALL was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review.
The distributor was Lestrig Films.
Teenage Bride
Directed by Gary Troy / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In September 1978, 2139.54-meter (77:59) ‘pre-censor cut version’ of TEENAGE BRIDE was passed with an R-rating.
14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Abandoned K&C Video release
In June 1981, K&C Video had an 87m tape banned because of sex, which was identified as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Young Secretaries
Directed by Richard Kanter / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In June 1976, a 2081.30-meter (75:52) print of YOUNG SECRETARIES was banned because of ‘indecency’.
Modern Film Distributors was the applicant.
R-rated on video
In October 1985, an 80-minute version of YOUNG SECRETARIES was passed with an R-rating on a double-bill tape with TEENAGE CRUISERS (1977).
It was awarded for sex, which was found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Communications and Entertainment went on to release it on their Playaround Video label.
Further reading
For more censored Richard Kanter (AKA Roger Kramer, AKA Ramsey Karson), see the database entries for FANTASY IN BLUE (1975), DESIRES WITHIN YOUNG GIRLS (1977) and SENSUAL ENCOUNTERS OF EVERY KIND (1978).