American adult movies from 1975 that have been cut or banned in Australia.
The X-rating, for hardcore sex, was introduced in February 1984.
The Story of Joanna
aka The Story of Joana (Classification Board title)
Directed by Gerard Damiano / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In October 1976, a 2149.10-meter (78:20) print of THE STORY OF JOANNA was banned because of ‘indecency’. It was described as being an ‘optically modified version’.
An appeal to the Films Board of Review was upheld in December 1976.
Filmways Australasia was the applicant.
Summer Session
Directed by George Savage / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In November 1976, a 515.59-meter (46:59) 16mm print of SUMMER SESSION was banned because of ‘indecency’.
Garron International was the applicant.
Swinging Ski Girls
Directed by Don Trendall / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In May 1978, a 2086.20-meter (76:02) print of SWINGING SKI GIRLS was banned because of ‘indecency’.
A 1913.30-meter (69:44) ‘reconstructed version’ was passed with an R-rating in December 1978.
In both cases, 14th Mandolin was the applicant. Advertisements from the early 1980s list this as being released on their King of Video label.
Further reading
For more censored Don Trendall, see the database entry for SWINGING SORORITY (1976).
Swinging Sorority
Directed by Don Trendall / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In May 1978, a 2109.00-meter (76:52) print of SWINGING SORORITY was banned because of ‘indecency’.
A 1973.00-meter (71:55) ‘reconstructed version’ was refused for the same reason in September 1978.
14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Banned on video
In December 1983, a 78-minute tape of SWINGING SORORITY was Refused Registration because of sex. This was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Video Box Office was the applicant.
Tales of a High Class Hooker
Directed by Robert M. Mansfield / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In January 1981, a 1416.95-meter (51:39) print of TALES OF A HIGH CLASS HOOKER was censored by 25.7-meters (00:56) for an R-rating.
The cuts were made to remove sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
In the censored R-rated version, it was found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Teenage Sex Kitten
Directed by Ann Perry / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In December 1981, a 1716.40-meter (62:34) print of TEENAGE SEX KITTEN was banned because of ‘sexual violence’. The running time indicates that it had already been precut before submission.
An unsuccessful appeal was made to the Films Board of Review in January 1982.
A 1645.80-meter (59:59) ‘reconstructed version’ was finally awarded an R-rating in July 1982. It was awarded for sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
In all cases, AZ Associated Theatres was the applicant.
Censored video releases
In February 1984, a 58-minute tape was passed with an R-rating, with Video Classics as the applicant. This precensored tape was issued as part of their Movie at Midnight range.
In the mid-1980s, TEENAGE SEX KITTEN was rereleased by Palace Vibrant Video.
Further reading
For more censored Ann Perry, see the database entry for SWEET SAVAGE (1979).
Wham Bam Thank You Spaceman
Directed by William A. Levey / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In the early 1980s, a 75:22 tape of WHAM BAM THANK YOU SPACEMAN was released on K&C Video’s sub-label, Starbase Video.
Most of Harry Novak’s Boxoffice International Pictures had Australian theatrical releases. However, in this case, there is no rating in the National Classification Database.
Missing video
In May 1984, Showtime Video had a 90-minute video passed with the newly introduced X-rating. The reason given for the decision was sex, which was described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
It is unclear if this tape was ever released.
Police crackdown
In March 1985, the Victorian Police submitted an 87-minute tape, and in February 1986, a 90-minute tape. Both were banned because of ‘gratuitous sexual violence’.
In August 1986 the NSW Police and in September 1986 the Victorian Police both had videos banned by the Film Censorship Board. Again, the reason was ‘gratuitous sexual violence’. In both cases, the running time had shrunk to 80-minutes.
These may be copies of the aforementioned Showcase Video. By 1985, the guidelines for the X-rating had been tightened enough that a previously classified film could now be refused.
Abandoned DVD
WHAM BAM THANK YOU SPACEMAN was passed with an R18+ (High level sex scenes, Coarse language) rating in October 2007.
The DVD does not appear to have been released as the applicant, MRA Entertainment, went out of business soon after the classification.
The Young Passions
Directed by Bobby Davis / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In July 1978, a 2066.30-meter (75:19) print of THE YOUNG PASSIONS was banned because of ‘indecency’.
A 1873.90-meter (68:18) ‘reconstructed version’ was refused for the same reason in September 1978.
In both cases, Lestrig Trading (aka Lestrig Films) was the applicant.