The adult movies of Anthony Spinelli that have been cut or banned in Australia. He directed some of these under the names Sybil Kidd, Leonard Burke and R. Levi Salonen.
The X-rating, for hardcore sex, was introduced in February 1984.
Journal of Love
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1971 / USA / IMDb
In March 1981, a 638.50-meter (58:11) 16mm print of JOURNAL OF LOVE was banned because of sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
A 581.41-meter (52:59) ‘reconstructed version’ was passed with an R-rating in June 1981. The sex was now described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
In both cases, 14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Banned in Queensland
On 10 March 1982, the censored R-rated version of JOURNAL OF LOVE was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review.
The distributor was 14th Mandolin.
Sex Mystic
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1973 / USA / IMDb
In March 1982, a 625.29-meter (56:59) 16mm print of SEX MYSTIC was censored by 20.50-meters (01:52) 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:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
14th Mandolin was the applicant.
Easy
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1978 / USA / IMDb
In November 1981, a 76-minute tape of EASY was banned because of sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Videolink was the applicant. This may have been an import of the UK pre-cert released by Cal Vista.
Pre-X video
Tabu Video released EASY on tape around 1983.
The cover claims that it ran 90-minutes and notes it was X-rated. This is incorrect, as this classification was not available until February 1984.
Censored R-rated tapes
In November 1986, a 68-minute video of EASY, described as an ‘edited version’, was passed with an R-rating. It was awarded for sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Supreme Entertainment was the applicant.
EASY was reportedly released again in the late 1980s, this time on the Xtasy label.
Genuine X-rated VHS
A 69-minute video of EASY was passed with an X (Contains sexually explicit material) rating in December 1990. The running time is shorter than the uncut version which may indicate some pre-censorship.
Capital Duplicators was the applicant.
The First Time
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1978 / USA / IMDb
In September 1981, 14th Mandolin had a 1681.30-meter (61:17) ‘pre-censor cut version’ of THE FIRST TIME banned.
It was Refused Registration because of:
Sex
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Language
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Other: Drug Abuse
In December 1981, a 1673.23-meter (60:59) ‘reconstructed pre-censor cut version’ lost a further 50.40-meters (01:50) before being awarded an R-rating. The cuts were made to remove sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
The R-rating was awarded for sex, which was now found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Other: Sexual violence
14th Mandolin released this tape on their King of Video label.
Dawn of the X-rating
In February 1984, a 73-minute tape of THE FIRST TIME was passed with an X-rating. This version was presumably uncut.
It was awarded for sex, which was now described as:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
The X-rating was introduced in February 1984, making THE FIRST TIME one of the earliest titles to receive the new classification.
Luhaze was the applicant.
Sex World
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1978 / USA / IMDb
In June 1978, a 2410.80-meter (87:52) print of SEX WORLD was banned because of ‘indecency’. Presumably, this was a pre-censored version.
A 2299.21-meter (83:48) ‘reconstructed version’ lost a further 14.50-meter (00:23) before being awarded an R-rating in April 1980. The cuts were made to reduce sex, which was found to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
The sex in the R-rated print was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
This version was released theatrically. In both cases, Regent Trading Enterprises was the applicant.
Mature Video Movies label
In the early 1980s, an uncut version of SEX WORLD was released in Australia on the Mature Video Movies label. This tape was never classified as it was issued before the X-rating was introduced.
AussieRoadshow reports.
There were heaps of releases on the MVM label aside from SEX WORLD and I only own eight of them. THE ANALYST (1975), FANTASY (1979) BALLING FOR DOLLARS (1980), CHINA DE SADE (1977), THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES (1973), LITTLE GIRLS BLUE (1978), and STAR VIRGIN (1979) Most are boots of VCX titles and include the opening logo of that as well as some trailers. All looks uncut to me.
More Pre-X tapes
Another release of SEX WORLD came from VDS Home Video.
This label appears to be similar to Mature Video Movies (MVM).
It was also issued on the Select Video label.
Blake Films multiple submissions
In May 1982, a 77-minute tape of SEX WORLD was passed with an R-rating. It was awarded for sex and violence, which were described as being:
Sex
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Violence
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
This tape was released by Roadshow Home Video.
At the same time, an 89-minute tape was banned because the sex was found to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
In both cases, Blake Films were the applicant.
February 1984 again saw a 77-minute tape passed with an R-rating. This time there was no mention of violence, while the sex was still found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Again, the applicant was Blake Films. This was presumably a review of the original Roadshow Home Video tape.
Talk Dirty To Me
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1980 / USA / IMDb
In September 1981, a 1687.80-meter (61:31) print of TALK DIRTY TO ME was banned because of sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
The running time indicates that this was a precensored version.
In April 1982, a 1596.00-meter (58:10) ‘reconstructed version’ lost a further 7.80-meter (00:17) before being awarded an R-rating. It was again awarded for sex, which was now said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
The extra cuts were made for the same reason as the initial refusal.
In all cases, Regent Trading Enterprises was the applicant.
X & R classifications
In February 1984, the X-rating was introduced in Australia. This allowed hardcore adult sex films to be released. That month saw a 62-minute video of TALK DIRTY TO ME passed with the new classification.
W.B. and J.E. Wathen was the applicant.
It was again passed with an X-rating in October 1984. The sex was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
The 60-minute tape was submitted by J.Skipper.
Both of these running times are shorter than the uncut version, but would still appear to contain hardcore sex.
Movies at Midnight
In December 1984, a 57-minute tape was passed with an R-rating. The sex was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
This was submitted by Video Classics, who released it as part of their Movies at Midnight range of adult titles.
1990s X-rated VHS
The most recent classification was made in July 1997, when The AXIS Group received an X (Contains sexually explicit material) rating for an 81-minute tape.
The longer running time confirms that all previous versions were cut in some way.
Vista Valley PTA
Directed by Anthony Spinelli / 1981 / USA / IMDb
In November 1981, a 78-minute tape of VISTA VALLEY PTA was banned because of sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Videolink was the applicant. This may have been an import of the UK pre-cert released by Cal Vista.
Hardcore before the X-rating
Tabu Video released VISTA VALLEY PTA on tape. The cover claims that it ran 90-minutes, and was X-rated. This is incorrect as it was issued around 1983, which was before the introduction of that classification.
A softcore version may also have been released, as there is a cover that features an R-rating.
R-rated sex
In November 1986, a 73-minute ‘edited version’ tape was passed with an R-rating. The sex was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Video Excellence was the applicant.
