The movies of Erwin C. Dietrich that have been cut or banned in Australia. He directed some of these under the name Michael Thomas.
For titles that he produced, see Directed by Jess Franco in the Film Censorship Database No. 1.
Higher and Higher
aka I Am a Groupie
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1970 / Switzerland – West Germany / IMDb
In June 1973, a 2413.00-meter (87.57) print of HIGHER AND HIGHER (I AM A GROUPIE) was Refused Registration because of ‘indecency and incitement to drug abuse’.
CIC was the applicant.
Refusal reasons
Matt reports.
Ascot Elite [ch] – DVD as ICH- EIN GROUPIE – 74:50
This version is thirteen-minutes shorter than the one banned by the Censorship Board. The sex is softcore but relatively explicit for a film made in 1970. It includes a scene (41:00) where an unwilling Rita and Vicky are molested by Hells Angels. All of this would be enough to explain the ‘indecency’ ruling.
The censor’s claim of ‘incitement to drug abuse’ is easy to understand. Drug use is shown throughout the film, which is possibly the reason it was never resubmitted in a cut form. The most contentious scenes would have included Stewart showing Vicky how to smoke a joint (04:00), Vivian injecting heroin (08:00), Vicky, Vivian and two of the band preparing a joint and smoking a pipe (16:00) and Vicky taking LSD (61:00).
Beginning at 66:30, there is a three-minute sequence showing Vivian cooking heroin and injecting herself and Vicky. This is all demonstrated in great detail and is equal to anything in THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK (1971) that the censor had cut a couple of years earlier.
The non-stop drug taking leads to Vicky having a bad trip, freaking out and running naked through the streets. She is eventually killed by a car that, very graphically, runs her over. The film ends with a shot of her naked and bloody body lying on the road. Not exactly an ‘incitement to drug abuse’.
Self Service Girls
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1975 / Switzerland – West Germany / IMDb
In January 1976, a 2035.40-meter (74:11) print of SELF SERVICE GIRLS was banned because of ‘indecency’.
An appeal to the Films Board of Review failed in March 1976.
It was refused again because of ‘indecency in August 1978, this time in a heavily censored 1386.00-meter (50:31) ‘soft version’.
In all cases, Blake Films were the applicant.
Banging in Bangkok
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1976 / Switzerland / IMDb
In February 1977, a 1724.70-meter (62:52) print of BANGING IN BANGKOK was banned because of ‘indecency’.
An appeal to the Films Board of Review failed in March 1977.
In both cases, Blake Films was the applicant.
Bangkok confusion
The IMDb claims that BANGING IN BANGKOK is also known as HOT SEX IN BANGKOK. However, the Censorship Board awarded an R-rating to a 2293.00-meter (83:35) film under that title in October 1975. It is also listed as being produced by Erwin C. Dietrich and submitted by Blake Films.
On 21 February 1977, HOT SEX IN BANGKOK was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review. The distributors were Blake Films and Roadshow Distributors.
Presuming the IMDb dates and alternative titles are correct then this would have to be a different movie to BANGING IN BANGKOK.
Erwin C. Dietrich produced another film based in Thailand’s capital called DIE SEX-SPELUNKE VON BANGKOK (1974). This may be the original title for the Australian release of HOT SEX IN BANGKOK.
Girls on the Make
Directed Erwin C. Dietrich / 1976 / Switzerland / IMDb
In January 1976, a 2188.00-meter (79:45) print of GIRLS ON THE MAKE was censored by 26.2-meters (00:57) for an R-rating.
The cuts were made to remove ‘indecency’.
Blake films were the applicant.
The poster features their usual addition of a bra to conceal naked breasts.
Virgins on the Run
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1978 / Switzerland / IMDb
In June 1981, a 2231.04-meter (81:19) print of VIRGINS ON THE RUN was censored by 26.40-meters (00:57) for an R-rating.
The cuts were made to remove sex, which was found to be:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Following the censorship, it was described as being:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Filmways Distributors was the applicant.
Videotape release
Video Classics issued VIRGINS ON THE RUN on their Filmways Home Video sub-label.
It was awarded an R-rating in February 1984. The running time is reportedly much shorter than the 85-minutes listed in the National Classification Database.
The cover image is of Harlee McBride, taken from YOUNG LADY CHATTERLEY (1977).
Untamed Sex
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1979 / France – Switzerland / IMDb
In April 1981, a 2482.03-meter (90:28) print of UNTAMED SEX was censored by 38.5-meters (01:24) for 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:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Filmways released the film theatrically.
Banned in Queensland
On 4 March 1982, the censored R-rated version of UNTAMED SEX was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review.
The distributor was Filmways Australasian Distributors.
Further reading
In 1982, the sequel, SWEDISH SEX SERVICE (1980), was also censored in Australia.
Swedish Sex Service
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1980 / Switzerland / IMDb
In September 1982, SWEDISH SEX SERVICE was passed with an R-rating.
The 2705.14-meter (98:36) print was cut by 46.4-meters (01:41) because of sex, which was said to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
The sex in the censored R-rating was:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
The daybill image of a topless woman was censored by the addition of stars over the nipples.
Filmways Australasia released it theatrically.
Video release
In February 1984, Video Classics had an 85-minute tape passed with an R-rating. It was released on their Filmways label.
Stephen F. reports.
The cover states a runtime of 98-minutes (approx.), but runs only 84:07 (PAL). It seems slightly cut, with one jump, but appears for the most part uncut.
Despite the print being PAL, it is significantly shorter than the one passed in September 1982. Interestingly, most online sources list a running time nowhere near 98-minutes. Whatever the story, the Filmways tape appears to be censored.
Further reading
In 1981, the prequel, UNTAMED SEX (1979), was also censored in Australia.
The Women of Inferno Island
aka Caged Women
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1980 / Switzerland / IMDb
In November 1982, a 2534:00-meter (92:22) print of THE WOMEN OF INFERNO ISLAND was Refused Registration.
It was banned because of sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
In March 1983, Filmways censored the film down to 2139:54-meters (77:59) and received an R-rating. It was awarded for sex, which was now described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
This print, censored of fourteen-minutes, went on to be released theatrically by Filmways.
Highly gratuitous sex
Matt reports.
Ascot Elite [ch] – DVD as CAGED WOMEN – 88:21 (PAL)
This should not be confused with Jess Franco’s 1975 WiP film of the same name that was also banned in Australia. Erwin C. Dietrich was also involved in that earlier work and Eric Falk played a prison guard.
It is easy to see why the censor refused it in 1982, but less clear is why it lost fourteen-minutes for an R-rating. As can be expected of a woman in prison film, it is full of sex and nudity, but in this case, contains far less violence than similar works. Although the sex is not hardcore, it goes to the high end of softcore with its numerous close-up shots of vaginas and female masturbation.
There are many sex scenes, but these are the most explicit shots that would have no doubt been snipped by the censor.
06:00 – Carla lies naked with her legs open and masturbates in front of Marco.
12:30 – A man runs his hand over Lisa’s vagina.
17:30 to 17:45 – Four soldiers hold a naked girl by her arms and legs, while another (fully clothed) soldier rapes her. This is the only real example of sexual violence in the film. In all the other scenes, the girls are portrayed as enjoying the sex.
26:51 to 26:55 – The Doctor puts his finger in the prisoner’s vagina. This is probably the most explicit shot in the movie.
38:45 – Close up of the guard masturbating the prisoner.
Amorous Sisters
aka Julchen und Jettchen
Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich / 1982 / Switzerland / IMDb
In July 1982, a 2207.00-meter (80:27) print of JULCHEN UND JETTCHEN was banned because of sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Under the title AMOROUS SISTERS, a censored 2084.68-meter (75:59) version was passed with an R-rating in February 1983. The sex was now found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
The daybill image of a topless woman was censored by the addition of stars over the nipples.
Filmways Australasia released it theatrically.
