1970s French movies that have been cut or banned in Australia.
Pre-November 1971 decisions are here.
Frustration
aka Frustration ‘The Trip To Perversion’ (Classification Board title)
Directed by José Bénazéraf / 1971 / France / IMDb
In December 1973, a 2202.18-meter (80:16) print of FRUSTRATION was censored by 58.13-meters (02:07) for an R-rating. The cuts were made to remove ‘indecency’. Lyra Films was the applicant.
The National Classification Database list it as being produced by Main-Taunus Film in West Germany. In 1972, they had distributed an 81-minute print in the country. It is unclear why this version was picked up by Lyra Films in Australia.
It received a second R-rating in December 1977 under the title FRUSTRATION ‘THE TRIP TO PERVERSION’. The 2413.84-meter (87:59) print was significantly longer than the previous submission.
Blake Films, the applicant, released it theatrically.
Rose video release
In the mid-1980s, the Rose label issued FRUSTRATION on video.
The cover listed it as running 90-minute and being R-rated. None of the titles issued by Rose appears to have been submitted to the Film Censorship Board.
Convoy of Women
Directed by Pierre Chevalier / 1974 / France / IMDb
In 1986, Palace Home Video had an 86-minute tape of CONVOY OF WOMEN banned due to ‘gratuitous sexual violence’.
Matt reports
80:41 (PAL) – Herzog Video (de) as CONVOY DER FRAUEN
The ‘gratuitous sexual violence’ in this Eurociné production refers to the multiple scenes of assault. Throughout the film, the women are attacked by British and French soldiers, sailors and American Indians.
La Cueillette des Cerises
Directed by Philippe Joyeux / 1975 / Switzerland – France / IMDb
In January 1977, a 2055.80-meter (74:56) print of LA CUEILLETTE DES CERISES was banned because of ‘indecency’.
Roadshow Distributors were the applicant.
The Four Days Affair
aka 4 Day Affair
Directed by Alain Nauroy / 1975 / France / IMDb
In April 1977, ‘indecency’ caused a 2112.00-meter (76:59) print of THE FOUR DAYS AFFAIR to be banned.
A 1542.10-meter (56:12) ‘reconstructed version’ passed with an R-rating in November.
Pan American Productions, the applicant, titled it 4 DAY AFFAIR on their daybill.
Worldwide censorship
A planned 1977 theatrical release, as FOUR DAYS OF LOVE, had to be aborted in the UK after the BBFC found it ‘Unsuitable for classification’. A Melon Farmers examination of the likely reasons for the ban describes hardcore sex and sexual violence that would have also caused the extensive Australian cuts.
The Impulse Pictures HELENA DVD and FEU AU VENTRE Tube site versions both have running times four minutes shorter than the original Film Censorship Board submission.
Mike reports
According to Christophe Bier’s DICTIONNAIRE DES FILMS FRANÇAIS PORNOGRAPHIQUES ET ÉROTIQUES (2011), a softcore version of LA VILLA premiered in France on 25 February 1975. Within a few months, a new 89-minute version, containing hardcore inserts, was being screened as FEU AU VENTRE. It led the French censors to ban it on 12 June 1975 with the following comment.
2011
This film accumulates the elements most likely to degrade the human person—cruelty, sadism, psychological manipulation, and torture. The latter culminates in a scene where, as a form of ‘punishment,’ the body hair of the main protagonist, who is completely naked, is meticulously shaved off.Contempt for one’s fellow human beings, and particularly for women, is expressed here with an unacceptable cynicism and casualness. Moreover, this occurs within a highly inflammatory atmosphere, manifested more specifically through the role assigned in these punitive actions to a group of wayward young people.
The Review Commission considered, unanimously, that if total prohibition is to retain any meaning, both now and in the future, it should be applied to works of this kind.
– Dictionnaire Des Films Francais Pornographiques et Erotiques
Unspecified cuts were required before a further cinema release was permitted. It goes on to say that ‘Valerie Boisgel, disappointed and shocked by the insertion of hardcore sequences, refused immediately to act in any future erotic films’.
It was classified twice in Quebec under the title FEU AU VENTRE. The first was a 92-minute version which was banned in February 1976. The second ran 78-minutes and was 18 rated the following month. Both were French language. The 73-minute English language HELENA version received an 18 rating in June.
Hostess of Sex
aka Les Hostesses Du Sexe (Classification Board title)
aka Sex Airlines
Directed by Didier Philippe-Gérard / 1977 / France / IMDb
In January 1978, Blake Films had a 1777.10-meter (64:46) print of HOSTESS OF SEX banned due to ‘indecency’.
The National Classification Database has minimal information, listing it only as a French film produced by M. Barney. Didier Philippe-Gérard directed LES HÔTESSES DU SEXE under his Michel Barny pseudonym. The HOSTESS OF SEX title appears to be unique to Australia.
Video release
It received an R-rating in December 1987 as LES HOSTESSES DU SEXE and again in February 1988 as SEX AIRLINES. Both ran 62-minutes. The classification was awarded for sex, which was:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
Palace Entertainment Corporation, the applicant, issued it on their Palace Vibrant label as SEX AIRLINES.
The French DVD on the Blue One label appears to be the source of the hardcore 61:30 print available on Adult Tube sites. The full version reportedly runs 81-minutes. The presence of hardcore footage explains the 1978 refusal and points to a censored Palace Vibrant release.