The softcore and hardcore movies of Radley Metzger that have been cut or banned in Australia. He directed some of these under the name Henry Paris.
The X-rating, for hardcore sex, was introduced in February 1984.
See also, CARMEN, BABY (1967), THERESE AND ISABELLE (1968) and CAMILLE 2000 (1969) in the Film Censorship Database No. 2.
Score
Directed by Radley Metzger / 1973 / USA / IMDb
In September 1974, a 2346.00-meter (85:31) print of SCORE was Refused Registration on the grounds of ‘indecency’. The running time indicates it had been precut.
An appeal to the Films Board Review Board failed in November 1974.
A censored 2166.00-meter (78:57) was passed with an R-rating in November 1975.
MGM-BEF Film Distributors were the applicant.
X-rated & R-rated VHS
In June 1991, a 92-minute VHS of SCORE passed with an X (Contains sexually explicit material) rating. Presumably, this was the uncut version.
The adult hardcore market was not what RCA/Columbia/Hoyts Video had in mind, so it was censored and resubmitted. This was classified R (High level sex scenes, Drug use) in May 1992.
The 79:07 (PAL) VHS was issued on their First Release label.
Censored DVD
In November 2004, Umbrella Entertainment had a DVD of SCORE passed with an R (High level sex scenes, Drug use) rating.
They released it as part of a box set titled THE SEXADELIC COLLECTION in April 2005. This also included Radley Metzger’s CAMILLE 2000 (1969) and THE LICKERISH QUARTET (1970).
SCORE was issued as an individual disc in January 2006.
Umbrella’s DVD ran 84:43 and was the same as the censored First Run Features American release. Judging by the running times, the version submitted in June 1991 would appear to be the same as the uncut Audubon tape.
Uncut version vs. Censored version
Marc Morris reports.
Thanks to Brad Stevens for comparing the two releases.
Audubon (us) – VHS – 91:31
First Run Features (us) – VHS – 84:43 – 1976 copyright date under the opening title
All the cuts occur within the same reel. Since full-frontal male nudity and a fairly explicit shot of male masturbation can still be found elsewhere in the film, it seems likely that Metzger was asked specifically to edit this one reel (the first cut involves the reel’s opening shots).
The cuts occur at the following points in First Run Feature’s cassette:
61:09 by 00:20 – Jack (Gerald Grant) removing Eddie’s (Casey Donovan) shoes, with Jack’s penis clearly visible.
61:26 – A few seconds cut from the zoom in to Elvira (Claire Wilbur) between Betsy’s (Lynn Lowry) legs.
65:20 – A single shot of pubic hair removed.
65:23 – Shot of pubic hair shortened by a few frames.
65:42 – The middle of the shot of Jack and Eddie kissing has been removed, eliminating the section in which the camera lingers on a penis.
66:32 – Some lesbianism cut.
66:40 – A 01:35 section has been removed eliminating lesbianism and shots of erect penises.
67:29 – The shot of Eddie sitting on the bed now ends before the camera pulls back, revealing his penis.
67:38 – Very brief shot of Jack between Eddie’s legs cut.
67:42 by 00:47 – Gay sex cut.
67:52 by 00:26 – Hardcore blowjob footage cut.
68:06 – The middle of a shot has been removed, eliminating a blowjob.
68:30 – Shot of pubic hair shortened.
69:14 – Shot of Betsy kissing Elvira’s pubic hair cut.
69:23 – The middle of a shot cut as Eddie strokes Jack’s bottom.
69:33 – Shot of lesbianism and erect penises cut.
69:42 – A few frames of Eddie burying his head between Jack’s legs cut.
69:47 – Shots of bottom fondling cut.
69:50 – Shots of blowjob cut.
69:59 – Shots of Betsy between Elvira’s legs cut.
70:09 – Shots of lesbianism and blow job cut.
70:50 – Shots of gay sex cut.
71:23 – Shots of Elvira penetrating Betsy from behind cut. A 00:02 outtake has been added in order to bridge the cut. The extra footage, which is noticeably scratched, consists of a single close up of Betsy.
72:04 – Shots of lesbianism reflected in a mirror cut.
72:18 – Shots of Elvira penetrating Betsy from behind cut.
72:24 – More shots of Elvira behind Betsy cut.
72:43 – Shots of gay lovemaking cut.
72:51 – Shots of gay lovemaking cut.
73:02 – Shots of gay lovemaking cut.
73:25 – Middle of shot of gay lovemaking cut.
The cuts total 30 in all. Audubon’s tape is cropped from the original 1.85:1 ratio, but this is not too disastrous – it’s still obviously the only acceptable version.
Movie-Censorship also has a comparison, with images, of the two versions.
The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann
Directed by Radley Metzger / 1974 / USA / IMDb
In June 1976, a 2309.40-meter (84:11) print of THE PRIVATE AFTERNOONS OF PAMELA MANN was banned because of ‘indecency’.
Regent Trading Enterprises were the applicant.
New distributor, same decision
It was Refused Registration again in November 1981. The 2280.60-meter (83:08) print was banned because of sex, which was described as being:
Frequency: Infrequent
Explicitness/Intensity: High
Purpose: Gratuitous
Blake Films were the applicant.
X-rated VHS
A 75-minute videotape of THE PRIVATE AFTERNOONS OF PAMELA MANN was passed with an X (Contains sexually explicit material) rating in August 1997.
The AXIS Group were the applicant.
Naked Came the Stranger
Directed by Radley Metzger / 1975 / USA / IMDb
In October 1976, a 2279.40-meter (83:05) print of NAKED CAME THE STRANGER was banned because of ‘indecency’.
A 1923.20-meter (70:06) ‘reconstructed version’ lost a further 6.50-meter (00:14) before it was awarded an R-rating in October 1977.
In both cases, Regent Trading Enterprises was the applicant.
Banned in Queensland
On 30 August 1979, the censored R-rated version of NAKED CAME THE STRANGER was prohibited by the Queensland Films Board of Review.
The distributor was Regent Trading Enterprises.
R-rated video
NAKED CAME THE STRANGER was released in the early 1980s by K&C Video.
The 67:40 (PAL) running time indicates that it was possibly the R-rated theatrical print.
X-rated videos
In May 1990, Capital Duplicators had an 83-minute VHS classified X (Contains sexually explicit material).
The same rating was awarded again in August 1997, this time to a 73-minute VHS. The AXIS Group was the applicant.
The Opening of Misty Beethoven
Directed by Radley Metzger / 1976 / USA / IMDb
In January 1977, a 2208.70-meter (80:30) print of THE OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN was banned because of ‘indecency’. The running time indicates this was a precensored version.
A failed appeal was made to the Films Board of Review in March 1977.
In both cases, Seven Keys was the applicant.
New distributor cuts
In October 1978, a 1751.20-meter (63:50) ‘reconstructed version’ was banned because of ‘indecency’.
New Star Manufacturing and Investment Pty Ltd was the applicant.
Seven Keys are back
THE OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN was passed with an R-rating in September 1983 and again in August 1985. It was awarded for sex, which was found to be:
Frequency: Frequent
Explicitness/Intensity: Medium
Purpose: Gratuitous
In both cases, Seven Keys Video was the applicant. The two 81-minute tapes would have been the modified version.
X-rated VHS
Capital Duplicators had an 84-minute tape passed with an X (Contains sexually explicit material) rating in May 1990.
The same classification was awarded to an 81-minute tape in September 1997. This time, the Axis Group (Aust) Pty Ltd was the applicant.