American movies made in 1971, cut and banned before November’s liberalisation of the Australian censorship system.
The Light at the Edge of the World
Directed by Kevin Billington / 1971 / Spain – Switzerland – USA / IMDb
Date: 10-1971 / Rated: A / Length: 11542 feet / Time: 128:15 / Censored by 00:11 / Reason: violence
Post-November 1971 rating
In June 1985, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment received an R-rating for a 121-minute videotape.
Little Murders
Directed by Alan Arkin / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 06-1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 9902 feet / Time: 110:01 / Censored by 00:02 / Reason: indecent language
Post-November 1971 rating
In March 1989, CBS/Fox Video received an M-rating for a 103-minute tape.
Making It
Directed by John Erman / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 07-1971 / Rated: Banned / Length: 8707 feet / Time: 96:45 / Reason: indecency and incitement to drug abuse
The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker
Directed by Lawrence Turman / 1970 / USA / IMDb
Date: 11-1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8738 feet / Time: 97:05 / Censored by 00:35 / Reason: indecency
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports.
Cable TV screening (us) – 94:58 (NTSC) – Includes 00:12 of 20th Century Fox introduction
All of the cuts take place when William (Richard Benjamin) visits a Los Angeles adult cinema.
Censored at 11:44 by 00:24 – William feels his row shaking and realises the man behind him is masturbating.
Censored at 12:40 by 00:03 – View from behind Williams’s head as the screen in front fills with a close-up of a woman squeezing her bare breasts. His head is shown in the middle with two massive breasts being squeezed on either side.
Censored at 12:51 – The scene intercuts between Williams’s face and flashes of softcore action on the screen. Some of the quick cuts of the screen action were removed.
The Seven Minutes
Directed by Russ Meyer / 1971 / USA / IMDb
October 1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 10505 feet / Time: 116:43 / Censored by 00:46 / Reason: violence and indecent language
On November 15 1971, the SOA was replaced by the M-rating. Advertising for THE SEVEN MINUTES uses both classifications.
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports.
Arrow Films (uk) – DVD – 115:23 (NTSC)
Censored at 12:13 by 00:16 approx. – Jerry (John Sarno) unsuccessfully attempts sex with Sheri (Yvonne D’Angers). George (Billy Durkin) watches, before violently taking over and raping her. Various views of Jerry’s attempted sex and the rape were removed. The jackhammer editing switches between Wolfman Jack at his studio, whose voice can be heard on the radio in the apartment, and the activities of the three occupants. The cuts are very quick and scattered throughout this disturbing scene.
Censored at 26:23 by 00:02 – George tells Mike (Wayne Maunder) to ‘fuck off’ while giving him the middle finger. The word ‘fuck’ was allowed to be said later on during the trial.
Censored at 37:27 by 00:04 – A 00:09 flashback to Sheri’s rape was shortened.
Censored at 43:47 by 00:16- Mike visits Norman’s (Jackie Gayle) pornographic film studio. As he walks through, various softcore views of actors performing were removed.
Censored at 51:29 by 00:07 approx. – Various distorted views of an 8mm pornographic film being screened at a party at a corrupt official’s house.
Further reading
See also, the Directed by Russ Meyer page in Film Censorship Database No. 1.
The Ski Bum
Directed by Bruce D. Clark / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 05-1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8470 feet / Time: 94:07 / Censored by 02:39 / Reason: violence and indecency
Post-November 1971 rating
In July 1984, Communications and Entertainment received an M-rating for a 92-minute videotape titled SKI BUM. Publishing and Broadcasting Video released it on their Embassy Home Entertainment label.
Summer of ’42
Directed by Robert Mulligan / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 07-1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 9338 feet / Time: 103:45 / Censored by 00:46 / Reason: indecent language
Post-November 1971 rating
In March 1977, Warner Bros. Australia had a 1138.00-meter (103:42) 16mm print passed with an M-rating.
Another M-rating was awarded in June 1987, this time for a 99-minute tape submitted by Corporate Video.
Two-Lane Blacktop
Directed by Monte Hellman / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 09-1971 / Rated: A / Length: 9215 feet / Time: 102:23 / Censored by 00:19 / Reason: indecent language
Post-November 1971 rating
In May 2007, Umbrella Entertainment had a DVD passed with an M (Moderate coarse language) rating.
Vanishing Point
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian / 1971 / UK – USA / IMDb
Date: 04-1971 / Rated: Banned / Length: 9177 feet / Time: 101:58 / Reason: violence and incitement to crime and encouragement of drug abuse
Date: 07-1971 / Appeal: Against refusal of the Film Censorship Board to register / Length: 9177 feet / Time: 101:58 / Result: Decision of the Film Censorship Board confirmed
Date: 11-1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8963 feet / Time: 99:35 / Comment: Reconstructed version
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (us) – DVD – 105:42 (NTSC) – UK theatrical version
The UK theatrical version was submitted to the Australian Film Censorship Board. This was around 7-minutes longer than the American theatrical version. Most of the additional footage was a self-contained sequence where Kowalski (Barry Newman) picks up a hitch-hiker (Charlotte Rampling).
The following footage was missing from the SOA version that I viewed.
Censored at 12.01 by 00:24 approx. – Kowalski buys a pack of Bennies from his dealer. He throws a handful down his throat before pocketing the rest. Australian audiences had no idea he was ‘speeding’ throughout the film, but it explains a lot about his response to various situations that confront him.
Censored at 75:13 by 00:20 approx. – Rednecks invade Super Soul’s (Cleavon Little) radio station and beat two of the black DJ’s. The scene jumped all over the place before ending when the window shatters. Very little of the beating remained.
Censored at 78:44 by 00:25 cut approx. – Speed being offered to and taken by Kalowski. A hippy offers Kowalski water, speed and his motorbike riding naked lady. Only the offer of the water and the girlfriend was in the Australian print.
Censored at 91:19 by 00:51 – The Hitch-hiker (Charlotte Rampling) and Kalowski smoke a joint.
Censored at 92:38 by 00:26 – The two of them sitting in the car, stoned.
Post-November 1971 rating
In February 1984, CBS/Fox Video had a 95-minute tape passed with an M-rating.
A second 95-minute videotape was passed with an M (Low level violence, Drug references) rating in February 1996. Presumably, this was for a Pay-TV screening, as the applicant was Foxtel Management.
