Blaxploitation movies, cut and banned before the November 1971 liberalisation of the Australian censorship system.
Post-November 1971 decisions are here.
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Directed by Ossie Davis / 1970 / USA / IMDb
Date: 12-1970 / Rated: A / Length: 8710 feet / Time: 96:46 / Censored by 00:45 / Reason: violence and indecency
Halls of Anger
Directed by Paul Bogart / 1970 / USA / IMDb
Date: 11-1970 / Rated: A / Length: 8974 feet / Time: 99:43 / Censored by 00:01 / Reason: indecent language
Watermelon Man
Directed by Melvin Van Peebles / 1970 / USA / IMDb
Date: 02-1971 / Appeal: Against eliminations / Length: 8974 feet / Time: 99:43 / Result: Appeal substantially upheld by Review Board
Censored version passed with a ‘Suitable only for Adults’ rating.
Further reading
See also the database entry for Melvin Van Peebles’s SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG (1971).
Shaft
Directed by Gordon Parks / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 07-1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 9011 feet / Time: 100:07 / Censored by 00:16 / Reason: violence and indecent language
Post-November 1971 rating
In the early 1980s, SHAFT was released on tape by MGM/UA Home Entertainment. It was distributed by Publishing and Broadcasting Video (PBV).
Presumably, this was the same version for which Communications and Entertainment received an M-rating in October 1985. The running time was 97-minutes.
Warner Home Video had a DVD passed as M (Low level violence, Low level coarse language) in March 2001.
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song
Directed by Melvin Van Peebles / 1971 / USA / IMDb
Date: 08-1971 / Rated: Banned / Length: 9159 feet / Time: 101:46 / Reason: violence and indecency
Post-November 1971 rating
Since the original refusal, SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG has never been resubmitted.
It was due to screen in 1980 at the Adelaide Festival but was dropped following intervention by the South Australian Attorney-General, Trevor Griffin. The issue was the opening sex scene involving the director’s son, a 14-year-old Mario Van Peebles.
SBS screened it for the first time on 14 October 1992.
