Blaxploitation Films

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

Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) - Australian daybill movie poster 1
Daybill via moviemem

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

Halls of Anger (1970) - Australian daybill movie poster 1
Daybill via moviemem

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.

Watermelon Man (1970) - Australian daybill movie poster 1
Daybill via moviemem

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.