German movies, cut and banned before the November 1971 liberalisation of the Australian censorship system.
Post-November 1971 decisions are here.
Carmen, Baby
Directed by Radley Metzger / 1967 / West Germany – Yugoslavia – USA / IMDb
November 1970 / Rated: Banned / Length: 8559 feet / Time: 95:06 / Reason: violence and indecency
December 1970 / Appeal: Against rejection / Length: 8559 feet / Time: 95:06 / Result: Appeal dismissed by Review Board
Post-November 1971 rating
Resubmitted by Roadshow Distributors and passed with an R-rating in July 1973. The print ran 2608.00-meters (95:04).
In May 1992, a 90-minute VHS was passed with an R (Medium level sex scenes) rating. It was released by Columbia Tri-Star Hoyts Video.
Further reading
See also, THERESE AND ISABELLE (1968) and CAMILLE 2000 (1969) in this database and the Directed by Radley Metzger page in Film Censorship Database No. 1.
The Ideal Marriage
Directed by Franz Josef Gottlieb / 1968 / West Germany / IMDb
Date: 09-1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8206 feet / Time: 91:11 / Censored by 03:01 / Reason: indecency
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports.
Something Weird Video (us) – VHS – 86:07 (NTSC)
Subtitled, apart from the linking Doctor’s narration. Print ends suddenly.
The following was removed from the dubbed version I viewed in Melbourne in 1971. The length far exceeds what was claimed by our censor, suggesting precuts before submission.
Censored at 13:17 by 01:54 – Softcore lovemaking between Helga (Ingrid Back) and Christian (Frank Nossack) was completely removed.
Censored at 22:10 by 00:38 – Heavy petting sequence shortened.
Censored at 45:41 by 03:06 – Softcore lovemaking between Helga and Martin (Rainer Brandt) was completely removed.
Censored at 80:06 by 06:48 – Softcore depiction of Helga and Gregor (Günther Stoll) making love. Filmed as a series of dissolves that seem to go on forever. Some tame views may have remained for continuity.
De Sade
Directed by Cy Endfield / 1969 / West Germany – USA / IMDb
Date: 07-1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8792 feet / Time: 97:41 / Censored by 02:04 / Reason: indecency / Comment: Reconstructed version
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports.
MGM Home Entertainment (us) – DVD – 103:50 (NTSC)
Includes 00:30 opening MGM and Orion logos and 00:06 end MGM logo.
Both an uncut X-rated and an edited R-rated print was released in America. One of these was then cut for Australia where a ‘modified version’ was submitted to our censors who made further trims. Despite this, what ended up being rated SOA was more graphic, including the remaining nudity, than anything that had previously been allowed.
There may be more edits, but the following footage was missing from the print I viewed in Melbourne in late 1970.
Censored at 24:12 by 00:20 – Numerous cuts to a long dream sequence depicting an orgy. In the first, the Marquis de Sade (Keir Dullea) spreads jam on a prostitute’s nipple before licking it off.
Censored at 24:49 by 00:32 – More of the dream sequence removed. De Sade and a group of semi/fully naked prostitutes swing another prostitute around on a hanging light brace. She sits around De Sade’s neck with his head under her dress.
Censored at 26:19 by 00:07 – More of the dream sequence. De Sade violently whips a prostitute with another’s long hair as the orgy spills across the bed.
Censored at 33:45 by 00:26 – De Sade and Colette (Barbara Stanek) make love. They passionately roll around in bed as he removes her bodice exposing her breasts.
Censored at 45:23 by 00:10 cut approx. – During an autobiographical stage play being performed at De Sade’s mansion, an orgy breaks out between the guests. Some of the more explicit footage was removed.
Censored at 53:40 by 00:38 – De Sade slices the clothes off Madame Keller (Uta Levka) with a sword. The scene was cut short once she was naked at the moment the screen turned red and he violently whips her.
Censored at 65:07 by 00:14 – De Sade traces the handle of his whip around a prostitute’s bare breast.
Censored at 65:47 -De Sade whips three prostitutes before they overpower him, hold him down and do the same to him. The whipping was toned down to remove the intensity of his sadism.
Censored at 70:43 by 01:08 – De Sade and Anne de Montreuil (Senta Berger) making love.
Censored at 97:33 by 00:14 – A close-up of a woman’s bare bottom being spanked by numerous participants was removed. Footage surrounding the spanking may have also been cut for continuity.
Censored at 98:02 – Most of the climactic orgy was removed. It was cut short once the women’s clothes were ripped off, jettisoning to the psychedelic, kaleidoscopic views of the action at the end.
Post-November 1971 rating
In May 1985, Roadshow Home Video received an R-rating for a 103-minute tape. This does not appear to have been released.
Do You Want to Remain a Virgin Forever?
Directed by Hubert Frank / 1969 / West Germany / IMDb
Date: 06-1971 / Rated: Banned / Length: 7732 feet / Time: 85:55 / Reason: indecency
Post-November 1971 rating
Resubmitted by Roadshow Distributors and passed with an R-rating in July 1973. The print ran 2357.00-meters (85:55), the same length as the version that was previously banned.
Venus in Furs
Directed by Jess Franco / 1969 / West Germany – UK – Italy / IMDb
Date: 07-1970 / Rated: Banned / Length: 7747 feet / Time: 86:05 / Reason: indecency
Post-November 1971 rating
In May 2005, Umbrella Entertainment had a DVD passed with an R18+ (Adult themes) rating.
It was rereleased by Umbrella in March 2017 as part of THE JESS FRANCO COLLECTION. This five-disc set included EUGENIE (1973), 99 WOMEN (1969), VAMPYROS LESBOS (1971) and SHE KILLED IN ECSTASY (1971).
Further reading
See also, the Directed by Jess Franco page in the Film Censorship Database No. 1.