Italian movies made in 1968, cut and banned before the November 1971 liberalisation of the Australian censorship system.
The Bastard
Directed by Duccio Tessari / 1968 / Italy – France – West Germany / IMDb
July 1970 / Appeal: Against rejection / Length: 8268 feet / Time: 91:52 / Result: Appeal dismissed by Review Board / Comment: Reconstructed version
Post-November 1971 rating
See the separate entry for this title in Film Censorship Database No. 1.
A Black Veil For Lisa
Directed by Massimo Dallamano / 1968 / Italy / IMDb
Censored for an unknown rating.
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports from ‘Chipp’s reel’ viewing.
See database entry for THE BABYSITTER (1969) for background.
A fistfight was cut by 01:09.
Post-November 1971 rating
In the early 1980s, K&C Video released A BLACK VEIL FOR LISA on tape. Although it was never resubmitted for classification, the cover lists it as M-rated.
This may be the censored theatrical version.
Come Play with Me
aka Grazie zia (Film Censorship Board title)
Directed by Salvatore Samperi / 1968 / Italy / IMDb
July 1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8540 feet / Time: 94:53 / Censored by 00:19 / Reason: violence
The Libertine
Directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile / 1968 / Italy / IMDb
August 1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8714 feet / Time: 96:49 / Censored by 00:25 / Reason: indecency
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports.
A pre-cut version of LA MATRIARCA was submitted to the Italian censor, who then removed approximately a further two minutes. In America, Radley Metzger released the uncut print as THE LIBERTINE. Australia received the censored Italian cut but with the American title.
Censored Italian vs. Uncut American
First Run Features (us) – VHS – 92:24 (NTSC) – Uncut
Part of THE AUDUBON COLLECTION
Missing 01:12 of the theme song that plays out over a black screen once the credits have finished.
SNC (fr) – 2012 DVD as L’AMOUR À CHEVAL – 89:11 (PAL) – Italian version
Missing 01:24 of post-credit fade out music at the end.
Contains some alternative footage and clothed shots, rather than the nudity that appears in the uncut print.
Times are taken from the VHS.
Censored at 13:08 by 00:06 – Mimi (Catherine Spaak) watches a black and white homemade porn film starring her friends and Franco (Mario Erpichin), her deceased husband. The cut is of a frontal view of a naked woman hanging from the ceiling being whipped by Claudia (Fabienne Dali). The Italian version replaces it with a 00:04 back view.
Censored at 13:56 by 00:43 – The home movies continue with Franco playing a Doctor examining a topless patient. The cut starts once the patient rolls onto her stomach and has her panties pulled down. Franco caresses her bottom and kisses her lower back.
Censored at 15:09 by 00:15 – More films are shown. This cut is of a topless Claudia having her underwear ripped off with a close-up of her pubic hair.
Censored at 38:50 by 01:20 – A slow-motion fantasy sequence of Claudia, nude in her bedroom. She runs in terror into her bed as the hero comes in and shoots a bejewelled beetle. He then stands over Claudia and slaps her face before kissing her breasts. The Italian version replaced it with a 00:45 clothed take.
Censored at 43:04 by 00:30 – Rape scene played as consensual rough sex. Removed was a close-up of Mr Tamer mauling the nude torso of Mimi, ripping her panties off and flashing her pubic hair.
Censored at 47:06 by 00:09 – Semi-obscured nude view of Mimi as she lies in bed reading a book.
Censored at 47:30 by 00:09 – A beetle crawling between Mimi’s breasts and over her nipple in close-up. The Italian version replaces it with a 00:03 view of the beetle crawling up to her belly button.
Censored at 47:43 by 00:06 – A close-up of the beetle crawling over Mimi’s nipple. The Italian version replaces it with a 00:06 view of the beetle crawling along her belly.
Censored at 49:12 by 00:31 – Slow-motion fantasy sequence of Maria (Edda Ferronao) being hosed down by Aurelio (Venantino Venantini). She is shown wearing an apron with a bib but is nude underneath. He focuses on her breasts and crotch. In the Italian version, the scene runs for 00:13. Maria is fully clothed and the drenching is general and not focused on parts of her body.
Interestingly, the Italian version has an extra nude view of Mimi which is missing from the American print. This occurs at 52:20 where a 00:10 nude profile view of Mimi is replaced with footage of the Doctor working the machinery. It is unclear why the stronger print has this replacement.
Catherine Spaak did some of the nudity herself and used a body double for other shots.
Censored Italian vs. Censored Australian
The Italian version was submitted to the Film Censorship Board. A further two scenes were missing from the ‘Suitable only for Adults’ print I viewed in 1970.
Times are taken from the DVD.
Censored at 36:00 by 00:03 – Close-up of Claudia’s breasts as she displays a pendant, with a live bejewelled beetle as the stone.
Censored at 39:31 by 00:24 – A close-up of Mimi being stripped and kissed during the rape/rough sex. As mentioned above, in this scene, the Italian print was already 00:30 shorter than the uncut American one. This consisted of a close-up of the rapist ripping off Mimi’s underwear and kissing her.
A further comparison, with images, can be found at Movie-Censorship.
Further reading
For more Pasquale Festa Campanile, see THE SEX MACHINE (1975) in Film Censorship Database No. 1.
A Rather Complicated Girl
Directed by Damiano Damiani / 1968 / Italy / IMDb
June 1970 / Rated: Banned / Length: 8460 feet / Time: 94:00 / Reason: indecency
Post-November 1971 rating
The 8460-feet (94:00) print was resubmitted and passed with an R-rating in March 1972. Star Films were the applicant.
Stuntman
Directed by Marcello Baldi / 1968 / Italy – France / IMDb
Censored for a ‘Not Suitable for Children’ rating.
Censored footage
Shane Harrison reports from ‘Chipp’s reel’ viewing.
See database entry for THE BABYSITTER (1969) for background.
A softcore sex scene was cut by 00:58.
