Italian movies made in 1970, cut and banned before the November 1971 liberalisation of the Australian censorship system.
Fellini – Satyricon
Directed by Federico Fellini / 1970 / Italy – France / IMDb
July 1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 11630 feet / Time: 129:13 / Censored by 00:33 / Reason: violence and indecency
Censored footage
Information from Mike Richards’s April 1970 viewing of ‘Chipp’s reel’. See database entry for THE BABYSITTER (1969) for background.
April 1974
FELLINI’S SATYRICON had two minutes cut. As the Department notes indicate:“The cut related the fact of Oenothea (played by Donyale Luna, the snake-bodied American model who visited Australia several years ago), the beautiful but dissolute priestess of Priapus at Croton. After Oenothea spurns an old and ugly wizard, the wizard deprives the peasants at Croton of the power to light fires. When the peasants beseech him for mercy he tells them they will henceforth light their torches under the clothing of Oenothea.”
The scene shows a tortured and anguished Oenothea as a stream of peasants light torches from her vaginal flame-thrower.
– Dirty Pix
– Mike Richards
– Cinema Papers No. 2
Post-November 1971 rating
In January 1972, a 11630-feet (129:13) print was censored by 103-feet (01:08) for an M-rating. The cuts were made to remove indecency and excessive violence. United Artists was the applicant.
This was followed in March 1994 by a 128-minute 35mm print that was passed with an M (Medium level violence, Sexual references) rating. Premium Films was the applicant.
Hornets’ Nest
Directed by Phil Karlson – Franco Cirino / 1970 / Italy – USA / IMDb
November 1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 9859 feet / Time: 109:33 / Censored by 00:14 / Reason: violence
Post-November 1971 rating
Resubmitted by and passed with an M-rating in September 1988. This 110-minute tape was released by Warner Home Video.
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Directed by Elio Petri / 1970 / Italy / IMDb
December 1970 / Rated: SOA / Length: 10627 feet / Time: 118:05 / Censored by 00:03 / Reason: indecent language
May 1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 10243 feet / Time: 113:49 / Censored by 00:01 / Reason: indecency / Comment: English version
Post-November 1971 rating
Resubmitted by RCA/Columbia Pictures/Hoyts Video and passed with an M-rating in January 1986. The tape ran 115-minutes.
This was followed in April 1986 by an Italian language English subtitled version. The rating, running time and distributor were the same.
Many Wars Ago
Directed by Francesco Rosi / 1970 / Italy – Yugoslavia / IMDb
May 1971 / Rated: A / Length: 9081 feet / Time: 100:54 / Censored by 00:01 / Reason: indecent language / Comment: English version
A Quiet Place to Kill
Directed by Umberto Lenzi / 1970 / Italy – France – Spain / IMDb
June 1971 / Rated: SOA / Length: 8687 feet / Time: 96:31 / Censored by 01:04 / Reason: violence and indecency
La ragazza del prete
Directed by Domenico Paolella / 1970 / Italy / IMDb
April 1971 / Rated: A / Length: 9160 feet / Time: 101:47 / Censored by 03:03 / Reason: encouragement to drug abuse