Censorship

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

The BBFC change the rules and move the goalposts again!

MelonFarmers notes the following for the upcoming release of Tony Richardson's 1963 comedy 'Tom Jones':

"Tom Jones is a 1963 UK comedy adventure by Tony Richardson.
Starring Albert Finney, Susannah York and George Devine

The BBFC has just made the unusual decision to waive animal cruelty cuts. In this case the cuts were to a cockfight.

The BBFC does seem more likely these days to waive cuts to animal cruelty shown to be staged, but maybe this case is different in that the BBFC commented in 2003 that cuts to Tom Jones were required to sight of real animal cruelty (cockfighting).

The BBFC has also uprated the age classification from the previous PG rating to a 12 rating this time.

Censorship History

Passed X uncut by the BBFC for 1963 cinema release. BBFC have required animal cruelty cuts for all releases from 1971 until 2018 when the cuts were waived for home video release. The film exists in a longer original version and a shortened Director's Cut. Both versions are available MPAA Unrated and so without censor cuts in the US. "

BBFC News: Latest - Tom Jones

Time to look at reclassifying Angel heart and seeing if Warren oats film the cockfighter can get uncut releases.

Perhaps next they might want to look at horse falls.

[Justin101]

Yet just 2 months ago they enforced cuts onto the Seijun Suzuki movie Born Under Crossed Stars for exactly the same thing, cockfights, and it's not even explicitly shot!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

It seems a strange decision. However, I haven't seen the film in years and have the R1 MGM Home Entertainment release which will probably contain the cockfighting, so I may have a look and see whether it looks staged or real. I can't remember thinking it looked out of place or otherwise strange previously.

[Demoncrat]

That's the nature of censorship ... not as a breaker against tides of imagined 'filth' but as a smokescreen. Nothing they will ever do 'in the public interest' is logical. This is no cause for celebration. Harumph!!

[Susan Foreman]

Those of us who remember the fuss caused by the PMRC, and the banning of records in the 80's, might find this interesting

May contain masturbation: the woman weaponising pop's Filthy 15 | The Guardian

"In 1985, a group of Washington women hit back at strong language in lyrics of some of pop's biggest names. Now their parental advisory meddling -- and the 15 tracks they initially targeted -- have been turned into a riotous piece of musical revenge

"First, I was stunned, then I got mad!" That's how Mary "Tipper" Gore -- wife of American senator Al Gore -- described the experience of buying Prince's mega-selling Purple Rain album for her 11-year-old daughter, and listening to it with her. Mrs Gore's rage was triggered by the track Darling Nikki , which begins:

I knew a girl name Nikki
Guess you could say she was a sex fiend
I met her in a hotel lobby
Masturbating with a magazine.

Along with other wives of powerful American politicians, in 1985 Gore founded the PMRC -- Parents Music Resource Center -- to campaign for stronger censorship in music. The initial list of songs they considered "most offensive" -- dubbed the Filthy 15 -- included some of pop's biggest names."

The songs:
Prince – Darling Nikki (sex, masturbation)
Sheena Easton – Sugar Walls (sex)
Judas Priest – Eat Me Alive (sex)
Vanity – Strap On Robbie Baby (sex)
Mötley Crüe – Bastard (violence/language)
AC/DC – Let Me Put My Love Into You (sex)
Twisted Sister – We’re Not Gonna Take It (violence)
Madonna – Dress You Up (sex)
WASP – Animal (**** Like a Beast) (sex)
Def Leppard - High ’n’ Dry (Saturday Night) (drug and alcohol use)
Mercyful Fate – Into the Coven (occult)
Black Sabbath – Trashed (drug and alcohol use)
Mary Jane Girls – In My House (sex)
Venom – Possessed (occult)
Cyndi Lauper – She Bop (sex/masturbation)

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

No mention of one of the most obvious songs about masturbation?

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

No mention of one of the most obvious songs about masturbation?

That was a bit later, being released in 1990. The 'senate hearings', where the PMRC were ripped apart by Dee Snider, Frank Zappa and John Denver were held in August 1985

Although they were active until the mid 90's, I think they had lost a lot of face by then!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

That was a bit later, being released in 1990. The 'senate hearings', where the PMRC were ripped apart by Dee Snider, Frank Zappa and John Denver were held in August 1985

Although they were active until the mid 90's, I think they had lost a lot of face by then!

Ah, I didn't notice the date, which easily explains the mission of (arguably) The Divinyls' best known song.

[Susan Foreman]

Heathers TV reboot scrapped before premiere because of school shootings | The Independent

"The TV reboot of Heathers has been scrapped by Paramount Network in the wake of school shootings across the United States.

Initially planned to debut on Spike TV in March, the satirical anthology series was delayed indefinitely following the deadly Florida school shootings that left 17 dead. The show has now been completely removed from all Paramount Network channels."

[iank]

I've heard that's just an excuse and that the truth is it was scrapped because it was crap.