Censorship

[mark meakin]

Originally Posted by Wes

Many thanks Mark - I'd forgotten about the Australian disc - this one also came as part of a Death Wish box set right ? I think this is OOP nowadays. How did that get passed the Australian censors ? I mean they can be pretty finicky at times...

Yes I believe it was also in a 1-5 boxset.Considering films cut by the Australian censor in the past I was amazed it was uncut on dvd.I think it's out in Holland in cut & uncut versions so you have to be careful there.

[Wes]

Thanks. That's really interesting that it's the cut version doing the rounds in Denmark - I remember getting the uncut Caligula from Denmark years ago when it was still much shortened in the UK, meaning Denmark was always pretty liberal. It kinda looks like there's a calculated attempt to rub the uncut Death Wish II out of circulation... Is it as notorious as people say ?

[mark meakin]

Originally Posted by Wes

Thanks. That's really interesting that it's the cut version doing the rounds in Denmark - I remember getting the uncut Caligula from Denmark years ago when it was still much shortened in the UK, meaning Denmark was always pretty liberal. It kinda looks like there's a calculated attempt to rub the uncut Death Wish II out of circulation... Is it as notorious as people say ?

The rape in Death Wish was a model of restaint compared to the completely over the top & unpleasant rape of the maid in the sequel.I'd seen little snippets of the uncut footage on SEX & THE CENSOR years ago on Channel 4 when James Ferman himself showed the uncut scene to the documentary makers.It was still a huge surprise when I finally saw the Australian release and there's little chance of the film being passed in the UK in the forseeable future,if ever.The frontal nudity is also gratuitous as when the maid is hit in the face she happens to roll onto her back before expiring.

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by mark meakin

There's a Danish Blu Ray but even that's a censored version:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Wish-B...rds=death+wish

Ahhhh, thanks! Been trying to find out for a while if that blu-ray was the cut version.

[mark meakin]

Originally Posted by mark meakin

There's a Danish Blu Ray but even that's a censored version:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Wish-B...rds=death+wish

If it's cut in Denmark as you have said it may never get an uncut Blu-ray release.It's out on BR in the states & bound to be the 'R' version so perhaps all versions would be taken from the same HD master ?.I gather the Danish BR also cuts the impalement so the shot of Laurence Fishburnes shrapnel splintered face will be gone too indicating the Danish BR is the 'R' version.

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Wes

Thanks. That's really interesting that it's the cut version doing the rounds in Denmark - I remember getting the uncut Caligula from Denmark years ago when it was still much shortened in the UK, meaning Denmark was always pretty liberal. It kinda looks like there's a calculated attempt to rub the uncut Death Wish II out of circulation... Is it as notorious as people say ?

I think it's more to do with the fact that the US blu-ray is also the cut version, so they've just used that print. Strange though, as I seem to recall (unless I'm getting senile),the uncut version being shown on MGMHD.

[Prince_Vajda]

Originally Posted by mark meakin

The rape in Death Wish was a model of restaint compared to the completely over the top & unpleasant rape of the maid in the sequel.I'd seen little snippets of the uncut footage on SEX & THE CENSOR years ago on Channel 4 when James Ferman himself showed the uncut scene to the documentary makers.It was still a huge surprise when I finally saw the Australian release and there's little chance of the film being passed in the UK in the forseeable future,if ever.The frontal nudity is also gratuitous as when the maid is hit in the face she happens to roll onto her back before expiring.

Both scenes are shocking, but I still 'prefer' (please do get this right!) the one from the first movie over that from Death Wish 2.

As you said yourself, the rape in DW2 is over the top - actually so much, that in some parts, it is only silly when it should be scary instead.

The award for the 'worst' rape scene ever definitely goes to Irreversible. Brilliant acting, and Belucci's suffering really gets to you.

So Irreversible is uncut in the UK, whilst Death Wish 2 is cut? Bugger me!

**** censorship, and **** inconsistent and illogical censorship twice!

[Susan Foreman]

There's an interesting entry on the Edgar Wright blog regarding language and censorship:

"The World's End screenwriter, Edgar Wright, asked the BBFC about how many light hearted uses of the word 'c**t' are allowed in a 15 rated film.

Senior Examiner Craig Lapper provided an interesting and detailed reply about current BBFC policy.

The BBFC's Guidelines at 15 state:

The strongest terms (for example, 'c**t') may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable .

As a general rule, it is highly unusual for the BBFC to permit more than three or four uses of very strong language at 15 in a feature length work. In terms of context, it is more likely that we would pass throwaway, matter-of-fact, or comic uses than uses that are aggressive, personally directed, or accompanied by complicating factors such as violence, threat, racism, or a power imbalance (for example, male to female uses are more of a problem than the other way around). In an extreme case, even a single aggressive use can push a film to 18 (for example, if a man were hitting a woman and calling her a c**t, or a man of one race hitting a person of a different race and using very strong language in combination with racist terms). Similarly, putting several uses together in a very short space of time may breach the 'repeated section of our Guidelines and cause problems at 15. It is generally better if uses are spread out somewhat.

As you say, we passed a single use in SHAUN OF THE DEAD because the use in question was throwaway, unthreatening, and essentially a term of endearment amongst friends ("Can I get any of you c**ts a drink?"). In the case of HOT FUZZ we actually permitted two uses, one spoken and one written. First of all, we see the word 'c**t' on the list of prohibited terms on the swearbox in the police station and then we hear 'What a c**t' when a man tells his friend about a man who sold drugs to kids. In the first case, the use was written (which reduces its impact) and of course lacked any aggression. In the second case, the use was not aggressive and was not personally directed but instead uttered about a person who is not present at the time.

So, the answer to your question is that it is possible to receive a 15 with three or four uses, provided they are not aggressive or threatening or complicated by any kind of power imbalance. However, it's best not to concentrate them together into a short outburst and we'd certainly caution against more than three or four uses."

The World’s End: Letters to the censor : Edgar Wright Here

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

There's an interesting entry on the Edgar Wright blog regarding language and censorship:

"The World's End screenwriter, Edgar Wright, asked the BBFC about how many light hearted uses of the word 'c**t' are allowed in a 15 rated film.

Senior Examiner Craig Lapper provided an interesting and detailed reply about current BBFC policy.

The BBFC's Guidelines at 15 state:

The strongest terms (for example, 'c**t') may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable .

As a general rule, it is highly unusual for the BBFC to permit more than three or four uses of very strong language at 15 in a feature length work. In terms of context, it is more likely that we would pass throwaway, matter-of-fact, or comic uses than uses that are aggressive, personally directed, or accompanied by complicating factors such as violence, threat, racism, or a power imbalance (for example, male to female uses are more of a problem than the other way around). In an extreme case, even a single aggressive use can push a film to 18 (for example, if a man were hitting a woman and calling her a c**t, or a man of one race hitting a person of a different race and using very strong language in combination with racist terms). Similarly, putting several uses together in a very short space of time may breach the 'repeated section of our Guidelines and cause problems at 15. It is generally better if uses are spread out somewhat.

As you say, we passed a single use in SHAUN OF THE DEAD because the use in question was throwaway, unthreatening, and essentially a term of endearment amongst friends ("Can I get any of you c**ts a drink?"). In the case of HOT FUZZ we actually permitted two uses, one spoken and one written. First of all, we see the word 'c**t' on the list of prohibited terms on the swearbox in the police station and then we hear 'What a c**t' when a man tells his friend about a man who sold drugs to kids. In the first case, the use was written (which reduces its impact) and of course lacked any aggression. In the second case, the use was not aggressive and was not personally directed but instead uttered about a person who is not present at the time.

So, the answer to your question is that it is possible to receive a 15 with three or four uses, provided they are not aggressive or threatening or complicated by any kind of power imbalance. However, it's best not to concentrate them together into a short outburst and we'd certainly caution against more than three or four uses."

The World’s End: Letters to the censor : Edgar Wright Here

Interesting. I think that's understandable really. I know some people will say the word is the word and so should be treated the same regardless of context but I just can't buy that. There's a world of difference in a scene of a man aggressively berating a woman using the c-word and the line "can I get any of you c--nts a drink?" I know its a tricky area as its subjective as to how different the meanings and intentions are but I just can't fail to see a difference in those 2 examples.

[mark meakin]

Originally Posted by PaulD

Interesting. I think that's understandable really. I know some people will say the word is the word and so should be treated the same regardless of context but I just can't buy that. There's a world of difference in a scene of a man aggressively berating a woman using the c-word and the line "can I get any of you c--nts a drink?" I know its a tricky area as its subjective as to how different the meanings and intentions are but I just can't fail to see a difference in those 2 examples.

Veronica Guerin was given an '18' in the UK due to the scene where gangster John Gilligan played by Gerard McSorley, beats Guerin (Cate Blanchett) & uses the c-word agressively several times.