BBFC Problem Films

[vincenzo]

Originally Posted by Angel

Well I'm not really a great fan of Clark's, Vince, Kids for example was so depressing. They might be films "with a message" but they don't do anything for me. Ken Park, like Kids, has the usual assortment of unlikeable characters. Difficult to care one way or the other what happens to them.

I know what you mean about Kids. I found it depressing too and the characters were extremely unlikeable. Well-made if you like that kind of film but too dreary and detached for me.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Angel

Check out Emanuelle in America if you ever get the chance, Vince. It will be interesting to see what you have to say in regards to its chances with the BBFC today.

I had to re-watch the film recently as the previous version I saw had no subtitles and so I didn't know what was going on.

I think it's Optimum who have the UK rights but they are reluctant to submit the film now after what happened with Confessions of Emanuelle.

Emanuelle in America has absolutely zero chance of being passed uncut.

I think Erotic Nights of the Living Dead has a chance though.

[Angel]

Yes at the moment is has no chance.

Still the cuts should be fairly minimal now compared to what they were.

A cut of no more than 30s would be required to remove the explicit bestiality shots. No need to remove the whole scene like they did last time.

Hardcore - perhaps 4m. The threesome bedroom scene would be the main casualty.

There's no reason why all the snuff footage should be cut, only certain shots. In fact the 3 sequences in question (which are quite short as well as silent) all consist of extremely brief shots and rarely focus on one abusive sequence for more than a few seconds at a time, and nudity (always a problem) is frequently masked. The footage is also quite poor as well, with lines covering the screen at times.

It would be interesting to see what the BBFC would make of the above scenes but sexual violence is allowed in 18 "adult" films unlike R18. I would expect the snuff scenes to be cut by seconds.

Back in 1977 the snuff theme was found to be totally unaceptable, and everything was removed. 32 years on the BBFC would look at the scenes in the way they would look at any scene containing sexual violence.

More recently they did pass Vacancy with a 15 which did include some fairly strong snuff scenes.

[vincenzo]

Originally Posted by Angel

Look forward to your comments, Vince.

What unbelievable rubbish it is, god knows what on earth its really all about. But there are several extremely sick scenes.

After sitting through this abysmal excuse for a film (Sweet Movie - and what a contradiction in terms THAT is) I'm in complete agreement with you. I wouldn't even say this was a poor man's Salo (which I actually enjoyed, despite it's excesses). It's more darker & disturbingly twisted than that. Coprophilia scenes and golden penises aside, I just wonder what sort of mentality is involved in filming a scene where a group of young kids watch a woman stripping.

As for it's chances with the BBFC today.... it would pass with heavy cuts but I doubt anyone will bother submitting it anyway. Which isn't a bad thing.

[Angel]

Yes I can't see it being re-submitted. No great loss.

Actually there's probably a lot of films that will never be re-submitted eg Savage Man, Savage Beast, Mondo Cane, Africa Addio, Wrong Way etc. I'm sure there are loads more. I'm surprised some of these were submitted in the first place.

[vipco]

On Africa Addio, Savage Man, etc,
I know not a lot of people like the Mondo films, but by not submitting them for a UK release , the companies with the rights are effectively killing the genre to new UK fans.
I know those who like em will have got them already but theres a whole new generation since ' the Beta Max war ' of genre fans who have only grew up read ing about these of these films, that would buy them if seen on the shelf but wouldn't go to the hassle of importing them.

Would some of them not get documentary status by the BBFC.
If The Killing of America was passed uncut a few years back then maybe Africa Addio, if presented in its full , long version and not the much shorter violent US release, could pass uncut or with very minimal cuts. .

[Angel]

I'm sure some of the mondo films would pass although I can't say which ones as I have never seen any of them.

It's a tough call really as to what the BBFC's decision regarding films like Africa Addio and Savage Man Savage Beast would be today. Documentaries do continue to be cut and banned even today eg Executions 2, Real Outlaws, Black Order Cometh, Traces of Death, Hooligans etc. But most of the cuts made to the mondo films mentioned in the 60's and 70's were to the animal killings. Well the BBFC don't normally cut such documentary footage today as they are not required to, so it would be interesting to see what would happen if they were submitted, but It would appear the films would pass mostly unscathed today. Because how could the BBFC justify the cuts. The only reason they might cut heavily into the scenes is if they were presented with some sort of evidence that the scenes were in reality orchestrated by the film crew.

It's a tough one. Somehow I just can't see these films ever being submitted though, which Is unfortunate.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

I don't know if these films would be regarded by the bbfc as documentary films....they weren't exactly made for educational purposes....

[Make Them Die Slowly]

I can never figure out how the BBFC deal with animal torture/death.Removed from horror films but okay in a "worthy" film such as "Apocalypse Now"

[vincenzo]

Walkabout also featured two scenes of genuine animal killings.

The Animals Film has also never been cut by the BBFC though it's an incredibly hard film to watch. The previously-cut human violence would definitely pass in Mondo Cane today though, as Angel says, it's hard to judge how far the BBFC would go with the animal footage.