SHAM034 - House on the Edge of the Park: The Archive Conversation

[Pete]

Originally Posted by platostotal

And lets not forget that Shameless got 'Night Train Murders' thru unscathed, so fingers crossed.

This way more extreme than NTM.


Even if it is uncut I may skip it, have had more than few releases of this film and don't need another one. I will be buying DUCKLING and FOUR FLIES, though.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

In terms of extreme content, House on the Edge of the Park is in a different league to Night Train Murders but, if Cannibal Holocaust is anything to go by, the BBFC seem to have changed their approach to sexual violence so fingers crossed!

If there are some decent extras and artwork, I'll buy a copy anyway as, if I want to watch the uncut version, I have the Shriek Show/Media Blasters DVD to watch.

[platostotal]

Originally Posted by Pete

This way more extreme than NTM.


Even if it is uncut I may skip it, have had more than few releases of this film and don't need another one. I will be buying DUCKLING and FOUR FLIES, though.

Yep, I was still suprised that NTM went thru, true that some of the themes are far more graphic and extreme in HOTEOTP, just got this feeling... But yeah, Duckling and Four Flies are in a different league of demand for me. Buying those two as soon as pos, House might have to wait.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

In terms of extreme content, House on the Edge of the Park is in a different league to Night Train Murders but, if Cannibal Holocaust is anything to go by, the BBFC seem to have changed their approach to sexual violence so fingers crossed!

If there are some decent extras and artwork, I'll buy a copy anyway as, if I want to watch the uncut version, I have the Shriek Show/Media Blasters DVD to watch.

The sexual violence in CH isn't as exploitative (IMO) and the film at least has a point to make, while HOUSE is just full on exploitation with no apologies whatsoever. It's like it was made to promote rape/ sexual violence. The razor scene doesn't stand a chance with the BBFC imo. I hope i'm wrong though.


On the interview on the SS disc Deodato say's that even he thought the script was too violent.

[Daemonia]

I'd have to disagree with you on that, Pete.

Some spoilers ahead, so stop reading now if you've not seen the film yet....

Anyway, the crux of the matter is this: aside from the rape at the start, is there any other rape in the film? Knowing the ending, and that Alex has been set up, can we still call what went before rape? Or was it seduction under the pretence of rape in order to keep up the illusion? What is it exactly? The lines are blurred, but the ending implies that everything they went through was by consent, so that they'd have a legitimate and lawful reason for executing Alex. So is it rape? Or is it role play? It's not entirely clear - and I think this is the problem the BBFC will have with it. The Cindy scene is unexpected, as the participants in the set up hadn't expected her to call by. But with a gun so easily to hand, they could have stopped Alex in his tracks there and then, but chose not to. Cindy is like a sacrificial lamb, which makes the participants in the set up as unconscienable as Alex. Again, another tricky element.

So...I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the BBFC say. That's all we can do at this point.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Daemonia

I'd have to disagree with you on that, Pete.

Some spoilers ahead, so stop reading now if you've not seen the film yet....

Anyway, the crux of the matter is this: aside from the rape at the start, is there any other rape in the film? Knowing the ending, and that Alex has been set up, can we still call what went before rape? Or was it seduction under the pretence of rape in order to keep up the illusion? What is it exactly? The lines are blurred, but the ending implies that everything they went through was by consent, so that they'd have a legitimate and lawful reason for executing Alex. So is it rape? Or is it role play? It's not entirely clear - and I think this is the problem the BBFC will have with it. The Cindy scene is unexpected, as the participants in the set up hadn't expected her to call by. But with a gun so easily to hand, they could have stopped Alex in his tracks there and then, but chose not to. Cindy is like a sacrificial lamb, which makes the participants in the set up as unconscienable as Alex. Again, another tricky element.

So...I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the BBFC say. That's all we can do at this point.

You know, I've never looked at it that way and thinking about it, I'd say that most of what they went through probably was consensual, but maybe they weren't prepared for how far Alex would go. They do seem as bad as Alex and Ricky. Annie Belle's character seems to be getting a real kick out of it. The only one who has any kind of conscience is Lorraine De Selle, who sees how Alex manipulates Ricky, and takes pity on him and stops the others from shooting him.

I could be wrong there - I'd have to watch it again to give you a better answer.

(Last time I saw it was about 3 years ago, and I wasn't really following the 'plot', I was just happy I could finally see all the scenes that were cut from the Vipco version)

[James Morton]

HOTEOTP is more violent especially with the sexual aspect than NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS
As regards to me presuming HOTHEOTP will be cut - I'll just say
I WILL BE VERY SURPRISED IF THIS VERY GOOD DEODATO FILM WILL GET PASSED THE BBFC UNCUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Daemonia's post is a good one and, if the BBFC do in cuts, Shameless could use the consensual nature of the sex scenes as legitimate grounds for appeal. Hopefully it won't come to that and the people at Soho Square are intelligent enough to see the film as a revenge thriller rather than a nasty piece of exploitation.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by James Morton

I WILL BE VERY SURPRISED IF THIS VERY GOOD DEODATO FILM WILL GET PASSED THE BBFC UNCUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Daemonia's post is a good one and, if the BBFC do in cuts, Shameless could use the consensual nature of the sex scenes as legitimate grounds for appeal. Hopefully it won't come to that and the people at Soho Square are intelligent enough to see the film as a revenge thriller rather than a nasty piece of exploitation.

Hopefully, but I doubt it.