Movie News

A member of India's upper house in parliament, Parimal Nathwani, has claimed that there is an urgent need to re-look at censoring of films and that 'threadbare' censorship laws need to be reviewed.

In a statement condoling the death of the Delhi gang rape victim, he said that while a strict punishment for crime against women was imperative to set deterrents in the system, at the same time, he said, stringent scrutiny of the sex, violence and crime-related aspects in Hindi cinema was also the need of the hour. And to show off his depth of thinking, he spouted:

The argument that 'spectators want it and that is why we show it' is just rubbish. Also, to tell that films show what happens in the society is also untrue.

He demanded complete overhaul and restructuring of the censorship systems and laws, adding that the way in which sex and crime were projected in films had an adverse influence on sinful minds who were tempted to venture into such crimes.

Dracula is a 1958 UK horror by Terrence Fisher.
With Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Michael Gough.

UK: The Definitive Restoration Version was passed 12 uncut for moderate gory horror for:

• UK 2013 Lions Gate Blu-ray/DVD Combo

See  article from  blog.hammerfilms.com , February 2012: Restored

Thanks to the efforts of a fan based in Japan, Hammer Films finally acquired the surviving footage from the extended cut in 2011 for inclusion in a forthcoming definitive restoration. The film contained a number of extended scenes, among them a shot of Dracula tearing his face off during the disintegration climax.

We have reviewed the restoration of the Japanese footage to Dracula. It was incredibly exciting to see the two long-lost moments in the context of the BFI's restoration.

Molinare have done a superb job restoring this footage, considering the state of the reels (you'll be able to compare and contrast on the eventual Blu-ray; we're going to release all four surviving Japanese reels unrestored as a single extra).

The moment where the Count leans-in over Mina is full of transgressive threat and erotic charge (one can easily see how this moment had to be cut in 1958) though the footage does not actually include a bite (contrary to wishful thinking in some quarters).

The face-clawing scene is truly magnificent and sits perfectly within the last few seconds of the film.

Note that although extra material was re-inserted, other less important material was dropped to preserve the running time, and hence keep the audio track in sync.

The Christian Film & Television Commission, an nutter group in Hollywood, is petitioning the MPAA to change the rating of the 'ultra-violent' new western from Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained , from R to NC-17. [Note that in UK terms R is a 17A and NC-17 is in fact an 18 rating].

Founder and spokesman Dr. Ted Baehr spouted:

This movie ends with two of the most violent scenes we've ever seen in more than 27 years of reviewing movies. As countless research studies and recent events in Connecticut have shown, some young boys and men like to imitate the violence they see in movies, TV, and video games.

The group claims that the movie shows blood erupting like lava from bodies when people are shot. Also in the movie, a slave is eaten by dogs and a man hanging upside down is threatened with castration.

The group has started a petition calling for the NC-17 rating.

Django Unchained is a 2012 USA western by Quentin Tarantino.
With Jamie Foxx, Don Johnson and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The BBFC have passed Django Unchained 18 uncut for strong bloody violence.

The running time was noted as 165:11s for its cinema release.

Re Django Unshortened

Meanwhile Tarantino has been speaking about the length of the film. It seems that there is a longer version waiting to get out.

During a press day in New York City, Tarantino revealed that Harvey Weinstein had once suggested splitting Django Unchained into two films, a la Kill Bill . However Tarantino explained why he felt Django Unchained had to be one movie:

This had to be Django's journey from beginning to end. It had to be an odyssey. As Django and Schultz traverse America to get to Broomhilda. At one point Harvey was talking about splitting it up [into two films]. And I said, No, it won't work here. You have to follow Django's journey to the end. There are so many emotions -- there's the action adventure, the gallows humor comedy that runs through it, there's the pain of the story, there's the catharsis, there's the suspense, and hopefully at the end there's cheering, if the audience isn't cheering then I haven't done my job. That I got that cheer at the end was the biggest issue. As far of the pain of the story I could have gone further. I wanted to show more, to show how bad it was. But I also don't want to traumatize the audience to the point that they aren't where I need them to be in the last reel.

That said, Tarantino hasn't ruled out the possibility of putting out a second, longer cut of Django Unchained, although he's not exactly sure when:

I'm going to wait until the film goes around the world, does what it does. And then I'm going to make a decision. I make these scripts that are almost novels. If I had to do this whole thing over again I would have published this as a novel and done this after the fact. Maybe next time. I could do what Kevin Costner did with the expanded edition of Dances with Wolves, and I could very well do that. Because if I put some of that in I have to change the story. But I want this version to be the story for a while.

Re the recent school shooting

 See  article from  bbc.co.uk

Quentin Tarantino's latest film, spaghetti western Django Unchained , features graphic violence, including buckets of blood exploding from characters as they are shot.

He said at a press junket in New York for the film on Saturday that he was tired of defending his films each time the US is shocked by gun violence:

I just think you know there's violence in the world, tragedies happen, blame the playmakers. It's a western. Give me a break.

Update: Premiere Cancelled

19th December 2012. See  article from  bbc.co.uk

The US premiere of Quentin Tarantino's western Django Unchained has been called off in the wake of last week's shootings in a Connecticut school.

In this time of national mourning we have decided to forgo our scheduled event, the film's distributor said.

Tuesday's event in Los Angeles will be replaced by a screening for cast and crew and their friends and families.

Update: Re two versions, the MPAA and traumatised audiences

19th December 2012. See  Quentin Tarantino Talks Race And Violence from  twitchfilm.com

Interviewer:

There are some very strong scenes, like the eye gouging scenes - which they cut away from in the version we've seen. Were there any particular censorship problems with this one and how did you approach the violence given that most of it is tied into slavery which, for a lot of people, is still a sensitive issue?

Tarantino:

I didn't have any censorship problems in this movie whatsoever. Not in terms of censorship. The MPAA got this movie immediately. They actually gave an R rating to a more rough, more violent version than what we're actually presenting to the public as the released film. They got it right away. So I didn't have any problems with the MPAA whatsoever. I had more problems with the studio than the MPAA.

Basically what kind of happened was I could handle a rougher version of the movie than what exists right now. I have more of a tolerance for it. But I kind of realized when I watched that version of the movie with audiences that I was traumatizing them too much. I traumatized them. And I want people to enjoy the movie at the very end of it and after I traumatized them with the dog scene and traumatized them with the mandingo fight scene ... I cut their heads off. They grew another head and they continued watching it but they were traumatized and they weren't quite where I wanted them to be at the very end because of that trauma. And so, as rough as it is right now it's a little easier to take.

James Bond films are more than twice as violent as they used to be, New Zealand researchers from Otago University have claimed.

Researchers analysed 22 films in the Bond franchise, from Dr No in 1962 to Quantum of Solace in 2008, to test the theory that popular movies are becoming more violent. Not only did the newer Bond films feature more violence, there was an even bigger increase in the amount of sever e violence, defined as acts likely to cause death or injury if they occurred in real life.

The violent acts ranged from trivial, such as pushes or open-handed slaps, to severe, such as punches, kicking or attacks with weapons. Dr No featured 109 violent acts compared with 250 in Quantum of Solace, which included nearly three times as many acts of severe violence.

Study co-author Associate Professor Bob Hancox said:.

There is extensive research evidence suggesting that young people's viewing of media violence can contribute to desensitisation to violence and aggressive behaviour.

Canterbury University criminologist Professor Greg Newbold said:

The more graphic the violence and the more spectacular the violence, the more appeal it has for kids, and the more money they [movies] make.

Newbold spouted that film violence was not a problem for children from good families, but it did have an impact on children from violent home backgrounds, who identified with characters capable of extreme violence and domination.

Bob McCoskrie, director of nutter lobby group Family First, said the findings did not surprise him at all. He said film classifications were looser now than a decade ago, which was helping to normalise violence, bad language and sexual content:

I think we'd be naive to think that we can continue to feed ourselves violent images and from there try to argue it has no influence on our actions or our attitudes - especially perhaps for younger people.

Chief censor Andrew Jack said societal attitudes towards the likes of violence and sex had changed, and that was reflected in the types of films being made. Jack said there had been no complaints so far about the latest Bond film, Skyfall, which was rated M, and one complaint each against the classifications of the previous two Bond films.

The writer, producer and actor of the movie Sadda Haq , Kuljinder Singh Sidhu, has contacted the Sikh Parliament (SGPC) alleging that India's Central Board of Film Certification has been unfair in terming some dialogue from the film as objectionable and so banning the film.

According to Sidhu, among the content highlighted as Objectionable by the Censor Board, is the main character saying Raj Karega Khalsa and another dialogue based on Guru Gobind Singh's famous tenet where he advocates the use of weapons when all peaceful means of redressing a wrong stand fails.

Sidhu added that the Censor Board has objected on a dialogue where a character says:

Sikh religion is yet not considered and respected as independent religion and hence is treated as part of other religion.

The board has raised objections on 20 scenes and dialogues and placed a blanket ban on its release saying it is not fit for release.

When contacted, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar said: Raj Karega Khalsa is a slogan given by our Guru. Who is the Censor Board to object to this? After watching the film, we will take up the matter with the Censor Board.

The film, which according to Sidhu is based on militancy period in Punjab, was slated to be released on October 26. The film was shown to the Censor Board on October 16 and 25. They decided to forward the same to review committee, which saw the film on November 14 and 21. The board conveyed its objections on 20 scenes and dialogues putting a blanket ban on its release.

A video rental store in Hamilton, New Zealand has been forced to pull a movie from its shelves which was banned by censors in 2011 for scenes of rape and sadistic violence.

United Video owner Mike Puklowski said he had no idea the film was banned even though the store promoted it as banned .

Censors last year approved a re-issue of the 1978 original on Blu-ray, but were scathing of the remake in a March 2011 decision by the classifications office:

The [2010 remake] contains long and realistic scenes showing the brutal terrorisation and rape of a woman by a group of men. Later scenes show her implausible but sadistic vengeance against her tormentors.

It encouraged attitudes that contribute to sexual violence, torture by terror and other extremes of cruelty and violence, particularly against women.

The treatment of the woman before she is raped, is an all-too-plausible and realistic version of the kind of abuse meted out to many women. There is minimal effort to explain the sadistic behaviour of the male characters.

The length of the scenes and their gratuitous focus on [her] suffering offer maximum opportunity for misogynistic pleasure. Viewers are repeatedly invited to share the point of view of the rapists and are therefore placed in the position of prurient voyeurs.

Some viewers may well identify with male dominance and power, and echo the men's enjoyment of the woman's terror and humiliation.

A spokeswoman from the Office of Film and Literature Classification confirmed the film was 'objectionable', a ruling which meant possessing, or downloading it would be an offence.

Oliver Stone talks of creating a fourth version for 2013:

On Alexander, I released a shorter version [in theaters] because of Warner Brothers issues. And I [was] also rushed. [When] I released the director's cut -- it wasn't called a director's cut . It was called The Final Cut because [earlier] there was a rushed director's cut that I was responsible for. My third version three years later in 2007 was called A Final Cut and I actually added forty some odd minutes -- which I think makes the film better.

I've been asked by Warner Brothers because they did so well with The Final Cut . They actually sold more than a million copies. They've asked me to go back next year and do a fourth version.

 I want to cut it down now because I added too much. I want it to come back a little bit. There's some trimming [needed].

History to date:

The 168 minute Theatrical Version was passed 15 without BBFC for:

• UK 2004 cinema release

The 160 minute Director's Cut was passed 15 uncut for:

• UK 2005 Warner R2 DVD

See pictorial version details from movie-censorship.com

The 205 minute Alexander Revisited/The Final Cut was passed 15 uncut for:

• UK 2007 Warner R2 DVD

See pictorial version details from movie-censorship.com

The release of the local film Tanda Putera has been indefinitely delayed by the highest echelons of the Malaysian government.

The film was made by woman director Shuhaimi Baba with partial funding from government film support agency FINAS. It deals with the aftermath of the 13 May 1969 incident, which saw rioting between the country's Chinese and Malay populations and some 200 people killed.

Certain scenes depicting the May 13, 1969 tragedy were questioned by many quarters, Information, Communications and Culture Minister, Rais Yatim said, explaining that the cabinet felt that the screening should be deferred for the good of the society.

The Code Of Moscow Temel is a Turkey comedy by Adem Kilic.

UK: Passed 12A for strong language and moderate sex references and violence after BBFC cuts.

The BBFC commented:

Distributor chose to remove a use of very strong language 'cunt' in order to achieve a 12A classification. An uncut 15 classification was available.

Morituris is a 2011 Italy horror by Raffaele Picchio.
With Valentina D'Andrea, Andrea De Bruyn and Désirée Giorgetti.

The film makers said in a press release that the Italian Culture Ministery (il Ministero dei Beni Culturali), had decided to ban Morituris from Italian cinemas. The film censorship commission claimed that the film was a gratuitous essay of perversion and sadism. The commission unanimously reached the decision to ban the film on grounds of:

offence to good morals, intending acts of violence and perversion against women, motivated by enjoying of overcoming and thrill of self strength, empowered by consume of alcohol and drugs. The avengers find revenge against both boys, guilty of violence, and girls, victims of violence. At last, in acts of extreme perversion, a little mouse is used as a sex tool.

After a long wait, Al-Molhid (The Atheist), an Egyptian film directed by Nader Seif Eddin and inspired by a true story, has gained the support and approval of Al-Azhar University, and has been passed by the Egyptian censorship committee without cuts.

The film was referred to Al-Azhar by the censorship committee for a final verdict on its release. Following Al-Azhar's approval, the committee passed the film uncut.

Despite its approval by authorities, the team behind the film has been receiving death threats from extremists in the country. Film producer Adham Afifi said:

We finished filming two months ago and by that time I had full approval of the script, and I was very pleased. I was surprised shortly afterwards when I received threatening phone calls, in addition to Facebook pages opposing the film's release.

But I am determined to release Al-Molhid and am currently negotiating with a number of cinemas for a screening during the upcoming winter-break.

Of course the film was only allowed on condition of depicting atheism as inferior to religion.

The film, the first in the history of Egyptian cinema to discuss atheism, tells the story of a preacher who has an atheist son and keeps trying to talk him into changing his mind. The preacher is also the presenter of a religious program on a satellite channel and starts becoming the laughing stock of viewers after his son's beliefs become known. He get calls on air telling him he is not fit for preaching since he is unable to make his son believe in God.

In order to avoid criticism by Islamists, Seif al-Din has said that the film presents a strong argument about the existence of God and against atheism. According to Seif al-Din, The Atheist is not against religion as some might guess from the name, but is the exact opposite. Seif al-Din explained that through discussing the problem of atheism, the film stresses the importance of faith and the evidence of the existence of God.

Nekromantik is a 1987 West Germany horror by Jörg Buttgereit.
With Bernd Daktari Lorenz, Beatrice Manowski and Harald Lundt.

A German motorway cleaner takes rotting bodies home to a lover who has a necrophilia fetish. This involves the skinning of a rabbit, use of a metal pipe in conjunction with a condom, nudity, and graphic sexual scenes with dead bodies.

An interesting post by Frankie Teardrop cropped up on cult-labs.com ;

Just had the privilege of watching NEKROMANTIK on the silver screen (in Leeds, at the tail end of the film festival). Jorg B was present for an affable Q&A... an enjoyable little evening (which seems a bizarre thing to say, given that twenty years ago you imagine cinemas being stormed by riot police for showing same).

Interestingly, one of the festival facilitators happened to mention during his introduction that they'd had to submit Nekromantik to the BBFC in order to get it shown legally, and were told that, in this day and age, it would pass uncut at 18.

E la chiamano estate is a 2012 Italy drama by Paolo Franchi.
With Jean-Marc Barr, Luca Argentero and Isabella Ferrari.

Italian erotic film E la chiamano estate (And They Call it Summer) which was booed during its screening at the Rome Film Festival, scooped two prizes at the awards ceremony on Saturday to catcalls from the audience.

Italy's Paolo Franchi won the best director prize for his steamy tale of a man unable to have sex with the woman he loves but who harbours a passion for prostitutes which strains the couple's relationship to breaking point.

Australian director P.J. Hogan, a member of the international jury said:

It is brave filmmaking, obsessive filmmaking, uncompromising. It will be hated and loved.

This film angered many of us and it angered you. Many of you yelled at the screen during it, but many others stood up and applauded at the end.

The best film prize went to Marfa Girl , by US director Larry Clark, known for cult hit Kids.

That film, set in a small town in Texas, will only be available to watch online after Clark opted to shun the typical route of cinema and DVD release, saying it cuts out Hollywood distributors.

The only way to kill a vampire in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight universe is to rip its head off -- not a very family-friendly method for the legion of young fans clamoring to see the final chapter of The Twilight Saga.

Director Bill Condon showed the MPAA an early cut of the fifth installment some six months before the film was ready for release.

Apparently the MPAA's ratings board initially handed The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 a provisional R rating, according to the director.

What did the MPAA take greatest issue with? The sound effects that accompanied the vampire decapitations:

Their big note was the accumulated intensity of [the film's critical scene]. In the end, there were very specific suggestions about how we pull back on the sound and the crunching of the head being separated from the neck. And we did that.

Jack Reacher is a 2012 USA crime drama by Christopher McQuarrie.
With Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike and Richard Jenkins.

UK: Passed 12A for moderate violence and one use of strong language after 2s of BBFC category cuts for:

• UK 2012 cinema release

The BBFC commented:

Company chose to reduce two moments of violence (a woman being suffocated by a man and a man being hit over the head with a rock) in order to achieve a 12A classification. An uncut 15 classification was available.

In the US the film is uncut and MPAA PG-13 Rated.

Student of the YearKaran Johar's latest film, Student Of The Year , has hit rough weather. Radha, the song from the movie has caught the ire of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), a right wing organisation.

Members of HJS demonstrated in Goa's capital Panaji, demanding that the Censor Board ban the movie for derogatory references to Radha, the mythological character, who was Lord Krishna's lover and childhood friend. The organisation claimed that calling Radha sexy as the song's lyrics do, is an insult to the sentiments of Hindus.

Recently, a voluntary organisation in Indore too had moved a petition before a local court seeking action against Johar and singer Shreya Ghoshal, among others, for using objectionable words against Hindu deities in a song. Names of Radha and Krishna are being misused to promote the song, Shri Vision Social Empowerment and Welfare Association secretary Manish Vishnoi had said in a statement.

Martin Scorsese's 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ has fallen under the suspicion of Russian prosecutors on the wave of recent global fuss over religious sentiment.

The investigation was initiated at the request of Viktor Grin, deputy general prosecutor, who claims the film:

insults the feeling of millions of [Christian] believers and has a negative impact on public morals.

A spokesperson said that the Prosecutor's Office:

is currently conducting a psychological and linguistic probe of the film's concepts.

Experts of the Russian Institute of Culturology engaged in probing the film for extremism say they haven't found anything unlawful in it. The Institute's director, cinema critic and historian Kirill Razlogov said:

Our institute has come to the conclusion that such works should not be subjected to investigation, as this is a work of art and not a political statement.

The Last Temptation of Christ is based on a controversial 1953 novel by Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis. The film interprets the life story of Jesus Christ and offers a disclaimer, saying that the storyline is not based on the Gospels and thus differs from the commonly accepted view on Jesus' life.

A Canadian horror-comedy, Father's Day has been banned by the Australian Government Censorship Board two days before it was scheduled to screen at the Monster Fest Film Festival at Melbourne's Cinema Nova.

Festival Director and Monster Pictures Manager Neil Foley commented:

This is an outrageous decision. Yes Father's Day is an edgy film, but it is an hilarious and over-the-top spoof that, despite it's gore, is actually one of the sweetest films in the Monster Fest program!"

Father's Day tells the story of a one-eyed vigilante named Ahab who sets out to stop the murderous rampage of a psychopath dubbed "The Father's Day Killer"

The Australian Film Censorship Board explained:

The film is classified RC in accordance with the National Classification Code:  films that depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.

Father's Day screened earlier this year at Sydney's Night of Horror Film Festival' where it won awards for Best Feature Film and Best Director as well as numerous other awards. The film had been granted a temporary festival exemption by the Classification Board on the occasion of the Sydney screening.

In the UK the film was passed 18 uncut by the BBFC for strong violence, gore & sex & scenes of sexual violence & torture for:

• UK 2012 Spirit R2 DVD at UK Amazon

Texas Chainsaw 3D is a 2013 USA horror mystery thriller by John Luessenhop.
With Alexandra Daddario, Tania Raymonde and Scott Eastwood.

Director John Luessenhop spoke about the film's MPAA rating:

It initially had an NC-17 rating so we recut the movie and it got an R rating. There are certainly some gory elements but I also think there is quite some suspense in the movie. I think in America it's very easy to get an R rating for violence and blood scenes. There are plenty of those but there are also moments where it is just scary with a suspense build up so I hope some of those scenes are going to stand out, not just the gory scenes.

Sylvia Kristel (28 September 1952 -- 17 October 2012) was a Dutch actress, model and singer. Her most famous role is in the French film Emmanuelle . She died of cancer.

Kristel began modeling when she was 17. She entered the Miss TV Europe contest in 1973 and won. She spoke Dutch, English, French, German and Italian. She gained international attention in 1974 for playing the title character in the softcore film Emmanuelle which remains one of the most successful French films ever produced.

Kristel found herself typecast as Emmanuelle and often played roles that capitalised upon that image, most notably starring in an adaptation of Lady Chatterley's Lover (1981) and a nudity-filled biopic of the World War I spy in Mata Hari . Her Emmanuelle image followed her to the United States where she played Nicole Mallow, a maid who seduces a teenage boy, in the controversial 1981 sex comedy Private Lessons .

Although Private Lessons was one of the highest grossing independent films of 1981, Kristel saw none of the profits. She continued to appear in movies and last played Emmanuelle in the early 1990s.

Sylvia's Kristel's filmography included many reprises of the role over the following period

• Emmanuelle au 7ème ciel (1993)
• Le secret d'Emmanuelle (1993) (TV)
• Beauty School (1993)
• Le parfum d'Emmanuelle (1993) (TV)
• Magique Emmanuelle (1993) (TV)
• L'amour d'Emmanuelle (1993) (TV)
• Emmanuelle à Venise (1993) (TV)
• La revanche d'Emmanuelle (1993) (TV)
• Éternelle Emmanuelle (1993) (TV)
• Seong-ae-ui chimmuk (1992)
• Hot Blood (1990)
• In the Shadow of the Sandcastle (1990)
• Dracula's Widow (1988)
• The Arrogant (1988)
• Casanova (1987) (TV)
• Red Heat (1985)
• Mata Hari (1985)
• The Big Bet (1985)
• Emmanuelle IV (1984)
• Private School (1983)
• Private Lessons (1981)
• Lady Chatterley's Lover (1981)
• The Million Dollar Face (1981) (TV)
• Un amore in prima classe (1980)
• The Nude Bomb (1980)
• The Concorde
• Airport 79 (1979)
• The Fifth Musketeer (1979)
• Letti selvaggi (1979)
• Mysteries (1978)
• Pastorale 1943 (1978)
• Goodbye Emmanuelle (1977)
• René la canne (1977)
• Alice ou la dernière fugue (1977)
• La marge (1976)
• Une femme fidèle (1976)
• Emmanuelle: L'antivierge (1975)
• Le jeu avec le feu (1975)
• Un linceul n'a pas de poches (1974)
• Der Liebesschüler (1974)
• Emmanuelle (1974)

Hating Breitbart, about the media reaction to the late conservative provocateur Andrew Breitbart, was given an R for strong language. Director Andrew Marcus submitted an cut version to the MPAA but again was denied a PG-13.

The release of a documentary has now been delayed one week because of the rift between the filmmakers and the MPAA.

The movie originally contained several uses of the word 'fuck', which was routinely hurled at Breitbart when he'd show up at liberal gatherings. Breitbart also uses the word a few times in the film.

Under current and long standing MPAA rules, if a film uses one of the harsher sexually derived words , such as 'fuck', more than a certain number of times, usually one, it receives an R rating.

Director Andrew Marcus and distributors Rocky Mountain Pictures, who were hoping for a PG-13 rating, cut 9 uses of the word but left in some that were deemed important to the integrity of the film.

So the MPAA, consistent with its rules used all other films, still rated the film R.

Marcus has been briefed about a rare previous exception to the MPPA Rule. He argued:

I first thought the MPAA was just doing its job and I can respect that, but then I started researching. I found that The Social Network received a PG-13 and it uses the F-word twice, plus it has cocaine use, and it's all scripted.

Update: Less 'fucks' is still a few 'fucks' too many

19th October 2012. See  article from  hollywoodreporter.com

The producers of a documentary about deceased conservative rebel Andrew Breitbart have lost a battle with the MPAA to get their film rated PG-13, so it will open in limited release with an R rating because of a few uses of the word 'fuck'.

The movie, Hating Breitbart , was to open a week earlier, but writer-director Andrew Marcus was unpleased with the R rating it received because of several utterances of the F word. He delayed the opening for seven days, took out most of the offending words -- leaving in the ones spoken by Breitbart -- and resubmitted the movie to the MPAA hoping for a PG-13 rating. The MPAA, though, didn't budge and Marcus refuses to cut further. So an R Rating it is.

The current mood as well as the general atmosphere online over racial issues were among the reasons why local comedy Sex.Violence.FamilyValues was banned in Singapore three days before its scheduled release.

The 46-minute film, which was originally given an M18 rating but was referred to the Films Consultative Panel (FCP) for review following public feedback. Singapore's film censors at the Media Development Authority said that the film had now been given a Not Allowed For All Ratings classification.

The panel's Vice-Chairperson Cheryl Ng cited a scene in the film's trailer, which had been circulating online for several weeks, where a Chinese director was seen to be trading racial insults with an Indian porn actor. She said the panel was

not only just looking at national stereotypes but racial stereotypes, and the comments are flung around by members of different races at one another.

Generally in the past few months where you see people commenting, like the bus is so smelly ... something like this that touches so close to our home and so close to our hearts can actually cause unhappy situations to escalate.

Executive Chairman Tay Eu-Yen of The Butter Factory, which had backed the film, said on Facebook that the film is a satire that discourages racism by portraying and attacking stereotypes .

Update: Appeal

18th October 2012. See  article from  thesundaily.my

Ken Kwek, the director of Sex.Violence.FamilyValues said he will lodge a formal appeal against the decision. Kwek said he would appeal against the decision before the one-month appeal window expires on November 6 and was not very keen on deleting any portion of the film if asked.

Singapore's film censors at the Media Development Authority (MDA) said the panel found some dialogue portions in Porn Masala , one of three short stories in the 47-minute compendium, offensive to the Indian community.

Actor Adrian Pang, who plays the role of an ethnic Chinese pornographic director hurling insults at an ethnic Indian actor in comic scenes, said the authorities should respect the intelligence of Singaporean moviegoers:

There are the powers that be who are watching over us and are obviously treating us with so little regard as a people that they figure we do not have the maturity, the intelligence... to see a piece of entertainment with a healthy perspective and judge this as a piece of satire.

The Raid is a 2011 Indonesia/US crime thriller by Gareth Evans.
With Iko Uwais, Ananda George and Ray Sahetapy.

The always excellent movie-censorship.com has revealed the Theatrical Version cuts to The Raid.

The US and UK Theatrical version was cut by 10s:

• A close up of a gangster being shot in the head was deleted
• A gangster being lingeringly stabbed in the neck has been deleted

The UK Blu-ray release includes the uncut Original Version, but the DVD buyers only get to see the cut version. In the US the uncut version is included on both DVD and Blu-ray.

...See  the pictorial cuts at  movie-censorship.com

Uncut Film Season
BFI, Southbank
1st to 30th November 2012

To mark the centenary of the BBFC in 2012, BFI Southbank is presenting a season of films which have been either banned or censored in the last century of cinema.

The season has been curated by film critic Mark Kermode and Professor in Film Studies at Southampton University Linda Ruth Williams.

The season will give film fans a chance to see some of the most contentious films ever made in their complete version on the big screen and will aim to illustrate how the BBFC's attitudes to confrontational material have changed over the years. While some films in the season have remained as shocking as the first time they were seen by UK audiences, the impact of some has lessened with time.

Each of the films in the season will present a case-study in the BBFC's negotiation of UK law, public opinion, political pressure, and principles of public protection and free speech.

The films being shown are:

• Pink Flamingos
• Crash
• Enter the Dragon
• The Evil Dead
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
• Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist
• The Devils (Director’s Cut)
• Maitresse
• Shock Corridor
• Timeshift: Dear Censor... The secret archive of the British Board of Film Classification
• No Orchids for Miss Blandish
• Cape Fear
• Island of Lost Souls
• Blackboard Jungle
• Irreversible
• This Is England
• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
• The Killer Inside Me
• Trash
• The Killing of Sister George

Update: More background to the Uncut! season

13th October 2012. See  new release from  bbfc.co.uk

DEAR CENSOR... DEBATE AND DISCUSS!

Audiences will be able to engage in discussions on censorship during special events in the season, beginning with What the Silent Censor Saw -- 100 Years of the BBFC. This illustrated talk by Bryony Dixon (BFI) and Lucy Brett (BBFC) will explore the earliest days of the BBFC as it wrestled with such controversial issues as sex, drugs, birth control, animal cruelty and the modus operandi of criminals in film. Season curator Mark Kermode will be joined on the Southbank Stage by David Cooke (BBFC), Dr Julian Petley (Brunel University) and Dr Clarissa Smith (University of Sunderland) for Screens as Battle Grounds: Debating the BBFC and Media Regulation Today. This panel of expert will examine the BBFC's colourful past, debate its role today and suggest its possible future evolution. Finally Timeshift: Dear Censor... The secret archive of the British Board of Film Classification is a frank documentary that charts the BBFC's history through examination of some of its most infamous cases. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with David Cooke, Lucy Brett and Craig Lapper from the BBFC moderated by Dr Julian Petley.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND PUBLIC OUTRAGE!

A subject which has continued to prove divisive in the popular press is the cinematic portrayal of sexual violence, however, the BBFC has not always followed the political and press consensus in their reaction to these kinds of films. In the wake of sensationalist stories and comments from ill-informed politicians, the BBFC was duty bound to investigate claims that Crash (Dir. David Cronenberg, 1996) was obscene. Despite being cleared by the Board this extraordinary tale of alienation and sexual sub-cultures was still banned by Westminster Council. Gaspar Noe's harrowing Irreversible (2002) was reviled in some circles for having a rape scene which was almost unwatchable, but the BBFC decided to pass the film uncut because they concluded that the scene was deliberately repugnant and avoided eroticisation. Similarly, Michael Winterbottoms's adaptation of the Jim Thompson pulp noir novel The Killer Inside Me (2010) was passed uncut when the BBFC deemed that the portrayals of sadistic violence and sadomasochistic behaviour were not eroticised and did not endorse the kind of violence being seen on screen.

SEXUAL DEPRAVITY THROUGHOUT THE CENTURY!

Sexual imagery is something that the BBFC has dealt with a great deal over the past century. The Board's attitude towards images of a sexual nature has certainly adapted over the years: for instance No Orchids for Miss Blandish (Dir. St John L Clowes, 1948) was initially described by the Monthly Film Bulletin as 'the most sickening display of brutality, perversion, sex and sadism ever to be shown on the screen' and banned by the Board, but it went on to be passed uncut with a PG on video in 2006. The Killing of Sister George (Dir. Robert Aldrich, 1968) provoked a similar reaction for a lesbian love scene, with a modified version eventually being approved by the Board. Also screening will be Sick -- The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (Dir. Kirby Dick, 1997), which documents the proud life of cystic fibrosis sufferer Bob Flanagan, who remained a staunch supporting of the liberating power of consensual S&M throughout his terminal illness. With scenes of transsexuals masturbating (Trash, Dir. Paul Morrissey, 1970), frank depictions of S&M (Maitresse, Dir. Barbet Schroeder, 1975), ingestion of dog faeces (Pink Flamingos, Dir. John Waters, 1972) and mass orgies (The Devils, Dir. Ken Russell, 1971), the 1970s proved a particularly busy time for the Board and the season will see screenings of all these controversial films in their entirety. In a time when Fifty Shades of Grey is the literature of choice for millions around the country, it is clear that the British public has had a change in attitudes to sexual imagery since the days of outcry over No Orchids for Miss Blandish.

VIOLENCE AND OVER ZEALOUS CUTS!

The mainstream martial arts hit Enter the Dragon (Dir. Robert Clouse, 1973) fell foul of the BBFC's anxieties about violence upon its release in 1973. The censors effectively banned the appearance of flying stars and nunchucks from UK screens, arguing that -- unlike guns -- these weapons could be legally purchased in the UK. Another violent film which gave the Board some concerns was Cape Fear (Dir. J Lee Thompson, 1962). However, on this occasion the BBFC found itself in the unusual position of being vilified by the tabloids for being too stringent: '161 Cuts In One Film' declared a concerned and somewhat outraged centre-page spread in the Daily Express.

FEAR AND HORROR!

Based on The Island of Doctor Moreau by HG Wells, the notorious 30s horror film Island of Lost Souls (Dir. Erle C Kenton, 1932) tells the tale of an obsessed scientist who performs experiments on animals on a remote island. The film was banned outright when it was first submitted to the (then) British Board of Film Censors in 1933, and then rejected a further two times. Co-starring the legendary horror actor Bela Lugosi, Island of Lost Souls was eventually passed uncut with a PG in 2011. Another film which censors feared might be too frightening for audiences was Shock Corridor (Dir. Samuel Fuller, 1963). This tale of a sane man whose infiltration into a mental asylum drives him mad caused the BBFC to worry that its 'unjustified and alarmist' tone might frighten those with incarcerated relatives. Sam Raimi's now legendary first feature The Evil Dead (1981) starred cult hero Bruce Campbell as possessed chainsaw wielding Ash, and was one of the films at the centre of the so-called 'video nasties' witch-hunt. The Evil Dead was effectively outlawed on video for years in the wake of several successful prosecutions, and this screening presents the original uncut version in all its gory glory.

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!

Providing a stark contrast to Raimi's horror are two films which could be viewed as more family friendly, the first of which is The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Dir. Mark Herman, 2008). This film provided a difficulty for the BBFC in that it attempts to boldly address the Holocaust in manner that will be acceptable to younger audiences. Rated 12A, the film raises important questions about the classification of upsetting images for children, and the parental responsibility of 'advisory' classifications. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Dir. Steven Spielberg, 1984) was cut by distributors in the UK in order to achieve a family friendly PG certificate. The season will give audiences a chance to see the 12 rated and uncut Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for the first time in a UK cinema.

TEENAGE OUTRAGE!

Having wrestled with the 'teenage rampage' issues of The Wild One, the BBFC passed Blackboard Jungle (Dir. Richard Brooks, 1955) only after several minutes of cuts. This tale of an altruistic teacher attempting to 'reach' his disillusioned students prompted reports of Teddy Boy audiences being provoked into seat-slashing revelry. This Is England (Dir. Shane Meadows, 2010) is a more recent example of a film which provoked discussions of certification for teenagers. This brilliant coming-of-age tale follows a young boy who becomes seduced by the bigotry of a racist skinhead mentor. Rated 18 by the BBFC for strong racist violence and language, the film made headlines when Meadows insisted that its target audience was 15 year olds. Take this opportunity to decide for yourself whether or not our censors and classifiers have got it right or wrong over the years with this varied programme of potentially cut-able classics.

The season also ties in with an exhibition about the history of the BBFC and a centenary book mapping 100 years of film classification and controversy. Available from November, the book, Behind the Scenes at the BBFC: Film Classification from the Silver Screen to the Digital Age , invites a range of writers from both inside and outside the BBFC's walls to help form a picture of what the BBFC is all about. The BBFC exhibition, at the BFI Southbank Atrium throughout November, uses images and documents from the BBFC archives to bring to life the development of film classification over the past 100 years.

David Cooke, Director of the BBFC, said:

The BBFC's centenary gives us a double opportunity: to showcase our initiatives for making the BBFC a still more trusted and up to date guide to the public in the internet age; and to celebrate the sometimes controversial, sometimes quirky, but always absorbing history of film classification in the UK. I am grateful to those who have made this film season possible, and especially to our industry partners and to the BFI. I am also grateful to the BFI for other collaborative work including on the centenary book and exhibition. This will be a really fascinating film season, showcasing films which, as well as being important films in their own right, raised classification issues which in many cases go to the heart of the balance between freedom of expression and the grounds for intervention. It also adds up to an unmissable slice of British culture and social history.

The BFI Uncut film season opens on Thursday 1 November at the BFI Southbank, London. The films featuring throughout the month long season reflect significant aspects of film classification from our 100-year history, and includes an 80s classic which is to be screened uncut for the first time -- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Steven Spielberg's film was submitted to the BBFC for classification in April 1984. The reports published here detail the concerns Examiners had about a number of moments in the film. The sequence in the Temple of Doom of a sacrificial victim having his heart ripped out, plus various attacks upon the lead characters, were violent or horrific enough to exceed the limits of the PG certificate United International Pictures (UIP) wanted. In a letter to UIP (also published) James Ferman, BBFC Director at the time, described the temple scenes as showing a very real world of terror, ritual violence, black magic and nightmare imagery .

...Read the full article

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 US action adventure by Steven Spielberg.
With Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw and Jonathan Ke Quan.

UK: Passed 12 uncut for moderate violence and fantasy horror with previous BBFC cuts waived for:

• UK 2012 Paramount Indiana Jones Complete Adventures R0 Blu-ray at UK Amazon released today on 8th October 2012

Previously cut in the UK

Passed PG after 1:06s of BBFC cuts for:

• UK 2008 Paramount R2 DVD
• UK 2003 Paramount Trilogy R2 DVD
• UK 1992 CIC VHS
• UK 1986 CIC VHS
• UK 1984 cinema release

The BBFC cuts were:

1. Cuts to a close-up of a heart being ripped from the chest and the subsequent self healing of the chest wound.
2. The deletion of the line 'Leave him alone you bastards' when the Chinese kid is about to be whipped
3. Deletion of the Chinese Kid burning a guard's stomach with a flaming torch (and hence discovering an ability to heal)
4. The sequence in which a sacrifice victim is being lowered into the fiery pit has been shortened and set to different music.
5. Cut to the first 1s or 2s from the shot of his fall in order to delete the image of his head hitting the side of the cliff.

Promotional Material

Supervised by director Steven Spielberg and renowned sound designer Ben Burtt, Raiders of the Lost Ark has been meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film. The original negative was first scanned at 4K and then examined frame-by-frame so that any damage could be repaired.

The sound design was similarly preserved using Burtt's original master mix, which had been archived and unused since 1981. New stereo surrounds were created using the original music tracks and original effects recorded in stereo but used previously only in mono. In addition, the sub bass was redone entirely up to modern specifications and care was taken to improve dialogue and correct small technical flaws to create the most complete and highest quality version of the sound possible while retaining the director's vision. The result is an impeccable digital restoration that celebrates the film and its place in cinematic history.

Alongside this, for the first time ever on Blu-ray, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is presented in its uncut format, 28 years after it was first released in cinemas. The original release was cut in 1984 in the UK to obtain a PG rating, however fans can now witness all the gory cut extras in all their glory.

The installments in the franchise have won a combined seven Academy Awards?. Relive every heart-pounding thrill like never before as all four films arrive together, for the first time presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio accompanied by a collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and new bonus features.

Taken 2 is a 2012 France action thriller by Olivier Megaton.
With Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. See IMDb

UK: Passed 12A after BBFC category cuts were implemented for:

• UK 2012 cinema release

The BBFC commented:

This work was originally seen for advice. The company was advised that the film was likely to receive a 15 rating but that their preferred 12A rating could be achieved by making changes to three scenes. These were to reduce elements of violence and threat. When an edited version of the film was submitted for formal classification, the scenes had been reduced and the film was consequently rated 12A.

Offsite Comment: Review: A blunted, bland sequel

4th October 2012. See  review from  digitalspy.co.uk

No real bite or brawn thanks to a muzzling 12A rating.

Where the 15-rated original had moments of real, visceral brutality - including one scene intriguingly dubbed crunchy by the BBFC - there's a weird effort made here to pull off the same trick with much blunter tools.

...Read the full review

Offsite Interview: The DVD/Blu-ray release will feature an un Unrated version

5th October 2012. See article from collider.com

Collider interviewed the Director of Taken 2 , Olivier Megaton and revealed that his was somewhat perplexed at the censorship process to cut the movie down to a US PG-13. He called for a PG-15 where he feels that the movie would b better placed.

He said that the movie would be released MPAA Unrated on DVD and Blu-ray and that this would restore about 10 minutes of footage that was removed from the fight scenes.

Warner Bros. celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2013 and has announced a few notable releases that may be of interest.

There will be a 75th Anniversary Blu-ray release of the Wizard of Oz . This will feature a new 3D conversion.

Warner Bros have also announced an Extended Edition of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

There are lots of box sets lined up including collections from James Dean, Clint Eastwood and Mad Max.

There will be a special 40th Anniversary releases of The Exorcist and Enter the Dragon.

Iron Sky is a 2012 Finland/Germany/Australia action comedy sci-fi by Timo Vuorensola.
With Julia Dietze, Christopher Kirby and Götz Otto. See IMDb

US : The original version is MPAA R Rated for:

• US 2012 Entertainment One Blu-ray at US Amazon just released on 2nd October 2012
• US 2012 Entertainment One R1 DVD at US Amazon just released on 2nd October 2012

The team behind Iron Sky is now readying a special extended version of the film to be released in Scandinavia on DVD. The new cut will include about 25 extra minutes.

Blind Spot Pictures producer Tero Kaukomaa said:

We have a lot of fans that are waiting to see it. There is a fan base everywhere, it's not just in Europe, it's global.

He said that the extended version could be released outside of Scandinavia as well; distributors are in discussions now.

Kaukomaa also spoke to Screen last week about the planned Iron Sky sequel and prequel. Iron Sky 2 will venture deeper into the conspiracy theory of Hitler's secret weapons and the Nazi UFOs, with Mars also involved this time. Kaukomaa said:

We think it's worthwhile to do a sequel and a prequel. The dialogue with the fan base is not ending when the film is out. There is enough interest to do more.