Movie News

India's ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) has ordered an inquiry after Tamil actor-producer Vishal Krishna Reddy declared on social media that he had to pay a sum of Rupee 6.5 lakh to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) members in Mumbai to get his film cleared. The film, titled Mark Antony (Hindi), was released on September 28. I&B ministry orders inquiry after Tamil actor releases video of bribe-taking at CBFC I&B ministry orders inquiry after Tamil actor releases video of bribe-taking at CBFC

Reddy explaied: We had applied online to CBFC Mumbai , he said. Due to technical issues, we got delayed. On Monday, when my team members visited the CBFC office, they were asked to pay Rupee 6.5 lakh-- Rupee 3 lakh for watching the film and Rupee 3.5 lakh to give a certificate on time. TWe had no option but to pay up, as much was at stake.

The actor said his team transferred the money to two bank accounts. I am not showing a porn or adult film, he said. I am showing a film that has already been certified in the South in all four languages. So I don't know how they have the guts to ask for money so openly.

A statement by the I&B ministry on Friday afternoon claimed that the government had zero tolerance for corruption and stringent action would be taken against anyone found involved in the episode.

The Oath is a 2023 US action romance by Darin Scott
Starring Darin Scott, Billy Zane and Eugene Brave Rock

400 A.D., in a forgotten time of Ancient America, a lone Hebraic fugitive must preserve the history of his fallen nation while being hunted by a ruthless tyrant but rescuing the King's abused mistress could awaken a warrior's past.

Originally MPA PG-13 rated for violent content and some suggestive material. Presumably the film was then cut prior to release to remove the suggestive material and the film was re-submitted for a PG-13 rating for violent content.

The MPA commented:

NOTE: EDITED FOR RE-RATE. CONTENT IS DIFFERENT FROM PG-13 RATED VERSION, BULLETIN #2764 (1/4/2023). CHANGE IN RATING DESCRIPTOR ONLY. ONLY THIS EDITED VERSION IS RATED.

Jailer is a 2023 India action comedy by Nelson Dilipkumar
Starring Rajinikanth, Mohanlal and Shivarajkumar

A retired jailer goes on a manhunt to find his son's killers. But the road leads him to a familiar, albeit a bit darker place. Can he emerge from this complex situation successfully?

Jailer is one of the year's biggest South Asian films. The Tamil blockbuster was very heavily cut by 7-10 minutes for a BBFC 12A cinema rating.

The release of this film has been a real debacle. The distributor left it incredibly late to cut for 12A, so the BBFC were still watching various trial cut versions 24 hours before it was supposed to be playing in cinemas. 

The film ended up being classified four times - Tamil uncut (15), Telugu cut (15, failed to get the desired 12A), Hindi cut (15, again a failed attempt at a 12A) and finally Tamil cut (12A).

Based on the running times the cut 12A version is missing around 6/7 mins. The uncut version, or maybe one of the cut 15s, was sent out to cinemas while the cut 12A was prepared, however none of these had been formally classified at the time so the first screenings on opening day had to be cancelled.

There were photos and videos on Twitter showing disgruntled audiences, some of whom had already taken their seats, being told to leave by cinema staff. At least one screening was stopped mid-film. This has to be the most mishandled release I've ever seen, by quite some margin.

The BBFC commented:

The BBFC initially refused to offer cuts because the changes would have been extensive and potentially damaging to the film. However, the distributor chose to re-edit the film themselves and submitted this new version for classification. As the distributor's edits had been unsuccessful in reducing the film's violence to 12A levels, it was also classified 15. The distributor requested a cuts list for 12A, which the BBFC provided. However, the distributor did not make the cuts as required and therefore the re-edited version of the film also received a 15 classification.

Barbie is a 2023 UK/US comedy fantasy by Greta Gerwig
Starring Margot Robbie, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ryan Gosling

Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have banned the movie Barbie from cinema screening.

In Saudi Arabia, the culture ministry's announcement on August 9 cited violations of laws and values, asserting that certain scenes within the film mocked the sanctity of marriage and family, and insulted Islamic beliefs.

Kuwait banned the film in a bid to protect public ethics and social traditions.

Meanwhile there is a lot of pressure in Lebanon to ban the film. Lebanon's culture minister Mohammad Mortada criticised the movie, saying it "contradicts values of faith and morality" by diminishing the importance of the family unit.

The minister is backed by the armed Shi'ite armed group Hezbollah, whose head Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called on Lebanese authorities to take action against materials he deemed to be promoting homosexuality, including by banning them, and said homosexuality posed an imminent danger to Lebanon and should be confronted.

Talk To Me is a 2022 Australia horror thriller by Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Starring Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird and Alexandra Jensen

When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

The hit Australian horror film Talk To Me has been banned from screening in Kuwait, reportedly solely over the casting of non-binary trans actor Zoe Terakes, who plays a character whose gender identity is never mentioned in the film.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported on the decision, which they confirmed was based entirely on the presence of Terakes, an Australian actor who identifies as non-binary and trans-masculine.

Terakes issued a statement describing the decision as being:

Targeted and dehumanising and means to harm us.

Our film doesn't actually ever mention my transness, or my queerness. I am a trans actor who happened to get the role. I'm not a theme. I am a person. Kuwait has banned this fim due to my identity alone.

As much as it is very sad to be on the receiving end of this, what is even more heartbreaking is what this precedent means for the queet and trans people of Kuwait . Representation is hope. Representation is a light at the end of the tunnel, a reason to keep going, something to hold onto in the dark, a voice that whispers things can be better than they are. Eliminating trans actors on screens will not eliminate trans people (as much as the government of Kuwait wishes it would) but it will eliminate a lot of hope.

Talk to Me has already released without cuts across all other Gulf territories.

In a world where major studios such as Disney have been censoring and editing older works, physical media has been important for those that want to preserve history and watch works that haven't been censored for modern sensibilities. But now, physical media from major studios could soon be a thing of the past if Disney has its way, signaling a move towards a online digital-only future.

The Walt Disney Company has declared the discontinuation of physical disc production for its movies and TV shows in Australia, effective immediately.

Halting the production of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Blu-ray discs, the media giant intends to drive the focus towards digital releases and its streaming service, Disney+. The initial phase of this transition is slated to begin post the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 , which will be the last in-line movie to be released on physical discs in Australia and, although not confirmed, could be a sign of things to come in other countries.

Oppenheimer is a 2023 UK/US historical biography by Christopher Nolan
Starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon

The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

India's film censors have made cuts to a nude scene in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.

Florence Pugh's naked body and breasts have been blacked out with a CGI mess supposed to indicate a black slip.

Pugh plays Oppenheimer's girlfriend Jean Tatlock, to whom Oppenheimer briefly returns for an assignation during his later marriage. She functions in part as a device to introduce the audience to Oppenheimer's interest in Hindu mythology -- and in ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Bhagavad Gita , which form the foundations of Hindu religious narrative.

At one point during their love--making -- mid-huff, mid-puff -- Pugh-as-Tatlock rises from Oppenheimer's body to trawl his bookshelf, picks up a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and clambers back onto her lover's midsection as she opens it and begins to read aloud. Thus the film introduces a line which is now core to Oppenheimer's personal legend: Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.

There were calls from religious groups to remove the references to hindu mythology. Uday Mahurkar is one of India's two information commissioners. He condemned the sex scene as waging a war on the Hindu community. If Nolan did not remove the scene, he insisted, it would constitute a deliberate assault on Indian civilisation.

T he British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2022, which marked the BBFC's 110th year of content classification. Findings from the Report showed a promising uplift in overall content submitted for classification across cinema, online and home entertainment. The BBFC classified 1,057 cinema films, 5,527 video submissions and 3,649 online submissions, with cinema classifications increasing by 60% to reach near pre-pandemic submission levels.

In a milestone year for the BBFC's iconic age ratings, 15 was the most common category for both online and physical media submissions. From blockbusters like The Woman King to indie hits such as The Worst Person In The World, the 15 represented 42% of all classified content in 2022. Meanwhile, last year also saw some well-known features resubmitted to the BBFC for classification, including 1970s classic Watership Down. The BBFC originally gave the film a U rating when it was first released in 1978. In line with the BBFC's current Classification Guidelines, it then reclassified it from U to PG in 2022, reflecting how audience perspectives have changed over time. The BBFC also reclassified another high-profile film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, under the current guidelines as PG -- a shift up from its original U rating in 1979.

When distributors resubmit content for classification, Compliance Officers consider it against the current Classification Guidelines to ensure BBFC classification decisions remain in step with societal standards. The BBFC's published guidelines are the result of wide-scale consultations with thousands of people from across the UK, extensive research, and more than a century of experience. It updates them every four to five years to ensure that BBFC guidelines continue to meet the expectations and values of people across the UK. The BBFC will consult on its guidelines this year, with any changes required by the research coming into force in early 2024.

Additional key insights from the BBFC's Annual Report and Accounts include:

• Increased presence of trusted BBFC guidance online -- in 2022, we licensed 29 services to carry BBFC age ratings and/or BBFC data on a voluntary, best-practice basis. As of July 2023, this figure has grown to 33 brands and services. Among others, these platforms include Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Curzon Home Cinema, Lionsgate+, Netflix, Pluto TV, Sky Store and YouTube Movies & TV.

• Positive year-round Education and Outreach engagement -- providing young people and educators with further insight into our age ratings and content advice through classroom resources, student seminars and interactive digital content. The BBFC Youth Panel continued to flourish in its second year, working in close collaboration with the BBFC to represent the youth voice and ensure the needs of young people are continually met. Panel members also provide feedback on key classification issues, as well as contributing to exciting projects such as podcast takeovers.

• Collaboration with the UK's Mobile Network Operators to protect children from seeing harmful content on their phones -- filtering hundreds of millions of websites unsuitable for children across 3G, 4G and 5G networks.

• Continued to work closely with expert organisations and bodies -- including Ofcom, Barnardo's, the office of the Children's Commissioner for England, and the Internet Watch Foundation.

David Austin OBE, Chief Executive of the BBFC said:

Last year was a landmark year for the BBFC. We reached 110 years of classification and our iconic age ratings celebrated significant anniversaries. We also continued to cement our partnerships with VoD services -- and our recently announced AI projects, which explore how new technology might be integrated into the compliance process, aim to deliver scale and enhanced efficiencies for our customers and the wider industry. I'm really excited about the opportunities this next chapter will bring.

Natasha Kaplinksy OBE, President of the BBFC added:

I've always used the BBFC for guidance for myself and my family, so I was delighted to join the organisation as President in 2022. It's an exciting time to be part of the BBFC, as we're currently consulting with over 10,000 people across the UK to explore how audience expectations are evolving. We will then reflect these changes in our Classification Guidelines, which set the foundation for all of our age rating decisions, including when older films are resubmitted and receive a new classification. I look forward to unveiling our findings in 2024.

A perennial hindu whinger, Rajan Zed, has complained about references to hindu texts in Christopher Nolan's movie, Oppenheimer.

Zed said in a statement that such irreverence and trivialization of sacred Bhagavad Gita and consequently Lord Krishna, who was hugely revered in Hinduism, was quite inappropriate and disturbing to the devotees.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged director Christopher Nolan and Universal Pictures to edit the scenes around references to Hindu text, depicting it appropriately and in a dignified manner. He added:

Inappropriate usage of Hindu scriptures or deities or symbols or concepts or icons for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees and belittled Hinduism.

We understand and appreciate theoretical physicist Julius Robert Oppenheimer's profound interest in and acquaintance of Hindu texts and his learning of Sanskrit to read the original works (who was reportedly deeply impressed by their wisdom); but Christopher Nolan and Universal Pictures should have shown some maturity in their treatment of the holy scripture.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.2 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled.

Zed further claimed that:

Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more ... BUT ... faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing could be painful for the followers.

Zed suggested that Hollywood executives should be sent for training in religious and cultural sensitivity so that they had an understanding of the feelings of audiences and communities when creating new products.

Game of Death is a 1978 Hong Kong film by Robert Clouse.
With Bruce Lee, Gig Young and Colleen Camp.      

Cut by the BBFC for X rated cinema release. Fight scenes were substituted for banned nunchuks for 18 rated VHS. Uncut and 18 rated for DVD and 15 rated for 2023 cinema release. The film is uncut in the US but there also exists a shortened Hong Kong Version.

Long-lost unseen footage of the celebrated log fight scene from the Bruce Lee film Game of Death is to be released as bonus material in a new box set marking the 50th anniversary of the famed actor and martial artist's death.

The log fight scene, so called because of the large piece of wood that one of actors wields at the start of the sequence, is part of the approximately 100 minutes of raw footage that Lee shot in 1972, before production was halted to enable Lee to take up Warner Bros' offer to make Enter the Dragon . The scene features Chieh Yuan, as one of Lee's allies, in combat with Dan Inosanto, who plays a master of Filipino martial art eskrima.

The log fight scene was known from photographs taken on the set, and from very brief excerpts used in the 1978 version. It appears to have become separated from the rest of the Game of Death footage after Lee's death, and was discovered in 2016 in the Hong Kong archives of film studio Fortune Star, which now owns the catalogue of Game of Death producers Golden Harvest.

Barbie is a 2023 UK/US comedy fantasy by Greta Gerwig
Starring Margot Robbie, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ryan Gosling

Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence.

Vietnam has banned the upcoming Barbie movie from domestic distribution over a scene featuring a map that shows China's unilaterally claimed territory in the South China Sea.

Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema, a government body in charge of licensing and censoring foreign films said:

We do not grant license for the American movie 'Barbie' to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line.

The U-shaped nine-dash line is used on Chinese maps to illustrate its claims over vast areas of the South China Sea, including swathes of what Vietnam considers its continental shelf, where it has awarded oil concessions.

Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was originally slated to open in Vietnam on July 21.

Barbie is the latest movie to be banned in Vietnam for depicting China's controversial nine-dash line, which was repudiated in an international arbitration ruling by a court in The Hague in 2016. China refuses to recognize the ruling. Margot Robbie reveals story behind perfectly arched Barbie feet June 28, 202301:06

How NOT To Summon A Demon Lord is a 2018 Japan animation comedy
Starring Masaaki Mizunaka, Yû Serizawa and Azumi Waki

Season 2 was banned in January 2023 by the Australian Censorship Board. The problem was a still image at the end of Episode 3, CORRUPT RITUAL Presumably this image was cut when Season 2 was resubmitted in June 2023 and it was then MA 15+ rated.

Summary Notes

An elite player is summoned by two maidens to save a fantasy game.

SeasonTwo

uncut run: 251m pal: 241m		UK: Uncut and BBFC 18 rated for: 2023 Crunchyroll (RB) Blu-ray at UK Amazon #ad
cut cut:   run: 251m pal: 241m		Australia: ACB MA 15+ rated for strong sexual themes and sexualised imagery after censor cuts: 2023 Crunchyroll (RB) Blu-ray (classified 27/06/2023) Presumably the offending image was cut when Season 2 was resubmitted and then MA 15+ rated in June 2023.
banned		Australia: Banned by the ACB for: 2023 Crunchyroll (RB) Blu-ray (banned 04/01/2023) See refused-classification.com : The problem was a still image at the end of Episode 3, CORRUPT RITUAL.

A US senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, has long championed new laws to ban Hollywood from using military assets in the making movies that have kowtowed to Chinese censorship pressure.

Cruz seems to have got his way. A DoD document provided to Politico this week, revealed the department updated policy when it comes to working with Hollywood. It claimed the department will not provide production assistance when there is demonstrable evidence that the production has complied or is likely to comply with a demand from the Government of the People's Republic of China to censor the content of the project in a material manner to advance the national interest of the People's Republic of China.

The issue became prominent several early trailers for last year's Top Gun: Maverick had the Taiwan and Japan flags removed from the iconic flight jacket worn Capt. Pete Maverick Mitchell, the classic character made played by Tom Cruise.

Recently, Chinese censors have requested that Warner Brothers remove references to a gay relationship in its Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore . According to reports, the studio accepted the request and cut six seconds from the movie.

Chinese censors have also requested that Disney/Pixar remove a same-sex kiss from its 2022 movie Lightyear , though that request was rejected by the American studios and the film was not shown in China.