Latest Cuts: BBFC and MPA

Slap the Monster on Page One is a 1972 Italy/France mystery thriller by Marco Bellocchio
Starring Gian Maria Volontè, Fabio Garriba and Carla Tatò

BBFC cuts were required for a 15 rated Blu-ray release in 2024. The BBFC cited child protection issues.

UK: 15 rated for strong bloody violence, language, threat, injury detail after BBFC cuts:

• 2024 Radiance Films RAB Blu-ray at UK Amazon #ad released on 18th November 2024

The BBFC commented:

This film required a compulsory cut to a potentially indecent image of a child. Cuts were made in accordance with BBFC Guidelines, policy, and the Protection of Children Act 1978.

Thanks to Mike who reports on a discussion from another forum:

At one point in the film an investigative journalist goes to the house of the chief murder suspect and takes a look inside his closet. He sees a range of pictures of children and religious iconography of cherubs. These images are all perfectly innocent, but there is another composite image of a nude adult woman in a sexualised pose with the head of the underaged murder victim stuck on top of it.

As I understand it, this would be considered a pseudo-photograph under UK law, and indecent since it gives the impression of being an image of a child. If so, then I'm fairly sure it's the first indecent pseudo-photograph that the BBFC have ever cut..

Promotional Material

Days before a general election a young girl is raped and murdered. Bizanti (Gian Maria Volonté, The Working Class Goes to Heaven), the editor of a right-wing newspaper uses the story to help the conservative candidate his paper supports. The tumultuous time of Italy's 'Years of Lead' are captured in Marco Bellocchio's powerful political drama which directly addressed topics of its day and even prefigured the creation of the right-wing paper Il giornale, which came into being two years after this film. In an age of media manipulation Slap the Monster on Page One has never been more relevant and stands proudly alongside such Italian activist classics as We Still Kill the Old Way and The Mattei Affair.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K restoration of the film from the original negative by Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with Surf Film and Kavac Film, under the supervision of director Marco Bellocchio
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio
• Archival interview with Marco Bellocchio (21 mins)
• Newly filmed interview with critic and author Mario Sesti (2024, 25 mins)
• Appreciation by filmmaker Alex Cox (2024, 10 mins)
• Newly improved English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Wesley Sharer

Slap the Monster on Page One is a 1972 Italy/France mystery thriller by Marco Bellocchio
Starring Gian Maria Volontè, Fabio Garriba and Carla Tatò

BBFC cuts were required for a 15 rated Blu-ray release in 2024. The BBFC cited child protection issues.

UK: BBFC 15 rated for strong bloody violence, language, threat, injury detail after BBFC cuts:

• 2024 Radiance Films RAB Blu-ray at UK Amazon #ad released on 18th November 2024

The BBFC commented:

This film required a compulsory cut to a potentially indecent image of a child. Cuts were made in accordance with BBFC Guidelines, policy, and the Protection of Children Act 1978.

Thanks to Mike who reports on a discussion from another forum:

At one point in the film an investigative journalist goes to the house of the chief murder suspect and takes a look inside his closet. He sees a range of pictures of children and religious iconography of cherubs. These images are all perfectly innocent, but there is another composite image of a nude adult woman in a sexualised pose with the head of the underaged murder victim stuck on top of it.

As I understand it, this would be considered a pseudo-photograph under UK law, and indecent since it gives the impression of being an image of a child. If so, then I'm fairly sure it's the first indecent pseudo-photograph that the BBFC have ever cut..

Promotional Material

Days before a general election a young girl is raped and murdered. Bizanti (Gian Maria Volonté, The Working Class Goes to Heaven), the editor of a right-wing newspaper uses the story to help the conservative candidate his paper supports. The tumultuous time of Italy's 'Years of Lead' are captured in Marco Bellocchio's powerful political drama which directly addressed topics of its day and even prefigured the creation of the right-wing paper Il giornale, which came into being two years after this film. In an age of media manipulation Slap the Monster on Page One has never been more relevant and stands proudly alongside such Italian activist classics as We Still Kill the Old Way and The Mattei Affair.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K restoration of the film from the original negative by Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with Surf Film and Kavac Film, under the supervision of director Marco Bellocchio
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio
• Archival interview with Marco Bellocchio (21 mins)
• Newly filmed interview with critic and author Mario Sesti (2024, 25 mins)
• Appreciation by filmmaker Alex Cox (2024, 10 mins)
• Newly improved English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Wesley Sharer

Billy Madison is a 1995 US comedy by Tamra Davis
Starring Adam Sandler, Darren McGavin and Bridgette Wilson-Sampras      

Thanks to Scott who commented:

A set of two original BBFC cinema black cards for this Adam Sandler comedy turned up on eBay recently - one for a 12 classification, the other for a PG: However, the only classification for the film listed on the BBFC's website is the PG - cut for this cert. I emailed them to ask if it had initially been given a 12 - this was their response:

The film was originally classified uncut at 12. The film company later resubmitted it in order to secure a PG and asked for cuts to achieve this.

This cut PG rated version continued on 1997 VHS and 2002 DVD, but in 2008 the film was released uncut on DVD with a BBFC 12 rating. Uncut and MPAA PG-13 rated in the US.

Versions

uncut run: 89:52s pal: 86:16s		UK: Passed 12 uncut with previous BBFC cuts waived for: 2010 Universal R0 Blu-ray at UK Amazon 2008 Universal R2 DVD at UK Amazon US: Uncut and MPAA PG-13 rated for: 2011 Universal RA Blu-ray at US Amazon 1998 Universal R1 DVD at US Amazon
category cuts cut: 17s run: 89:19s pal: 85:45s		UK: Passed PG after 17s of BBFC cuts for: 2002 UIP R2 DVD The BBFC commented: The cuts were Compulsory. Cuts required to remove strong language and images of blood spitting and man engulfed in fire for PG. According to BBFC policy, works of the same title passed after July 1994 should normally be given the same category. The BBFC cuts were: Billy Madisan's dialogue: You get your ass out of there and find the fucking dog loses the fucking A party clown injures himself after falling off his stilts but we don't get to see the blood running from his mouth There is a shot missing of a man in a kitchen in flames.
category cuts cut: 28s run: 89:11s pal: 85:37s		UK: Passed PG after 28s of BBFC cuts for: 1997 Universal VHS 1997 cinema release The BBFC cuts were Billy Madisan's dialogue: You get your ass out of there and find the fucking dog loses the fucking A party clown injures himself after falling off his stilts but we don't get to see the blood running from his mouth A schoolroom prank involving a card which says Yes I'm horny. The BBFC didn't see the funny side and removed the joke There is a shot missing of a man in a kitchen in flames.
uncut		UK: Passed 12 uncut for: 1997 cinema release (unreleased) Thanks to Scott who asked the BBFC to comment about this. the BBFC responded: The film was originally classified uncut at 12. The film company later resubmitted it in order to secure a PG and asked for cuts to achieve this: