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The full list of cuts to another of Deodato's films, THE LAST CANNIBAL WORLD are now in the database. There is a confirmed customs confiscation of this from the early 90's. 

His follow up CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST has also been a consistent target. There have been several reports of this being seized from the early 90's to the present.

Deodato may have made the Cannibal films, but his countryman Umberto Lenzi  also contributed to the genre. All three of his flesh-eating features were released in censored versions by Video Classics.

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Also new to DVD  from Monterey Media is THE ABDUCTORS. The OFLC viewed the film in 1984 and banned it. Can anyone confirm if GA International ever released this on video in Australia?

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Columbia Tristar have recently released a near uncut Region 4 version of DEATH WISH 2. Unfortunately this R4 disc is from Brazil, and not Australia.

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Added to the database is an entry for Jess Franco's LOVE LETTERS OF A PORTUGUESE NUN. This has recently made its DVD debut courtesy of the Swiss VIP label.

Several of Franco's films from his time with Producer Erwin.C.Dietrich ran into problems in Australia. This was a period when he significantly increased the sex and violence content of his pictures. Some of  these include:

Three other new Franco additions to the database are:

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The new issue of The Eros Journal is now out. Volume 2 No 3 contains all the usual censorship news as well as an article on Tony Pittman's protest outside the OFLC. Also included is a message from the new Eros President David Haines. David is the former Deputy Chief Censor who worked at the Censorship Board for 14 years. After leaving the Board he went on to direct the Australian Hardcore feature BUFFY DOWN UNDER. Check out the EROS website for subscription details.

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The OFLC website has had something of a makeover. This media release is from the Attorney General.

USER-FRIENDLY FILM AND LITERATURE CLASSIFICATION

The Office of Film and Literature Classification has launched a new-look website to coincide with the announcement of a new exemption message for cinemas.

The easy-to-navigate website - www.oflc.gov.au - has informative and practical features for users from all walks of life.

The new website is all about providing people with information so that they can decide what films they want to see, or what games they want to play.

The information on its pages is designed to give a better understanding of how classification decisions are made. It is an excellent tool for all Australians.

For the community, there are specific pages of information for parents to help them understand the classification system and choose what they and their family will watch or play.

There is a special kids page and one aimed at students who may be studying entertainment media classification or film.

For industry, there is a major change with a new opportunity to conduct Business Online.

An application can be made through the website and its progress can be tracked by the applicant through various stages, with the final classification decision and certificate able to be down-loaded at the applicant's desk.

The classification database, a feature of the old website, is of benefit to everyone. It will have enhanced search functions, locating classifications of recent DVDs, films or computer games with a simple search.

Other features include news releases, classification information tailored for consumers and industry, employment opportunities, frequently asked questions and information about the OFLC.

It provides information about the National Classification Scheme, including links to relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation.

This new website has been carefully designed to be useful to as many people and groups within the community as possible. I am sure it will become very popular with Australians in the years to come.

Now there is no denying that the site looks better, unfortunately it still contains the same rotten database. Previously the OFLC would list all their decisions in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Government Notices). This was abandoned in 1991 and the information was moved over to the Telstra Discovery Network. This database was supposed to be available for use in your local library. Unfortunately this proved to be a bit of a flop as no library that I visited could ever provide access. The OFLC's clients also thought it slow and expensive.

You would have thought that the launch of the OFLC website in the mid-90's would have made the task much easier. Unfortunately the database that it contained was the most frustrating that I had ever used. The ability to search for a title was near zero! After a couple of search queries the whole thing would lock-up. Amazingly the OFLC would only allow the general public access to the most recent three months of decisions. If you wanted more then you had to pay them around $300 per-year subscription fees!

Around 1999/2000 the whole subscription fee payment was dropped and the database was upgraded. The ability to search was improved, and many titles going back to the 1970's were included. This period proved all to brief and it was soon replaced with the current version.

The OFLC actually admit that may titles pre-1995 are now missing. Why? They were there before. This year the decisions entered into the database have been around three to four weeks out of date. Here is how they described their site in the 1997-98 Annual Report.

"Currently, the database is updated by a weekly download of new data"

I'm sorry, but in the five years since this was written I don't believe they have ever managed this. This also comes from the same report.

"The OFLC is investigating newer technologies which may allow the website to directly interrogate the office's principal in-house classification database, obviating the need for downloads and allowing classification information to be instantly publicly available"

They have had five years to "investigate newer technologies" but we are still stuck with the same out of date system.

Now as much as it pains me to give any kind of praise to the notorious British censors, you have to give them credit for their database. A search for THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT will give this result. The full submission runtime, the exact length of the cut footage, the reason for the cuts, any previous submissions. Search the OFLC (banned here as KRUG AND COMPANY) and you will get nothing! This is not an isolated incidence as the vast majority of the films listed on this site are missing from the OFLC database.

Their so-called "User-Friendly"  website is nothing of the sort until the database contains all the classification decisions, the reasons for RC ratings, and is kept fully up to date.

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Although passed by the OFLC on November 8th GRAND THEFT AUTO:VICE CITY has only just been released. The MA15+ rating is listed as having been given to the Original version of the game. As already mentioned the OFLC database is a full month out of date so I can't confirm if they have taken a second look at it. However it does seem that the game has been toned down for the Australian market and is therefore not the Original Version.

The full game was released in New Zealand over one month ago with an R18+ rating. On-line stores in New Zealand have been targeting this at Australians searching for this title through Google. Just remember that the OFLC database tells you that the Original Version has been passed with an MA15+ rating.

Not only do the Kiwis have GTA:VICE CITY uncut, but they can also see BAISE-MOI in the cinemas. However don't expect copies of this to be flooding into Australia, as it is not going to be available for sale or hire on Video/DVD.

New Zealand OFLC
25.11.02
Baise-Moi Updated

On 1 November 2002, the Board of Review issued the latest decision on the classification of the film Baise-Moi. It is now classified R18 on film, which means it is available for general cinematic release. On video and DVD however, it is restricted to theatrical exhibition or exhibition as part of a tertiary media or film studies course, and in all cases to persons who have attained the age of 18 years. This means it will not be available for sale or hire in retail video shops.

Baise-Moi was one of three films scheduled to be shown at the 2002 Beck’s Incredible Film Festival which were the subject of review proceedings brought by the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. On 1 November the Board restricted the second of the three films, Visitor Q, to tertiary media and film studies courses for the purpose of study, or to exhibition as part of a film festival organised by an incorporated film society, the New Zealand Film Festival Trust or the Incredible Film Festival, and in all cases to persons 18 years of age and over. This is the same as its original classification. The Board has yet to issue its decision on the third film, Bully.

Readers will be familiar with the following chronology of events:

15 March 2001: Chief Censor - directs Secretary of Internal Affairs to submit Baise-Moi for classification.

20 August 2001: Classification Office - restricts Baise-Moi to tertiary film or media studies courses or as part of a film festival organised by an incorporated film society, and in both cases R18.

29 October 2001: Secretary of Internal Affairs - receives Society’s application for review and grants leave on ground that application is not frivolous or vexatious.

13 March 2002: Board of Review - classifies Baise-Moi R18 with no additional exhibition restrictions; Society appeals to High Court.

12 April 2002: High Court - imposes interim restriction order temporarily preventing exhibition of Baise-Moi, on application by the Society.

23 July 2002: High Court - finds Board made a legal error by not considering Baise-Moi in other mediums, sends film back to Board for fresh classification; sets aside interim restriction order.

1 November 2002: Board of Review - classifies Baise-Moi on film R18; further restricts Baise-Moi on video and DVD to exhibition in theatres or as part of a tertiary media or film studies course, and in all cases R18.

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Acclaim Entertainment have announced that BMX XXX, (unlike GRAND THEFT AUTO 3), will not be toned down for the Australian market. This means that without an R rating the game is effectively banned. This news came before the censorship ministers gathered in Perth to consider just such a computer game rating. 

(ARCHIVED) Porn fear in video games. The West Australian 04.11.02 

R-rated computer games ban to stay. The Age 08.11.02

Plans to allow R-rated computer and video games into Australia were scuppered yesterday at a meeting of attorneys-general, with opposition led by the Federal Government.

Despite having supported the proposal a year ago, Attorney-General Daryl Williams yesterday declared himself to be against an expansion of the classification range for violent and sexually explicit interactive games.

The attorneys-general met in Fremantle, Western Australia, until late last night, but Mr Williams' spokeswoman said it was his intention to oppose the scheme because of concerns that violence in interactive games had a greater influence on behaviour than violence in films.

"The Commonwealth position is that it will not support the expansion of the R18 classification to computer games, in view of the interactive nature of computer games," the spokeswoman said.

"It's appropriate to have a stricter regime in relation to this area ... (as) the likelihood of children gaining access to adult computer games increases if the material is legally available."

In order to change the regime, all nine attorneys would have to agree unanimously, so Mr Williams' opposition, teamed with at least one other attorney - from South Australia - will defeat the reforms.

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The following communiqué makes no mention of this.

"STATE, TERRITORY AND COMMONWEALTH CENSORSHIP MINISTERS COMMUNIQUE 
12 November 2002
COMBINED GUIDELINES FOR FILM AND COMPUTER GAMES

Commonwealth, State and Territory Censorship Ministers have agreed on new guidelines for films and computer games.

However, a change to the guidelines requires the agreement of all participating Ministers and a final decision on the guidelines will be made following the outcome of the Victorian election and the appointment of an Attorney-General.

The guidelines have been reviewed to reflect community standards and to take into account changes in technology and converging media.

The guidelines review received submissions from a broad range of individuals, industry and community organisations.

The draft of guidelines presented at the Censorship Ministers' meeting on Friday incorporates input from a language expert, Associate Professor Peter Butt from the University of Sydney."

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'Little evidence' adults harmed by violent games. The Age 17.11.02

Adults should be free to play violent and pornographic computer games because there is no evidence they are more harmful than other media, despite government claims, a university psychologist says.

Professor Kevin Durkin, a psychologist from the University of Western Australia, said there needed to be "more careful research before we can reach a definitive conclusion, (but) I know of no scientific evidence that the interactive nature of computer games makes them more harmful than other popular media".

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(ARCHIVED) No R games please, we're Australian. Financial Review 19.11.02

You can add your name here to the petition for an R rating for computer games.

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Okay, we've done film, computer games, magazines, how about music!

STATE, TERRITORY AND COMMONWEALTH CENSORSHIP MINISTERS COMMUNIQUE 
12 November 2002

NEW LABELS FOR AUDIO RECORDINGS

Commonwealth, State and Territory Censorship Ministers have welcomed a new scheme to restrict the sale of offensive audio recordings to children.

At the March 2002 meeting, Ministers requested the recording industry restrict sales to children of recordings with potentially offensive lyrics to children. The industry, through the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) and the Australian Music Retailers Association (AMRA), have responded by agreeing to move from a two tier to a three tier labelling system.

The third tier will closely align with the existing guidelines for R 18+ films. The new warning label will read "RESTRICTED: HIGH IMPACT THEMES - Not to be sold to persons under 18 years." This will restrict the sale of potentially offensive recordings to minors.

The code of practice currently does not permit the sale of abhorrent recordings.

Audio recordings are not regulated under censorship laws that apply to films, computer games and some publications except where they also contain visual material and are classified as films.

ARIA and AMRA anticipated the new three-tier labelling system will begin operating in March 2003, allowing them time to incorporate the changes into the Code of Practice for Labelling Product with Explicit and Potentially Offensive Lyrics. A consumer education program and other educational materials will be developed.

In addition, an Ombudsman scheme will be introduced early in 2003 to deal with complaints from the community about the operation of the voluntary Code of Practice."

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Dirtiest rappers will be rated R. SMH 09.11.02

Pop music that is deemed too rude or too violent will be banned for sale to teenagers for the first time under a new CD classification plan.

A labelling category, equivalent to an R rating in film or television, will be introduced in March preventing the sale of such CDs to under-18s, the Australian Record Industry
Association says.

Its chief executive, Stephen Peach, said the labels would make it easier for parents to assess the suitability of music.

It is not yet known whether tracks by artists such as Eminem, The Prodigy, Marilyn Manson and Tori Amos - which now carry warnings - will go on to the restricted list. The Australian band Machine Gun Fellatio has had its high-charting but sexually explicit album hit with a warning for songs including Dirty F*96kin Whore.

Mr Peach said the new criteria were developed with the Office of Film and Literature Classification and covered descriptions of drug use, violence and high-intensity sex.

***

CD swearing code on wrong track. SMH 13.11.02

An obscenity restriction on music sales will have exactly the opposite effect to that intended, writes Jon Casimir.

It almost certainly won't make them harder to get. Any kid with a credit card - and they are rapidly increasing in numbers, according to a recent Commonwealth Bank survey - will be able to order the discs over the phone or, easier still, over the Net (the same way anyone who wanted to see Baise Moi could order the DVD from offshore).

Realistically, an R-rating on a disc will be sooooo unthreatening to this demographic. It'll be like a Post-It note stuck to the window of an unlocked car outside a thievery convention, with words written in bold: "Please don't steal this vehicle - there's a million dollars of untraceable drug money in the boot that I really need."

Any R-rated CD will be acquired, endlessly burned and passed around. As grubby, dog-eared pages of pornography used to be handed between seats on the school bus when I was a kid, freshly burned discs will find their way into the backpacks of anyone who wants them.

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The current ARIA Labelling Code of Practice has been added to the links page.

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Tony Pitman's November 4th Censorship protest took place as planned outside the OFLC. Here is Tony's review of the event.

"Just an update to let everyone know what happened at my anti-censorship protest last week. Well, what happened was not at all what I was expecting.  Following the press releases I had sent out the week before, the "Daily Telegraph" on Friday published a small article about my up-coming sale of banned videos in front of the OFLC.  So when I rolled up on Monday at the OFLC with my pie-tray full of banned videos to begin the protest, there were a few journalists, no police, and a handful of people who had read the newspaper and were keen to get their hands on some banned videos!  So after a short period of talking about the protest, doing some radio interviews and taking some pictures, I then put the videos up for sale.  And they were all sold off within about two minutes!  And that was it.  Not at all what I was expecting!   People were even asking why I didn't have more copies to sell and they started arguing because some wanted the same video and I only had one copy of each!  Obviously there is a strong desire out there to see banned videos and know exactly what it is that the government doesn't want people to see.  Given the commercial success of this venture, maybe next time I'll get a van full of banned videos and travel around the country selling them out the back, like a Mr Whippy for consenting adults! 

There is now a picture of the banned video sale that you can see at: http://www.freedomint.org/freedomint then click on "Censorship"

And by way of an interesting comparison.  On the Sunday (the previous day) I had staged a nude protest in Sydney's Hyde Park, calling for the decriminalisation of public nudity.  (I see the two issues, censorship and the law against public nudity, as closely related; both ways in which the state illegitimately restricts personal freedoms.)  A lot of press photographers came along, as well as TEN police officers!  A large crowd of very supportive onlookers also formed spontaneously.  But just as I was laying down my rug to begin my picnic, and BEFORE I'd even taken my clothes off, the police swooped in, arrested me and took me away in their divy van!  A very different reaction from what I got on Monday!"

Another review of the event is from Danny Yee's site, this is now added to the links page.

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From Something Weird comes a DVD double of Tobacco Roody and Southern Comforts. The disc was released through Image Entertainment on November 12th. In the 70's both films had censored cinema runs, before uncut video prints were banned in 1981.

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In the US on November 26th, Elite Entertainment will reissue the notorious I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE in a Millennium Edition DVD. This title was available in Australia throughout most of the 80's and 90's before finally being banned in 1998.

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The game includes an option to play as a nude female rider, which drew the censors' ire, said Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) director Des Clark. He said the game was "sleazy" rather than violent.

"Government has a classification system that everyone supports, and the industry has to look at those classifications, the code, and the guidelines when they make those products," Clark said.

"There are very large retail chains in America refusing to sell it, so it's not just Australia," he said. "The game is very offensive in many ways - game developers need to think in terms of worldwide audiences."

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The following protest will be taking place outside the OFLC this coming Monday.

On 4 November 2002, Freedom INTERNATIONAL spokesperson, Tony Pitman, will perform a peaceful act of civil disobedience by offering for sale seven films on videocassette currently banned in Australia.  By selling films that are legally available in many other countries around the world, Tony will be protesting against the excessive level of censorship in Australia today.  The films he will offer for sale are:

The two other films for sale will be sexually explicit X-rated films that are banned in New South Wales and all the other Australian states.

The protest will begin at 1pm when Tony Pitman will publicly display the videocassettes that he intends to sell.  At 2pm, he will then offer them up for public sale to people over 18 years of age.  Supporters will be welcome to come and join the protest, their presence at the event signifying their support for the proposition that these films should not be banned.

WHERE:  In front of the Office of Film and Literature Classification headquarters, 23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia

In classifying BMX XXX, the Board worked within the framework of, and applied the provisions of the

Under the National Classification Code, in the majority of the Board’s view, this game is considered unsuitable for a minor to see or play.

The game warrants an RC classification for nudity. In the Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games, nudity, including genitalia is only allowable in a game if there is a ‘bona fide’ educational, medical or community health purpose.

In BMX XXX, the player can choose as a rider a nude female. The nude rider can be viewed in the options menu and can be used to play the game. In the Board’s view this constitutes nudity, and does not have a ‘bona fide’ educational, medical or community health purpose.

Under the current Guidelines, there is no R18+ classification for computer games. Those games that cannot be classified MA15+ or lower are refused classification (RC) and are not legally available in Australia."

This quote from Acclaim in the US illustrates how desperately Australia needs an R18+ rating for computer games.

"This product was not designed for, nor is it being marketed to consumers under the age of 17, and we fully support the Electronic Software Rating Board and encourage consumers to utilize their rating systems to make educated purchases"

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Adultshop.com have reduced the running time of the LILITH from 96 to 94mins after it was banned in September. This French hardcore production has been nominated for Best Hardcore Video in the upcoming 9th Annual British Erotic Awards.  It was also "Movie of the Month" in Hot Video (France), Video Impulse (Italy), and was 11th in the USA AVN movie rentals chart.

The Dutch hardcore feature Kristina Bellanova Volume 7 - Three Blondes - Drei Blondinen has now been revised and rated X. It was Refused Classification in August when Gallery Entertainment originally submitted it. In July, cuts were also made to Kristina Bellanova Volume 6 - Die Nonanisten - The Nonanists after it to was banned.

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For a while now I've been reading rumours that Toshiharu Ikeda's EVIL DEAD TRAP had been refused classification by our censors. I've finally received confirmation that this is indeed true. A new entry has been added into the database for this title.

Customs, are trained by the OFLC and make decisions themselves. If they think it fits into our rating system then you get your Video/DVD back. However, if they consider it RC all you'll receive is a letter informing you of the decision. If after this you then go and try and import the film again you can probably expect a home visit from customs.

For some reason the OFLC database does not list any of the work that they do for the Australian Customs Service. This is odd as they do classify quite a large amount of product for them. The following list shows the number of films and computer games that were referred to the OFLC by customs.

Since 1996 the OFLC has been providing training to the ACS. Therefore it is probably true to say that they have a good idea if something is going to be rated RC. If only 50% of the items are refused classification then that is still a large amount of material that we are not being told about. Why not?

Let's say that I wanted to buy the Synapse DVD of EVIL DEAD TRAP from Amazon. I can get it sent from the US to my door for Aus$50. However, being an honest citizen I decide to check out the OFLC database to see if there is any problems with this title. They have no record of it. I charge the DVD to my credit card and before I know it I've received a letter from customs to say that it has been sent to the OFLC for classification. The censors obviously have a record that this has been previously rated RC so there is not even a need for them to view it. Next thing I know I receive a letter informing me that my film has been rated RC and will not be sent on. Through no fault of my own I've wasted $50! 

Now this situation must happen. So if the OFLC or the ACS are not going to tell you what you should not import, then this site will. I need to hear from anyone who has had problems (or knows someone who has) with our Customs Service. Hopefully we can expose an area of censorship that goes almost totally unreported.
 
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Due at the end of October is the American DVD debut of Umberto Lenzi's EATEN ALIVE. Unlike our heavily censored Video Classics tape, this release from Shriek Show will be fully uncut.

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As reported a few weeks ago, the R4 DVD of VIDEODROME is longer than the old CIC tape. Unfortunately the extra three minutes still don't appear to make for an uncut print. Check out the database entry for more details.

The same week Gallery Entertainment received an RC rating for a DVD titled CUM WHORES. This is another American production from Nymph Hardcore.

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The OFLC are busy organising a Ratings Conference to be held in Sydney during September 2003. 

The OFLC is presenting an international conference in 2003. The conference
is an opportunity to identify and discuss the latest challenges and dilemmas
facing classification in the converging entertainment media and technology
environment. Participants will gain valuable insights into classification
and ratings systems from around the world.

To be held at the Parkroyal Hotel, Darling Harbour 21-24 September 2003, the
conference will be of great interest to Australian and international
classifiers and regulators, State and Territory Ministers and Officials,
film and computer games producers, distributors and designers, producers and
distributors of new entertainment technology, media, academics, as well as
professional bodies and community groups.

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Following on from the SBS screening of DAY OF ANGER, I've now included this into the database. A cover scan is also up on the Westerns page. Also included are two more titles that were censored in Australia. HARD BOUNTY lost around five minutes before receiving a video release. A FISTFULL OF 44'S was issued on tape, but then banned. This release is now very rare, so grab it quick if you see it. 

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Next week sees the DVD release in the US of MAN BITES DOG as part of the Criterion Collection. This uncut disc will include the OFLC censored scene that is missing from the Australian Cinema, Video and DVD releases.

On the same day Image Entertainment bring THE HILLS HAVE EYES 2 to DVD. Like the original film, this sequel also had problems with the OFLC.

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Detailed cuts are now up for SAVAGE MAN, SAVAGE BEAST. Included is a look at the availability of Mondo in Australia.

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Two interesting R4 DVD releases have appeared over the past couple of months.

First up is a 1967 Lee Van Cleef feature titled DAY OF ANGER. On its original cinema release in 1969/70 around a minute and a half of violence was removed by the censor. This same dubbed print was dumped on video during the 80's.
On Saturday 17 August at 10:00pm SBS will screen the complete uncut 110 minute version. It will be in its original Italian language with English subtitles and letterboxed to show the full Techniscope image.  

The 51st Melbourne International Film Festival has an interesting free forum next Saturday. Details from the Festival website.

Censorship: Making Our Minds Up For Us
It’s as old as cinema itself. Censorship. Is it still relevant in a time when cable TV screens porn 24 hours a day and sex and violence is a permanent fixture on both pay and free-to-air TV? Once a film is classified, why does the adult filmgoer require further ‘protection’? We ask these questions of distributors, filmmakers, exhibitors and commentators.

Saturday 10th August at 8pm
Who Weekly Festival Club, Lower Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street, Melbourne.

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Ever thought of working for the OFLC? Anthony Larme did! Here are his experiences of the job application.

"When applications for 10 positions of OFLC Classification Board members were called for back in April, I decided to apply and see where it would lead.

After all, it pays well at around $70K per year and no formal academic qualifications are required! Perhaps anyone could be a censor?!

I have a Master of IT degree and six years of experience communicating with like-minded people over the Internet. Surely, I thought, I'd have a chance. 

I was not selected for an interview, but I did manage to get some post-selection feedback by the consultant employed to process the applications. 

This is what I found out during a recent telephone consultation with the consultant: 

In many ways, he was a tight-lipped, *but* I *did* learn some useful things:

 * 900+ applied, 45 were short-listed. 10 will eventually be appointed. 

* The #1 criterion was "broad involvement in the community". ....he said it meant that the applicants should show that they meet lots of people in a wide variety of situations - people that have a variety of opinions. Thus, narrowly defined interests, eg: people only into computers and/or the Internet, was not acceptable. 

* His favourite word over the 15 minutes was "broad". eg: - those 45 people ranged in ages from 20s to 70s! - those 45 people were from both rural and city areas and all states. - those 45 people were roughly 50-50 male-female. .....he suspects the end result will broadly reflect the composition of the Australian community! But, mind you, those 45 have to be whittled down to 10 and those AG's can be very political! He is aware of concern that the average age of the classifiers has traditionally been too old...but he did mention that the Board also had to take into account Australia's ageing population.

* His company is now out of the picture as those 45 have been handed over to the Attorney General's Dept. They will do further interviews and shortlists. Some applicants near the end of this process will be required to show they can classify controversial porno products! After all, he said, porn = about 60% of the OFLC's business!

* Some will be interviewed in Sydney, and others in other cities, but they will all eventually need to work in Sydney. 

* Eventually, all appointees (10 to be appointed by 10/10/02), will have to be approved by the Federal Attorney General and the states' AGs. They will be appointed for 3 years. 

* He gave an example of "broad involvement" in the community by referring to his own interests: - junior football - business people - shop floor manager - construction industry manager 

* He believes the Australian people are neither excessively liberal nor excessively conservative......and that applicants need to set aside their own personal views and apply the guidelines according to those broad community standards. I suspect he thinks such classifiers should choose the middle ground to try to please most people. 

* He maintained that broad involvement = leads to a very good understanding of what the broad community expects of classification and thus classifiers can take those broad opinions into account when they do their job. 

* Eventually, all appointees will be named and we will get to read their biographies. I hope that's very soon after 10/10/02!!! .....hmmm....on the positive side, he did say that I clearly had a very good understanding of the classification system! :-) .... it's just that he denied I had broad community experience! So.....that's how our censors for the next three years have been chosen!"

Anthony's  website is called The Games Censorship Collection.

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Originally banned in June, DANGEROUS GAMES - PRIVATE REALITY 6 has now been passed with an X rating. To achieve this Calvista were required to reduce the runtime of the tape from 87 to 81mins.

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Gallery Entertainment have run into problems with two more DVDs.
WORLD'S GREATEST GANGBANGS and Kristina Bellanova Volume 6 - Die Nonanisten - The Nonanists have been Refused Classification.

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A DVD of THE QUICK AND THE HARD also caused fellow distributor AdultShop.Com to land an RC rating. This hardcore western is described as:

The Way the West Was Done!
In a time when the women were quick and the men were hard, five horny cowgirls took the west by storm! See them band together (in more ways than one!) as they take on the best-hung men, the wettest women and the horniest outlaw in the wild, wild west!

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A Japanese production titled Naughty Harumi
(aka Harumi-Chan No Oita) was also banned.  A company called Japan Publicity Australia submitted this short 24min tape.

MINISTERS AGREE TO FURTHER STEPS TOWARDS STREAMLINED CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINES. 

The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) is presently conducting a review of the Guidelines. The review is intended to address issues arising from the convergence of technologies and ensure that the Guidelines continue to reflect current community attitudes and standards.

Censorship Ministers considered the draft combined guidelines at their meeting today.

Ministers agreed to refer the draft combined guidelines to a language expert. The use of a language expert is an agreed part of the review process and assists in creating clear and understandable guidelines.

Ministers asked to be presented with final draft combined guidelines for consideration at their end of year meeting.

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The first cover scans have been added to the site, just so that you know exactly what to look for or avoid on your next visit to the video store. Expect more to be added in the future. 

First up are two titles by Joseph Merhi, LA CRACKDOWN 2 and NIGHT OF THE WILDING. Both were banned in Australia before the distributors censored them.

Also up are the two covers to NIGHTMARE. It's important to know which one is which as there is a huge difference between the two releases.

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Those of you thinking of replacing your heavily censored Video Classics tape of MANIAC  with a DVD are warned to avoid the new Anchor Bay UK release. The British censors have removed 58seconds to:

"....reduce length of sexualised strangulation sequence by half and to remove shots of a knife played over and stabbing into female flesh with sexual connotations."

The US Anchor Bay DVD is fully uncut.

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This article from The Age looks at the life of a censor.

(ARCHIVED) Censors' sensors on high alert. The Age 24.07.02

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Finally, a report that BAISE-MOI is now causing problems for our Kiwi cousins.

(ARCHIVED) French film to be re-examined. NZ Herald 24.07.02

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Finally, those of you planning to pay a visit to this weekends Sydney Sexpo may want to get along to the OFLC stand #182. Here are some of Adult titles that they have banned in the past few months that you may like to question them about.

Sexpo 
Royal Hall of Industries
(Next to Fox Studios)
Driver Avenue, Moore Park, Sydney.
July 18th - July 21st

NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN ITS ENTIRETY IN AUSTRALIA! (and still banned in many countries…)

MUFF is proud to present an Australian premiere of the definitive cut of Borowczyk's notorious and hilarious surrealist erotic fable / farce.

La Bête began as a 20 minute sequence featuring nowt but a woman and a beast indulging in some lengthy carnal woodland shenanigans. Presented at the London Film Fest in 1973, it harbinged a massive critical backlash against its director, hitherto a critical darling. The backlash hit its stride with Immoral Tales (1974), an erotic anthology film which, with each chapter exploring a particular taboo, was to have featured this sequence on the taboo of bestiality. Its inclusion was shelved, and Borowczyk instead later fashioned a feature length scenario to couch it in, a Buñuelian black comedy of sexual manners set around an arranged wedding to occur on the grounds of an elegant château. Voila! - another masterpiece - and yet the critics of the time, many with their critical rigour compromised by a mad keenness to be (seen to be) sympathetic to the burgeoning feminist movement, just didn't want to know about it -consensus being that a once great director had become an irredeemably grubby pornographer never destined to produce work of 'quality' again. Yet, La Bête is a profoundly feminist film, a rousing hymn in tribute to the power of an unfettered pagan female sexuality - and a totally virtuoso work of great wit and passion besides!

Be sure to catch The Beast at MUFF this year - it might be quite some time, years even, before you have another chance. You'll never forget it!

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To coincide with this months release from Something Weird of the DVD of COUNTRY CUZZINS, I've added an entry for this into the database. TOBACCO ROODY and SOUTHERN COMFORTS, two other films by Bethel G. Buckalew have also been included.

All three of these softcore comedies had censored cinema runs in the 70's, and uncut videotapes banned in the 80's. These decisions are obviously very old, though unless they were to be resubmitted (very unlikely) then their RC ratings still remain.

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Also new to DVD this month is the uncut version of HITCH-HIKE.  In Australia we have only ever seen the censored KTel tape, though this was the fault of the distributors and not our censors.

"If you think we have it bad with the banning of Baise Moi, think again. It was much worse in the sixties when hacking into films was par for the course. Is the banning of Baise Moi now a passing aberration?"