The Naked Kiss is a 1964 USA crime drama by Samuel Fuller. Starring Constance Towers, Anthony Eisley and Karen Conrad.
Banned by the BBFC for 1964 cinema release. Later passed 18 uncut for VHS
and DVD. Uncut and MPAA Unrated in the US.
Summary Notes : A shocker in its day
Kelly, a prostitute, traumatised by an experience, referred to as 'The Naked Kiss,' by psychiatrists, leaves her
past, and finds solace in the town of Grantville. She meets Griff, the police captain of the town, with whom she spends a romantic afternoon. Kelly finds a job as a nurse in a hospital for handicapped children. The work helps her find her sensitive side
in the caring and helping of her young patients. Kelly's path towards happiness is thrown amiss, when she witnesses a shocking event, which threatens not just her happiness, but her mental health as well.
In its day, The
Naked Kiss was quite the shocker. It dealt with (or hinted at) such then-taboo subjects as prostitution, abortion and even pedophilia in bold ways that were foreign to American film audiences. Unfortunately, like many once-controversial movies, the
handling of these topics are now so dated that, at times, they are almost laughable.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 uncut.
UK: Passed 18 uncut for references to
child sexual abuse:
2019 Sony/Criterion Collection RB Blu-ray at UK Amazon
Police were called and a cinema cleared and closed after protestors pushed through the main entrance and headed for the screen showing Bollywood
blockbuster, Nanak Shah Fakir.
Once inside the Cineworld multiplex at Bentley Bridge in Wednesfield., the Sikh protestors sat down on the floor and began to shout, refusing to move until cinema bosses met their demands and stopped the
screening.
Some UK cinemas refused to show it through fear of religious strife. The Cineworld said it has no plans to show the film in future following the Wednesfield incident. Odeon also confirmed it would also cancel planned screenings following
the protest.
BBFC summary
NANAK SHAH FAKIR is a Hindi language historical drama about the life and teachings of Sikhism founder, Guru Nanak, as he embarks on a spiritual journey during
the reign of the Mughal empire.
There is mild violence in a scene in which a yak stamps on a man, who is out to fetch some water in the snow. There are also some images of battle and some rifle gunshots from soldiers, although
there is no detail of injury shown.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed PG uncut. Withdrawn from distribution over fears of religious strife
Sirpa Lane heads a Nazi brothel but she has a secret to hide, she's Jewish
Banned by the BBFC for the UK 1977 cinema release.
Review from IMDb: Better than Salon Kitty
This is a Nazi sexploitation flick and it has not only plenty of nudity but explicit, hardcore pornographic shots as well.
That said, let me point out why this is a far better film than Salon Kitty
. The two films are different versions of what is essentially the same story: a young Jewish woman during the Nazis' reign is sexually abused and exploited by the Reich eventually becoming the madame of a brothel that caters to Nazi officers where
she spies for either the Nazi higher ups or the Resistance depending on which film you watch.
Nazi Love Camp 27 has budget sets and costumes, bad dubbing, and obligatory sexploitation scenes like whippings, the
lesbian warden and several hardcore penetration shots including a gang rape. One would think that this was a thinly-veiled excuse for a porno, and to some extent it is, but it actually has a fairly coherent plot and you truly DO care about the lead
character and even others. Yes, the final scene is a bit over the top, but you're still interested in what is happening right up to the end of the film --- not just fast forwarding to the next naked part.
Sirpa Lane's
performance is strong and due to whatever quirk of talent or fate, she manages to convey the horror and the poignancy of her character's struggles. This is not to say that this is a great film, again know what you're getting into.
Availability
Banned by the BBFC for the UK 1977 cinema release.
The New York Ripper is a 1982 Italian horror by Lucio Fulci. With Jack Hedley, Almanta Suska and Howard Ross.
Banned by the BBFC for 1984 cinema release. Subsequent UK VHS/DVD release
are cut by about 30s. Cut for an MPAA R rating in the US but also released uncut and MPAA Unrated.
Summary review: Darkest and goriest
The New York Ripper was a great Italian horror
film from Lucio Fulci, the film was filled with plenty of gruesome death scenes and lots of sleaze, sex and nudity in fact its probably one of the sleaziest Italian horror flicks ever seen.
When an old man finds a
prostitute's severed hand under the Brooklyn Bridge the police decide to do a little investigating. It seems that the victim was heard speaking to a strange duck-voiced man. As the murders add up the police detective who's investigating the case recruits
a psychology professor to help find out who this Donald Duck voiced maniac could be
This is a typical Fulci flick which means that the plot gets thinner during the course of the film and the bad acting which was adequate
especially for this type of film could have been better but that's not important, if your a hardcore Fulci or exploitation fan then you'll obviously love this as the death scenes were quite brutal and very nasty.
One of
Fulci's best.
Banned for cinema release in 1984
A cinema release was rejected by the BBFC in 1984. Lucio Fulci's film was not only banned but all prints were escorted out of the country.
At least that is the romantic notion of events. The BBFC explain the events that led up to this story in a more pragmatic way. See case study from
bbfc.co.uk :
If Ferman had merely written to the distributor confirming the decision to refuse a BBFC classification, The New York Ripper may have simply been another work denied a release during the video nasties era.
However, what Ferman did next meant The New York Ripper became something of an urban legend (which persists in cult and horror film circles to this day).
The fact the UK distributor of Nightmares in a Damaged Brain had just
received a prison sentence for his role in distributing his film made the potential for the distributor of The New York Ripper to become embroiled in an obscenity case seem very real. Therefore Ferman decided it would be unwise for the BBFC to return the
film to its distributor. Ferman was aware that the distributor could still release The New York Ripper on video tape (or seek local authority approval for local cinema exhibition), in spite of the BBFC's judgement that any release of the film was at risk
of comprising an obscene publication. To do so would not only risk the distributor being vulnerable to a charge of being found in possession of an obscene work with intent to commercially supply, but could also potentially put the BBFC in the difficult
position of having facilitated that supply.
Accordingly, Ferman took the unusual step of informing the UK distributor that the BBFC would be re-exporting the submitted print to the original rights holders in Italy, also advising
him that he should similarly dispose of any further copies of the film in his possession. The BBFC's actions took place in a time and climate in which UK distributors were being convicted and even sent to jail for their involvement with similar films.
However, it is easy to see how the legend developed that The New York Ripper was so uniquely powerful and offensive that every print had to be escorted from the country. Some stories go so far as to suggest the film had been removed under armed guard.
99 Women is a 1969 Liechtenstein/Spain/Italy/West Germany/UK women in prison film by Jesus Franco. With Maria Schell, Luciana Paluzzi and Mercedes McCambridge.
Banned in the UK by the BBFC and later cut. Uncut elsewhere as the Director's Cut. There is also a French Version with hardcore inserts.
The newest batch of detainees arrives at a remote women's prison. The fortress-like prison is ruled with an iron hand by Thelma Diaz (Mercedes
McCambridge), a woman who has no qualms against death or torture. But when a new state official takes notice of the body count coming out of the prison, Diaz must prove her ability and hide the truth. As the powers that be turn up the pressure it sets up
a daring escape by several of the ladies.
"Women in prison" flicks can be a mixed bag. Many offer the usual softcore action (usually of the lesbian variety) and / or nasty torture sequences that often exploit. But 99 Women doesn't really offer too much of either.
99 is actually more artistic than most of the "W.I.P." films that I've seen and as a result it comes off as a bit bland. The photography is fine but with most of the action taking place indoors the camera-work is not flashy. The acting
is pretty decent but the script is a bit "talky" in an unnecessary way.
The softcore action is not awfully titillating since many of the scenes are shot in an "artistic" fashion the X-rated version does
offer some hardcore inserts but you can easily tell they were added much latter since they don't match. "99 Women" has some style but not a lot of substance. A bit disappointing.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 with 1:00s of cuts
US: The Director's Cut is uncut and MPAA Unrated for:
2016 Blue Underground Limited Edition [Director's Cut + Hardcore Version] (RA) Blu-ray/(R1) DVD Combo
at US Amazon
2016 Blue Underground [Director's Cut only] (RA) Blu-ray/(R1) DVD Combo
at US Amazon
2013 Blue Underground Bad Girls Behind Bars Collection R0 DVD
at US Amazon
Onibaba is a 1964 Japan horror by Kaneto Shindo With Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura and Kei Sato
UK: Banned by the BBFC for:
UK 1965 cinema release
UK: Passed X (16) after BBFC cuts for:
UK 1968 cinema release
UK: Passed 15 uncut for:
UK 1994 Tartan VHS
Summary Review: Mask
After being forcefully inducted as a soldier into war in 14th century Japan, his wife and mother remain living in a swamp. They eke out their living by ambushing worn-out warriors, killing them and
selling their belongings to a greedy merchant. The woman comes to mistrust her daughter-in-law who has coupled up with a deserter, and begins to wear a facial mask she has taken from a slain samurai. Soon the mask will not come off again. In this
disguise she is at first taken for a demon by her daughter.
The ensuing drama is a tale of their sexual tension in the high summer heat, which is exemplified by the swaying of the reeds/grass, the faster the reeds blow in the wind
the higher the sexual tension.
Shindo also uses Black and White to stunning effect at a time when it was probably easier to film in colour. This is a Cinematic Masterpiece!
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 15 uncut
UK: Passed 15 uncut for:
UK 2013 Eureka/Masters of Cinema RB Blu-ray at UK Amazon
UK 2005 Eureka/Masters of Cinema R2 DVD
at UK Amazon
The Opening of Misty Beethoven is a 1976 USA adult comedy romance by
Radley Metzger. With Constance Money, Jamie Gillis and Jacqueline Beudant.
The softcore version was banned by the BBFC for 1977 cinema release. In 1983 the softcore version suffered further heavy BBFC cuts for an 18 rated cinema release. By 2005 it was passed R18 uncut for DVD. Uncut and MPAA Unrated in
the US.
Summary Review: A Jewel
Porn meets Pygmalion. Misty, the hooker, meets the sexologist who thinks he can transform her from the nadir of passion into someone who inspires passion.
While Misty is trained for her big test, seducing a homosexual artist, the relationship between the doctor and Misty remains unsettled.
Radley Metzger has created an unbelievable amalgamation of great script, fantastic
actors, and the best production value I've ever seen. Other films may have spent more on cheesy helicopter shots or period costumes, but you will never find a porn movie as good as this. The opening of Misty Beethoven holds up not only under the porn
standard, but under any film standards.
The sex is not of the grind house variety that you find in most XXX films but it is highly erotic, entertaining and with Ms. Money, surprisingly romantic. This is a jewel of an
erotic film.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed R18 uncut
UK: The Hardcore Version was passed R18 uncut for:
UK 2005 Arrow/JoyBear R0 DVD
US: The Hardcore Version is MPAA Unrated for:
US 2012 Distribpix Collector's Edition [Hardcore + Softcore Version] R0 Blu-ray at US Amazon
US 2012 Distribpix Collector's Edition [Hardcore + Softcore Version] R0 DVD at US Amazon
This was on Palace Video
pre-VRA. It's a reconstruction of the Manson "family" murders 'in realistic detail', to quote the sleeve. It's not very violent at all and could easily be cut today. It was rejected for largely political reasons within the BBFC. It's
actually a rather good film.
When adult films of the 70's made their way back into the mainstream of popular culture, Radley Metzger most definitely holds his regard as the finest adult filmmaker ever. My first encounter with Metzger's work was The Opening of Misty Beethoven
which, as a boy looking through a friend's parents videos, was far more than I'd expected. Years later, I was happy to view The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann , which, aside from the pornographic content, I found totally engrossing. I admit
being completely shocked by the surprise ending!
Maybe it's the recent admiration of independent film that has made the acting in Radley's movies seem so much better, but his camera work is unsurpassed in his field. Beautifully
shot, well acted smut, which borders on proving itself as erotica! Yeah for Radley Metzger!
The Panic In Needle Park is a 1971 USA drama by Jerry Schatzberg. Starring Al Pacino, Kitty Winn and Alan Vint.
Banned by the BBFC for 1971 cinema release but unbanned and X uncut for 1974 cinema release. The BBFC cut the 1987 18 rated VHS but was passed 18 uncut for 2002 DVD. In the US the PG rated is version is cut and the R rated version is
uncut.
Summary Review: Moderately Worthwhile
The film focuses on the ups and downs of two doomed souls, Bobby and Helen, who wasted their lives in a downward spiral into hell without any realistic
thought for tomorrow.
Panic has a bittersweet taste of an independent film: improvisational, free-form and razor-sharp realistic. There is no music throughout the film, only dialogues and real life sounds. It tastes
like a stale cigarette. Depressive mood and sordidness of Manhattan's Upper West Side are reflected perfectly. Intense and disturbing depiction of heroine shots are almost documentary nature.
The performances of Al
Pacino and Kitty Winn are top notch. The role earned Winn the Best Actress Award at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival.
The only downside is that it drags along at snails pace. It's moderately worthwhile and falls short of
being a classic.
Versions
uncut
run:
109:29s
pal:
105:06s
UK: Passed 18 uncut with previous BBFC cuts
waived for:
2016 Signal One Entertainment RB Blu-ray at UK Amazon
2011
Second Sight Special Edition R2 DVD at UK Amazon
A semi-autobiographical documentary by the hard-core film-maker John Lindsay about the fledgling porn industry. Consisting mostly of vox pops, the film is partly a defence of porn (it ends with the voiceover declaring,
In the final event Seventies British Cinema porn is rather like television. If you don't like it you can simply turn off ') and partly, and more curiously, an indictment of its own audience as sad punters who embody typical male weakness -- 'Men are
such suckers when they look at pretty birdies, Lindsay remarks, adding, Men are nuts, they like to see this crap
Although passed X after BBFC cuts for 1978 cinema release, this release was banned
locally by Cardiff Council.
Summary Review: A Difficult Story
A pre-teen girl grows up in a house of prostitution in the Storyville section of New Orleans in 1917.
A beautifully filmed
movie which tells a difficult story with a subtlety and power.
The movie is quite revealing about the business of prostitution during that time, but it is never exploitative and gives one the sense of how it really was,
and what might happen to children born into prostitution.
Malle's dispassionate take on all of this outraged viewers a quarter-century ago, but it all seems rather tame today.
Availability
Passed X (18) after BBFC cuts for:
UK 1979 cinema release
This release was banned locally by Cardiff Council.
The 1981 pre-cert VHS was released uncut. It was noted as significant that it was never prosecuted under the 1978 Protection of Children Act.
The pre-cert video was eventually passed 18 uncut
with previous cinema cuts waived for:
Prison Girls is a 1972 USA drama by Tom DeSimone (as Thomas De Simone). Starring Jacqueline Giroux, Annik Borel and Tracy Handfuss.
Banned by the BBFC from a 1973 cinema release. Uncut and X rated in the US.
Summary Notes
Six female prisoners are given a weekend furlough to prepare them for their upcoming
parole. While out, they all have miscellaneous sexual experiences, some good, some bad. One returns to her pimp even though he beats her, one overcomes her frigidity, one gets gang raped, two join in a threesome, and one goes back to her criminal lover
shortly before the police show up.
Une collection particulière is a 1973 France documentary short film by Walerian Borowczyk. Starring André Pieyre de Mandiargues.
The pre-cut Theatrical Version was banned by the BBFC for 1977 cinema
release although further cuts qualified it for an X rating later in the same year.
The Theatrical Version censors real sex via masking by the narrator's carefully placed finger. The uncut Oberhausen Cut reveals what's behind the masking, but real
bestiality has proved too much for modern day censors and so has been cut from recent German and 2014 UK releases.
A witty and eye-opening tour through Borowczyk's own collection of vintage erotica. Originally intended as part of his 'Contes immoraux', it was released first as a
separate short, and is therefore marks the turning-point between Borowczyk's career as a highly-regarded animator and surrealist filmmaker, and his subsequent career in the sexploitation field.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 after BBFC cuts for bestiality/extreme pornography
UK: A pre-cut version of The Oberhausen Cut was passed 18 for strong sex, sexual violence, explicit sexual images without further BBFC
cuts for:
Private Property is a 1960 USA crime drama by Leslie Stevens. Starring Kate Manx, Corey Allen and Warren Oates.
Banned by the BBFC in 1961. Not released in the UK since. Released in the US in 2016 on MPAA Unrated Blu-ray/DVD Combo.
Summary Notes
Duke and Boots, two young thugs, hold up a
California gas-station owner. Duke, viral and savage, taunts the slower and psychologically-confused Boots because he has never made a sexual conquest. Duke offers to seduce a woman for Boots and the pair force a passing motorist to pursue a sports car
driven by Ann Carlyle, the lustful wife of a insurance-company executive who has some desires of her own not being met by her husband.
Availability
Current UK Status: No UK release since ban
US: Uncut and MPAA Unrated for:
2016 Cinelicious Pics (RA) Blu-ray/(R1) DVD Combo at US Amazon
Promises..... Promises! is a 1963 USA comedy drama by King Donovan. Starring Jayne Mansfield, Marie McDonald and Tommy Noonan.
Noted as the first US mainstream film to feature nudity since the
introduction of the Hays Code. The film was released in a period when the code was still nominally in force but enforcement was in decline by 1963. The film included 3 topless scenes with Jayne Mansfield.
The film was inevitably banned by the BBFC,
first and in 1963, and again in 1967. The BBFC relented by 2011 when it was released with an uncut 15 rating for 2011 DVD.
Summary Notes
After a drunken spree on a cruise ship, two
women discover that they're pregnant, and set out to find who the fathers are.
Availability
UK: Passed 15 uncut for scenes of sexualised nudity:
Psycho Lover is a 1970 USA crime horror by Robert Vincent O'Neill (as Robert Vincent O'Neil). Starring Lawrence Montaigne, Jo Anne Meredith and Elizabeth Plumb.
Banned by the BBFC for 1971 cinema release. Cut in Australia for an R rated cinema release in 1978. Uncut and MPAA Unrated in the US.
Summary Notes
A psychiatrist plots to murder
his wife, but with a new twist: he will brainwash a patient he is treating into committing the crime.
Two scenes at 2m and 14m involve Marco raping and killing women. The latter also shows him having sex with the body. Cuts
would probably have been made to one or both of these attacks. Two other women are attacked at 34m and 77m, but neither result in onscreen rape or murder.
Pussy Talk is a 1975 France adult comedy fantasy by Claude Mulot (as Frédéric Lansac). Starring Pénélope Lamour, Béatrice Harnois and Sylvia Bourdon.
The softcore version was banned by the BBFC for 1976 cinema release but given a GLC
London certificate.
Later the softcore version was further cut for 2000 DVD.
Summary Review: Good piece of cinema
Le Sexe Qui Parle is in that rare class of rather famous films which actually happen
to be really good pieces of cinema. Penelope Lamour stars as a woman who discovers that her vagina has developed both a life and voice of its own. This soon becomes a problem for not only her, but her philanthropist husband as well...As the vagina
becomes more and more vocal (no pun intended), it ends up causing more and more trouble.
Narratively speaking, Le Sexe Qui Parle is flawed with a fair amount of noticeable continuity errors, and the rushed ending
does leave a bit to be desired in terms of resolution of the plot.
On the other hand, technically speaking, Le Sexe...has the look of any classy French production, hardcore or otherwise, from the period. The cinematography
and general look of the film are both first rate, and the original musical score is quite an incredible mix of easy listening pieces and classy jazz/disco sounding tunes.
Availability
Current UK Status: The softcore version was passed 18 after further BBFC cuts
Quiet Days in Clichy is a 1970 Denmark comedy drama by Jens Jørgen Thorsen. With Paul Valjean, Wayne Rodda and Ulla Koppel.
Banned by the BBFC for 1970 cinema release.
Summary Review: A portrait of
human depravity
Quiet Days in Clichy is an enjoyable and entertaining expose of the irreverent antics of two friends living a Bohemian existence in the Paris suburb of Clichy during the sexual revolution of
the sixties.
The film is based upon the novel of the same title by American author Henry Miller whose publications were the frequent cause of controversy in the US throughout the author's life.
The film has been the subject of discussion and controversy since it was first released in 1970 and the FBI seized the only English-language copies as they came into the US through customs in San Francisco - consequently the film
didn't make it to US theatres. The film has even been described by the Catholic Bishops Board of Review as a portrait of human depravity.
Nonetheless, it is unlikely to shock an audience of today - the film is
neither vulgar nor depraved - it couldn't really be described as pornographic; instead it could be better summarised as intellectual erotica.
It is gentle and humorous. Like life, it lacks a traditional storyline and is,
instead, a collection of experiences - some good, some bad, some funny, some not.
The Red Nights of the Gestapo is a 1977 Italy action war thriller by Fabio De Agostini. Starring Ezio Miani, Fred Williams and Francesca Righini.
Banned by the BBFC for 1979 cinema release but after 12 minutes were
censored it was given an X rated cinema release in 1981. An uncut bootleg was released in the UK in 2010. Uncut in the US.
Summary Notes
An illustrious group of German industrialists plot to
overthrow Hitler by negotiating a peace treaty with England. Disgraced, but dedicated Nazi officer Colonel Werner von Uhland is assigned by his superiors to ferret out these deceitful dissidents and stop them before it's too late. von Uhland recruits a
bunch of beautiful women to seduce these traitors and undermine their conspiracy.
A film based upon the same Nazi brothel bugging theme as Salon Kitty. Perhaps not as outrageous as one may expect from the packaging. However
there are some attractive actresses getting into the fun. The director seems to have done a good job with the talent available.
Availability
The BBFC rejected the cinema release of 1979
The BBFC relented on
their cinema ban in 1981 but only after having inflicted 12 minutes of cuts
An uncut version was released for the 2010 UK Excalibur DVD. No sign of this version in the BBFC data base though, so presumably a bootleg.
Current UK
Status: Passed 18 for the cinema after ~12:00s cuts
Requiem for a Vampire is a 1971 French horror film by Jean Rollin. With Marie-Pierre Castel, Mireille Dargent and Philippe Gasté.
The cinema release of 1972 was banned by the BBFC
Video
cut by 6:55s when submitted in 1993 by Redemption Films
Summary Review: Highly recommended
No one would be expecting a meaningful social commentary from a
film with this title, but please bear in mind when watching that this a Jean Rollin film, so don't expect a meaningful story either. This is mad, it has kinky lesbians and they're vampires. Happy days!
It's quite light
hearted for a Rollin flick and is at the fast end of his snail like pacing, but that isn't saying much on either count. It's no Daughters of Darkness either, so don't try to make sense of it, you'll end up as bonkers as Rollin.
Instead laugh at crap vampires and revel in the kink fest in the dungeon. It's bloody great and is a bona fide Eurotrash classic. Highly recommended.
Availability
Current UK Status:
Passed 18 after cuts of 6:55s
US: Uncut and MPAA Unrated for:
US 2012 Image/Redemption Re-mastered Edition RA Blu-ray via UK Amazon and
at US Amazon released on 29th May 2012
US 2012 Image/Redemption Re-mastered Edition
R1 DVD via UK Amazon and
at US Amazon released on 29th May 2012
Romper Stomper is a 1992 Australia crime drama by Geoffrey Wright. Starring Russell Crowe, Daniel Pollock and Jacqueline McKenzie.
Passed 18 uncut by the BBFC for 1982 cinema release and VHS. However the
film was banned by Glasgow Council for screening at the 1993 Glasgow Film Festival.
Summary Notes
Nazi skinheads in Melbourne take out their anger on local Vietnamese, who are seen as
threatening racial purity. Finally the Vietnamese have had enough and confront the skinheads in an all-out confrontation, sending the skinheads running. A woman who is prone to epileptic seizures joins the skins' merry band, and helps them on their run
from justice, but is her affliction also a sign of impurity?
Versions
uncut
run:
92:30s
pal:
88:48s
UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong violence, sex and language:
It was refused a certificate on the legal grounds of gross indecency. Gross indecency was defined in
British law as anything which an ordinary decent man or woman would find to be shocking, disgusting and revolting , or, which offended against recognised standards of propriety.
Unlike the Obscene
Publications Act - which at that stage did not apply to films - gross indecency allowed for no defence of artistic or cultural merit to be mounted on the film's behalf. Furthermore, there was no requirement to consider the film - or the film's purpose -
as a whole. If any part of the film was indecent then the whole film was illegal.
An uncut version was however screened in 1995 at the NFT. It was also briefly shown uncut in a Soho cinema club in 1977 but that resulted in a police raid.
Summary Review: Not for the
Faint-Hearted
There are few movies out there, if any, that can generate as much ire and disgust as Pasolini's Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma .
Not for the Faint-Hearted? You'd better believe it. And
thus, it's hard to really "recommend" this film to anyone, as you wouldn't really "recommend" divorce - But it's a life experience you can gain valuable knowledge from.
The film takes it's inspiration /
Modus Operandi from the Marquis De Sade's notorious novel The 120 Days of Sodom , which, if you have read it, you will know perfectly well what you can expect from the film. Transporting the setting to Mussolini-Era Fascist Italy, four
Aristocratic Libertines subject their young subjects to Sexual Manipulation and Torture, both physical and psychological.
Sardonicus is a 1961 USA horror mystery drama by William Castle. With Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton and Guy Rolfe.
Briefly banned by the BBFC for 1961 cinema release before being cut and X
rated. Uncut and 12 rated on VHS and DVD. Uncut and MPAA PG rated in the US.
Summary Notes
A search for a winning lottery ticket in his dead father's grave causes Sardonicus' face to freeze in a
horrible grimace, until he forces a doctor to treat his affliction--with even more grotesque results! The audience gets an opportunity to vote--via the "Punishment Poll"--for the penalty Sardonicus must pay for his deeds...
Satan's Sadists is a 1969 USA action horror drama by Al Adamson. Starring Russ Tamblyn, Scott Brady and John 'Bud' Cardos.
Banned by the BBFC for 1970 cinema release. Then cut by the BBFC for an
18 rated DVD in 2003. Uncut and MPAA R rated in the US.
Summary Notes
The "Satans" are a very cruel biker gang led by Anchor. The gang goes to a diner in the middle of
nowhere in the California desert where they begin to terrorize Lew and his patrons and his waitress, Tracy. After a little killing, one of the patrons named Johnny manages to escape from the bikers into the desert. They need to reach a town before the
Satans catch up to them and kill them.
Savage Streets is a 1984 US crime action film by Danny Steinmann. With Linda Blair, John Vernon and Robert Dryer.
Linda Blair armed with a crossbow (a forbidden weapon at the BBFC) avenges a deaf friend who was gang-raped. The leader of the rapists gets shot with the crossbow and then set ablaze.
This sleazy tale of high school revenge with Linda Blair is a must for bad film fans everywhere.
This sympathetic tale tells the story of Brenda
(Blair), a tough high school gal who spends her nights drinking peach brandy on the streets of LA with her equally tough friends. One night, they make the mistake of puttering with a gang called the Scars, and before you know it, the Scars have raped and
beaten Brenda's deaf, mute sister. Once Brenda learns the truth of what transpired, she vows revenge on those responsible.
This is the pre-eminent 80's high school movie - terrible music, awful acting, questionable violence and gratuitous nudity.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 uncut
UK: Passed 18 after previous BBFC cuts waived for:
Schulmädchen-Report 1. Teil - Was Eltern nicht für möglich halten
Confessions of a Sixth Form Girl is a 1970 West Germany softcore comedy romance by Ernst Hofbauer. Starring Günther Kieslich, Wolf Harnisch and Helga Kruck.
Banned by the BBFC for a cinema release in 1971 as Schoolgirl Report. Cut and re-titled for an X rated cinema release in 1976. Also cut in the US to remove a flashback scene depicting an underage encounter.
Summary Notes
A teenage girl is caught petting with the bus driver during an outing. The school's parent council discusses her punishment. One parent, a psychologist, suggests that her behavior is
not abnormal or worthy of expulsion. He describes teen girls' experiments with sex, and these dramatized vignettes, interspersed with man-in-the-street interviews with young women about their attitudes and experiences, make a case for 60's generation's
attitude of independence. The girls argue for telling the truth in the face of post-war German convention. In the end, will Renata be expelled or recognized as a girl from a new era?
Versions
cut
cut:
5:11s
run:
83:20s
pal:
80:00s
US: Cut to remove 2 scenes depicting underage encounters
Score is a 1974 US/Yugoslavia erotic drama by Radley Metzger . With Claire Wilbur, Calvin Culver and Lynn Lowry.
The BBFC banned the 1974 cinema release.
The Cut US Softcore Version was passed 18
for strong sex and nudity with 6:53s of pre-cuts for the 2013 Arrow home video release. An uncut R18 was available
Summary Review: Period Piece
Liberated '70s couple seduce another couple into experimentation
with bisexuality and group-sex.
The film calls for sexual liberation and it a fun look at sex and dialog of the stoned 70's. In the UNCUT version of Score Gerald Grant and Cal Culver (Casey Donovan of gay porn fame)
engage in explicit, X-rated sexual activity.
The bi-sexual theme may not sit well with a lot of folks and perhaps that is what makes the film so special and is is part of the enduring charm. People have trouble with
non-traditional sex (particularly for men).
Artfully photographed by Metzger himself and veteran cinematographer Franjo Vodopivec on location in Yugoslavia, has clever dialogue which removes outmoded notions of sexual parameters
from the start.
This movie was WAY ahead of its time with some great erotic scenes, plenty of nudity and drug references. The lead actress (Claire Wilbur) is marvelous in her role as Elvira, the swinging married seductress. Lynn
Lowry is quite convincing in her role as an innocent newlywed catholic school girl turned wild sexpot!
All in all, this movie is great fun to watch. It is an extremely enjoyable and often shocking piece of erotic cinema.
Availability
Current UK Status: The cut US Softcore Version was passed 18 with 6:53s of pre-cuts.
Love Me Deadly is 1973 US horror by Jacques Lacerte. With Mary Charlotte Wilcox, Lyle Waggoner and Christopher Stone.
Banned by the BBFC for 1973 cinema release.
Uncut and MPAA R rated in
the US.
Summary Review: Will You Love Me When I'm Dead
A grueling film about a lovely young housewife coming to terms with her compulsive necrophilia. Through frequent visits to the local mortuary,
she finds a clandestine society of like-minded individuals.
The movie plays its subject matter pretty straight and delivers a decent enough and unusual B movie.
Sex Adventures of the Three Musketeers is a 1971 West Germany / Switzerland sex comedy by Erwin C Dietrich (as Michael Thomas). Starring Peter Graf, Ingrid Steeger and Nadia Pilar.
Banned by the BBFC from a 1973 cinema release. It was also banned by local censors in Glasgow the following year. But by 1975 it was passed X by the BBFC.
Summary Notes
An "adults only" retelling of the legend of the Three Musketeers.
Versions
uncut
run:
78m
pal:
75m
UK: Passed X (18) uncut:
1975 cinema release
Maybe a minute shorter than expected so perhaps was cut
banned
run:
79m
pal:
76m
Glasgow
UK: Banned by the BBFC:
1973 cinema release
The film fell foul of Glasgow magistrates in 1974 on basis of its strong emphasis on immorality taking place behind the walls of convents and monasteries.
This movie is about the morality, education, and responsibilities pertaining to sexual freedom. Not only that, it has the most amazing
child birth sequence that could and should be used as a training tool and viewed by anyone that is interested in the miracle of child birth.
This very insightful movie should be shown in school sex education programs
internationally along with material already being presented in that forum, and is and all around must see for anyone deemed mature enough. It is a great introduction to various pertinent aspects in the sexual arena. It's delightful!
Shadows of Fiendish Ancestress and Occasionally Parajanov on Durian Cialis is a 2017 Singapore / Japan / Philippines romance by Tze Chuan Chew. Starring Raissa
Ai, Karla MC Bautista and Paolo Dumlao.
Banned by Thurrock Council from The Thurrock International Celebration of Film in September 2018. Councillor Deborah Huelin, Portfolio Holder for Communities,
explained:
Based on an initial review by the council, it was identified that two of the films could likely be rated R18 if a full assessment were carried out under the guidelines issued by the BBFC. These types of films
can only be shown in specially licensed sex cinemas or supplied by licensed sex shops. The entertainment license for the Thameside Theatre does not allow them to show R18 films which means that these two films cannot form part of the festival.
Summary Notes
With reference to native historical texts and the mythological and religious depiction of the Holy Whore, Chew constructs a mythology of a hermaphrodite who comes to town
to impart a wisdom that proves to be too carnal and untimely. Years in the making and strung together with documentary-like footage of orgiastic happenings, punctuated with moments of refrain into randomness, the film soon escalates into a schizophrenic
psychedelia of multicultural and polymorphous sexuality.
In his autobiography What the Censor Saw , former BBFC Secretary John Trevelyan stated that If mental illness is treated seriously, it can be entirely acceptable as material for a film, but if treated
sensationally I would find it totally unacceptable.
On 2 October 1963, writer-director-producer Samuel Fuller's black and white crime thriller Shock Corridor was submitted to the BBFC for classification, and presented some
familiar problems.
The BBFC Examiners notes described the film as a sensationalised picture of life in an American asylum , and one examiner noted that Shock Corridor shocked us . Their concerns included Cathy's
profession and appearance as a stripper (although the latter aspect is described as being rather tame'); the incest references; the murder motive; a scene where Barrett encounters a ward full of 'nymphomaniacs ; a scene of electro-shock treatment;
a nightmare sequence and a fight scene. Their report concluded We are satisfied that cutting would be impracticable and that a certificate should be refused.
The film was then referred to the BBFC's Secretary, John
Trevelyan. He viewed the film with two Examiners and the BBFC's President, and they agreed that this film should not be passed . As well as the issues previously noted, they believed that the film presents a mental hospital in a light that
would be considered objectionable in this country and that the film could not be cut to make it acceptable.
Trevelyan also had concerns about Cathy's strip-tease, the suggestion that a sane person could fake insanity to get
committed to a mental hospital, the suggestion that committal to a mental hospital could turn a sane person insane and its potentially harmful effect on mentally disturbed viewers .
Trevelyan sent a rejection letter
to the film's UK distributor, stating that The film portrays a picture of mental hospital life which is far removed from that in mental hospitals in this country, and which could well cause grave concern to people who have friends and relatives with
mental illness.
Summary Notes
Johnny Barrett, an ambitious journalist, is determined to win a Pulitzer Prize by solving a murder committed in a lunatic asylum and witnessed only by three
inmates, from whom the police have been unable to extract the information. With the connivance of a psychiatrist, and the reluctant help of his girlfriend, he succeeds in having himself declared insane and sent to the asylum. There he slowly tracks down
and interviews the witnesses - but things are stranger than they seem ...
BBFC Director John Trevelyan spoke about the board's view on mental
illness. The BBFC policy led the examiners to pass films that treated mental illness seriously and reject those in which the depiction of mental hospitals and illness were unjustified and alarmist He highlighted Family Life(1971) as an
exemplar of the former, stating: If mental illness is treated seriously, as in Family Life by Ken Loach it can be entirely acceptable as material for a film, but if treated sensationally I would find it totally unacceptable.
Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 is a 1987 USA comedy drama horror
thriller by Lee Harry. With Eric Freeman, James Newman and Elizabeth Kaitan.
Cut for an MPAA R rating. This was banned by the BBFC for 1987 cinema release and wasn't released again until an 18 rated Blu-ray in 2020.
Summary Review: Dumbed Down
Ricky, the
brother of the killer in the first film, talks to a psychitrist about how he became a brutal killer after his brother died, leading back to Mother Superior.
The murders are dumbed down a bit compared with the first part.
The acting, sets, cinematography, and even the special effects are mostly amateurish, and even laughable.
Versions
best available
cut
cut:
run:
88:33s
pal:
85:00s
UK: The cut US Version was passed 18
for strong bloody violence, sexual violence, sexualised violence without BBFC cuts:
2012 Starz/Anchor Bay [Silent Night
1+2] R1 DVD at US Amazon
See article from dvdcompare.net : A few frames of gore (including a bit of
liver popping out during the umbrella scene) were cut from the film to obtain an R rating, and have never been reinstated.
What Have You Done To Solange? is a 1972 Italy / West Germany mystery thriller by Massimo Dallamano. Starring Fabio Testi, Cristina Galbó and Karin Baal.
Banned by the BBFC for 1973 cinema release.
Later passed 18 after cuts for 1996 VHS. Uncut for 2015 DVD and Blu-ray.
Summary Notes
A teacher who is having an affair with one of
his students takes her out on a boat. They see a knife killing on shore. Other gruesome murders start occurring shortly thereafter, and the teacher suspects that he may be the cause of them.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 uncut
UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong sexualised violence, nudity for:
2015 Arrow Video (RB) Blu-ray/R2 DVD Combo at UK Amazon
Story of O is a 1975 France / West Germany / Canada drama by Just Jaeckin. Starring Corinne Cléry, Udo Kier and Anthony Steel.
Notably banned by the BBFC for 1975 cinema release. A shortened English
language version was passed 18 without BBFC cuts for 2000 cinema release and DVD. The English Version is MPAA X rated in the US. The French version is uncut with more philosophising but makes more sense.
Summary Notes
The beautiful O is taken by her boyfriend, Rene, to a bizarre retreat, where she is trained in bondage and sexual perversion. Rene discharges a personal debt by transferring possession of O to his step-brother, Sir Stephen.
It is most certainly worth viewing the French original, for its insight into the world of BDSM, although as with the book it is fantasy, but that clearly shows its faithfulness to the book, and is most certainly
worth watching, and a valued addition to my DVD collection.
Availability
The BBFC banned the 1975 cinema.
Short dubbed English version was passed 18 without BBFC cuts for the 2000 cinema release and Arrow
R2 DVD.
A solid,
well-crafted giallo that delivers the goods without achieving classic status.
The characters are interesting without being in any way sympathetic. The men are manipulative predators and the women play dangerous
games. In the last act, the sado-masochistic undercurrents make way for a series of plot twists. While these are not too predictable, the final solution is unremarkable.
Stranger from Canton is a 1973 Hong Kong action film by Yeo Ban-Yee. With Hao-ran Chen, Yuan Chen and Yi Feng.
UK: Banned by the BBFC for:
UK 1976 cinema release
UK: A shortened version was passed X (18) after further extensive BBFC cuts for:
UK 1976 cinema release
UK: Passed 18 after 35s of BBFC cuts for:
UK 1987 VPD VHS
Summary Review: Downright visceral
The film features a solid cast of Hong Kong film luminaries and fight after brutal, bone-crushing fight.
Jason Pai Piao plays a dapper hero who catches knives in his
teeth and takes bites out of them. The imposing Thompson Kao Kang plays the lead villain, a dangerous fighter who wields his queue--or pigtail--as a weapon.
The fights in this movie are downright visceral. If you enjoy the dark,
violent martial arts films of this period, Stranger from Canton will be right up your alley.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 after 35s of BBFC cuts
The film was viewed in 1975 by the Board's Secretary, Stephen Murphy, and the President, Lord Harlech. They agreed there was no
prospect of classification and, in a letter to the distributor, Murphy noted: I regret that we are unable to offer certification for this film: nor can we see how it can be cut to make it acceptable to us. We accept that it is a film of some
seriousness of purpose: though also of some obscurity. Nevertheless, in many respect, it goes beyond the standards of taste which the Board is currently prepared to accept .
In 1978, Connoisseur Films approached the
BBFC, having being offered the rights to the film. They enquired about whether there was any prospect of the film being classified. There is no record in the Board's files of what James Ferman told the company, although there is a note that he spoke to
them about it on 10 January 1978. Given that the film was never formally submitted, we can only assume that he discouraged the company.
The film was formally submitted by a new distributor, Lazer Films, in 1980. Examiners
suggested that cuts should be made to remove any potentially indecent images from the Anna Planeta scene (which had not been an issue in 1975), to remove the whole sequence in which three men crap in competition and then show it to crowd , and to
remove some of the more extreme open-leg shots towards the end of the film, in which Carol Laure wallows in liquid chocolate. [Laure herself had earlier fought a legal battle to have these shots suppressed]. It was conceded by examiners that certain
other scenes, most notably the scene in which Miss Canada's husband urinates directly onto her, were very strong. However, it was felt that these scenes could not be cut without ruining the meaning of the film. However, in spite of negotiations between
the BBFC and the distributor, the film was simply withdrawn from the classification process, possibly because of the difficulty of making cuts, in particular to the Anna Planeta sequence.
Summary Review :
Dark recesses
There are some films that are designed to shock, some designed to titillate, some that delight in disgusting the view. For Makavejev, shock, disgust and titillation are
never the purpose, but a means to a form of psycho-liberation. Makavejev in Sweet Movie hurtles us head first into the confronting theses of Post-Freudian Wilhelm Reich. We are forced to confront our relationship to our primal beings. He literally smears
our consciousness with faeces, vomit and carnality.
We cannot watch orgiastic scenes of regressive acts, a sensual striptease played out inches from the faces of young boys, Carol Laure masturbating in a pool of molten chocolate without a
visceral reaction. We are forced to confront our own repressed desires and shine a light in the dark recesses of our own psyche.
Schulmädchen-Report 7: Doch das Herz muß dabei sein
Schoolgirl Report 7: What The Heart Must Thereby...
Lucifer's Angels
1974 West Germany erotic mock documentary by Ernst Hofbauer. With Alfred Acktun, Puppa Armbruster and Hans Bergmann.
Thanks to MichaelG and bleach
Banned by the BBFC for:
UK 1977 cinema release
Summary Review: Retro-romp
A bunch of lovely teenage schoolgirls work at a secret brothel where they have sex with high paying older men. After the girls all get arrested for prostitution, several of them discuss how they
wound up working at said brothel
It's done in a cinema-verite style regarding the declining morals, the conflict of promiscuity versus morality, parental guilt, and the pervading sense of anti-authoritarianism prevalent at that
time.
As a light-hearted, soft-core retro-romp from that era it's a damned good time for those who can appreciate such things
The Telephone Book is a 1971 USA comedy by Nelson Lyon. With Margaret Brewster, Roger C. Carmel, David Dozer.
Banned by the BBFC for 1971 cinema release. Uncut and MPAA Unrated in the US.
Summary Review: Underground
The story of a day in the life of a lonely, sensitive, exuberant,
attractive, young woman. Her exploits, encounters, and frustrations as she attempts to find a special someone, a caller who has class , as she puts it.
Funny, near brilliant, underground movie about the sexual
perversions of everyday people. A terrific example of grass roots filmmaking were the creativity and ingenuity of the director.
Availability
Current UK Status: Not released since the ban
US: Uncut and MPAA Unrated for:
US 2013 Vinegar Syndrome R0 Blu-ray/R0 DVD Combo at US Amazon
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 1974 US horror film by Tobe Hooper. With Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal and Allen Danziger.
In the US the film was initially rated X, but attained an R rating after cuts. This was the last X certificate granted by the MPAA prior to the introduction of NC-17. The R rated version has been used for all releases worldwide. In the UK, the
1975 cinema release was famously banned by the BBFC. Some local councils overrode the BBFC ban and passed it X with a local certificate. The ban continued well into the home video era until unbanned (and released uncut) in 1999.
Famously banned by the
BBFC for 1975 cinema release. See article from sbbfc.co.uk :
Tobe Hooper's seminal horror film was first seen informally by the BBFC's Secretary, Stephen Murphy, on 27 February 1975. Murphy regarded it as a good, well-made film but felt strongly that the level of terrorisation, particularly
towards the end of the film, and the film's focus on abnormal psychology was unsuitable for a BBFC X certificate to be issued. The distributor reacted to this advice by making some minor reductions in the final scenes of terrorisation,
formally submitting a slightly truncated version on 12 March 1975.
A pre-cut version was passed X by the GLC for a London 1975 cinema release
The film was shown in some others towns with a local authority certificate overruling
the BBFC ban but the BBFC ban was enforced in others
The Pre-cert VHS was released uncut on the Wizard label in 1981
At around this time, the BBFC was once again asked to consider cuts for a legitimate video release but failed to see how an
acceptable version could be produced. The film therefore fell into limbo and was removed from the shelves following the introduction of the Video Recordings Act.
Passed 18 uncut by Camden Council in London for a Camden 1998 cinema release.
It was
given a late night screening at the 1998 London Film Festival and then ran successfully in Camden at the beginning of 1999.
The BBFC ban had persisted until 1999. An official BBFC comment from their website just before the granting of the cinema
certificate in 1999 read:
Most questions about THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (and sequels) assume that the problem is one of violence or horror. In fact the reason that the film was refused certification was the result of
the perceived degree of terrorisation of women and threat to defenceless women. The Board has for many years operated a very strict policy with regard to sexual violence, based on the incidence of this sort of behaviour in real life and the fact that a
great deal of research does indicate that this is the one area where media representations do seem to have quite direct effects on attitudes and behaviour. The film was rejected by the Board on film and is most unlikely to be classified on video, where
the law demands a stricter test, under amendments to the Video Recording Act 1984 contained in the Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994.
The BBFC finally relented on their ban in 1999 when they passed the cinema release and
subsequent video/DVD versions 18 uncut with the following comment:
The notoriety of the film may owe a lot to its original rejection by the BBFC in 1975. It was passed for viewing in Europe, the USA, Australia and other
countries. It received a GLC licence in the 1970s and was most recently shown in central London in 1998 under a licence from Camden Council. There is, so far as the Board is aware, no evidence that harm has ever arisen as a consequence of viewing the
film. For modern young adults, accustomed to the macabre shocks of horror films through the 1980s and 1990s, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is unlikely to be particularly challenging. Unlike more recent examples of the genre, violence in THE TEXAS
CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is throughout implied rather than explicit. By today's standards, its visual effects may seem relatively unconvincing.
Possibly the most notorious feature is the relentless pursuit of the 'Final Girl'
throughout the last half hour or so of the film. The heroine in peril is a staple of the cinema since the earliest days. It is nonetheless legitimate to question the unusual emphasis THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE places on the pursuit of a defenceless and
screaming female over such an extended period. The Board's conclusion, after careful consideration, was that any possible harm that might arise in terms of the effect upon a modern audience would be more than sufficiently countered by the
unrealistic, even absurd, nature of the action itself. It is worth emphasising that there is no explicit sexual element in the film, and relatively little visible violence.
Summary Review: Classic of its generation
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is undoubtedly one of the scariest films ever made and its raw power remains undiminished to this very day. Tobe Hooper somehow created a genuine fright machine which changed the face
of the horror genre completely.
The story revolves around a group of teenagers being chased, terrified and murdered when they stumble upon a canabilistic family in the countryside. The main character, Leatherface, who's
remorseless killings were loosely based on real life 1950's Texan murderer Ed Gein.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a classic of its generation and deserves to be part of any respectable film collection. Just don't
watch it alone.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 uncut
The R rated version was passed 18 without cuts after the BBFC finally relented on their ban for:
Thriller: A Cruel Picture is a 1973 Sweden action thriller by Bo Arne Vibenius (as Alex Fridolinski). Starring Christina Lindberg, Heinz Hopf and Despina Tomazani.
Banned by the BBFC and Swedish film censors for 1973-4 cinema release. Passed X by the BBFC after heavy cuts for 1976 cinema release. Heavily cut in the US for an R rating. There is an uncut Unrated US release that contains hardcore
inserts.
Summary Review: Bleak
Gorgeous Swedish cult siren Christina Lindberg plays Frigga who cannot speak after a childhood trauma. A rather shady character kidnaps her and after getting her
hooked on heroine, he forces her to work as a prostitute, and gouges her eye out when she refuses her first client. Frigga saves her money and pays for lessons in martial arts, before taking her revenge on those cruel customers and her pimp.
As the title suggests this is one viciously bleak film. From the barren wind swept Swedish landscape and eerie electric score to the hard core sex scenes and eye gouge scene which was created using a real cadaver, Thriller is
a truly potent cult shocker.
Lindberg is a truly striking and unforgettable cult figure, carrying a shotgun and dressed all in black she is enigmatic and certainly makes shameless plagiarizer Tarantino's work look pale by
comparison.
Availability
Current UK Status: never submitted on video. Passed X after heavy cuts for cinema
Top Sensation is a 1969 Italy drama by Ottavio Alessi. Starring Rosalba Neri, Edwige Fenech and Eva Thulin.
Banned by the BBFC for 1970 cinema release. passed 18 uncut for 2016 DVD.
Uncut and X rated in the US but later cut for an MPAA R rating. There is also a German version and mentions of additional footage shot in 1970.
Summary Notes
Attempting to cure her mentally
handicapped son's virginity, his mother and several friends embark on a cruise which strands them on nearly deserted island where lust and murder are on the menu!
The film was first screened privately for Trevelyan by the distributor, Connoisseur, to gauge his personal opinion. He indicated that all
references to and depictions of sexual sadism would have to be removed: This kind of sexual perversion is a dangerous one and I am sure we would not pass anything that might stimulate a pervert of that kind. When officially submitted to the BBFC
the film was rejected, a ruling which this time was backed by the GLC and other councils. [However there is no record of a formal ban in the BBFC database].
The film was eventually granted an X certificate in 1977, having
already been granted a certificate by the Bristol authority and screened successfully at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
Passed 13 uncut in 2013.
Summary Review
This stylish, cult 1966 erotic
thriller stars French new wave icons Jean-Louis Trintigant. He plays a drug courier smuggling a stash of cocaine from Paris to Antwerp on the Trans-Europ-Express. Matters are complicated by surreal encounters with police, three filmmakers who are also on
the train making a film about drug-traffickers and erotic-fantasy sequences featuring Pisier being bound and subjected to Trintignant's will.
One of the most entertaining and involving films I've ever seen, managing to be
cerebral and clever as can be while never giving into being impenetrable for the sake of being impenetrable.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 15 uncut
UK: Passed 15 uncut
for strong violence and sexual fetish images for:
The Trip is a 1967 USA drama by Roger Corman. With Peter Fonda, Susan Strasberg and Bruce Dern.
Banned by the BBFC for:
1988 Rank VHS
1980 cinema release
1971 cinema release
1967 cinema release
James Ferman was quoted as saying In the wrong hands , a tremendous advertisement for LSD .
Later passed 18 uncut for TV in 2002 and DVD in 2004
Summary Review: Far out man!
Paul Groves (Peter Fonda), a television commercial director, is in the midst of a personality crisis. His wife Sally (Susan Strasberg) has left him and he seeks the help of his friend John (Bruce Dern), a self-styled guru who's an advocate of LSD. Paul asks John to be the guide on his first "trip". John takes Paul to a "freak-out" at his friend Max's (Dennis Hopper) pad.
The superb title music by Electric Flag sets the scene for one of the most adventurous of cinematic offerings.
Just why it was banned is unknown and seemingly absurd, of course it portrays drug
taking with little emphasis on the dangers surrounding such indulgence, but to argue depiction of such behaviour promotes others to follow suit would suggest that all films with any violence or portrayal of war should also be banned.
Besides the beauty of the film renders all objections irrelevant. It offers stunning visuals and great actors. A real slice of psychedelic culture and despite seeming slightly dated, has it's heart in the right place. Far out man!
Tropic of Cancer is a 1970 USA biography by Joseph Strick. With Rip Torn, James T Callahan and David Baur.
Banned by the BBFC for 1970 cinema release. Later the film was granted a London X certificate but hasn't been released since. Uncut on 2010 DVD is the US.
After the BBFC banned the film the distributors tried their luck with local
authorities. In March 1971 the film was viewed by Glasgow licensing magistrates who decided to ban the film. It was reported that one magistrate referred to the film as filthy, disgusting, depraved..
Thanks to Gary.
After the BBFC ban, the film was given a GLC X certificate. It was shown on Sky in the early 1990s. Its most recent UK showing was in November 2009, as part of the Barbican's directorspective of the work of Joseph Strick.
Trivia point: It's almost certainly the first US major-studio film to feature the word 'cunt' in its dialogue - earlier than the usual film so credited, Carnal Knowledge .
Summary Review: Fairly
Explicit
Henry is an ex-pat in Paris, cadging drinks and meals and places to sleep, giving advice about women to clueless men, flirting with the wives of acquaintances, burning bridges, and making philosophical
observations. In vignettes we see his wife Mona come to Paris and leave immediately when she tastes Henry's vagabond life; he tries teaching English at a school in Dijon, takes the son of a wealthy Indian to a bordello, gets a job as a proofreader at the
Herald Tribune, and helps out a pal who's in and out of an asylum and deeply in love with a whore. Can Henry make his own discovery of ecstasy?
The movie had difficulty synthesizing Henry Miller's sense of sacred and
profane in harmony. It tried now with a Rip Torn voiceover reading from Miller's work, then with some poetic shots of the beauty of Paris. It never really seemed to succeed.
The movie could never find anything to focus on.
It represents a string of vignettes, and they don't seem to lead to any common goal. Many scenes seem to concentrate on the minor characters for much too long, and without apparent purpose. Such picaresque efforts rely on the charm of characterization
for impact, and this film has some of that, but not enough. It's structured as if somebody said let's make a film of Tropic of Cancer without actually feeling any passion for why they wanted to do that.
It was
certainly interesting to see Rip Torn so young and so good-looking, and to see Ellen Burstyn in such a flagrant display of nudity. Some of the locales are accurately evocative, and Torn is reasonably credible in the lead. It is fairly explicit in the
sexual scenes, and extremely explicit in its use of language.
Venus in Furs is a 1969 West Germany/Switzerland/Italy erotic film by Massimo Dallamano. With Laura Antonelli, Régis Vallée and Loren Ewing.
The BBFC rejected the 1970 cinema release Passed X (18) after BBFC cuts for
UK 1971 cinema release
Passed 18 after 2:32s of BBFC cuts for 1993 Redemption VHS Passed 18 after 1:05s of BBFC cuts for UK 2007 Argent/Shameless R0 DVD
Summary Review:
Skilfully Made
Based on the infamous novel by Leopold Sacher-Masoch this fine film follows the perverted passions of a young couple as Severin watches the beautiful Wanda writhing naked amongst furs. His disturbing peeping
tomism triggers off a whirlpool of emotions due to a childhood episode which punishes voyeurism with pain.
The movie is worthy for your collection, especially if you like the movies from seventies. The performance of Laura
Antonelli and Regis Vallee is not bad. The scenes are played and all film is made as erotic, not pornography.
Virgin Witch is a 1972 UK horror by Ray Austin. With Ann Michelle, Vicki Michelle and Keith Buckley.
Banned by the BBFC for UK 1971 cinema release.
Passed X (18) by the GLC (Greater
London Council) for London 1971 cinema release. Passed X (18) after BBFC cuts for UK 1972 cinema release.
Presumably the cut cinema version was released for UK 1979 Intervision VHS.
Released uncut for UK 1983 Intervision VHS.
Passed 18 uncut by
the BBFC for UK 1993 Redemption VHS.
Summary Review: So-So at Best
Christine gets her big chance at modelling when she applies at Sybil Waite's agency. Together with Christine's sister Betty they go to a castle for the
weekend for a photo shoot
Yeah, there's this coven of witches, and a couple of cute girls are being lured into it, but that doesn't prevent this film from being only so-so at best. One of the girls becomes the plaything of
the head female witch, but any potential eroticism is wasted as they never actually do anything together. Aside from a couple of brief moments when the girls are without their clothes, this film was just plain boring.
A grim police detective embarks on a one-man crusade to track down a depraved sex maniac when a nightclub dancer receives a disturbing series of obscene phone calls. Finding himself
getting far too close to the victim for comfort, the hard-boiled cop must track down the unbalanced pervert before he can carry out his sick threats...
The Wild Angels is a 1966 USA action drama by Roger Corman. Starring Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra and Bruce Dern.
Banned by the BBFC for 1966 cinema release. Cut by the BBFC for an X rated
1972 cinema release. Uncut and 18 rated for VHS. Uncut and 15 rated for DVD. Uncut and MPAA R rated in the US.
Summary Notes
Peter Fonda plays 'Heavenly Blues', the leader of Hell's Angels chapter
from Venice, California while Bruce Dern plays 'Loser', his best pal. When they both botch their attempt to retrieve Loser's stolen bike, Loser ends up in the hospital. When the Angels bust him out, he dies, and they bury him. Nancy Sinatra plays Mike,
Blues' "old lady" and Diane Ladd plays Loser's wife (Dern's real-life wife at the time). The plot is basically a buildup to the last half-hour of the film in which Loser's funeral becomes another wild party.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 15 uncut
UK: Passed 15 uncut for strong sexualised threat and moderate drug use for:
Two juvenile delinquents break into a luxury house where they rape two women. They settle in the
house, sell the valuables and kill a curious neighbour.
Without a Stitch is a 1968 Denmark comedy drama by Annelise Meineche. Starring Anne Grete Nissen, Ib Mossin and Joan Gamst.
Banned by the BBFC for 1969 cinema release. Passed X after BBFC cuts for an
X rated 1975 cinema release.
Summary Notes
When a high-school girl complains of her inability to reach sexual climax, her doctor suggests that she keep a diary of her sexual encounters. She does just
that and soon finds herself caught up in a sexual merry-go-round that includes making a hardcore porno film in Sweden, an escapade with a German sadist and a lesbian encounter.
Availability
Current UK Status: passed X after BBFC cuts for cinema.
US: Hopefully uncut and MPAA Unrated for:
Video Dimensions R1 DVD at US Amazon titled Without a Stitch
Women in Cages is a 1971 US/Philippines prison film by Gerado de Leon. With Judith Brown, Roberta Collins and Jennifer Ga.
Banned by the BBFC for 1972 cinema release and cut for 1986 VHS.
Summary Review:
Tropical Prison
Set in a nameless Latin American prison but filmed in the Filipino jungle. The film featured a mixed cast of local Philippines and American exploitation regulars, but it's remembered as the first
high-profile role for the later Queen of Blaxploitation, Pam Grier.
Grier plays the sadistic warden, a pot-smoking lesbian with a fully-equipped torture chamber (including a guillotine!). The New Fish , a ditzy
blonde ex-stripper called Alabama, has taken the heroin possession rap for her pimp boyfriend. She knows too much, so the pimp blackmails her cellmates to execute her.
A competent and well-shot entry in the tropical prison
genre from Filipino director Gerry De Leon, it places the embittered ex-addict and prostitute Grier in the position of slave owner, watching her white charges toiling away in the plantation with obvious ironic glee.
Availability
Current UK Status: Passed 18 after 3:19s of BBFC cuts
The US release is uncut and MPAA R Rated for:
US 2011 Shout! Factory Women in Cages Collection RA Blu-ray at US Amazon
US 2011
Shout! Factory Women in Cages Collection R1 DVD at US Amazon
