Don’t Go There…New US release of the video nasty, Don’t Go in the Woods

The uncut region 1 DVD is available at US Amazon for release on 26th May 2009 Read more about the Video Nasties on MelonFarmers.co.uk

A US region 1 double bill is set for release on 26th May 2009. The Code Red DVD features Don’t Go in the Woods…Alone! and The Forest Don’t Go in the Woods…Alone! is a 1980 US horror by James Bryan Historically it was released in the UK on the Video Releasing Organisation label in March 1982. Banned as a video nasty in October 1983. It stayed on the list throughout the panic so became one of the collectable DPP39s Passed 15 uncut in February 2007 Review from imdb: Movie for a laugh I rented this movie, hoping to find a good movie. It was… if you’re into comedy! This movie had deadpan acting, no storyline at ALL (a maniac roaming around, killing people for no reason, which may not be THAT bad), and a stupid looking killer (when he’s being stabbed at the end, it looks as though his chest is made of brick, or is that CARDBOARD?). The gore was supplemental, however, and I always recommend this movie for a laugh (in fact, I rented it again just to show my friend how bad it was!). It kept me laughing however and the ending hinted towards a sequel…. maybe it would be better around now? This movie gets a definite 2 out of 10 since it kept me laughing. The Forest is a 1982 US horror by Donald M Jones (Pyramid Distribution) The BBFC cut 22s from the 1988 Pyramid video. The opening stabbing scene was edited

Nasty but no Cannibals…Old cuts to video nasty Cannibal Man

The uncut region 1 DVD is available at US Amazon The uncut region 1 DVD is available via UK Amazon

Cannibal Man is a 1972 Spanish horror by Eloy de la Iglesia (Redemption Films) The BBFC cut 3s when the Redemption Films video was submitted in 1993 The cuts were to a scene of throat slashing Previously it was released by Intervision uncut in November 1981. It was banned as a video nasty in July 1983. It stayed on the list throughout the panic and became one of the collectable DPP39s. The cover was a flimsy slip case that didn’t last long so adding to the rarity of a mint condition cover.Review from US Amazon: Pseudo-sleazy Real slaughterhouse footage and scenes of dirty urban slums set the tone for this stark and obsessive Spanish horror flick. A slaughterhouse employee named Marcos gets attacked by a cabdriver who takes objection when he and his girlfriend are making out in the back seat, and Marcos kills him. This sets in motion a week of killing, first to cover up the cabdriver’s death, and afterward to keep the bodies piling up in his bedroom a secret. He tries to dispose of the body parts at the slaughterhouse, but he can’t do it fast enough and soon the stench of the corpses is becoming a problem, and Marcos slips further and further into madness. Weird, pseudo-sleazy film that works even though it doesn’t even attempt to live up to its title – there’s *no cannibalism*. The dubbing is pretty bad and there’s not much gore (most of the nastiness happens off-screen), but there’s plenty of atmosphere and a sense of desperation builds in Marco’s apartment. It’s not big on splatter, but it’s still worth a look for Eurohorror fans.

Less Heroes…Old cuts to Heroic Trio

Thanks to Bleach

Heroic Trio is a 1993 Hong Kong action film by Johnny To The BBFC cut 4s from the MIHK video of 1995Thanks to Bleach: At 69.5 mins – During explosion, remove two close ups of children urinating through loincloths. Cuts were waived for a 2006 Medusa Comms DVD that never saw the light of day US DVDs from Buena Vista and Miramax are said to be cut by 3mins

Drawing a Blank…Lords show little interest in debating dangerous cartoons

Thanks to pbr on the Melon Farmers Forum See Coroners and Injustice Bill Lords 2nd Reading

The Dangerous Cartoons offence was up for debate at the 2nd Reading of the Coroners and Justice Bill in the House of Lords on 18th May 2009. It didn’t get much of a look in though. There were a total of three references noted to the dangerous drawings offence and they are thus: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: From 1997 to 2008, the Internet Watch Foundation achieved a 17 per cent fall in child pornography sites through monitoring. I am glad that the Government have included in the Bill provisions on pseudo-photography of children. That inclusion is essential for this work, as some really disturbing images are emerging, particularly out of Japan. Lord Kingsland: Clauses 54 to 58 deal with prohibited images of children. We entirely accept the necessity for these clauses in the Bill. Lord Henley complained that there was no debate on the drawings offence in the Commons – but was part of a much larger complaint about the lack of debate on the whole Bill: he gave no opinion either way.

Dark Floors…3 copies of the new DVD to be given away to readers of the Melon Farmers

The uncut region 2 DVD is available at UK Amazon See also YouTube trailer Thanks to Metrodome for providing the prizes

The Give Away: Just email Dave at webmaster@melonfarmers.com by midday on  28th May. Mention Dark Floors and I will enter you in a draw for the three region 2 DVDs available to Melon Farmers readers. Only one entry per reader and you must be at least 18 years old to enter. The Movie: Dark Floors by Pete Riski starring Skye Bennet & Lordi Dark Floors is a terrifying supernatural horror written by and starring the infamous hard rock band, Lordi. In a similar vein as Resident Evil and The Devil’s Rejects, the cramped confines of a dark and sinister hospital become the setting for a series of brutal and gruesome attacks, as a father battles to save the life of his daughter. Sarah is an autistic little girl whose father is worried about her health. Concerned for her, the father sees her removal from the hospital by force as the only option. An elevator breakdown prevents a smooth exit and leaves them trapped with others yet this incident is only the beginning of a descent into nightmare. As the doors open, the hospital appears mysteriously deserted. When mutilated bodies are found, creatures from the underworld start a terrifying attack and it soon becomes clear that the survival of the group may rest solely on the little girl. See also YouTube trailer

Even a Man Can Do It…ASA dismisses complaints about Oven Pride advert

Based on article from asa.org.uk See also advert on youtube.com

A TV ad, for an oven cleaner, included a voice-over that stated so easy, even a man can do it. A man was shown raising his eyebrows and making childlike facial expressions whilst a pregnant woman, who appeared cross, stood beside him holding the product. The voice-over described how easy the product was to use and the man was then shown to use it with exaggerated delight whilst being watched by the disapproving woman. The ad ended with the voice-over stating … let Oven Pride do its thing so he can do more. The man looked aghast at this thought while the woman smiled. The voice-over repeated so easy, even a man can do it. Text on screen at the end of the ad stated Note: no men were harmed during the making of this commercial. Most of the 673 complainants considered that the ad suggested that men were stupid and lazy. They therefore complained that the ad was sexist and offensive. Other complainants considered that the ad suggested that cleaning was generally a woman’s job. They therefore complained that the ad was offensive and demeaning to women. ASA Assessment: Not upheld The ASA considered that the scenario of a man who did not enjoy cleaning the oven being “forced” to do so by his disapproving wife was portrayed in a manner that was likely to be seen by the majority of viewers as light hearted and comical. The mans behaviour in particular and the “disclaimer” at the end of the ad were clearly intended to be over the top and humorous and both characters childlike behaviour appeared incredulous. We noted that the ad used mild humour to refer to traditional gender stereotypes but considered that the overall impression was such that it did not portray either gender in a way that stigmatised, humiliated or undermined them by using harmful stereotypes. We noted some might consider the humour in the ad in poor taste but concluded that it was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence. We investigated the ad under CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rules 6.1 (Offence) and 6.6 (Harmful or negative stereotypes) but did not find it in breach.

Slaughtered by the BBFC…New US uncut release of Slaughter High

The uncut region 1 DVD is available at US Amazon The uncut region 1 DVD is available via UK Amazon

Slaughter High is a 1986 UK/US horror by George Dugdale  (Locus) The BBFC cut 32s when the video was submitted in 1987 From cuts details on IMDb Cut to remove shots of nudity and burnt breasts during the acid bath and electrocution killings. Review from US Amazon: Not to be taken seriously Some of the other reviewers were way too critical with this movie. Slaughter high is not to be taken seriously. The reason I like this flick is that it is just down right amusing with the creative (yet sometimes outrageous when taking logic into consideration, i.e. the bathtub scene) death scenes, the cheesy soundtrack, and like others have said, the obviously British actors poorly trying to speak like Americans. go into it with a light frame of mind and ignore all the rules of what makes a good movie. this movie is just so bad that it’s good.

Red Hot Website Links…TV censor fines Red Hot Channels for links to hardcore websites and TVX2 for R18 content

Based on censorship report [pdf] from ofcom.org.uk

No So Red Hot Channels Ofcom have fined RHF Productions Ltd £25,000 for broadcasting the URLs of websites that feature hardcore teasers without an age verification mechanism. The softcore pay per view channels were broadcasting the links between 21 July 2008 and 28 August 2008. Ofcom considered: Rule 1.2: In the provision of services, broadcasters must take all reasonable steps to protect people under eighteen Rule 1.3: Children must also be protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them Rule 2.1: Generally accepted standards must be applied to the contents of television and radio services so as to provide adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or offensive material Rule 2.3: In applying generally accepted standards broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context…Such material may include, but is not limited to, offensive language…[and] sex…. In Broadcast Bulletin 114 dated 21 July 2008, Ofcom published a breach Finding against RHF. Free-to-air trailers broadcast in February 2008 on Red Hot TV which included verbal and on-screen text references to RHF’s website address www.redhottv.co.uk and Portland Enterprises’ website address www.televisionx.co.uk. The websites to which the Website URLs led, featured content equivalent to BBFC R18-rated material which could be viewed without registration. As a result, it was the responsibility of all Licensees (including RHF) to take all appropriate and immediate steps to comply with the Code. On 14 August 2008, Ofcom were again alerted to the offending Website URLs. The Website URLs led to websites which, although they included a warning on their front page, contained extremely explicit sexual material (equivalent to BBFC R18-rated material). This did not require registration to view and could be seen by under-eighteens. On being contacted by Ofcom on 28 August 2008, however, RHF took immediate steps to ensure the removal of the Website URLs from the Red Hot Channels. This was achieved on 28 August 2008. Ofcom noted that whilst the content of the websites, to which the Website URLs led, was not broadcast material, and therefore not subject to the Code, the on-air references to the Website URLs were clearly broadcast content and must comply with the Code. The on-air references to the Website URLs did not comply with the Code because they led users to websites allowing unrestricted access to R18-rated equivalent material. Television Not So X 2 Ofcom have fined Portland Enterprises Ltd £27,500 for showing a little hardcore female masturbation on its softcore TVX 2 channel. Ofcom considered: Rule 1.25: BBFC R18-rated films or their equivalent must not be broadcast Ofcom received a complaint that the programme Bathroom Bitches broadcast on Television X2 (TVX2) on 4 September 2008 at 21:53, although encrypted, contained R18 equivalent material. Portland Compliance admitted the Code breach stating that: Regrettably, the programme contained such footage [R18-rated equivalent material]. Ofcom therefore recorded a breach of Rule 1.25 (R18-rated equivalent material must not be broadcast) against Portland Enterprises for transmitting the Programme. Ofcom considered that lthough encrypted, the equivalent of R18-rated material has the potential to cause harm to under-eighteens and children in particular.

BBC Won’t be Bullied…BBC survey finds that the public is relaxed about strong language on TV

17th May 2009. Based on article from guardian.co.uk

One of the most exhaustive pieces of research conducted by the BBC into viewers’ attitudes to taste and decency is said to show that most are relaxed about the use of bad language on air. The corporation will submit the results of the survey, which involved around 7,000 members of the public, to the BBC Trust this week. The trust had asked the management to review its editorial guidelines on taste and standards in the wake of the resignation of Russell Brand and the suspension of Jonathan Ross. The review is also likely to show that a substantial minority of viewers and listeners are in favour of less censorship. Viewers apparently objected to the behaviour of Ross and Brand because of the bullying tone of the broadcast rather than the fact that swearing was used. Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general, told the Observer: If we set up a programme strategy based on never offending anyone – which is sometimes a world that some of our critics would like – you wouldn’t broadcast any news programmes, for example. Update: Business as Usual 19th May 2009. Based on an article from the Express. Thanks to Dan A BBC report will show that the public is more relaxed than ever about swearing on TV ­ sparking nutter fears that it will give the corporation a licence to air even more bad language. The survey of 7000 viewers’ attitudes on taste and decency was ordered by the BBC Trust after the furore over Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand leaving lewd messages on veteran actor Andrew Sachs’s answer phone. The report is said to show that viewers are relaxed about the use of bad language, especially after the 9pm watershed. Nutters fear the latest report will stop the BBC cleaning up its act. John Beyer, of Mediawatch, said: There is already far too much swearing on TV that is entirely unnecessary. My fear is that Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general, will tell everybody that it is business as usual. But swearing alienates television viewers. If they are going to carry on broadcasting swearing, the BBC will alienate swathes more viewers. Comment: Allowing viewers to make up their own minds 19th May 2009. From Dan “My fear is that Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general, will tell everybody that it is business as usual.” Business as usual? What, allowing viewers to make up their own minds what they want and do not want to watch and not having the viewing tastes of John Beyer and the rest of Daily Mail Tory voting middle England forced upon them? Sounds good to us Johnny Boy! “But swearing alienates television viewers. If they are going to carry on broadcasting swearing, the BBC will alienate swathes more viewers.” And those viewers will pick up their remote controls and switch over and watch something else. The kind of action you don’t seem to be able to grasp Johnny Boy! The truth is the BBC have never said they are going to be broadcasting more swearing because of this survey. This is just the fear held by their critics. Heck their critics probably hope they will broadcast more swearing just so they can have another go at them.

Raised from the Dead…First uncut UK release of the video nasty: The House by the Cemetery

The uncut region 2 DVD is available at UK Amazon for release on 29th June 2009 The uncut region 0 DVD is available at US Amazon See further details

The House by the Cemetery is 1981 Italian horror film by Lucio Fulci (Arrow Film Distributors) All previous BBFC cuts were waived when resubmitted in 2009. It is now set for release on 29th June 2009. The previous 2001 DVD from Protected was cut as per the BBFC explanation: Cuts required to two sequences of detailed violence against women (stabs to chest and neck with sharp spike, knife cutting throat), in accordance with BBFC policy on violence, and to take into account recent, successful prosecutions of the uncut version under the Obscene Publications Act 1959. The first video version was released  in January 1983 but was banned as a video nasty in November 1983. It remained on the list through out the panic so became one of the collectable DPP 39’s Review from US Amazon: Dread and Fear This is the third in a loose trilogy of films by Italian master of the macabre Lucio Fulci set in New England that evoke the uncanny and cosmic terrors of H.P. Lovecraft. The other two films City of the Living Dead and The Beyond are quite a bit better than House by the Cemetery, but that doesn’t mean this film is totally without merit. At times Fulci succeeds very well in creating an atmosphere of dread and fear, and the film is not without some subtle moments of terror, due mainly to an eerie soundtrack and a couple of creepy kids. But fans of Fulci and Italian horror cinema in general are not interested in the type of subtle scares one might find in English ghost stories; instead his films are marked by unusual levels of graphic violence. Although this film is not without its moments (throats ripped out, maggot ridden bodies and decapitation), the violence seems quite muted compared to other Fulci films. Fulci is perhaps aiming too strongly for the atmosphere of Lovecraft, and subsequently forgets to invest in his film the graphic and absurdly violent scenes which have afforded his work a cult following. The film as is usually the case with Fulci makes little sense and is full of continuity errors, its difficult to know whether this is down to bad editing, or an intentional effort to create an uncanny world in which time and space are confused, personally I prefer the latter possibility. There has always been something dream like and hallucinatory about Italian horror cinema and this film doesn’t disappoint on that level.