Archive for August, 2012

Read more News: Latest Cuts at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See  article from  bbfc.co.uk
See trailer from youtube.com

Sinful Dwarf Unrated Uncut Torben The Sinful Dwarf is a 1973 Denmark erotic horror film by Vidal Raski
With Torben Bille, Anne Sparrow and Tony Eades. See IMDb

UK: The Softcore Version (unconfirmed) has just been passed 18 for sexual violence without BBFC cuts for:

  • UK 2012 Revelation Films Harry Novak Collection Vol 3 R2 DVD at UK Amazon released on 8th October 2012

This is the first time that the film has been submitted in the uK.

The BBFC doesn’t note any ‘real sex’ so this is presumably the softcore version. It is hard to work out anything from the running time as the 4 minutes time difference between the two versions matches a possible PAL vs NTSC 4 minutes time difference.

The XXX Version

Denmark: The XXX Version is uncut for:

US: The XXX Version is uncut and MPAA Unrated for:

From IMDb:

  • The Hardcore XXX version runs 96 minutes, four minutes longer than the Unrated Edition, and contains more explicit sex scenes and additional footage of Mary being violated.

Summary Review: Dwarfsploitation

Olaf and his mother run a boarding house and a white slavery ring. They also smuggle heroin to keep the addict girls happy so they do not try and escape. A young couple move into the house and the evil landlords take a liking to the female.

The film comes equipped with extended soft core sex scenes and other totally bizarre elements that will keep you off balance.

But what really makes this film unbelievably creepy is the explosive acting from the undersized Danish actor, Torben Billie. Not only does he have an uncanny resemblance to the goofy Jack Black, he plays this particular role with unsettling precision.

Only recommended to the most sinfully warped and depraved of viewers. You know who you are.

Read more East Europe Censorship News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See  article from  insidetv.ew.com
See  article from  rferl.org

Simpsons Itchy Scratchy Automotive Freshener A Russian national TV channel is going to censor The Simpsons . In light of a new law banning displays of violence, drinking, and smoking on TV before 11pm, the young adult-targeted channel 2×2 will remove all scenes with the show’s violent spoof cartoonThe Itchy & Scratchy Show starting Friday.

The channel’s general director Lev Makarov told AFP:

We will retouch in an ironic way all the programs where there are scenes that fall under the new law.  For example, we will black-out the screen and write a jokey message in a rolling caption.

Makarov said the animated series South Park , on the other hand, will not be aired before 11pm because creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone insist on killing Kenny in almost every episode.

The classic Soviet-era children’s cartoon Nu, pogodi! featuring a hapless wolf trying to catch a crafty rabbit, is another victim of the new censorship law. It features a character with a lit cigarette or ten, dangling from his lips.

Longtime fans of Nu, pogodi! are dismayed at the news that it may be relegated to late-night time slots due to the prodigious tobacco use by its star.

The new law supposedly aimed at protecting children under the age of 18 from programming featuring drinking, smoking, or drug use comes into force on September 1.

Read more News: Latest Cuts at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from bbfc.co.uk

Dredd Lena Headey Dredd is a 2012 US/UK/India action movie by Pete Travis.
With Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey. See IMDb

The cinema film [in 2D & 3D] was passed 18 uncut for frequent strong bloody violence and gore.

The BBFC explained the rating (with possible spoilers removed):

Dredd is a sci-fi action film based on the popular comic strip. It is set in a post-apocalyptic America in which law and order is maintained by the Judges , who have the power to arrest and try suspects, as well as the right to carry out sentences, including execution. One of them, Judge Dredd, is sent into a tower block to investigate a series of murders.

There is frequent strong violence throughout the film, much of which is bloody and gory in nature, and some of which dwells on the infliction of pain and injury.

The film also contains strong threat and a brief moment of implied sexual violence, in which a man hits a woman. However, the scene is brief and discreet, only implying a violent sexual fantasy inside a criminal’s mind.

There is frequent use of strong language and frequent use of a futuristic and fantastical drug, [slo-mo], which has the ability to prolong pleasure. The drug is used for recreational purposes but also as a form of torture by the villains because of its ability to slow down the perception of time. However, because the drug does not actually exist, there is no endorsement of drug use in the real world.

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See  Broadcast Bulletin [pdf] from  stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

The Sun Has Got His Calendar News
ITV Yorkshire, 22 May 2012, 06:00

Calendar News is ITV Yorkshire’s half-hour early evening local news programme.

The edition broadcast on 22 May 2012 ended with a montage of clips illustrating the exceptionally sunny weather being experienced at that time and accompanied by the song, The Sun Has Got His Hat On .

A viewer alerted Ofcom to the broadcast of offensive racial language in the first two lines in the second verse of the song:

The sun has got his hat on, hip-hip-hip-hooray
The sun has got his hat on and he’s coming out today
Now we’ll all be happy, hip-hip-hip-hooray
The sun has got his hat on and he’s coming out today

He’s been tanning niggers out in Timbuktu
Now he’s coming back to do the same to you
So jump into your sunbath, hip-hip-hip-hooray
The sun has got his hat on and he’s coming out today

Ofcom considered Rules:

Rule 1.14 The most offensive language must not be broadcast before the watershed.

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, … discriminatory treatment or language (for example on the grounds of…race…).

ITV explained that the music was selected for the montage by an editor from the news library on the assumption that the title and words of the song were appropriate to the theme of the montage. It was assumed, because the tune and opening verse are very well known, that the rest of the song was equally innocuous. ITV said that the editor and other newsroom staff were completely unaware that the original version of the song contained the offensive language. Unfortunately, given this mistaken assumption, the whole song was not reviewed before being selected for the montage, nor was the edited item reviewed by the news producer before broadcast.

Shortly after the broadcast and the bulletin had come to an end, it was recognised that inappropriate language had been used. Calendar News took swift action to prevent the repetition of the language in a further broadcast, ensuring that the offensive language was dipped on the ITV1+1 service. Also an apology was broadcast on the later news bulletin that day stating,Finally Calendar would like to apologise for a piece of music we transmitted at the end of tonight’s six o’clock programme, which contained offensive language. It was transmitted in error.

Ofcom Decision: Complaint Resolved

Ofcom research on offensive language1 clearly notes that the word nigger is generally considered by audiences to be among the most offensive language. Therefore the use of this word before the watershed without any justification was a clear breach of Rules 1.14 and 2.3.

Ofcom however took into account that: ITV identified the error almost immediately on transmission, took steps to dip the sound during the repeat on ITV1+1, broadcast an apology during the later news bulletin the same day and took various further measures afterwards to ensure there was no recurrence of this problem.

In view of the action taken by the broadcaster, Ofcom therefore considers the matter resolved.

Read more Video Nasties News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See Contamination trailer from youtube.com
See The Shape of Things to Come trailer from youtube.com
See also Shopping List: Future Releases : What’s Cut and What’s Not
See also Shopping List: Recent Releases

Midnight Movies Vol Feature Contamination Midnight Moves: Sci-Fi Double Feature

US: Uncut and MPAA Unrated/PG for:

  • US 2012 Blue Underground R0 DVD at US Amazon released today on 28th August 2012

Censorship History of the Video Nasty Contamination

UK: A short version was released after a further 2:40s of unofficial BBFC cuts for:

  • UK 1982 ViP VHS
  • UK 1985 European Creative Films VHS

The video was banned as a video nasty in October 1983. It was dropped from the list in January 1985 though.

About 2 minutes and 40 seconds of cuts were made, including:

  • 13 seconds cut from opening sequence showing a dead man’s mutilated and decomposing body in a cupboard.
  • 73 seconds cut from opening sequence showing several men graphically exploding after tampering with alien pods. Footage includes facial explosions and several scientists exploding at the gut in lingering slow-motion.
  • 19 seconds cut from warehouse sequence showing criminals exploding at the gut after unwisely standing amongst alien pods.
  • 2 seconds cut from warehouse sequence in which remains of freshly-exploded men are shown.
  • 9 seconds cut from climax, in which man’s head is devoured by queen alien.
  • 11 seconds cut from climax showing a scientist exploding at the gut after being shot by Ian McCulloch.
  • 33 seconds cut from climax showing chief villain’s chest exploding in slow-motion viscera-launch spectacle.

UK: Passed 15 uncut for:

Promotional Material

CONTAMINATION: A deserted ship arrives in New York City carrying its slaughtered crew and a horrific cargo: Mutant green eggs the size of footballs that pulsate with life until they spray hideous chest-bursting death. But when a government research team begins an investigation, they uncover a grisly conspiracy of murder, space monsters and coffee. Who is harvesting these alien hell-spores? What is their connection to a doomed mission to Mars? And most important of all, how many actors will die screaming in massive explosions of blood, guts and gore?

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: The time is the tomorrow after tomorrow and mankind has now populated the Moon where vast domed cities have been built on what was once a wasteland. But when the power-mad Emperor Omus (Oscar winner Jack Palance of CITY SLICKERS) attacks the lunar colony of New Washington, a team of scientists led by Dr. John Caball (Barry Morse of SPACE: 1999) launches a dangerous mission to destroy the dictator and his robot army. Can three daring space jockeys and one renegade robot save their universe from the dark forces of intergalactic evil?

CONTAMINATION Extras:

  • Alien Arrives on Earth – Interview with Co-Writer/Director Luigi Cozzi
  • Luigi Cozzi on the Creation of CONTAMINATION – Behind-the-Scenes Documentary
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Poster & Still Gallery
  • Graphic Novel (DVD-ROM)

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Extras:

  • French Theatrical Trailer
  • TV Spot
  • Poster & Still Gallery
Read more US Censorship News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from cnbc.com

us republican party logoThe US Republican Party is calling for a crackdown on pornography. As they prepare to nominate Mitt Romney as their presidential candidate for the Nov. 6 election, Republicans have added language to their official platform that anti-porn nutters said would encourage the federal government to step up prosecution of pornography involving adults.

Current laws on all forms of pornography and obscenity need to be vigorously enforced, the platform says, according to a draft obtained by Reuters.

Republicans are planning a Tuesday vote on the document, a nonbinding statement of principles that tackles everything from monetary policy to abortion.

This appears to be the first time that the party has called for a crackdown on sexually explicit material involving adults, a multi-billion-dollar industry. Adult obscenity cases have been exceedingly rare over the past 20 years. Though the administration of George W. Bush promised a crackdown, only the most extreme forms of pornography have been targeted.

Anti-pornography nutter Patrick Trueman said the language in the Republican platform would bolster a broader push against the type of sexually explicit material that is sold by convenience stores, by hotels via pay-per-view television programming, and satellite and cable TV providers.

According to Trueman’s group, Romney promised earlier this year that he would push for strict enforcement of obscenity laws, as well as the broader use of blocking software to screen out Internet porn.

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See  article from  guardian.co.uk

Receive Prosperity Miraculously Gilbert Deya Praise TV features pastor Gilbert Deya, a self-styled evangelical bishop from Peckham, south London, who claimed to deliver miracle babies to infertile women and has faced accusations of child abduction.

After battling against extradition back to his home country of Kenya for several years, Deya lost his legal battle against deportation in September 2011.

Praise TV has in the past aired controversial content, such as promising to cure viewers with serious illnesses by prayer if they offer a donation, however Ofcom has not previously sanctioned the channel.

Praise TV
Licensee: Destiny Broadcasting Network Europe Limited

See  Broadcast Bulletin [pdf] from  stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

In the course of the correspondence with Ofcom, statements made by Destiny Broadcasting Network Europe Limited about the operation of the Licensed Service failed to satisfy Ofcom that the Licensee had general control over which programmes and other services were comprised in the Licensed Service. Ofcom therefore concluded that Destiny Broadcasting Network Europe Limited had ceased to provide the Licensed Service in accordance with section 362(2) of the Act and that, accordingly, it was appropriate to revoke the licence.

In addition, and in the alternative, Ofcom was satisfied that in the course of correspondence with Ofcom, the Licensee, in purporting to comply with any of the Conditions of the Licence, provided information which was false in a material particular or withheld any material information with the intention of causing Ofcom to be misled.

The Licence was revoked on 15 August 2012.

Read more News: Latest Cuts at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See  article from  bbfc.co.uk

Day Dead Blu ray Region Free The Film4 Frightfest takes place this bank holiday weekend and amongst all the genre offerings it will feature the presentation of the inaugural Variety Award to special effects and make-up guru Greg Nicotero. One of Nicotero’s first significant pieces of work was on George A. Romero’s zombie-chompingDay of the Dead in 1985, so we’ve opened the archive file to see what the Examiners thought of the undead classic.

There was some support for passing the film uncut but the overall decision was to make a minimal amount of cuts in order to decrease the quantity and detail of the gory deaths.

…Read the full article

Read more News: Latest Cuts at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See trailer from youtube.com
See also Calendar: Coming Soon : What’s Cut and What’s Not
See also Calendar: Recent Releases

Angels Share Uncut Version Blu ray The Angels’ Share is a 2012 UK drama by Ken Loach.
With Paul Brannigan, John Henshaw and Gary Maitland. See IMDb

Uncut Blu-ray

UK: Passed 18 uncut for very strong language with cinema cuts reinstated for:

  • UK 2012 Entertainment One 100% Proof Edition Blu-ray at UK Amazon released on 24th September 2012

Cut DVD

UK: Passed 15 for very strong language and strong violence after BBFC category cuts for:

  • UK 2012 Entertainment One R2 DVD at UK Amazon released on 24th September 2012
  • UK 2012 cinema release

The BBFC commented:

  • Company chose to reduce the number of uses of very strong language (in this case ‘cunt’) in order to obtain a 15 classification. An uncut 18 classification was available.

Ken Loach explained to the press:

We were allowed seven ‘cunts’ but only two of them could be aggressive ‘cunts’.

Read more News: Latest Cuts at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See  article from  bbfc.co.uk
See trailer from youtube.com
See also Shopping List: Future Releases : What’s Cut and What’s Not
See also Shopping List: Recent Releases

Killer Joe DVD Emile Hirsch Killer Joe is a 2011 US crime thriller by William Friedkin.
With Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch and Juno Temple. See IMDb

UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong bloody and sadistic violence and sexual threat for:

  • UK 2012 Entertainment One RB Blu-ray at UK Amazon released on 22nd October 2012
  • UK 2012 Entertainment One R2 DVD at UK Amazon released on 22nd October 2012

Censorship History

Never cut, but it is notable for being one of the few films to accept the uncommercial option of an MPAA NC-17 (ie 18) rating for its US release.

Promotional Material

When drug dealer Chris (Emile Hirsch) has his stash stolen by his mother, he plans to dispatch of her and cash in on her $50,000 life insurance to repay his debts. He hires Detective Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a dirty cop who moonlights as a contract killer, who sets his sight on Chris’ innocent sister Dottie (Juno Temple) as collateral for the job. But the agreement turns complicated when Dottie forms a bond with Killer Joe and everything begins to unravel. Killer Joe is a controversial and shocking black comedy thriller from director William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection).