From 50 Years of James Bond Archives…BBFC publish a letter detailing 30 issues with the Thunderball shooting script

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See article from bbfc.co.uk See also BBFC Podcast Episode 8 : James Bond Films

In April 1965 Eon Productions sent a shooting script of Thunderball to the BBFC for advice on how the finished film might be considered for classification. The letter published here [pdf] details the BBFC’s lengthy response to the script. Mindful that an X certificate would not be consistent with the previous three Bond films, the letter specifies over thirty aspects of the script that could be problematic for an A certificate. John Trevelyan sums up the general concern of the BBFC when he explains: I get the impression that this screenplay has been deliberately hotted up with a view to its including more sex, sadism and violence than the previous Bond pictures, and… it seems less light-hearted in tone. In the end only one cut was required – the sight of Bond stroking the back of a partially nude girl with a mink glove.

Jackpot!…Casino Royale passed uncut for the first time with a BBFC 15 rating

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Thanks to Alan and Gavin See  article from  bbfc.co.uk

The BBFC are currently reviewing the complete collection of official James Bond Films set to be released as 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray box set called Bond 50. Casino Royale is a 2006 US/UK/Czech spy film by Martin Campbell. With Daniel Craig, Eva Green and Judi Dench. See IMDb UK: Passed 15 uncut for: UK 2012 MGM RB Blu-ray [Bond 50 Collection] at UK Amazon released on 24th September 2012 The BBFC noted: Additional material in torture scene US: It is not confirmed,  but presumably the same version will be uncut for the first time too for: US 2012 MGM Bond 50 Collection RA Blu-ray at US Amazon released on 25th September 2012 Censorship History: 2006-7 UK: Passed 12A/12 after BBFC advised category cuts were implemented for: UK 2007 Sony R0 Blu-ray UK 2007 Sony R1 DVD UK 2006 cinema release The BBFC commented: Cut on BBFC advice in 2006: This film was originally seen by the BBFC in an unfinished version, for advice as to the film’s suitability at ’12A’. The BBFC advised the company that the torture scene placed too much emphasis on both the infliction of pain and the sadism of the villain for the requested ’12A’ category. When the completed version of the film was submitted for classification, reductions to the torture sequence had been made, including the removal of lingering shots of the rope, close shots of Bond’s facial reaction and the substitution of a more distant shot of the beating compared to the original version. This re-edited version of the scene was considered acceptable at ’12A’, where the Guidelines permit violence provided there is no dwelling on detail or emphasis on injuries. See Gavin Salkeld’s Detailed cut list for details of the cuts made to appease both MPAA & BBFC. The releases in Scandinavia, Netherlands, Japan and Australia are all already uncut

Bond 50: James Bond The Complete 22 Film Collection…Celebrating 50 years of Bond films with Blu-ray box set releases in UK and US

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See also Calendar: Coming Soon : What’s Cut and What’s Not See also Calendar: Recent Releases

UK: Bond 50: James Bond 22 Film Collection is released for UK 2012 MGM RB Blu-ray at UK Amazon released on 24th September 2012 US: Bond 50: The Complete 22 Film Collection is released for US 2012 MGM RA Blu-ray at US Amazon released on 25th September 2012 Promotional Material Collectible box set featuring all 22 James Bond films on Blu-ray disc in one complete offering for the first time. Collection includes all 22 James Bond feature films from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace and more than 130 hours of bonus features including never-before-seen content from the Bond archives, and more. One disc of brand new bonus content approximately one hour in length. 9 titles available on Blu-ray for the first time ever: Goldeneye, Octopussy, The Spy Who Loved Me, You Only Live Twice, The Living Daylights, Tomorrow Never Dies, Diamonds are Forever, A View to a Kill and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. US Amazon Exclusive Amazon Exclusive – Limited Edition James Bond 50 Years Of Movie Posters Book. Available For A Limited Time, While Supplies Last. This Hardcover Book includes 50 Years of Movie Posters that provide a kaleidoscope of Bond imagery that captures, distills and defines the lasting appeal of cinema’s most compelling superspy.

For Our Eyes Only…The Daily Mail does an interesting piece about BBFC censorship of early James Bond films

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See article from dailymail.co.uk See James Bond Films: Detailed BBFC and MPAA cuts from melonfarmers.co.uk by Gavin Salkeld

He may have triumphed over the world’s greatest criminal masterminds, but in his early days James Bond suffered countless defeats at the hands of Britain’s film censors. Producers of the 007 movies had to cut scenes, redub dialogue and rewrite scripts because the British Board of Film Classification objected to some of the spy’s more risque exploits. …Read the full article

007 Censor Cuts…Moaning Censors: Die Another Day at the MPAA

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In a turnaround for the Bond movies, 2002′s Die Another Day was passed ’12A’ uncut (and later ’12′ uncut on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray) in the UK, whilst a slightly edited version went out in the US, courtesy of the MPAA. Shortly after it’s release, producer Michael G. Wilson — perhaps aware of Bond’s tough censorship history in the UK — laughed and remarked, People have to buy the British version to see the whole thing! See article: Die Another Day at the MPAA

007 Censor Cuts…Rough Treatment. How film censors got their hooks into GoldenEye

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GoldenEye came before the BBFC in 1995, who viewed the film in a rough cut form. This is a common practice with filmmakers who are seeking a certain rating. They can submit their film (in an unfinished state) to the Board informally, who will suggest cuts to the film so that the desired rating is more likely to be achieved when the final, formal submission is made. Like Licence to Kill before it, GoldenEye went down this route. These are the cuts originally made in 1995 to the rough cut of the film. See article GoldenEye at the BBFC

007 Censor Cuts…A little bit less of A View to a Kill

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See further James Bond film censorship

A View to a Kill is a 1985 UK/US James Bond action film by John Glen. See IMDb It was passed PG after BBFC cuts for: UK 2008 MGM R2 DVD at UK Amazon UK 2007 20th Century Fox R2 DVD UK 2006 Sony R2 DVD UK 1993 Warner VHS UK 1985 cinema release The film was originally viewed by the BBFC in an incomplete form, with the music score unfinished and the opening and closing credits missing. During this advice screening, the BBFC requested that a heavy crotch kick and a double neck chop, both given by Bond, be removed from the film to get a PG rating. These cuts occur during the fight in the hidden room under Zoran’s stable. If you watch the scene closely, or even frame by frame, the scene is somewhat sloppy in a couple of places. When the film was edited, the pre-cut version was submitted for a formal rating. During this stage of classification, the Board asked for an alteration to the opening titles on a shot of an almost nude woman. Its hard to speculate which woman this refers to, but viewing the titles it seems likely that it could be the woman seen through a scope near the beginning, who becomes defocused and blurry whenever she turns the front of body towards the camera, or the mirrored image of the dancing women at the end as Michael Wilson’s name appears. She too, goes out of focus on a profile shot where her nipples almost become clearly visible. With this last change made, the PG rating was awarded.

Gavin Salkeld Presents: 007 Censor Cuts…Resuming with detailed BBFC cinema cuts to Diamonds are Forever

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Diamonds are Forever is a 1971 UK James Bond film by Guy Hamilton. See IMDb Passed A (PG) after BBFC cuts for: UK 1971 cinema release The BBFC cinema cuts were: The fight in the lift between Peter Franks and Bond was reduced to remove blows and sound effects. Bond squirting the fire extinguisher into Frank’s face was reduced in length. Bond menacing Mr Kidd with a broken brandy bottle was trimmed. It’s so brief in the film, one wonders what was cut, but my guess is that the actual grabbing and breaking of the bottle was cut, leaving just the footage of Bond throwing the liquid onto Kidd’s arms. Perhaps what little focus there is on the weapon was deemed a more serious imitability issue back then. Footage of the ablaze Mr Kidd running across the deck screaming and climbing up onto the railing, as he throws himself overboard was removed, leaving just the shot of him hitting the water. When shown on TV, this scene is usually cut similarly. Passed PG uncut with film cuts restored for: UK 2008 MGM  R2 DVD at UK Amazon UK 2007 20th Century Fox R2 DVD UK 2006 MGM R2 DVD UK 2003 MGM R2 DVD UK 2003 MGM VHS UK 1992 Warner VHS UK 1987 Warner VHS

From Russia With Love…1963 BBFC cinema cuts

By Gavin Salkeld

From Russia With Love is a 1963 UK James Bond film by Terence Young (MGM) The BBFC cut the cinema release in 1963. Some footage was later restored but most cuts persist in all prints worldwide. Sexual dialogue early in the film about lovers and physical enjoyment have been removed The gypsy dance has been shortened, removing in particular almost all shots of the dancer wriggling her stomach and bending right over backwards The fight that happens soon after between the two women has been heavily cut Tania walking nude towards the bed was cut for cinema release, but has since been restored for all video releases The reference to searching Tania has been cut soon after Bond and Tania’s kissing in bed has been trimmed The footage of Bond and Tania being filmed and photographed by two men through the mirror has been darkened and shortened through the introduction of an early fade to black When M and other’s listen to the recording of Bond questioning Tania, the line Was I as exciting as all those Western girls? has ‘was’ changed to ‘am’, as it was considered less sexually suggestive On the train, Bond lowering the blind in his cabin and his quip of Two hours should straighten this out has been cut When Grant reveals the roll of film to Bond, his comment of What a performance has been removed The famous fight between Grant and Bond has been shortened Kleb’s death has been shorted, reducing the sight of her protracted suffering, and her death cries have been partially muted on the soundtrack Bond’s remark to Tania of What a performance has been cut at the very end of the film, resulting in a particularly bad jump-cut on the print, which affects the soundtrack particularly badly For video and DVD releases the old cinema cut to Tania walking nude towards the bed has been restored

Dr. No…1962 BBFC cinema cuts persist to the present day

By Gavin Salkeld

Dr. No is a 1962 UK James Bond film by Terence Young Cuts were made for the 1962 cinema release. The cuts were presumably to the negative, as was often the norm in the 60s, so cuts now persist to all prints worldwide. Bond’s fight with the chauffeur has been trimmed, including the removals of blows to the chauffeur when he is unable to defend himself. A knee kick in this fight was also removed. The killing of Dent has been trimmed to so Bond only fires one fatal shot. Footage was removed of Bond shooting extra shots into Dent’s back as he lies on the floor dying. Dr. No’s line I’m sure she will amuse the guards was considered too sexually suggestive, and has been redubbed instead to The guards will amuse her Shortly after, Dr. No’s henchmen beating up Bond as he is sat at the table has been trimmed, introducing a dissolve to the next scene much earlier to cover the removal of violent footage