Years ago I rented Cronenberg's Shivers at a local convenience store. I had seen the movie several times before, but this was the first time I rented it from this particular store. Anyway, I began to notice that some of the more sexually suggestive scenes had been cut. One example of this is the part of the movie where the main character is attacked by the fat old lady in the basement. Instead of saying "I'm hungry for love", she simply says "I'm hungry"! This was amusing and annoying at the same time.
Can anyone else think of odd examples of censorship in movies?
South Africa had the worst censorship system in the world and from 1933 ~ 1994, the so-called "Publications Control Board" had a reign of terror in this country. One of the rules of banning was "I find this offensive, so you, the public will not hear / see / read it." Films were cut, re-dubbed, banned and people were thrown into jail for "possession of undesirable material". :buggedout:
Yet some people in this country long for the days when books like Anna Sewell's Black Beauty were banned for "having an offensive title". :question: :question:
Always enjoyed watching films on terrestrail tv in the UK when they have dubbed the swear words and its clearly a different actor speaking... I caught Beverly Hills Cop once and watched it purely because of the rubbish dubbing. They kepy replacing the F word with freak or similar.
Oddest example of censorship would have to be the scene of E.T that was edited out of the final movie of E.T in the bath..... then they re-released it with the guns removed and replaced by radios!!!! Then south park quite rightfully ridiculed this by showing speilberg doing the same with Saving Private Ryan.... hilarious.
Years ago I saw "Cheech and Chong's Next Movie" on TV but the big ol' bag of weed they had was a big 'ol bag of diamonds. It screwed the whole story up, it made no sense, especially once they got to the big field of weed at the end.
Ther's a version of Fast Times at Ridgemont High where everytime someone says "stoned" they replace it with "strange" or something like that. "That dude's been strange since fifth grade". Oh yeah, it's freakin' hilarious.
I've heard the TV (MTV?) version of Showgirls is quite something. I couldn't imagine watching any kind of censored version of this Camp classic though.
In the movie 10-to-Midnight the killer is running around naked, there is a TV version with the killer in his underwear.
Ok, I wouldnt call it censorship since the film maker made an alternated version.
Although I do find it funny how the TV edits the swearing from "No sounds" or adding the words like "Damn and/or Fudge"
My country (Spain) also has a long history of censoring movies. Censorship under Franco's regime (1939-1975) is the most prominent.
The censors would remove any sexual content deemed too provocative and would demand alternative dubbing when the dialogue was too political. Censorship became more tolerant with every decade, and would be erradicated by the late 70s. Notable examples of tampering are:
- In "Casablanca" (1942), Rick no longer fought against Franco during the Spanish Civil War, now he has a past in Austria.
- In "Ladri di biciclette" (1948), an optimistic voiceover was added at the end to take the edge of the bleak original ending.
- In "Mogambo" (1953), two of the main characters are brother and sister instead of marriage, to erradicate any references to adultery from the plot. Ironically, this makes them look like incestuous lovers.
- "Some Like It Hot" (1959) was close from being banned, on the grounds that it encouraged travestism.
- In "The getaway" (1972), a fake radio report is added at the end explaining the criminals were caught.
- In "High Plains Drifter" (1973), the supernatural explanation is botched by altered dubbing telling us Eastwood is the brother of the deceased sheriff. My guess is that the censors didn't like the idea of avenging angel fighting the stablishment.
- In "The way we were" (1973), Jane Fonda no longer asks funds to oppose Franco's regime, but for some other cause.
- Many 60s - 70s euro-westerns, giallos and thrillers are trimmed for violence and sexuality.
- Many 60-70s European horror-erotica films have two or more different versions, to account for the different censorship codes in every country involved in the production. Spanish versions were considerable tamer, specially regarding sexulity and nudity.
- Routinely, any swear words were replaced by tamer, family friendly versions.
Here's one that never made any sense to me. In the 1984 film Repo Man, the insane old guy driving around in the Chevy Malibu who is suffering form radiation poisoning pulls up to a car wash. The attendant walks up and asks "vacuum, sir?"
Now, depending on which cut you're watching, the film proceeds one of two ways. The full scene shows the old man asking the attendant if they have a vending machine, and launches into a bit about how all of a human's nutritional needs can be gained from a vending machine, or something along those lines. He then gives a strange look of physical distress and then walks away and you hear the sound of him vomiting in the background. In other cuts, after the attendant says "vacuum, sir?" it cuts right to the old man giving him the strange look and then walking off to vomit.
Now, I've seen this film many times, and typically if I've seen it on T.V. or cable, it has the full scene. If I've rented it, it has the edited scene. First off, wouldn't an edited version be more likely to be on T.V.? Second, what in the hell was the point of editing/censoring the bit about vending machines? There was not even the smallest amount of profanity, or any other typically censored content. I could maybe see editing out the sound of him vomiting on network T.V., but that's not the part that's edited out, just the bit about vending machine food. Plus, it's an interesting bit that further establishes the old man as being out of his freaking mind.
I'd be curious as to why there are two different cuts involving that scene. It makes no sense.
In the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN the scene with the little girl being tossed into the lake by the Monster and the line Henry speaks after the Monster comes to life-"Now I know how it feels to be God!" was cut. Both scenes were later restored when it became avalible on video. BUT I have to tapes of this film. Both have the restored drowining scene-but one STILL has the "God" line deleted. Is one pro-christian? Hmm. Odd.
Running with that... but in the complete opposite direction.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1950, 51?): the studio thought that Klaatu was too much like Jesus, even called himself "Carpenter", had death and resurrection scene, was big on peace, ect. The studio forced Robert Wise to add the line "That power is reserved for the Almighty Spirit." Apparently according to somewhere I read both Wise and the original author hated the line and thought it took away from the character.
It's a weird case cause if you wanna see the film how the director wanted it to be seen you would have to fast forward that section really quickly, and beat up Keanu Reeves.... :drink:
About 20 years ago, I bought an imported (probably pirated) VHS tape of LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE. The movie has a brief scene of a nude woman running across a street. In the print I had, the woman's body was optically obscured (but all the violence and gore was intact). Now I own the DVD with the unaltered nude scene.
Also, I remember when they released a PG version of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER to movie theaters. Most of the "adult" dialogue was altered, such as John Travolta saying "pig" instead of the "c" word, and Donna Pescow saying "fakers" instead of the "f" word. These dialogue changes resulted in some laughter from the theater patrons.
Quote from: jlb67 on September 02, 2009, 03:47:04 PM
Here's one that never made any sense to me. In the 1984 film Repo Man, the insane old guy driving around in the Chevy Malibu who is suffering form radiation poisoning pulls up to a car wash. The attendant walks up and asks "vacuum, sir?"
Now, depending on which cut you're watching, the film proceeds one of two ways. The full scene shows the old man asking the attendant if they have a vending machine, and launches into a bit about how all of a human's nutritional needs can be gained from a vending machine, or something along those lines. He then gives a strange look of physical distress and then walks away and you hear the sound of him vomiting in the background. In other cuts, after the attendant says "vacuum, sir?" it cuts right to the old man giving him the strange look and then walking off to vomit.
Now, I've seen this film many times, and typically if I've seen it on T.V. or cable, it has the full scene. If I've rented it, it has the edited scene. First off, wouldn't an edited version be more likely to be on T.V.? Second, what in the hell was the point of editing/censoring the bit about vending machines? There was not even the smallest amount of profanity, or any other typically censored content. I could maybe see editing out the sound of him vomiting on network T.V., but that's not the part that's edited out, just the bit about vending machine food. Plus, it's an interesting bit that further establishes the old man as being out of his freaking mind.
I'd be curious as to why there are two different cuts involving that scene. It makes no sense.
It may have something to to with "branding", or the mention of a non-sponsoring brand name.
We get internal emails about that sort of thing all the time at WRIR.
They still won't let me mention my cousin Brian's Electra.
I never thought of that. I'm going on memory here, but it would make sense that perhaps in that scene the character mentions a specific candy bar or something like, in which case your explanation makes perfect sense. Interesting.
In Swamp Thing, I guess Adrienne Barbou had somewhat of a nude scene, but the movie was released on DVD with a PG rating. Some wicked, horrible person complained that there shouldn't be nudity in a PG movie, so they recalled all the unsold copies and reissued it without that scene.
Quote from: Jack on September 02, 2009, 06:09:21 PM
In Swamp Thing, I guess Adrienne Barbou had somewhat of a nude scene, but the movie was released on DVD with a PG rating. Some wicked, horrible person complained that there shouldn't be nudity in a PG movie, so they recalled all the unsold copies and reissued it without that scene.
I still weep bitter tears over that.
I sometimes watch "edited for content"movies just to hear what they put in place of the"dirty"language.
Some that I recall:
TOOTSIE-"macho s**t head" was changed to "dirty macho man"
HOFFA-"f*ckin' c*cksuckers" was changed to "friggin' crapshooters"
"bull s**t" was changed to "bull cheese" :bouncegiggle:
GLENGARRY GLENNROSS-"kiss my ass"was changed to "kiss my hat".....? :lookingup:
DO THE RIGHT THING-I have never seen the unedited version so I am guessing that "motherf*cker" was changed to "mickey fickey"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4t6zNZ-b0A
Quote from: Mofo Rising on September 02, 2009, 07:20:49 PM
Quote from: Jack on September 02, 2009, 06:09:21 PM
In Swamp Thing, I guess Adrienne Barbou had somewhat of a nude scene, but the movie was released on DVD with a PG rating. Some wicked, horrible person complained that there shouldn't be nudity in a PG movie, so they recalled all the unsold copies and reissued it without that scene.
I still weep bitter tears over that.
:bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :teddyr:
Quote from: inframan on September 03, 2009, 07:52:47 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4t6zNZ-b0A
:bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle:
That is very funny !!!!
QuoteFirst off, wouldn't an edited version be more likely to be on T.V.?
There are numerous TV versions of films that simply feature alternate footage. Basically, what happens is they want a film to be a certain run time, and the TV version has some scenes edited out for content, so they stick in alternate scenes to fill in time that were originally left on the cutting room floor. Repo Man may have that.
Another good example of TV alternate versions is Halloween. It has alternate death scene footage (inferior ones) for the TV showings.
I remembered a movie from my youth called "Legend" (yes, that movie, with Tom Cruise as Jack and Tim Curry as Darkness.)
Many a year ago, back when I was in high school, I caught the movie on TV. I was very excited to sit down and watch it again, but I was only catching it from the middle.
Fast forward a few years, and rent the movie to show to some friends in college. Some of the scenes I remembered from my youth and from the previous on-TV viewing weren't there. I was perplexed. Why would there be scenes and sections of scenes on TV and not in the rented copy?
I purchased the DVD, and it turns out there were two versions: director's cut and theater release. The theater release is the more widely seen version, however, the director's cut is out there and is what I saw on TV!
Apparently the movie got decently edited by the studio before release to make it more popular with mainstream audience. Basic theory goes, if you like the theater release, you will prefer the director's cut. If you are lukewarm to the theater release, you won't like the director's cut.
While not censorship, I thought people here my appreciate the story.
Interesting, but that's a completely different thing. We could go on for ages about Director's Cuts VS Theatrical Cuts, but I don't think they fall on the same cathegory as censorship.
Quote from: Neville on September 02, 2009, 03:14:05 PM
My country (Spain) also has a long history of censoring movies. Censorship under Franco's regime (1939-1975) is the most prominent.
A bit off topic, but with regard to Spain and censorship. Paul Naschy (El Hombre Lobo as we know him better as :wink:) once said in a subtitled interview, that under Franco's rule, horror movies were also subject to their own special form of censorship..they could be made BY Spanish film companies,
but couldn't take place in SpainFilms like The Blind Dead series were, like many Spanish horror films, made in Portugal instead. Franco had some dislike for horror films so the locations were out of Spain.
NSFW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcJ61KEynm4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdbkhW_6yAc
Just block out the swears...I'll buy it better on tv.
One of the stations here in Cleveland routinely censors words other network television allows. D@mn, H#ll, and censored, and they even censor the word "butt". Like that's really offensive.
They Once Did An Edited For TV Version Of NEXT FRIDAY That Didn't Go So Well
They Replaced The Word "s**t" With The Word "Stuff" And They Replaced The Word "F**k" With The Word "Truck"
In The Scene Where The Guy Is Supposed To Say "Bulls**t Motherf**ker!"
Instead They Had Him Say "Bull Stuff Mother Trucker!"
Needless To Say It Sounded Really Stupid