Examples of censorship in movies

[voltron]

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?

[Trevor]

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". 

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". 

[verem]

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.

[ghouck]

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.

[Jack]

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.

[hellbilly]

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.

[Skull]

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"

[Neville]

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.

[Flick James]

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. 

[RCMerchant]

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.

[Thorn Is]

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.... 

[The Burgomaster]

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.

[LilCerberus]

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.

[Flick James]

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.

[Jack]

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.