Gore or not?

Dissident Aeon

Hi..

I think that it is sick to cut horror scenes out of horror flicks, it's nonsense. If the videoshops would open a restricted area for horror movies, as they do for porn movies, I could see all of my fav'flicks without having to get upset each time a gore scene is missing... I am an responsible adult who is not going to rip one's guts out because they did it in a movie.
I think it's even sicker to see corpses on the news, because that's reality and kids know that...

ObeyGiant

The first thing you must understand when talking about something like this is that 'porn' movies in video shops are subject to just as many restrictions as horror movies. More so. For example, over-the-counter porn (not bought from a shop with a license to sell "Adult Material") cannot show an erect penis, or penetration. Now, a fan of porno might argue, just as you are with horror, that it's nonsense to cut such things out of porn movies, and that these films are, by law, only allowed to be seen by 'responsible adults'. But that's the law.

And we're very lucky to have gotten a new film censor recently. He has been a lot more lenient with films than his predecessor, so a lot more has been allowed pass uncut. For example, Irreversible was passed with no cuts. And we also have the unbanning of The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw Massacre etc.

But the nature of the gore and other adult material in horror films is quite different to the type you see on TV. For example, on TV, you rarely see someone die - in horror films, you see them die in the most extravegant ways possible. I think the closest I've ever actually come to seeing someone die on TV (and an image that has stuck with me for years) was the video of the Jewish wedding where the floor collapsed. You don't see much beyond the floor collapsing and people disappearing, with lots of screaming - in a horror film, this would be quite tame, and would invariably be followed by various shots of the people actually hitting earth again.

As I said, our new film censor is a lot more progressive than the last, and I can't think of many cases in the past few years where he's done something completely off-the-wall regarding a film cut (The only one that springs to mind is Annakin's head-butt in Episode II). If you have a specific complaint, I suggest you email the Film Censor's Office - ifco@iol.ie

Tusky

Well the only reason the headbutt was taken from ep 2 was because it wouldnt have gotten a "u" or "pg" cert if it was left in which is fair enough ,

what peices of gore are you talking about exactly ? i dont rent horror films anymore i just buy them , its not that much more exspensive and I rarely notice that a scene has been "cut" ,

can you give examples ?

Dissident Aeon

every goddam flick that is relaesed in Germany seems to be cut, except for the X-Rated and Astro labels

Makaveli

Yeah Germany seems to have quite strict censorship laws.
A lot of computer games are heavily censored too.

Xcom2

I remember seeing an interview with at the time(this is going back a bit)our chief censor on the rte news,he said he was not a film maker and if he had a problem with a film he would ban it,not remove scenes.
Now my problem is this,if anchor bay uk(for example only) wanted to release Nekromantik in the UK and Ireland and our censor said sure no problem but the UK censor said they wanted 15 minutes of cuts.Which version would we get? the cut UK version of course!!
Now my point is,it does not matter what our censor will do.If he passes a film and the UK dont we wont get it,if the UK cut it we get a cut version,we dont have a large enough population to matter.

Sorry bout ranting.

Tusky

I dont think it would happen that the irish cens0r would pass it without cuts and the UK would cut 15 minutes ,

I remember when they were realsen teh game "carmageddon" in germany they had to replace the people that you knock over with "Aliens" , but NOOO they still werent happy, they ended up changing again and using "Dinosaurs"

bahaha

ClevererThanYou

Originally posted by ObeyGiant
For example, over-the-counter porn (not bought from a shop with a license to sell "Adult Material") cannot show an erect penis, or penetration.

'Hustler' has featured erections and penetration. You can buy that in many newsagents.

And we're very lucky to have gotten a new film censor recently. He has been a lot more lenient with films than his predecessor, so a lot more has been allowed pass uncut. For example, Irreversible was passed with no cuts. And we also have the unbanning of The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw Massacre etc.

The passing of 'Irréversible' had nothing to do with John Kelleher. It was passed by one of the assistant censors, as are all video works in Ireland. The cinema version only played in clubs and therefore wasn't submitted for a cinema certificate.
A list of films banned since 1970 I received from the Irish Film Censor's Office does not list either 'The Exorcist' or 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'. They were never banned in Ireland. Cut perhaps, but not banned.

As I said, our new film censor is a lot more progressive than the last, and I can't think of many cases in the past few years where he's done something completely off-the-wall regarding a film cut (The only one that springs to mind is Annakin's head-butt in Episode II).

Care to elaborate? It was cut in the UK, not here. The Irish cinema version is uncut. The DVD and video versions are, as usual, the UK version and are cut.

ObeyGiant

Originally posted by ClevererThanYou
'Hustler' has featured erections and penetration. You can buy that in many newsagents.

Last time I checked, Hustler is still on the prohibited list of publications (as covered by the Censorship of Publications Act), because it does contain such pictures (the act states that if a publication is frequently indecent or obscene, it's on the list) In order to sell such material, the shop in question needs a permit to sell it, which is costly.

So unless Hustler has come off the prohibited list since I checked (possible - I haven't really checked in about 2 years, but it seems more likely to be "frequently indecent" than not), or the shop in question has a permit to sell adult material (less possible - these things cost a lot of money. A lot of money), or the shop in question is breaking the law.. I'm guessing you're wrong.

Originally posted by ClevererThanYou
The cinema version only played in clubs and therefore wasn't submitted for a cinema certificate.

It was submitted for a video certificate, and passed uncut, both here and in the UK, correct?

Originally posted by ClevererThanYou
A list of films banned since 1970 I received from the Irish Film Censor's Office does not list either 'The Exorcist' or 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'. They were never banned in Ireland. Cut perhaps, but not banned.

The Exorcist got a cinema release here, and a video release (I still have a first-generation video copy of this film in the attic), but fell prey to the 'video nasty' act in England - a lot of which carried across to over here, and not just in terms of distribution. The only slightly credible source of information I can find to back up this claim is a link to a Blizzard of Odd feature. I guess how much credibility you give this comes down to how much you liked that show. I loved it.
But I'd be interested in seeing this list - any chance you can hook me up?

Originally posted by ClevererThanYou
Care to elaborate? It was cut in the UK, not here. The Irish cinema version is uncut. The DVD and video versions are, as usual, the UK version and are cut.

(first - I'm a retard.. s/Annakin/Obi-Wan/)
I can elaborate, but not particularly well - just personal anecdotes which are never up to much in discussions such as these. I saw the film in the US first, with the headbutt. I saw the film uh.. three times in Ireland (not bad for someone who doesn't even like Star Wars too much), in three different cinemas (UCI Coolock, Savoy, UCI Blanch). None of these showed the headbutt.

Like I said, just personal anecdotes.

Tusky

the headbutt in the fight with jango was cut from the irish release , I saw the film twice in two different cinemas SAVOY and UCI BLANCHARDSTOWN,

however on the dvd of the attack of the clones i own the headbutt is NOT cut

It was submitted for a video certificate, and passed uncut, both here and in the UK, correct?

I think your wrong there obey , It was and will be only shown in clubs ( i.e IRC ) and so was not accepted or maybe even not submitted for a certificate, ( I could be wrong here )

ObeyGiant

Originally posted by Tusky
I think your wrong there obey , It was and will be only shown in clubs ( i.e IRC ) and so was not accepted or maybe even not submitted for a certificate, ( I could be wrong here )

Sorry, my question came across a little more forceful than I had intended. It was indeed intended as a question, and not a challenge.

On the DVD of Irreversible I own, it has the wee "18" sticker from the Irish Film Board (The blue octagon-shaped sticker), which would indicate to me that it received an Irish video certificate. The DVD is also uncut, so I'm guessing it passed without a cut. Is this not the case?