Video Nasties

[MysteryWho]

The Cannibal Holocaust thread got me thinking about the old video nasties banned list from the UK and all these mondo exploitation sub-genres in general. I recently checked the list to see if there was anything on there I'd missed that I might watch for a lark. Anybody recall that list and/or try to see them all? Anybody go through a phase of checking out that stuff?

[daz71]

i've seen quite a few on the list the only one i remember liking was texas chainsaw massacre.

[Bruce Banner]

The BBFC really went overboard with cutting and banning films during that period. IMO, all of the cuts were arbitrary, ridiculous and totally unwarranted. Thankfully, many movies have now been reclassified and re-released totally uncut.

[Mikey]

Didn't the UK just recently ban a whole bunch of categories of pornography ?

They seem to have a history of telling people what's good and what's not.

[daz71]

think you're right i did read something like that i think it was extreme stuff.

[mjaycox]

The hilarious thing about the Video Nasties list was that it it virtually guaranteed the longevity of a lot of movies that would otherwise been forgotten if they had just butted out.

When I was in grad school at Michigan State, I made a point of trying to see as many movies on the list as a could-- largely because the BBFC had done me the courtesy of compiling them all into a list for me, lol! I got pretty far down the list, but didn't see them all.

It was an experience I am glad I had, but these days no force on earth could compel to watch another film by Lucio Fulci or sit through another mondo cannibale piece of trash.

Matt

[daz71]

Didn't the UK just recently ban a whole bunch of categories of pornography ?

They seem to have a history of telling people what's good and what's not.

i was reading a book about horror films from late 50s to mid 70s and the stuff they cut was crazy .the suprising thing was not just in the u.k. but the u.s. also while europe got them uncut.in the u.s. they cut linda hayden's nude scene from blood on satan's claw but deep throat was passed uncut the same year.

[MysteryWho]

I've always been interested in how regional censorship seems to be. The UK appeared to be much more liberal towards nudity whereas violence was such a no no. In America, it seems that sex outside the ghetto of porn was unacceptable. As someone else mentioned, all the Nasties list really did was assure that a few movies that no one would have noticed became cult films and provided a handy list to help the viewer along.

[daz71]

I've always been interested in how regional censorship seems to be. The UK appeared to be much more liberal towards nudity whereas violence was such a no no. In America, it seems that sex outside the ghetto of porn was unacceptable. As someone else mentioned, all the Nasties list really did was assure that a few movies that no one would have noticed became cult films and provided a handy list to help the viewer along.

violence against women mainly stuff like clockwork orange.i spit on your grave and new York ripper were definite no no's.

[El Hombre Nuclear]

I used to read a few imported British computer game mags in the late '80s (mostly Newsfield mags like Zzap!64, Crash and The Games Machine) and I remember the whole "video nasties" thing being mentioned in those a few times. I remember being somewhat puzzled by it, as at least where I lived (NYC metro area) there never seemed to be much in the way of censorship/parental control in the way of movies. You could pretty much rent anything or walk into any movie as a teenager and nobody seemed to care at all.

[Mikey]

I can't imagine any movies on video being banned in the US except for possibly Caligula ... and that would be the full version with added XXX scenes

[daz71]

I can't imagine any movies on video being banned in the US except for possibly Caligula ... and that would be the full version with added XXX scenes

that is available over here yet the exorcist was bannned .crazy.

[Boy_Wonder_1978]

I Spit On Your Grave was banned over here also. I can watch pretty much anything, but I have to admit that this was hard to get through the first half. Bring on the revenge scenes. The bath scene certainly makes its point.

I think The Burning also had problems here too.

[Mikey]

Yea, the rape parts ruined the movie imo.

I want to think the film makers made the rape scenes so bad because it made everyone get on the woman's side and understand what real rape is.

Unfortunately the reality is the film makers thought it was titillating to the mostly 20-ish young men crowd.

I do like the remake's revenge scenes better than the original's --- they're way more overdone but they're fun to watch --- cut off his pecker and stick it in his mouth

[Boy_Wonder_1978]

The most notorious ones over here when I was younger were Texas Chainsaw, The Exorcist, A Clockwork Orange (in my top 5) and I Spit On Your Grave. Obviously when these films had such a reputation it just makes you want to see them just that little bit more. Between myself and a few friends we had these four (pirated) films between us, so I did get to see them all except for ISOYG. I was told by my parents that I was NOT to watch these films. They didn't know that I had The Exorcist and had already seen it numerous times, BUT they were most adamant that I was not to watch ISOYG. I didn't take them long to find out that I'd watched these 'nasties' with my buddies and I can tell you that they were not amused. I never sat and watched ISOYG until many years later because I knew that my folks REALLY did not want me to see this one.