BBFC Watch: Upcoming Titles

[streetrw]

Another nasty to tick off the list: ISLAND OF DEATH (Nico Mastorakis). All previous cuts waived, and 3m 21s longer than the last release (Vipco).

[Axe]

I seriously didn't think they would pass it completely uncut after it was cut by 13m for the X in 76, rejected in 87 and cut again by 4m in 2002. I hope there are more of these type of films heading their way as I'm curious to see what will happen.

[streetrw]

Not a nasty, but THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956, with John Agar) has just been given a PG.

[Axe]

Deep Red passed uncut...for the first time!

[streetrw]

Deep Red passed uncut...for the first time!

Hurrah! By "part-subtitled" I guess it's the same version as the Blue Underground release.

And on the subject of Argento: GIALLO has been passed 18 without cuts! Wow.

Meanwhile, as we all predicted, THE EXPENDABLES has had its two seconds of knife footage restored for an 18 for DVD release. The Version You Never Saw. Too Hot For Cinemas. Etc.

[streetrw]

Still with Argento: TRAUMA has just been passed again, with an 18, and a running time four minutes longer than before.

[Axe]

I think it's just an NTSC transfer, Street, which means that it's the same length as before.

[streetrw]

I think it's just an NTSC transfer, Street, which means that it's the same length as before.

I wondered about that, but I'm not up on technical matters, and for all I know there are different versions of the film.

[Axe]

Serbian Film cut by 4m 12s

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/AVV272236

[rawshark]

I'd just like to say, I sat in on the edit for these cuts, and the cuts do very little to diminish the power and impact this film has. If we thought the cuts excessively damaged the narrative and the impact of the film we would have reconsidered releasing it.

So we definitely stand by releasing this film in this format and I would like to add that no scene was removed in it's entirety, and everything that happens in the film remains in there, although some moments are now more implied than shown. We still believe it is one of the strongest films ever released in the UK and I would ask people here to give the cut version a chance.

The current release schedule is for a limited theatrical release on December 10th, with a possible online VOD release one week later. The DVD and Blu-ray with special packaging and other exclusive content will be released in January 2010.

[rawshark]

I would also like to add that the BBFC are slightly incorrect as the original run time of the film (as stated on the BBFC site) was 99 mins 14 secs. The classified run time (again, as stated on the BBFC site) is 95 mins 20 secs, so there were cuts of 3 mins 54 secs - not 4 mins 12 secs as stated.

[AndyJWS]

I notice it mentions some cuts were substitutions - an advantage of not being so pressed for time, no doubt! Are these the minority, or are most of the relevant scenes completed in this way to keep the flow like I Spit On Your Grave?

Will be interested to see what the extras are for the DVD/Blu release when available!

[streetrw]

The current release schedule is for a limited theatrical release on December 10th, with a possible online VOD release one week later. The DVD and Blu-ray with special packaging and other exclusive content will be released in January 2010.

Does the film have to be seen again for theatrical certification - and if so will it be less cut?

[rawshark]

There were no substitute shots inserted. The director had sent over some ungraded shots and notes for possible substitution, but after a lot of consideration, it was felt that they did not full comply with the overall wishes of the BBFC, and that together with having to grade the shots, it was felt it was easier to simply make cuts as per the BBFC's requests.

We made an additional 6 seconds of cuts to the request of the 3 mins 48 secs as there were a couple of instances where there was a shot 'A' / 'B' / 'similar A' / 'C' / 'D'. Therefore, where shots 'B' and 'C' were requested to be cut, we also removed the similar shot A in between the two requested cuts to ease the flow of the film and the transition between the cuts.

We spent a lot of time ensuring the sound mix was as good as possible so that any cuts would be hardly noticeable.

Regarding the theatrical submission, the uncut film was submitted for theatrical classification a few weeks ago, but received the same cuts request list as for the DVD. Therefore, we decided to cut the DVD version first (just in case any more shots would be requested) and now that has been classified, we will repeat the edit for the theatrical materials and resubmit in the next couple of weeks. We have been told if the edit it is the same as our DVD submission it will be classified.

Therefore there will be no difference between the theatrical and home entertainment release.

[Axe]

Did the level of cuts surprise you, rawshark?