To Ban Or Not To Ban

[fireheart17]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entert...-1225881561477

A bit of history on this one: Salo was banned during the 80's IIRC, then re-banned in 1993. Now they're reviewing whether to release it to DVD ONLY. That is, it won't be shown in cinemas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sal%C3%..._Days_of_Sodom

The plot.

Personally, I can think of three things that the conservatives haven't bothered to notice:

1) It falls into the category of arthouse and also foreign films. Therefore I really do doubt that children will be exposed to it unless some relative is a sicko pervert and believes in showing children pornography.

2) People will be MORE inclined to watch it now out of curiosity. Don't make an issue of it and people won't notice.

3) Following on from point #1, ALL of the department stores would not be selling the film. Nor would the major CD/DVD chains. The department stores do not have R18+ films in public view since they mainly cater to families and the major CD/DVD chains would have the films in a certain area and in the case of this particular film, in a location where children would not normally venture (the local music stores have all the kiddie and family films nearer to the counter, while they have all the foreign/arthouse films grouped into a particular genre and pushed closer towards the country music CDs)


Having said this, I'm not saying "get rid of the ban." If they stocked it in adult shops only, then maybe the conservative groups might STFU. (Just to be clear, in Australia, most conservative groups are more likely to get shot down by the public and aside from campaigning about getting rid of abortion clinics and are against same-sex marriages, gay rights and so forth, they tend to pretty much keep to themselves. The ultra-Christian groups do not believe in stopping birth control thankfully.)

[Lace Neil Singer]

2) People will be MORE inclined to watch it now out of curiosity. Don't make an issue of it and people won't notice.

This. Exactly this.

Back in the mists of time, a certain movie that was about heroin came out. It was called Trainspotting and my parents were so appalled by it, they banned my brothers and I from watching it. That meant that when it came out on video, we were all the more determined to watch it and did so one time when they went away for the weekend.

My main determination in watching The Exorcist back when it was banned was cuz I'd read the book, but my brothers wanted to watch it cuz it was banned; ghosts and demonic possession aren't really their thing.

If they just can the fuss, then people can remain in blissful ignorance that this film exists, and no-one will be tempted to seek it out just cuz it's notorius.

[infinitemonkies]

In the late 80's, an entire generation of middle class white kids were introduced to rap because of the ban on 2 Live Crew's 'nasty as they wanna be'

I think before that album, which I never would have listened to if it hadn't been banned, the only rap I'd ever heard was Beastie Boys 'fight for your right to party'

[telecom_goddess]

I personally think it shouldn't be banned, people have the right to watch what they want. It sounds like a gruesome film and probably not one I would watch myself but by the same token I've watched some pretty weird foreign art house type films about bdsm and whatnot. And I can promise films of this type would never be in a chain store of any kind. It would be the kind of thing that would only be available on netflix (love netflix!)

As for the exorcist...my mom banned me from that too...I never got to see that when it first came out in the theater or watch it until I was out of the house on my own. Of course it's now one of my favorite films of all time and I"ve watched it more times than I can count I did however get to watch it when they released it in theaters in 2000....that was amazing. Never did read the book though I'm a little frightened of that prospect......

[Lace Neil Singer]

You must read the book; the book is way better and more detailed than the film. XD

My brothers managed to get hold of a pirated copy of The Exorcist; I still have it somewhere cuz it traveled with me when I left home. XD

[telecom_goddess]

You must read the book; the book is way better and more detailed than the film. XD

I know that's what scares me ..it's more detailed

[Hobbs]

I agree it should only be sold in the adult sections or what-have-you.

Also, I don't get the historical significance. I think any message about the fascist state in 1944 would be lost because people are merely watching for the depravity etc. There are better ways to further your understanding of Mussolini's fascist state, in my opinion.

[Peppergirl]

This. Exactly this.

Back in the mists of time, a certain movie that was about heroin came out. It was called Trainspotting and my parents were so appalled by it, they banned my brothers and I from watching it. That meant that when it came out on video, we were all the more determined to watch it and did so one time when they went away for the weekend.

So much WORD to this.

When the Mapplethorpe exhibit came to Cincinnati back in 1990, it was a MAJOR freaking commotion and they were trying to get it banned.

I didn't want to go until they tried to take my rights away to do so! I didn't even *want* to see it all that badly. It's really not my style, but when they said we shouldn't, I purposely went. 8 months pregnant and all!

[Hobbs]

I don't get it. What's the mentality of doing something just to spite someone?

[Red Panda]

It bugs me that they pull the pedo card, except unless the people who are under 18 are way under 18 then its not even pedophilia. They're just using that word as a scare tactic because no one wants to look like they support child porn.

[fireheart17]

It bugs me that they pull the pedo card, except unless the people who are under 18 are way under 18 then its not even pedophilia. They're just using that word as a scare tactic because no one wants to look like they support child porn.

Bear in mind three things:

1) Prior to 2006, the office of film and literature classification (basically the Aus version of the MPAA) was still a branch of the government, but consisted of public servants. Since 2006, the OFLC is under the Attorney-General's office.

2) This is coming from a country that has banned female ejaculation and small breasted women in porn videos as it's believed that the former is a myth and the latter is child porn.

3) The film is likely to be refused classification for the following reason:

, however all activity must involve only adults in terms of the performers’ age and the perceived age of the characters, must not demean any of the participants, and must not involve the depiction of “sexual fetishes such as golden shower(s), application of candle wax, spanking, or fisting”.

Basically that eliminates quite a bit of S&M porn (oddly enough there are a few S&M houses around in other states), obviously child porn is illegal....

[Bloodsoul]

That reminds me, I need to look into grabbing a copy of the movie, Freaks.