HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2! BANNED!

[Mrs_C]

So the news is that Human Centipede 2 is now officially banned in the UK.

I have not yet seen the original but I would imagine the version I have sitting on my sky planner is probably cut. In that I taped it from the Sci_Fi Channel.

So the Trailer is a funny one. It isn't banned in Australia but the trailer shows you nothing of the actual film. Take a look.

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VRTFsLFzDrE

So that takes the total of current Banned films in the UK to 5.

These are:

1. Cocksucker Blues (1973) - Documentary of the Rolling Stones' 1972 North American Tour, chronicling its actual drug use and sex. The film is under a court order which forbids it from being shown unless director Robert Frank is physically present. This ruling stems from the conflict that arose when the band, who had commissioned the film, decided that its content was inappropriate and potentially embarrassing, and didn't want it shown. Frank felt otherwise — hence the ruling. Lovely.

2. Visions Of Ecstasy (1989) Banned under blasphemy laws, it is the only film ever to be banned in the UK due to blasphemy. Since the UK's blasphemy laws were repealed in 2008, the film is likely to be passed in the near future.

3. Mikey (1993) Rejected by the BBFC for a certificate in 1996; a trailer had been previously classified 18 four years before. In the aftermath of the widely-publicized murder of Jamie Bulger, the BBFC (on the guidance of three child psychiatrists) banned the film because it features a child as a killer (which they believed might cause children who watched it to act violently). Child's Play 3 was the film they allegedly watched and that was apparently never banned even though it is completely awful. I can't believe this is still banned for the reasons they are giving. Goes to show the ridiculous pressure the British Media place on the BBFC.

Grotesque (2009) - Banned due to a high level of sexual torture. However Ichi The killer is not banned and neither is Cannibal Holocaust as it went straight to video and so avoided being banned.

Finally The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2011) - Banned due to sexual violence and potential obscenity.

On my little quest to see what has and has not actually been banned I noticed the omission of Cannibal Holocaust. Now I was sure it had been banned but as I stated earlier it was released straight to video in the UK to avoid being banned but it was cut by 7 minutes however. Also there is a bit of a wild and funny story attached to this one.

Apparently They took the director to court because the Italians ACTUALLY believed the film to be a genuine snuff film and that the actors and actress really were dead. Full story here under the heading Italian Controversy

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibal_Holocaust

I did LOL. I was more bothered about whether they really killed the poor turtle. (It was. I was saddened by this).

So while this is NOT a snuff movie I think it should be banned for 2 reasons.

1. It was actually pretty shite and wouldn't be a great loss to the world of film.

and

2. They killed 7 animals during filming! Including the turtle.


Some films are just so bad though that they should be banned and would be better for it.

Ban?



I myself am unsure why Episode 1 still exists.....

Or not to ban?



The 1932 Original version of Scarface is Still banned in 5 US States and 5 other US cities due to "glorification of crime". God only knows what they made of this.



For a full list of Banned Movies & locations check this out

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_films

What films are still out and about today which you think should be banned? Also any films which are banned that should be brought back due to the original reason being ridiculous?

[trashcanman]

"Blasphemy laws"? What kind of bullshit is that? I don't believe in censorship. Ban nothing except for kiddie porn. "The Caust" is begging for it, though. That was simply one of the most horrible things I ever watched. Not just because it looks like a snuff film (and for all those animals, it was), but because -as you pointed out- it's actually a pretty shitty film and actually insults your intelligence by trying to play itself off as some kind of social morality tale when it is the furthest fucking thing. But still, I say allow it. I don't think that any human being has the right to decide what is okay for another adult to watch and what isn't. The entire premise of censorship is to limit access to information. You start with grotesque films and naked people or whatever and just keep inching along until people accept it and the government can pretty much find an excuse to ban any fucking thing they want for the flimsiest of reasons and people will just accept it (see: China). It really is the most insidious form of large-scale brainwashing.

They don't ban films in America anymore, but on occasion some foreign films have had a hard time finding distributors due to content. Battle Royale, for instance took many years to come over due to the fact that it was about high school children slaughtering each other and at that time there had been a bit of a rash of high school shootings and whatnot, so it was just considered unacceptable. In spite of the film's wild popularity, I chalked it up on the "never gets an American remake" list. Flash forward to present day and they scaled down and twisted the premise into the latest literary sensation known as The Hunger Games, which looks set to replace Twilight and Potter as the new hip thing. Movie incoming, of course. Sounds lame.

Then there is the manga Death Note (later adapted to film and an instant classic anime series), which was delayed for a few years when it began getting banned in Asian schools. The premise is a high school child who obtains the power of death when he finds a Shinigami's (death god) tool; a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. It's very, very awesome. So naturally, every kid in school started making replica "Death Notes" and writing each others' and their teachers' names into it and as a result, the whole thing got banned from schools. Weak. Needless to say, I imported both banned titles at the first opportunity and they are still two of the best things to ever come out of Japan. DN actually ended up having a run on Adult Swim, although it hasn't been repeated.

[The Curmudgeon]

I don't think anything should really be banned unless, like Trashy says, it's something legit horrible. I've never seen anything that's a) offended me so much I can't imagine it existing so anyone else can ever watch it or b) ever been influenced by anything I've ever watched to the extent I'm going to start wearing a bowler hat, talking in Nadsat and bludgeoning women with giant ceramic dicks.

I do understand the idea of delaying something due to sensitivity. Like, not releasing a movie about murders in high school right after Columbine or whatever. I understand that, although why releasing something 6 months down the line makes the pain and suffering of the victims families any less I can't see. It happened with a TV show in Britain; a storyline revolving around a child being snatched off the streets came around on the cusp of the media frenzy around the Maddie McAnn abduction. They filmed it a few months later - but Maddie's still missing, so I don't imagine it causing any less "distress" to those actually involved.

That "death book" thing sounds superb, though. Why the hell did they ban THAT? So kids were going around writing their own lists - so what? It's not exactly going to happen in real life, is it? Madness.

Oh, and that trailer for HC2 was pretty awesome, but they did leave out what would happen if most actual horror fans watched it. It would show someone tutting, sighing, sniggering and then muttering "this is SUCH bullshit." I guess that wouldn't sell many cinema tickets, though.

[trashcanman]

You'd be amazed at how good Death Note is. Check the anime for sure. I've changed lived by turning people into that one. Seriously. The films are the only truly successful live-action adaptation of manga/anime I've seen as well, but the CG is kind of crappy in it. I've still got the first HC on standby to watch some night, but with so much to choose form on Netflix streaming at any given time, I seldom think "yeah, I want to see people shit into each others' mouths instead of sexy lesbian vampires tonight."

[Ben]

"I seldom think 'yeah, I want to see people shit into each others' mouths instead of sexy lesbian vampires tonight.' "

I never bothered with HC1 for that reason.

The death note thing is only a big deal because the new "in" thing to do these days when you're in high school and you feel like society has failed you is to make a "hit list" of people you want to hurt/kill/whatever-it-is-you'd-do-to-them-if-you-weren't-a-pussy and tell people you're going to carry it out. I know this because it happened a number of times at my high school a few years back and freaked everyone out. One kid was threatening to bring a bomb to school (which is the most retarded thing ever. What sixteen year-old knows how to make a fucking bomb?), and they HAVE to take threats seriously (because of Columbine and shit) so they opened up his locker and found his "death note" so to speak, and that was the end of him. It's the stupidest shit ever. They waste all this time taking attention-craving bomb-threatening scum seriously while the kids who are truly fucked up just kill themselves. No one cares if you're a threat to yourself.

Number of bomb threats at my high school while I was there: 2
Number of bombs that went off: 0
Number of bombs that actually existed: 0
Number of hit lists found: roughly a dozen
Number of hit lists carried out in any fashion: 0
Number of suicides: 3

Fucking stupid.

[trashcanman]

Seriously, Ben. Think of the number of high schools out there. Now think of how many bastards there are in those schools; how many fights, how many bullies, how many GTA fans, how much heavy metal or gangsta rap music, how many "hit lists", how many fucked up feelings exist in those schools. Now, consider the number of actual school massacres or bombings. Exactly. The only reason any of this shit is a big deal is because the media makes it one. Yeah, there are occasional psychopaths who go all the way and start shooting or whatever, but it's like getting struck by lightning while bring attacked by a shark. It's not impossible, and it's terrible when it happens, but it's not something you should be constantly worrying about either.

[Ben]

I'm in total agreement, don't worry. In the words of Ice Cube: "If I shoot up your college, ain't nothin to it. Gangsta rap made me do it."

[Quillford]

Here's my two pence. I watched the first one. i thought it was something that could of been done a lot earlier. It just hadn't we had an original idea. I am uncertain however if something similar has come along. I will let you guys fill in those blanks. Anyway. I found it to be 'interesting' but only that. It was one of those 'modern horror' types. The ones that are going down the gutter. We all know how the recent stint has been more focused on gore. Getting worse since the late 90's early 90's. Slashers, survival and even monster horror are using it increasingly more. HC1 was just the same.
The second one being banned, not a surprise at all. If it follows the trend of the first I won't be surprised if it means the BBFC get hardass on a lot of horror films to come. Mrs C is right, there are far, far 'easier' films out there. There still banned today. Who knows why. But bit torrent and imports are how we can surpass these little things.
I can imagine it will be the same stature of the last one. About as much film integrity as a kick in the balls. Figure that one out for yourselves. Prove me wrong though. I would love to see a banned film - recently that is a master piece.

[Mrs_C]

Quillford! Bit torrent? I don't DO piracy. You should really know better. Shame on you.

Banned films generally are not masterpieces however there have been exceptions.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Banned; it was passed uncut in 1999.

Freaks - Rejected by British censors and banned. It was again rejected for a cinema rating certificate in 1952. Available from 1963 - passed with an X rating.

The Exorcist - Not banned per se, but Warner decided not to submit the film for classification for a few years following the video nasty crisis. It was not until 1990 that the film was finally submitted and passed with an 18 rating.

A Clockwork Orange - Banned by it's own director Stanley Kubrick. This was not because of the copycat violence allegedly inspired by the film, as commonly believed. Kubrick received death threats against his family, and arranged to withdraw the film from UK cinemas. It was not allowed to be shown again in the United Kingdom until after his death. Throughout the decades the film acquired a mythical status in the country, until Kubrick died in 1999 and the ban was finally lifted.

So There are a few that are pretty decent but for the most part they are banned because the violence in them is ridiculous and unnecessary.

[Quillford]

Hey. You know me. I don't follow the trend of not buying my media any more. There is nothing better than buying a new album/movie or video game. The only reason I download is if I can't get what I am after. Say Highlander the series. What a trek. I am downloading it as we speak. Only made for a small amount of time in region 2 dvd. I looked for hours but couldn't find anything. It was only after I started to download them I found Amazon sellers selling them for 60 quid each season. For something I haven't seen yet and heard is pants? Don't think so. Pokemon the series - downloading. Never released on region 2 dvd. HC2 - banned. I may as well download it if the BBFC won't let it be shown over here.
You are right though. Films usually are filled with unnecessary violence these days. Especially banned films. That's why I love the older films. Stuff that came early 1900's to 60's. They still entertain and were original at the time.

[Mrs_C]

Or you could buy it uncut on region 4 dvd from www.dvdorchard.com when it comes out in october. based on the price of the original it should be about $30AUS which is around £19.

Also since The jazz singer (1927)(can you get that on dvd?) was the first full length movie with sound I am gussing that you favourite movies are from around 1930 until the 1960's? Just saying...

[trashcanman]

I'm a big fan of region free dvd players. Really frees up your importing options to get films unreleased in your region without resorting to piracy or bootleggers. But I will absolutely settle for pirating or buying bootlegged anything that does not get a proper subtitled (if non-English) release. If the companies wanted my money, they'd make the things I want readily available.

[Quillford]

I take it region 4 will play over here? As for films - Un Chien Andalou, the earliest film I liked and know of was released in 1929. Last time I checked 1920's was early 1900's? But either way, the point I was making was "they don't make 'em like they used too". Sure they can do a lot MORE with films. Which I love. Sucker for good effects, sound and 3D. But story lines are left weak due to the effects sometimes and that's a shame. It is a big shame when you have to go back a few decades to find an amazing story line that lures you in like a fish.
I will be looking forward to seeing HC2 so that I can see 'what all this god founded fuss' is about. If I CAN buy it, I will. No doubt about that. Bit Torrent - last resort. I believe the music and film industry is something if you pay into, you get stuff back. Like a special edition of this title and free buy on that title.

[Mrs_C]

Un chien Andelou? That sounds fun too watch. What have you turned into Franck Black or something?