Lyla Lindsey
Australia has a long history of film censorship, with films needing to be classified before they can be legally released. The Australian Classification Board (CB) can refuse classification to films that depict or promote matters of sex, drug misuse, crime, cruelty, violence, or other abhorrent themes in a way that offends the standards of morality, decency, and propriety accepted by reasonable adults. Films refused classification (RC) are effectively banned, with sale, distribution, and public exhibition prohibited. Notable films banned in Australia include The Panic in Needle Park, censored for incitement to drug abuse, and Daddy, Darling, banned due to indecency. More recently, several Japanese games have been refused classification since 2016, including MEIQ: Labyrinth of Death and Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni.
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What You'll Learn
Movies banned in Australia due to sex and indecency
Australia has a history of banning films that deal with sex, indecency, and explicit content. The Australian Classification Board is responsible for reviewing and classifying films, and has the power to refuse classification if a film is deemed to breach the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults. Films that have been banned or initially banned in Australia due to sex and indecency include:
Tropic of Cancer (1972)
An 8029-feet (89:27) print of this film was banned in January 1972 because of 'indecency'. The film is based on the novel by Henry Miller and depicts his experiences in Paris, including his pursuit of art, money, food, and sex. A censored version of the film was later passed with an R-rating in July 1973.
Love by Rape (1971)
This film, directed by Mac Ahlberg, was banned in November 1971 due to 'indecency and excessive violence'. It tells the story of a woman who submits herself to degradation at the hands of her sexually perverted antique dealer husband.
Nana, Girl of Pleasure (1971)
An adaptation of Emile Zola's novel "Nana," this film was banned in May 1971 due to 'indecency'. It follows the story of Nana, a woman who enjoys a life of pleasure and luxury through her sexual liaisons with different men.
The Big Doll House (1971)
Banned in October 1971 due to 'indecency', this film depicts the story of women in a Philippine prison who plan an escape after one of them is abused by the warden. While initially banned, the film was later passed with an MA15+ rating in 2004.
Romance (1999)
Directed by Catherine Breillat, this film depicts an unhappily married woman who embarks on a series of self-destructive, extra-marital affairs. The film gained notoriety as the two lead actors had actual sex on camera. While sexually explicit films had previously been classified 'R', 'Romance' was banned as it featured non-simulated sex, which had only been seen in pornography. However, the producers successfully appealed the ban, and the film was ultimately given a general classification in a landmark ruling.
Salo (1975)
Based on the Marquis de Sade's book 'The 120 Days of Sodom', this film depicts the sexual abuse and torture of teenagers by wealthy men in Fascist Italy. It was banned by the Classification Board when it was released in Australia in 1976. While the ban was initially overturned after footage was removed, it was reinstated when additional scenes were included for a special edition release in 1997.
Untitled Film (2002)
Playing like a more extreme version of 'Thelma and Louise', this film depicts two female friends, a porn actor, and a sex worker, who go on a cross-country killing spree. While it was initially classified 'R', the Attorney General, Michael Duffy, intervened and used his executive powers to force a review, resulting in the film being banned due to the graphic nature of its violence.
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Movies banned for violence and cruelty
In Australia, films can be banned by the Australian Classification Board if they are deemed to promote or glorify matters of sex, drug misuse, crime, cruelty, violence, or revolting or abhorrent phenomena. The films must offend against the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults.
With that being said, here are some movies that were banned in Australia due to violence and cruelty:
Love By Rape (1971)
An 8172-feet (90:48) print of the film "Love By Rape" was banned in Australia in November 1971 due to indecency and excessive violence.
Five Savage Men (1971)
In November 1971, an 87:46-minute print of "Five Savage Men" was banned in Australia for indecency and excessive violence. However, a shorter 82:49-minute version was passed with an M-rating in 1982, and an 84-minute version was given an R18+ rating in 1991.
Gladiator II
The film "Gladiator II" received an M rating for animal cruelty, blood and gore, injury detail, and violence. The Classification Board later increased the rating to MA15+ for strong themes and violence, and three scenes were confirmed to be censored for violence.
Pink Flamingos (1976)
The film "Pink Flamingos," directed by John Waters, was banned in Australia in 1976 due to its graphic content, including nudity, sodomy, masturbation, incest, rape, and a scene involving the consumption of dog feces. The ban was lifted after 4 minutes of footage was removed. However, a special edition with additional scenes released in 1997 was immediately banned.
Ken Park
The film "Ken Park," written by Harmony Korine and directed by Larry Clark, was banned in Australia due to explicit sex scenes involving pre-teen actors. The film depicts marginalized teenagers grappling with suicide, murder, drug abuse, and sexual assault.
Baise Moi (2002)
The French film "Baise Moi" ("Fuck Me") features non-simulated sex and graphic, cold-blooded violence. It depicts two female friends who go on a cross-country killing spree. The film was initially classified as 'R' in 2002 but was later banned following public complaints and a review by the Attorney General.
The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
The film "The Panic in Needle Park," which follows a group of heroin addicts in New York City, was censored in Australia in December 1971. Approximately 114 feet of footage (1:16 minutes) was removed to address concerns about incitement to drug abuse.
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Banned movies featuring drug misuse
In Australia, films can be banned by the Australian Classification Board if they are deemed to "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults".
The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
This film follows a group of heroin addicts who frequent "Needle Park" in New York City. The original version was censored by 114 feet (01:16) to remove 'incitement to drug abuse'. The censored version was released theatrically and ran for 113 minutes with an R-rating.
Super Fly (1972)
Super Fly tells the story of a cocaine dealer, Priest, who wants to make one last big deal before retiring. The original version was banned in Australia due to 'indecency and incitement to drug abuse'. A censored version was later released with an R-rating.
Swedish Fly Girls (1972)
Swedish Fly Girls was censored by 15:50 meters (00:34) to obtain an R-rating. The cuts were made to remove indecency and incitement to drug abuse.
Ken Park (release date unknown)
Ken Park portrays a group of marginalised teenagers dealing with suicide, murder, drug abuse, and sexual assault. The film was banned in Australia due to explicit sex scenes involving pre-teen actors. Despite protests from fans, the film remained banned, and an underground screening at Balmain Town Hall was shut down by the police.
Pink Flamingos (1972)
Written and directed by Baltimore-based underground filmmaker John Waters, Pink Flamingos features nudity, sodomy, masturbation, incest, rape, and a scene where the main character eats dog faeces. The film was banned in Australia until 1976, when it was released after 4 minutes of footage was removed. However, a special edition released in 1997 to mark the film's 25th anniversary was immediately banned.
Romance (1999)
Catherine Breillat's polarising film depicts an unhappily married woman who embarks on a series of self-destructive extra-marital affairs. The film gained notoriety as the two lead actors had actual sex on camera. While other sexually explicit films had received an 'R' rating in Australia, Romance was banned as no film featuring actual sex had been given a general classification at the time.
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Japanese games banned in Australia
In Australia, all media intended for retail display must be reviewed by the Australian Classification Board (ACB). A work deemed too inappropriate by the ACB may be Refused Classification (RC), banning it from being sold at retail and placing it on the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service list of prohibited items. Any copies of such works found at the border will be seized, and the recipient may receive fines of up to A$110,000.
Japanese hentai has been banned in Australia, with authorities cracking down on the importation of the sexually explicit comics from Japan. Australian customs have started rejecting packages containing any adult products from Japanese adult retailers, including pornographic hentai, Japanese porn videos, sexually suggestive figurines of anime characters, and any other product marked with an "18+" symbol. Consumers can be charged and prosecuted for possessing cartoon hentai if authorities decide it fits the definition of child exploitation material.
Other Japanese games that have been banned in Australia include RapeLay, which was banned because it promotes and supports the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, as well as the exploitation of young people for sexual purposes. Negligee: Love Stories was also not released in Australia due to explicit sexual content and nudity.
It is worth noting that video games are rarely banned in Japan. However, they may edit or censor their games if they appear offensive to the country's culture and values. For example, the Japanese release of Fallout 3 was edited to relieve concerns about atomic detonation in inhabited areas, and the Fat Man weapon was renamed the Nuka Launcher due to its relation to a real historic event.
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Movies banned for political reasons
In Australia, films can be banned by the Australian Classification Board if they are deemed to offend the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults. This criterion captures a broad range of content, including sex, drug misuse, crime, cruelty, violence, and revolting or abhorrent phenomena.
One of the earliest film censors in Australia, Walter Cresswell O'Reilly, a conservative businessman appointed in 1925, used his broadly defined powers to ban numerous movies. During his first five years in office, it is estimated that as many as half of the films that arrived in Australia were banned. One of the films banned during this period was 'All Quiet on the Western Front', a hard-hitting anti-war film based on the popular novel by Erich Remarque. This ban was likely politically motivated, reflecting the conservative political climate of the time.
In more recent times, Japanese games and anime have faced increasing issues with the Classification Board. Several anime titles have been refused classification and libraries have been pressured to remove them. Since 2016, seven Japanese games have been RC-rated, including "MEIQ: Labyrinth of Death" and "Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni". Similarly, anime and manga now make up a growing proportion of content that has faced challenges from the Classification Board.
Additionally, "Pink Flamingos", a film by Baltimore-based underground filmmaker John Waters, was banned in Australia in 1976 due to its provocative content, including nudity, sodomy, masturbation, incest, rape, and a scene involving the consumption of dog feces. While the ban was temporarily overturned after footage was removed, it was reinstated in 1997 when a special edition with extra scenes was released. This film's ban may have been influenced by political attitudes toward obscenity and decency.
Lastly, "Panic in Needle Park", a film following the lives of heroin addicts in New York City, was censored in Australia in 1971 to remove incitement to drug abuse. This censorship reflects the political and social attitudes toward drug misuse during that period.
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Frequently asked questions
Films that are deemed offensive to the standards of morality, decency, and propriety accepted by "reasonable adults" are banned in Australia. Films that depict sex, drug misuse, crime, cruelty, violence, or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in an unacceptable manner are also banned.
Some films that have been banned in Australia include "Daddy, Darling", "Sugar Cookies", "Die Jungfrau Von 18 Karat", "Slaves of Love", "Panic in Needle Park", and "The Big Doll House".
RC stands for "Refused Classification". Films with this rating are effectively banned in Australia.
Some Japanese games that have been RC-rated and banned in Australia include "MEIQ: Labyrinth of Death", "Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni", "Omega Labyrinth Z", "Song of Memories", and "Deathsmiles I･II".
Films that have been censored in Australia include "Universal Soldier", "Hardware", "Gladiator II", and "Faces of Death".
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