A film is actually banned

[Rowdon]

As opposed to cut drastically etc.

I imagined someone would already have brought the subject up, since this happens so rarely. I don't remember the exact numer of banned films in Britain but it is very low (I thought it was in this article, but I've qucik-scanned it and it seems not).

Anyway; apart from the ridiculousness of attempting an outright ban in the age we live in, I'm reallly not sure that anything purely fictional should be banned.

The film in question is The Human Centipede 2, and here as an article from the Independent about it (which links to a review/list of other films banned for a time).

For their eyes only: Inside the world of the film censor - News, Films - The Independent

[Harbottle]

What kind of mind or minds come up with this sort of trash? I know the 'free country' brigade will be up in arms, and yes anyone that really wants to see this will be able to do so quite easily but I think the decision is a sensible one quite honestly.

[CaptainWaggett]

What kind of mind or minds come up with this sort of trash? I know the 'free country' brigade will be up in arms, and yes anyone that really wants to see this will be able to do so quite easily but I think the decision is a sensible one quite honestly.

I have to say, it doesn't sound my sort of thing but the first one seems to be on Youtube.

[Steve Crook]

I don't remember the exact number of banned films in Britain but it is very low.

It is quite low - it's zero

The BBFC can't impose a ban on a film, all they can do is refuse to give it a certificate. That means that it can't be sold on DVD to the general public but it can still be shown in any cinema.

Local authorities have the final word on what can be shown publicly in cinemas, but not what can be shown in private. Sometimes a local authority will ban or will impose a stricter limit on who can see a film than is recommended by the BBFC certificate, sometimes they will relax that recommendation.

Steve

[batman]

"The BBFC has defended its ban of The Human Centipede II. "There is little attempt to portray any of the victims in the film as anything other than objects to be brutalised, degraded and mutilated for the amusement and arousal of the central character, as well as for the pleasure of the audience," it said."


Sounds like The Jeremy Kyle Show.

[DB7]

All a bit counter-productive as it gives the film exposure it couldn't have dreamt of.

[torinfan]

If anything, "The Human Centipede" reminds me of an exploitation film (I saw the trailer online).

But right now on stateside we have one film that's under scrutiny by certain groups (doubt it'll be banned, probably just be in a limited run), "The Life Zone", directed and funded by one of our nation's Senate candidates and ex-judges. Someone has an agenda...

[Rowdon]

What kind of mind or minds come up with this sort of trash? I know the 'free country' brigade will be up in arms, and yes anyone that really wants to see this will be able to do so quite easily but I think the decision is a sensible one quite honestly.

I suppose I would be a member of the Free Country Brigade if such a thing exists. Not because I support anything about the Human Centipede 2 - I am absolutely with Harbottle on this - but because I don't like the idea that fiction should be actually prohibited. I do believe in censorship, and certifying for over 18, warnings over content etc, but outright banning seems wrong simply because in this case I agree with the object of the ban, but next time I might not - it might be something I think is valid.

However, since Steve has explained that it hasn't actually been banned in any legally prescriptive way, then all i can say is that the director must be very grateful to the BBFC.

On the subject of HC2; it seems the first part was a mad scientist doing human experiments, part 2 is an ordinary guy who watches the DVD of HC1 andtries to reproduce the experiments. So part 3 will be another ordinary guy trying the experiments on the actors and technicians of part 2, and part 4 will be that the first part was based on a real story, and the mad scientist is now out of the psycho ward and on the trail of the actors who played the victims in part 1 ... or something. And there will be parts 3 and 4 if this level of interest remains.

[smiffy]

All a bit counter-productive as it gives the film exposure it couldn't have dreamt of.

There's no such thing as bad publicity eh!!

[Rowdon]

There's no such thing as bad publicity eh!!

In repsonse to that, they used to say "Ask Michael Jackson."

[bruiser15]

There's no such thing as bad publicity eh!!

The director of this, as well as expressing his disappointment at the BBFC decision, is upset that said decision has plot spoilers in it

[Cheeky Bob]

In repsonse to that, they used to say "Ask Michael Jackson."

Or the distributors of Crash, which did surprisingly poorly at the box office given all the free publicity in the Daily Mail and elsewhere.

My theory is that those who might have appreciated it were put off by the wildly inaccurate reports about how violent it was, and those who went hoping that it lived up to its reputation were massively disappointed when it turned out to be a slow, cerebral art-house film.

As for The Human Centipede II, the BBFC's stated reason for refusing it a certificate is that they genuinely think that it would run the risk of being prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act if it was released in Britain. Normally, really controversial films (the recent A Serbian Film springs to mind) can invoke the "artistic merit" exemption granted by the OPA, but in this case the BBFC seems to think that this would be very hard to cite this as a defence.

[Moor Larkin]

When I read the reports I was reminded of that "Boxing Helena" movie that Kim Basinger pulled out of when she discovered it required her character to have her arms and legs removed so her boyfriend could keep her in the box. Very allegorical I suppose...

Poor Ms Basinger was reportedly bankrupted by the producers' subsequent legal suit against her breaking her contract. I daresay lawyers always cost you an arm and a leg however.

[didi-5]

Well, although Human Centipede I was largely ignored in the UK, this ruling has given the sequel plenty of legs ... inches ... whatever. As it isn't my kind of film I will be giving it a miss *shrug*

[torinfan]

When I read the reports I was reminded of that "Boxing Helena" movie that Kim Basinger pulled out of when she discovered it required her character to have her arms and legs removed so her boyfriend could keep her in the box. Very allegorical I suppose...

Poor Ms Basinger was reportedly bankrupted by the producers' subsequent legal suit against her breaking her contract. I daresay lawyers always cost you an arm and a leg however.

I never saw "Boxing Helena" but I remember the controversy surrounding it.

Well, although Human Centipede I was largely ignored in the UK, this ruling has given the sequel plenty of legs ... inches ... whatever. As it isn't my kind of film I will be giving it a miss *shrug*

I find it curious that it has a R rating (from the trailer of the first sequence I was thinking more of NC-17) over here, seems more like a very dark comedy like "Eating Raoul" which I liked. "Palindromes" had that latter rating and wasn't banned due to all of the socially taboo topics it touches upon - it's actually a well made story with a real plot.

[didi-5]

It doesn't look like a dark comedy to me. The original HC had three people kidnapped by a mad scientist and their kneecaps and teeth removed so they could no longer walk and so they could be connected by stitching mouth to arse to have one gastric tract making a centipede. Comedy? Sick. And stupid.

I think denying the sequel distribution is a sound decision.

[Rowdon]

It doesn't look like a dark comedy to me. The original HC had three people kidnapped by a mad scientist and their kneecaps and teeth removed so they could no longer walk and so they could be connected by stitching mouth to arse to have one gastric tract making a centipede. Comedy? Sick. And stupid.

Oh! After we'd all taken such trouble to not actually go into detail!

[Spasuit]

The first film was shown with no fuss whatsoever on the ScyFy channel here in UK a month or so ago.

[m35541]

The first film was passed uncut by the BBFC and basically ignored by everybody.

When I read the reports I was reminded of that "Boxing Helena" movie that Kim Basinger pulled out of when she discovered it required her character to have her arms and legs removed so her boyfriend could keep her in the box.

No sympathy at all for Basinger - she should have read the script before signing her contract!!

[didi-5]

The first film was shown with no fuss whatsoever on the ScyFy channel here in UK a month or so ago.

It was shown again on that channel this week. Not a coincidence I take it with all the publicity this new film is getting.