Melon Farmers Original Version

Jacking off the Censor


The R18 Story: Chapter 1

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13  

Jacking Off the Censor

The R18 Story, the legalisation of hardcore: Chapter 1: 1997

For a six month period in 1997 the BBFC unilaterally sanctioned hardcore snippets in R18 videos.

The experiment came to an abrupt halt once Jack Straw got wind of it.

Published in Flesh & Blood Book One edited by Harvey Fenton.


The 1984 Video Recordings Act established a two-tier system of classification for sex videos. Videos rated 18 may be sold in general shops where children may be present. This coupled with a lack of confidence in the enforcement of age restrictions has led to a category that is strictly softcore and largely devoid of sex. The classification of R18 is restricted to sales from licensed sex shops where the authorities have more confidence in the age restrictions. Here failure to comply would result in the loss of the license.

In theory, R18, videos are only censored to comply with laws of the land such as the Obscene Publications Act and the Protection of Children Act. In practice the interpretation of Obscene Publications has been so strict as to make very little difference between the 18 and R18 versions. The only reported differences prior to 1997 were that R18 videos allowed the depiction of non-explicit group sex and the famed category guideline; outer labia in, inner labia out. The commercial graveyard of a very limited R18 release is reinforced by the large majority of distributors who opt to request the few extra cuts required to obtain an 18 certificate. This at least gives them a viable distribution, but leaves the sex shop sector in spiralling decline.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has been concerned for some time that the UK censorship system for sex videos has been something of a failure. This has been accelerating in recent years to the point where the black market now appears to easily out perform its legal counterpart. Although James Ferman, the BBFC Director, must be applauded for his bravery in sanctioning legal porn, it does appear that this move has been forced on him by the success of the black market rather than any championing of our liberty. The following extracts from recent BBFC annual reports outline the sequence of events that has led up to the recent liberalisation of censorship guidelines.

In 1993, the BBFC reported that the system of R18 videos was not working too well. Legality under British law has also been determined by the degree of explicitness in sexual depictions, so that even the R18 category has never included the sort of frank depictions of sex which are legal in most of our continental neighbours. This leaves some sex shop customers dissatisfied at the gulf between what can be acquired on the continent and what is supplied in Britain. The lowering of customs barriers with our EC neighbours in 1992 brought home this disparity in standards, with the result that the sex shop category, already in decline has virtually ceased to operate .

There were 55 R18 releases in 1990 but this had declined to 14 & 19 by 1992 & 1993 respectively. The BBFC also blame the decline in legal sex shops on the reluctance of local authorities to issue licences. To me this seems to pale into insignificance compared with the fact that they are trying to sell a product that nobody wants to buy. Also in 1993 the Video Consultative Committee (representatives from the public, local authorities and the video industry) wondered whether it was wise to restrict the availability of censored porn in favour of under-the-counter product which might be far less socially desirable

The sex video producers are always trying to find new ways to sell their videos that are saddled with a total absence of sex and some of these methods caused concern at the BBFC. The appearance of camcorder sex videos in 1995, most notably those of the Ben Dover series by Steve Perry prompted the following comments. For British release, these camcorder sex videos are tailored to 18 guidelines, avoiding explicit genitalia and devoting a high proportion of the video to the mating game, ie flirting, persuasion, seduction, bribes by instalment and whatever other pressures the male can bring to bear on the female short of force. This social context is thought be some examiners to be less honest and more sexist than frank hardcore porn . The censors were again wondering whether the strictness of UK censorship was doing more harm than good.

By 1996 there was a realisation that the impracticalities of the system have helped to generate a thriving black market. It was this that prompted the liberalisation of the R18 guidelines as described in the annual report: Unfortunately, the spread of unlicensed sex shops carrying illegal and unclassified material has been difficult to restrict. The City of Westminster Act gave the police power to close down black market premises, but the owners seemed able, with very little delay or inconvenience, to move their illicit operations into empty shops in the same vicinity. Both the police and a junior Home Office Minister suggested to the Board in June 1996 that the closing of shops and seizing of assets might have to be accompanied by steps to direct patronage to licensed sex shops instead. I hope that the BBFC carefully filed memos from these discussions because later on Jack Straw would accuse them of acting unilaterally.

The next question is how far should the BBFC go in relaxing their guidelines. The answer is of course, not very. In the interests of research I have compared three versions of the video Orgy in Paris, Summer Wind 2. ie the 18 version, the R18 version and the uncut original.

For the first time in Britain, hardcore scenes are present in the R18 version of an entertainment video (ie as opposed to art-house or educational videos). Explicit erections, oral sex and vaginal intercourse all make an appearance. However, this is very much a qualified improvement as such scenes are present only as brief snippets. The majority of each sex scene is the usual censored softcore material with a couple of seconds of explicit footage thrown in once or twice every five minutes. The usual irritating video trickery is used for the majority of the scene, ie zooming into the image and reframing the explicit material offscreen, repeating inoffensive shots several times and cutting the rest entirely. The comparison with the original reveals that there are still several prohibitions in operation. All explicit scenes were shown in medium or long shot with no close-ups of genitalia. All cum shots were cut along with any depiction of anal sex (or indeed any verbal references)

It is difficult to understand where this peculiarly British compromise is heading. A viewer who wants to watch porn will not appreciate why it is that a few seconds are OK yet any longer segment is forbidden. Those that want to ban porn will still consider explicit sex objectionable whether there are 2 seconds or 2 hours of such material. The commercial justification behind the move is even harder to understand. The few seconds of hardcore will serve to intermittently remind the viewer that the rest of the material is being censored. This will both add to the irritation value of the censorship and make customers aware of what they should expect from the uncensored product that is so readily available from alternative suppliers.

The 18 version of Orgy in Paris is remarkable only for its total absence of sex. The few scenes that are acceptable to the censors are repeated ad nauseum, ie just the facial expressions from each participant interspersed with a few views of the girls breasts. Even the sight of pubic hair is only tolerated in fleeting glimpses. The best example was an unconvincing rape scene that used an old gramophone as a link between several different camera angles. The 18 version deleted all the sex and left only the ridiculous and tedious view of the gramophone plus a few background moans and groans. All in all a totally unwatchable and unacceptable product.

For the records, the original version runs for 127minutes, the sex scenes account for 63 minutes of this. The R18 version retains 46 minutes of the sex of which about half is interfered with in one way or another. The 18 version contains 37 minutes of sex and probably three quarters of this is censored by video trickery. The BBFC do not own up to this amount of cutting and it is therefore probably the distributor that did the required hatchet work prior to submission.

Jack Straw is at least consistent in his policy of banning every pleasure known to man. R18 videos proved to be no exception. The Home Office was reportedly notified by the customs service that feared that the R18 videos would undermine their fight against imported porn. The police also chipped in with a similar argument. I thought that both services were supposed to enforce the law of the land, not to write it. After so many years of deciding law for themselves I guess they have simply forgotten their role. Anyway, Jack Straw came down hard on the BBFC. The R18 policy was suspended pending review (whatever that means) but worse was to come.

Jack Straw elected to exercise his legal option to appoint the president of the BBFC. Lord Harewood had retired due to ill health and the Vice President; Lord Birkett had been standing in pending Home Office approval. Instead Straw chose Andreas Whittam Smith, ex editor of the Independent. It was not long before the reasoning became apparent. An interview on Newsnight revealed that Whittam Smith never watches violent or erotic movies and believes that any video more restrictive than a PG should not be available for home viewing. In response to Straw's decision, James Ferman has been reported to have accused Straw of 'playing to the gallery' presumably made up of Daily Mail readers.

Unfortunately for Ferman he may have hit the mark and it was only a few weeks before he announced his decision to resign. Apparently he had been considering the timing of his resignation for the past 3 years. A few days after the controversial granting of an 18 certificate to Lolita did not appear to be a sensible culmination to that 3 years of consideration. David Alton best captured the mood 'from the gallery' I feel the hand of Jack Straw at work. He believes sex and violence in films should be reduced. Ferman would never go along with that. I suspect the only people who will regret Mr Ferman's decision to retire will be the makers of violent films.

Whittam Smith has been directed to improve the public accountability of the BBFC. I guess that Straw believes that if the public are given the power to challenge the decisions of the BBFC then it will be Mary Whitehouse types who will go on the attack. Let us hope that this reasoning backfires and that more liberal groupings mount the challenge. On the positive side the BBFC have become far more forthcoming in the details of censorship cuts which are now made available to the public via their internet web site.

What will the future hold for the sex video market? The politicians clearly care more about votes than people and so are happy to maintain the current total ban accompanied by an inevitably thriving black market of uncontrolled material. The Daily Mail voter is happy because everything is banned. Sex video customers are happy as the black market is so extensive as to cover all needs. The suppliers are happy, there is always good money in porn. Even the law enforcers are happy, they can continue to play raiding parties, luckily they usually have better things to do though

Only the censors are effectively pushing for change. For all of their failings they seem to at least care about peoples exposure to what the BBFC perceive as harmful material. They are aware of the scale of the black market and may eventually compromise sufficiently to achieve a resumption of the legal market. Perhaps we should support their campaign by continuing to support the black market. Think of the price of a dodgy video not as an excessive charge for a second generation copy but as a political donation towards the cause of liberty and respect for people's rights.

In theory, the incorporation of the European Convention of Human Rights into British law should help defend the freedom of expression. Any restriction on publishing can only be sanctioned when the authorities provide positive proof of harm. On the other hand, the whole procedure is being implemented by politicians and Labour politicians at that. I am not holding my breath. For the most censored country In Europe after Ireland it is a good job we have satellite dishes, a postal service, car boot sales, regular foreign travel, local dodgy video shops and the internet or else we might have to take notice of what the Daily Mail, politicians and censors say. God Forbid!

 

Orgy in Paris: S ummer Wind 2
Notes Original R18 cert 18 cert
Dialogue
0:00 - 10:50
The story centres around the elaborate plans of a girl who wants to set up the participants in a rape which is shown here in flashback. A girl is dragged into the bushes and is shown being beaten and kicked in a collage of not very convincing short flashes intermixed with a shot of an old gramophone. The girl is shown being dragged backwards but the brief scenes of kicking and beating are cut with only the view of the gramophone remaining. The soundtrack of the beatings is retained so that the viewer knows what is going on. As the R18 version except that only the briefest glimpse remains of the girl being dragged backwards.
1st Sex Scene
10:50 - 26:41
2 guys and a girl. Starts off with kisses and caresses plus a little breast licking uncut uncut
The Girl lifts her skirts and reveals her pubes which are lightly stroked by the guys. One guy starts giving her oral sex which includes a close up shot of her lips being spread. The camera pulls back and then the close up resumes. The initial close up of oral sex is cut but the scene resumes as the camera pulls back giving a shot of explicit licking. The final close ups are again cut. Scene totally cut.
Several minutes of the girl giving head to each guy in turn while the other masturbates Several seconds of licking and sucking of the first guys erect penis are shown with the remainder of the session being framed off screen. The same is repeated for the 2nd guy with a few seconds of explicit detail followed by the majority of the scene being framed out. All details are framed out and the scene only lasts for a minute.
Several minutes of explicit sex doggy style Totally cut All detail is framed out just leaving a close up of each guys face plus a view of the girl's breasts. The few remaining shots are repeated in normal time and slow motion to try and pad out a little time.
Explicit missionary position sex with one guy whilst the other is given head. Long shot of the missionary position and then an unexplained repeat of the short explicit oral sex from the previous scene. Then framed out shots of faces and breasts. Only a few shots of faces and breast remain.
Explicit anal sex scene followed by a double facial cum shot. Long shot from the anal sex scene but it is not verifiable that it is anal sex. A few more seconds of previous oral sex followed by repeated framed out shots from previous sections of the scene. Cum shots totally cut Totally cut.
16mins 9mins 7mins
2nd Sex Scene
31:27 - 42:14
1 guy & 1 girl. Starting with framed out oral sex pulling into close up for a couple of minutes. (no slow motion) Framed out oral sex cuts to 30s of explicit sucking which is presented in slow motion, the remainder is cut. framed out oral sex and the remainder is cut.
Breast massage, undressing and then breast licking uncut uncut
Doggy position sex obscured by camera angle then cuts to explicit shots and then close ups Obscured doggy position cuts to short explicit shots of penetration Only the obscured shots remain.
Explicit missionary position sex Framed out version of the missionary position sex and then 10secs of explicit penetration. Framed out version of the missionary position sex
Explicit sex with the girl on top. Obscured camera angles and framed out shots Obscured camera angles and framed out shots
The guy gets sucked and masturbated to a facial cum shot Explicit masturbation then cut just prior to cum shot Totally cut.
11mins 9mins 8mins
Dialogue
42:14 - 63:05
When the heroine meets the rapist she sees a brief flash back from the rape uncut the flash back is cut
3rd Sex Scene
63:05 - 77:11
2 guys and 1 girl. Same mix as previous scenes except that the obscured double penetration scene which appears in the cut version does not appear in this version Same mix as previous scenes Same mix as previous scenes
14mins 11mins 13mins
4th Sex Scene
79:14 - 91:23
1 guy and 1 girl. Same mixture as previous scenes Same mix as previous scenes Same mix as previous scenes
12mins 9mins 5mins
Dialogue
91:23 - 100:57
Girl is briefly attacked but is rescued after a few unreal punches and kicks The attack is totally cut leaving a totally mysterious rescue. The attack is totally cut leaving a totally mysterious rescue.
5th Sex Scene
100:57 111:12
1 guy and 1 girl. Same mix as previous scenes Same mix as previous scenes Same mix as previous scenes
10mins 8mins 4mins
Dialogue & credits
111:12 - 127:02
Total running time of 127mins
Sex scenes 63mins
Total running time of 110mins
Sex scenes 46mins
Total running time of 82mins
Sex scenes 37mins

Legalisation of R18 Hardcore  Chapter 1: Jacking Off the Censor Hardcore snippets temporarily got BBFC approval in 1997
 Chapter 2: Makin' Whoopee in Summer 1998
 Chapter 3: Rumours of a Return to Porn in November/December 1998
 Chapter 4: Porn is In & Out & In & Out Again the state of play in January 1999
 Chapter 5: The Video Appeals Committee Forcing the BBFC to respect the law, May 1999
 Chapter 6: Censoring Safer Sex Discrimination at the BBFC. May 1999
 Chapter 7: Hiding Behind Children Giving up on obscenity and using concern for children, July 1999
 Chapter 8: The VAC R18 Appeal Report from the VAC Appeal, July 1999
 Chapter 9: An Appealing Victory Video Appeals Committee judgment allows hardcore, August 1999
 Chapter 10: The Censor and the State BBFC seek Judicial review, winter 1999/2000
 Chapter 11: Judicial Review Confirms Legality of Hardcore : Spring & Summer 2000
 Chapter 12: More Sex Shops Required according to Andreas Whittam Smith, November 2000
 Chapter 13: The Legalisation of Hardcore : A recap 1997-2000

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13  


 


 A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H     I  

  J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q    R  

   S    T    U    V    W    X    Y    Z  

Latest Cuts

BBFC News

MPA News

Games Cuts

Cutting Edge
 

BBFC Daily Ratings

MPA Weekly Ratings

BBFC Yearly Cuts

Website Ratings

BBFC Guidelines

melonfarmers icon

Home

Top

Index

Links

Search
 

UK

World

Media

Liberty

Info
 

Film Index

Film Cuts

Film Shop

Sex News

Sex Sells