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The British Board of Film Censors bans 1969 video nasty for the second time
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 | 14th April 2020
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| 13th April 2020. See article from bbfc.co.uk |
Love Camp 7 is a 1969 USA war horror thriller by Lee Frost.
With Bob Cresse, Maria Lease and Kathy Williams.
 
The film was banned as a video nasty in 1985, then banned from DVD by the BBFC in 2002. The film was banned again by the BBFC for 2020 VoD. Uncut elsewhere but there have only been a few obscure releases until the
2017 US DVD/Blu-ray Combo. See further details at Melon Farmers Film Bans: Love Camp 7
The film has just been banned by the BBFC after being
submitted for Video on Demand by Screenbound. Note that this is not quite an official ban as BBFC decisions for internet video carry no legal weight. But no doubt the major online sources will take heed anyway. The BBFC commented on its website:
Love Camp 7 is a US film, from 1969, in which female agents are sent undercover into a Nazi prison camp where female prisoners are sexually abused, raped and tortured by soldiers. It was previously refused a
classification for DVD release in 2002. The present submission is for distribution on VOD. The BBFC's Classification Guidelines state that We may refuse to classify content which makes rape or other non-consensual sexually violent
behaviour look appealing or acceptable, reinforces the suggestion that victims enjoy such behaviour, or invites viewer complicity in such behaviour. They also state that As a last resort, the BBFC may refuse to classify a work, in line with the objective
of preventing non-trivial harm risks to potential viewers and, through their behaviour, to society. We may do so, for example, where a central concept of the work is unacceptable, such as a sustained focus on sexual rape, other non-consensual sexually
violent behaviour or sadistic violence. Because LOVE CAMP 7 is largely comprised of scenes of non consensual sexual activity, including rape, presented in a manner that is intended to arouse viewers, its central concept is
unacceptable and the sexually abusive material it contains too pervasive for cuts to be an effective solution. Accordingly, the BBFC has refused classification to this work.
The BBFC further commented at a
board meeting [pdf] : The film was recently submitted for classification for VOD release.
Given its status as a previously rejected work it was viewed by the entire Compliance team and certain members of the Policy team before referral to the Board. The Board noted that there are a number of prolonged scenes of
non-consensual sexual activity, including rape, in Love Camp 7 , in many cases featuring a focus on female nudity. Such scenes are frequently gratuitous, both in terms of length and detail, going some way beyond what is required by the narrative, and in
some cases perpetuating harmful rape myths. These issues were considered in relation to the BBFC's 2019 Guidelines consultation, which found depictions of sexual violence to be of particular concern to the public. The Board
discussed the extent to which the film's datedness and risibility limits its impact, and considered the film's likely appeal and audience. It was observed that, while aspects of the film are dated, the sequences of sexual violence and abuse are not. It
was also noted that while the film is different in many respects to modern pornography, its close and repeated focus on nudity means the sequences of sexual violence and abuse still have the potential to arouse. The Board
concluded that because that as Love Camp 7 is largely comprised non-consensual sexual activity, including rape, presented in a manner that is intended to arouse viewers, its central concept is unacceptable and the sexually abusive material too pervasive
for cuts to be an effective solution. Accordingly, the Board agreed that the BBFC should refuse to classify Love Camp 7.
Update: Love Camp 7 Remains The Benchmark For Unacceptable Cinema in 2020
14th April 2020. See article from reprobatepress.com It's good to know that
in these unique times, our moral superiors are still hard at work protecting us from problematic imagery. The British Board of Film Classification might seem a more liberal body these days than they once did, but rest assured -- they will still step
forward to protect the nation from corruption. See full article from reprobatepress.com
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20th August
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| Beyer applauds the censors
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The Texas Vibrator Massacre is available uncut from Adult Video Universe
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The BBFC has rejected the DVD The Texas Vibrator Massacre which means that it cannot be legally supplied anywhere in the UK. From Alan: Texas
Vibrator Massacre Nonsense This idiocy defies belief. I just visited the BBFC website. The first clause of the first sentence [" the independent regulator of the film and video industry in the UK ". ] is a piece of smug,
sanctimonious self-congratulation on their own "independence". So "independent" that they work within the crippling framework of the Obscene Publications Acts and the Video Recordings Act. So "independent" that I understand
that their leading lights include Lord Taylor of Warwick, Sir Somethingor other and Mrs Janet Double-Barrel. This shower are fully integrated within the establishment, intent upon doing its dirty work, and couldn't demonstrate real independence if their
lives depended on it.
I can't be more precise about names because the BBFC website appears not to identify any of the jobsworths. Remember the lamented www.bbfc.org.uk? These unsavoury jobsworths got the "Ban the Board of Film Censors"
site shut down. It identified some of these scumbags impertinently telling other people what they can and can't watch and tried to encourage whistleblowing among the body's employees. Something similar is urgently needed. From the Melon Farmers:
Establishment or What? Thinking of being part of the establishment, you can't get much more establishment than the BBFC appointee vice president, Gerard Lemos, he is a director of the Crown Prosecution
Service! Gerard Lemos is a Partner in Lemos and Crane Social Research and Visiting Professor in International Social Policy at Chongqing Business and Technology University, China. He is also a non-executive Director, Crown
Prosecution Service; Chairman of the Banking Code Standards Board and Deputy Chair of the British Council.
From Dan: Beyer Happy As usual Beyer's only happy with the BBFC when it's banning things.
From Mediawatch-UK Speaking today John
Beyer, director of mediawatch-uk, praised the BBFC's decision to reject this film. He said: We are delighted by this decision and we hope it will go some way to restoring confidence in the Board and it's Classification Guidelines. It shows that some
extreme material is still outside the very broad scope of what the Board finds acceptable for public exhibition."
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19th August
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| Adults trusted to watch horror but not porn viewers
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From the BBFC The Texas Vibrator Massacre is available uncut from
Adult Video Universe
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2008 US sex/horror hardcore video by Rob Rotten
With Roxi Devill, Seth Dickens, Jamie Elle, Ruby Knox, Rob Rotten, Eric Swiss, Daisy Tanks, Jack Vegas Banned by the BBFC in 2008 with the following statement: The BBFC has rejected the DVD The Texas Vibrator Massacre which means that it cannot be legally supplied anywhere in the UK.
The Texas Vibrator Massacre takes the form of a sex work (that is to say a work whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation) based loosely upon the notorious 1974 horror film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In the majority of its scenes
the work eroticises sexual and sexualised violence to a highly significant degree and, although self-consciously excessive in nature, the conflation throughout of sexually arousing material with credible violence, forced sex and sadistic sexual threat
gives rise to a serious and sustained breach of the Board's sexual violence policy. In addition, the scenes of simulated incest between brother and sister are in clear breach of the Board's Guidelines for sex works, which prohibit 'material (including
dialogue) likely to encourage an interest in a sexually abusive activity (eg paedophillia, incest, rape)'.
The BBFC’s Guidelines identify as of particular concern 'graphic rape or torture', 'sadistic violence or terrorisation' and 'sex
accompanied by non-consensual pain, injury or humiliation'. Furthermore, the Board's 'R18' Guidelines, which apply equally to 'sex works' at '18', state that the following elements are unacceptable: 'the portrayal of any sexual activity which involves
lack of consent (whether real or simulated)', 'the infliction of pain or physical harm, real or (in a sexual context) simulated' and 'any sexual threats, humiliation or abuse which does not form part of a clearly consenting role-playing game'.
It
is the Board’s carefully considered view that to issue a certificate to this work, even if confined to adults, would be inconsistent with the Board’s Guidelines, would risk potential harm within the terms of the VRA, and would be unacceptable
to the public.
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