Timeshift: Dear Censor (BBC4)

[grim_tales]

I think this is repeated again next week - I was just watching it (I had it stored on my HD Box) and it's really a pretty interesting documentary about the history of some controversial films at the BBFC (Rebel without a Cause, The Devils etc) and highlights transcripts of letters going back and forth between the filmmakers and chief censors of the time, talking about what goes into classifying a film.
I think Mark would be interested

[HungFist]

I'd comment but Brad would get pissed off again.

wait, that's would be a good thing, right?

[Markgway]

I watched it when it was first on.

Very interesting but too much info to pack into a single 1hr show.

So many key decisions and controversies overlooked.

Should've been a series, dealing with a decade per show.

[bradavon]

Care to let us know when it's er. actually on Grim?

I'd comment but Brad would get pissed off again.

It depends what you have to say

[grim_tales]

Brad, it's on next Wednesday on BBC4 at 23:35
Mark, I agree I would have preferred a series or maybe a longer programme. The thing was that only correspondence up to the last 20 years was available to look out, so its a shame we didnt hear about more recent stuff.
Ferman surely went OTT with some of his decisions - censoring of weapons and also TMNT 2 when one of the turtles used sausages like nanchukus (WTF)
It seemed a mistake when the BBFC started being influenced by Government (this was touched on with Rambo III and the Hungerford killings).

[bradavon]

Brad, it's on next Wednesday on BBC4 at 23:35

Thanks. I'll set Freeview+

It seemed a mistake when the BBFC started being influenced by Government (this was touched on with Rambo III and the Hungerford killings).

I heard it was public feeling around the time of Rambo 3 not the government's involvement.

[Markgway]

The media in its infinite wisdom decided that First Blood and its sequel were to blame for the Hungerford massacre. Less than a year later poor old Rambo III came along and reaped the shitstorm. Most examiners it seems were willing to pass Rambo III as a '15' (like its predecessors) but with some cuts. James Ferman - who turned the BBFC into his personal playground - vetoed the idea and gave it an '18' still with 1 min of compulsory cuts. By the time the video came out a further 2 mins were hacked out making an '18' tape look more like a '12'.