BBFC strikes again: Grotesque banned

[Markgway]

Sounds like those two films you mention have something to say.

Most don't.

[HungFist]

The first Finnish review is up, and it's a positive one. It states the film is technically well made and directed, but the storyline is minimal. It's about two lovers who are being kidnapped by a psychopath. The film lives up to its reputation; the gore effects are convincing and stomach churning. What makes it even stronger is that the characters never lose hope but fight for survival till the end. The dvd art makes reference to American films Saw and Hostel, but the primary influences are Japanese movies such as Guinea Pig and Daisuke Yamanouchi's films. It's a well made gorno film, nothing more, nothing less. "Groetesque gives you nightmares", is the final sentence.

The review is written by a man who also reviewed most of the Guinea Pig films and many Daisuke Yamanouchi movies.

http://www.elitisti.net/review.php?id=1607

Here's a trailer for the film:
http://www.nipponcinema.com/trailers/grotesque_trailer/

[gasteropod]

Woah, that trailer's sick.

[HungFist]

The BBFC ban is pretty much the best thing that could ever have happened to this film. 4DigitalMedia is apparently planning to complain about the decision, but I doubt they stand a chance.

But the film itself got more publicity than any marketing campaing ever could have achieved. Until the BBFC ban it was just another gorno film. But now even Finnish people are talking about this gruesome Japanese horror film that was banned in the UK and has outraged the flower hat grannies.

If I was the producer of the film, I would've paid a random UK company to submit the print to BBFC and get it banned. The publicity is worth more than the sum BBFC charges.

[HungFist]

Review in English, also positive
http://www.beyondhollywood.com/grotesqu ... ie-review/

The trailer alone scares the shit out of me. I think I need to watch this some day, alone at home. Of course it would be much easier with a bunch of friends or at a festival, but that would be cheating. But I won't watch this quite yet. It would be too tragic if I became afraid of Japan now.

[bradavon]

If I was the producer of the film, I would've paid a random UK company to submit the print to BBFC and get it banned. The publicity is worth more than the sum BBFC charges.

Conversely if a film was banned in Finland I doubt we'd even here about it, go figure.

[HungFist]

If I was the producer of the film, I would've paid a random UK company to submit the print to BBFC and get it banned. The publicity is worth more than the sum BBFC charges.

Conversely if a film was banned in Finland I doubt we'd even here about it, go figure.

Naturally, since Finland is a small country and no one cares about small countries.

But a film wouldn't be banned in Finland, because we don't ban films. Except if the film was illeagal stuff, but that's genuinely illeagal, not "BBFC we don't like nasty horror films" illegal.

[bradavon]

Have the BBFC ever banned a film for being illegal? Normally said illegal part is cut. TBH the Finish thinking doesn't sound much different to the UK one, just a different point of view on what to ban. A ban is a ban.

The UK is a small country too, just with a big ego. My point being, who gives a fuck if The UK banned it to Finish people. I wouldn't care less.

[grim_tales]

That's true Brad - eg actual animal cruelty is illegal (think of HK films). its just cut, not banned.

[romerojpg]

I love the way most the people on this thread would and never ever in the history of mankind ever watch this to start with

[bradavon]

What's that got to do with anything?

[romerojpg]

Well it means your a cock rocker for starters

[Shingster]

Well this is an amazing turn of events, turns out your OP was wrong Hungfist as Grotesque was technically never banned because The Video Recordings Act was never legally valid! This means 4DigitalMedia don't have to worry about the BBFC at the moment, they can actually ship directly to high street retailers who can sell the film to the general populace - children and all - at their leisure!

Unfortunately the Nanny State mentality of today's goverment will probably mean that a new, much more restrictive law will be conjured up ASAP!

[grim_tales]

I heard about this on the news last night as well

[HungFist]

Have the BBFC ever banned a film for being illegal? Normally said illegal part is cut. TBH the Finish thinking doesn't sound much different to the UK one, just a different point of view on what to ban. A ban is a ban.

I mean BBFC would even ban films whose makers are not criminals. In other words, even movies where no actors were killed for real, no child pornography was included, films that were intended for normal distribution. BBFC is taking moral standpoints like "this is too violent, this glorifies rape etc".

The UK is a small country too, just with a big ego. My point being, who gives a fuck if The UK banned it to Finish people. I wouldn't care less.

Of course it's a big thing of a film is banned in The UK. It's one of the leading nations in the world, and known as a somewhat civilized country. You print on the dvd cover "Banned in The UK".

Try printing "Banned in Finland" and people go "Finland, is that a county?". This tagline would not have any commercial value outside the Nordic countries, while the BBFC ban can be used to boost the sales around the world.

[bradavon]

Unfortunately the Nanny State mentality of today's goverment will probably mean that a new, much more restrictive law will be conjured up ASAP!

Numpties .

They may just pass the existing law to the European Commission but like you say, I doubt it.

[grim_tales]

Strangely they havent banned work where animals are hurt for real, wasnt there the cow scene from Apocolypose Now? The Scorpion scene in Predator?

[gasteropod]

Strangely they havent banned work where animals are hurt for real, wasnt there the cow scene from Apocolypose Now?

That was a genuine ritualistic killing abroad so it's considered OK.

[grim_tales]

Ah
Now I remember, the BBFC don't cut ritual killings - did they cut the chicken scene from Mr. Vampire? They do cut genuine cruelty (eg cat and snake fight in SITES) and child cruelty (eg Heroic Trio).

[Shingster]

We've discussed BBFC's policy towards ritualistic animal killing and how it applies to Mr. Vampire so many times on these boards over the years that I cannot believe you don't recall them Grim, you must have the memory of a fish.

I mean BBFC would even ban films whose makers are not criminals. In other words, even movies where no actors were killed for real, no child pornography was included, films that were intended for normal distribution. BBFC is taking moral standpoints like "this is too violent, this glorifies rape etc".

The whole point of the BBFC is to classify and potentially ban films whose makers are not criminals! They don't have to ban films which break the law in an overt way, like so real rape on film, as they would be illegal to own, distribute, even watch in the UK without reporting to the police, so the very act of submitting them to the BBFC will get any distributor in serious trouble.

Again I get the feeling that members are confusing a BBFC ban with making a film illegal. The BBFC do not determine if the content of a film is illegal because they do not set legal legislature in this country, they are a film censorship board, nothing more. Really the only power they ever had (and this was a power that was enforced by the government based on BBFC rulings) was to dictate what retailers can and can't sell, and even that has been taken away from them now!

[bradavon]

Local councils can also overrule BBFC classifications when it comes to cinema releases. It doesn't often happen though.

[grim_tales]

I just remembered Shing, its OK

[Markgway]

It'll take three months apparently for the VRA to be put thru parliment. So for the next three months expect to see 'Grotesque' sold everywhere in the UK.

When the act goes thru it's disappear...

[HungFist]

Fucking fuck fuck fuck. This is showing in Finland on a film fest, but I'm in Japan. Oh, the fucking irony. Fuck.

[HungFist]

Also banned in Norway.

The AWE dvd will be released in Finland, Denmark and Sweden.
http://www.anotherworldent.com/index.ph ... q2FU5ZCEs4
http://www.njutafilms.nu/

The fun thing is that it's rated 15 in Denmark, and probably also in Sweden. I think Sweden has reserved the 18 category for porn, and Denmark may not even have it, I'm not sure. In Finland it's 18.