MovieChat Forums > Maladolescenza (1977) Discussion > BANNED in Germany on 28-07-2006!!!

BANNED in Germany on 28-07-2006!!!


MALADOLESCENZA was banned in Germany on the 28th of July 2006. It was classified as CHILD PORNOGRAPHY and banned under §184, making sale, distribution, advertising and OWNERSHIP of the DVD an offense punishable by three months to 10 years in prison. German DVD forums are currently full of people discussing if they should or shouldn't destroy the DVDs they bought when they were still legal. Absurd, isn't it? It's also quite stunning that it took the censors 29 years to classify this film as child pornography. It played theaters in the 70ies and then was avaibale on DVD for almost 3 years (!!) before getting banned. You can expect the DVD to disappear very quickly. Shops in Germany are no longer allowed to sell it. The rights owner has stated that he will fight the ban in court as well as re-release a severely cut version before the end of the year. We shall see how this goes from here.

Here are some German forum threads discussing this topic in case anybody is interested in them:

http://forum.cinefacts.de/showthread.php?t=165985
http://forum.dvd-forum.at/showthread.php?t=49443

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Just to let you know, this film is availible in germany uncut. go and check out xploitedcinema.com they have 2 uncut versions with different artwork for sale for about 30 US dollers. Both releases are from the 'x-rated kult dvd' label.

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I went there now, it's out of print! Good thing I ordered it there last year!

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This movie was already banned when it first screened in cinemas in the 70s.
After Germany went through a quite censored phase with more 'explicit' movies in sex or violence, with the dvd era labes started to put old stuff out again, hoping, it wouldnt be banned again.
I've never seen this movie here, but from all i heard about this flick it deserved it.
Sadly banning a movie puts even more interest on it.
in example 'The Texas Chainsaw' Massacre was banned over the whole 80s and 90s and everybody wanted to see it on the schoolyard :)
Same with 'The Evil Dead'.

Its just sad, that the label XRATED deceided to release such a problemsleaze, obviously just to release a banned movie.
Censors in Germany a still choking on 'Last House on the Left'.

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Well, here in Germany films like 'Last House On the Left' have always gotten more problems from censors than films which feature gratuitous nudity and sex, providing the sexual aspects are not overly violent. "last House" is a particularly brutal and sadistic film, while 'Maladolescneza', although shocking and disturbing, is not particularly violent, until the final scene of the film of course. Also this country is much more relaxed about nudity; The film "L'Amant", with jane March caused quite a stir in many parts of the World, due to the graphic sex scenes between a young girl and an older man. There is even a glimpse of actual penetration in that film. But in Germany the film is only given a '12' rating, while silly Hollywood action films and teen slasher films are given an '18' rating. In this country, violence is considered pornography, not sex. My opinion concerning 'Maladolescenza', (or 'Spielen Wir Liebe' in Germany), changes constantly. I have seen the film, and i do own it as well. I believe that perhaps it should not have been made. The girls in the film were 11 years old at the time, too young to have a clear idea of what they were doing, and too young to make such heavy decisions as to appear in sex scenes that even older and more experienced actresses would have refused to do. It just seems like the childhood of two girls were cut short for the sake of making a movie. I hope that I'm wrong, and that the girls were somehow unaffected by what they were doing. It would be interesting to hear the opinions of the actresses themselves. But the problem is, this happens to be an undeniably powerful, and even important film, and many would agree that 'Maladolescenza' is an incredibly accurate record of youth, and the loss of innocence, infinitely more insightful than the films of directors like Larry Clark. And for this reason, I don't think the film should be banned. It is too late to stop it from being made, and for every one pedophile/pervert who watches this for the wrong reasons, there are a hundred other people who want to see this unique and oddly beautiful film. A film like this should absolutely not be made today. And this film should not be easily obtainable for that matter. But to completely ban it, and to have everyone destroy their copies is also wrong, because it is censorship. And there is something inherently wrong with crap like book burning and people controlling what other people see and read. Therefore I will not be destroying my copy of this film.

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The whole topic of the movie is already something which i wouldnt release in one row with all the Franco trash/sleaze, WIP, cannibal and italo gore movies.
What Astro did, Xrated tried here imo and got the ticket for it.
Releasing the '120 days of sodom' was already something risky for Legend, but well done.

Considering, that the german censors got more used to splatterscenes, due to all the high profile hollywoodhorros, they surely didnt got a lot of sexual problematic containing movies. Sometimes, something sneaks in from France, but the US movies are mostly prude in the sex-topic and so the censors dont have to deal with this kind of content.

Now, releasing a pedophile-smelling movie is surely too much for the censors and they are right. You really read more about some children getting kidnapped and raped then anything else at the moment.
What i dont like about the whole xrated release and situation is, that the did publish the movie with the Headline' 'Der Film, den keiner sehen durfte' (the movie, nobody was allowed to watch).
This is the same moneymakingphilosophy like with 'Black Emanuelle' or 'I spit on your grave'.
Those movies were just legends, because they were banned and everybody could tell you about how disgusting they were...blabla...and in the end it's just trash with very shady content.

I bet, they are some viewers, who watched 'Spielen wir Liebe' because of the artistic aspect. But on the other hand there are others aswell.

Im personally just very sad about the fact that there is such a scandal seeded from a very known horror/trash label, which puts the whole german horror/trashfandom in a terrible light AGAIN.

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"L'Amant", with jane March caused quite a stir in many parts of the World, due to the graphic sex scenes between a young girl and an older man. There is even a glimpse of actual penetration in that film


Not from what I remember there wasn't. I put a thread into L'Amant on this subject, check my post history for that board.

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Quote from you: "The girls in the film were 11 years old at the time, too young to have a clear idea of what they were doing, and too young to make such heavy decisions as to appear in sex scenes that even older and more experienced actresses would have refused to do. It just seems like the childhood of two girls were cut short for the sake of making a movie. I hope that I'm wrong, and that the girls were somehow unaffected by what they were doing. It would be interesting to hear the opinions of the actresses themselves. But the problem is, this happens to be an undeniably powerful, and even important film, and many would agree that 'Maladolescenza' is an incredibly accurate record of youth, and the loss of innocence, infinitely more insightful than the films of directors like Larry Clark. And for this reason, I don't think the film should be banned."

Sure they were 11 when it was made and 12 when it was originally released. And the fact of the matter is that none of us ever had a clear idea what it was all about, when we got there either. I doubt that there was a single person who has (had that clear, about what they were doing), unless they were 30 years old at the time. And it that's the case (that they were 30, before anything happened) -- they've got bigger problems, I'll guarantee you.

Good grief, we all went through it. It's nothing new. In Mexico, the girls are having sex at 12 all the time. That's the legal age. In Canada, it's 14, also the legal age. It's not like human being are somehow *different* in the United States and that somehow for those other countries (many places in the world) and other time periods that they were different kinds of human beings and thus they are able to do that, but somehow, here in the U.S. -- it's so darned traumatic! No way, it's no more a traumatic thing for us, than it is for most of the other world. The only traumatic thing about it, is that those who are thinking it should be 18 are having fits and are besides themselves, thinking that these kids could be doing that. They've been doing that for a long, long time, with or without society's approval. It's called *nature* and when it calls, you're fighting an uphill battle to overcome it. It doesn't work that you overcome nature.

Now, the movie does present a "trauma" in all that is going on, with those three. It's the combination of budding sexuality, which those of that age will be finding out about, one way or another, along with the inherent and natural cruelty that kids have and some ganging up on others (happens all the time...). You put those two together and you've got a really explosive combination. This is what the movie shows. It shows how threse three people (kids) deal with that combination.

Believe me, these kinds of kids are *dealing with it* -- today. In fact, there are more 12 year-olds doing this, just as you see in the movie, more than ever before (more than 30 years ago). Except now, it's *expected* and not simply something to find out about. Today, it's a "rite of passage" to say that "you've arrived" and have proven yourself, more than about affections and infatuations and love. Today it's more like introducing yourself to someone new by having sex, rather than getting to know someone and then wanting to explore one's sexuality in this context. It's quite turned around today, from what it was, 30 years ago, when this movie was made.

Today it is much more detached and probably more traumatic in the long run than it ever was, back then. Today, all we've taught the kids of 12 and up, to do -- is simply how to lie better, how to deceive adults better and how to put it over on parents better. That's all that has been accomplished.

You talk about the "loss of innocence" -- as if it was something to keep. I'm not sure about that. Their bodies are already *betreaying* their innocence before they are doing anything. It's not like they've lost something -- nature is telling them, right to their face. To maintain so-called "innocence" in the face of what nature is telling them when they feel certain things and when they look in the mirror -- is simply denying reality. You only keep your innocence as long as nature allows you. When the time is up, it's up.

They're already transitioning and they're going to find out what it's all about, one way or another. And in our *highly sexualized* society (which it surely is, everywhere you look and how people speak and so on -- and you'll never change that) -- it's "super-charged" for these kids and they're not wasting any time. We see that clearly, already, today -- with these 12-years-olds and up.

Talk about "childhood cut short" -- well, blame nature, because the evidence is in front of the kid's faces and to deny that (to them, from the adults) is to teach the kids that adults are lying to them. They want to know why the adults are lying, and they will find out -- and they do find out. And once they find out, they lie right back at the adults -- each side pretending that the "innocence" is still intact, while each side keeps on doing what they are doing. It sets up nothing but distance between the kids and adults (because the adults are not honest with them) and sets them up to be more "in" with their peers, in understanding these things. And that's what we see today, that they are really finding out what it's all about with their peers and some of the older teens and so on -- and they gain all their understanding from that group -- and none from the adults.

Parents should be studying this film, to gain an understanding of what is happening to their 12-year-olds and up, today. At least they would be better equipped then...



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I just want to make it clear that when i used the term "loss of innocence," I was not referring to the girls experiencing sex at a young age, as I agree that sex is natural and normal as the body develops, etc. But having sex in front of a camera, and getting paid for it, while a bunch of adults stand around watching, is probably not such a good way for a 12 year old to become aquainted with their sexuality. There is nothing natural about a sex act that is being choreographed by a film director. Especially when your mother is on the set, watching everything you do, as in the case of Eva Ionesco and her mother Irína. I do agree however, that the film is a masterpiece in its own right.

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asgardsrei1 said: "I just want to make it clear that when i used the term "loss of innocence," I was not referring to the girls experiencing sex at a young age, as I agree that sex is natural and normal as the body develops, etc. But having sex in front of a camera, and getting paid for it, while a bunch of adults stand around watching, is probably not such a good way for a 12 year old to become aquainted with their sexuality. There is nothing natural about a sex act that is being choreographed by a film director. Especially when your mother is on the set, watching everything you do, as in the case of Eva Ionesco and her mother Irína. I do agree however, that the film is a masterpiece in its own right."

Okay, so you're talking about the loss of innocence in, actually, a "strange way" -- sort of.

In other words, while most kids would have that loss of innocence in a different setting, not in front of a bunch of adults (but maybe in front of a bunch of other kids, however -- especially these days) -- this particular way was a "real loss of innocence" but didn't even involve the "real thing" but only a depiction of the real thing, and it was done in a very convoluted way, since the "film-making process" is not straightforward in the way a film is put together. It's a sort of loss of innocence, in "real life" by acting (for the actors and actresses) in a convoluted and piecemeal fashion, as is required by the film-making process.

So, yes, I would sort of suppose that is right.

However, keep in mind that it may not be quite as you think there. In other words, the mothers, not wanting to have their daughters come upon this for the first time in such a public way, would be inclined to prepare them ahead of time for what is to be expected and what will happen. So, the loss of innocence might not have been so convoluted as one might think at first.

The fact of the matter, though -- isn't that the preferred way for kids to find out and know some of these things, before they get into a situation like this (in a real life situation, I mean) -- for parents to carefully go over these things and be sure the kids understand what is going on??

And it would be important to do that thoroughly. However, I doubt that most parents really do that, in a comprehensive way or fashion. In fact, I think that most kids really learn all they want to know and need to know from their peers and from actually getting down to doing it. But, that's really not the preferred way. It should be up to the parents to make known whatever is important in these matters.

So, in that light, I would say that each of those mothers (and perhaps father, in the case of the boy), did go over what was important to know and needed to know -- beforehand -- before these actors and actresses got on the film set and made the film. So, I'm guessing that they had more of an opportunity to be told by their parents about these things (as it should be) in this particular case of this film, than they would have ever had, if the film had not been made. Thus, on a second look and on another level, it might not be that it was a strange way to have a loss of innocence (so to speak), if it actually did lead to the parents clearing up a lot of things, beforehand.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that this had to be done, beforehand, or else they would not have been such great actors in the filming of this. This really had to have happened before the filming began. And, as such, they were probably forced to do, what every good parent should always do, with their kids. With these kids, they probably gained a benefit, from their parents, for the fact of having to play the parts that they played in this movie.

But, having said that, I know a lot of parents are squeamish with going into that kind of stuff with their kids, which is why they oftentimes let the kids find out for themselves. And also, the kids are sort of squeamish with that, too. However, it's much better if it is covered adequately, beforehand, with the parents.

In regards to Eva Ionesco, I would think she was more experienced in that kind of situation, since her mother had been using her as a nude model for a while. So, I don't think she would have been as awkward as the other actress.

But, really, whether it's an adult or a young teen or a child -- all acting is sort of convoluted, when it comes down to the fim-making process. It's hard to make sense of what is happening from short shots and retakes and all the props and other people around. That's just part of the acting process. And if a child is doing that, it's just another part of their experience in becoming an actor or actress at an early age. It would be strange for anyone to "have sex" (at least depicting it) in front of a set-full of support people around. That's still true for adults, too.

HOWEVER, I have to say that it may not be as strange as it seems, especially for the kids today. I say that, because today it seems that people are filming themselves in these situations and/or having others do it for them. I'm not talking about professional film crews, but just casual and ordinary people with their home video cams. It seems that everyone wants to be "on film" these days and that it's an extra incentive for "doing it" if someone is filming. A lot of kids are doing that very thing these days, and it's so easy, especially with the phone cams.

It does not appear to be strange to these people who know that they are being filmed and they're just going right at it, like nothing bothers them at all. And with the 12-year-old and up crowd, they seem to revel in these things, in groups, no less, with someone taking the films of them, really going at it. Now, how strange is that? And this stuff isn't "acting" but the real and raw footage of it actually happening.

So, there is a lot to consider there...

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Quote from you: "I've never seen this movie here, but from all i heard about this flick it deserved it."

You should see it, because it's quite a good movie, describing the changing of girls into their growing and budding sexuality, as we all went through that phase, boys and girls. In the movie, Fabrizio has obviously been through that phase, earlier (one would think), but he's still struggling with his transition (still), with his sexuality.

And you combine that sexual transition, which is so poignant, as you remember your own (from way back when) -- with the viciousness and cruelty which is already inherent in kids (and that's sure the truth, for kids) -- it's an absolutely explosive combination. And that's what we got here, in this movie, that very memorable and poignant transition period, struggling with who you are and dealing with the cruelty that kids always seem to bring within themselves -- both just exploding on the screen, in many unforseen manifestations. It's a super powerful movie dealing with these things.


Quote from you: "Sadly banning a movie puts even more interest on it."

Well, that's for sure. Somehow, and I can't even remember how I came across it -- when I heard that it had been banned and some people complaining loudly against it, while others were praising it -- there was *only one solution*. And that was for me to see it, myself and not believe anyone else's opinions, but my own, from what I saw with my own eyes.

And from what I've seen, this should be an absolute classic and should be considered a high art form in how it presents the given material. These days, on contemporary TV and the cinema, sex seems to be thrown in there as an afterthought and just to spice things up. In this movie, the sexual encounters and scenes are not afterthoughts or thrown in their just for good measure. If you did not have those scenes, the story would lose all its meaning and punch -- basically because growing into a sexual being, at that early age (which we all did as we were struggling through it ourselves) -- is such a trauma at times. And when you add the cruelty that kids bring to things -- both of these together produces an absolutey dynamite and powerful movie. It's one that is hard to forget, when one remembers how it was, as we all were once kids ourselves.

I'm glad they banned it, or else I would have probably never have noticed it or had the opportunity to see it. A big "thanks to Germany" for helping me see a classic.

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Quote from you: "You can expect the DVD to disappear very quickly."

Well, no, it won't disappear very quickly, and probably will never disappear. This sort of thing then gets a life of its own. People start putting things like this away and keeping it so that no one else can find it. And it gets distributed -- now -- in a new way, one person giving it to another and spreading it around for free. It's currently available as a full DVD rip on the P2P networks. And it probably always will be. In fact, they probably guaranteed that it will be around a lot longer than it would have before -- because they have banned it. Banning tends to increase the circulation and not decrease it. So, they've help the spreading of it by banning it.

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Agreed Eliakim48, it's always the same story, if they ban a book or movie the censors ironically do advertisements for free because the media reports and ongoing discussion leads to much more people becoming interested and wondering what the fuss is all about. I'm sure the X-rated label was quite pleased about the decision.

Look at Nabokov's Lolita or Henry Miller's early work(s), or W.S.Burroughs Naked Lunch. In the sixties it was kinda hip to have a copy of Naked Lunch lying around on the table so when your friends visited they could see that you were the "real deal" so to speak.
Personally I don't know of 1 (read: one) soul who will be deterred from ordering this DVD anyway regardless of the ban but it's amusing to read the German forums when some people ask if it is safe to keep the DVD at home! You may wanna be prepared for the knock at the door late at night :-)

I strongly dislike censorship and I encourage everyone to make up their own minds instead of letting some self-righteous pharisees dictate what you're allowed to read and watch and most importantly, because there it leads in the end, what to think.

Here's the link to an excellent uncut version, including all the DVD extras:

http://www.torrentspy.com/torrent/717570/Maladolescenza_Spielen_wir_Liebe_Uncut_Multilanguage

Or get it from Demonoid directly (where the original ripper uploaded it at first) although you need to register I think.

Here's a link where you can still order the uncut DVD:

http://www.sazuma.com/details.php?dcd_id=82267

There are 5 or 6 other sites (run by individuals) who sell "DVD's" but all they do is download the file above and burn it, from the better ones you may get an actual copy of the DVD but better beware of these sites. I think one individual who runs such a site posts on this board and does so on some Imdb boards of other "sexual awakening" movies.

And for the completist, here's a link where you can order the new (includes some additional takes) soundtrack (apart from 2 or 3 tracks I really like the score of Maladolescenza):

http://www.moviegrooves.com/shop/maladolescenzasoundtrack.htm

And lastly, I find Lara Wendel to be much more attractive than Eva. Plus she was great in Tenebrae. Eva's facial expression and stare in The Tenant was great too btw.

PS: I thought it fitting to quote the reply of Eva Ionesco's mother (in this context) when the media accused her of exploiting her daughter. Irina said "Some moralists could find this vulgar, but Eva never will be such vulgar as Linda Blair in the foolish "Exorcist" or a small prostitute in the "Taxi driver".
She also mentioned that she was seduced by her piano teacher when she was twelve and that this relationship shaped her physically, intellectually and emotionally (in a positive way). Irina's an eccentric woman but she has a point there I believe.




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yes it was banned in germany.....just like the jews were banned in germany....
germany can kiss my butt...
germany should still be hiding under a rock in shame.

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