MovieChat Forums > Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2014) Discussion > Lessons learned?

Lessons learned?

posted 14 years ago by villajim
2 replies | jump to latest

Excellent documentary by Jake West, and I now have a new hero in Martin Barker.
He warned at FrightFest that if we're not vigilant to the signs, something like this (Ban these sadist videos etc) could happen again. It surely wouldn't be to the same extent, but is there another Mary Whitehouse lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to voice against 'morally abhorrent films' such as, I don't know, Human Cen2pede? Is it already happening with A Serbian Film being heavily cut by Westminster Council ahead of it's UK debut? Or am I just reading too much into it? After all, I don't think I can remember a time when the Daily Mail weren't campaigning against some film or other. And often, that would just serve to give the film in question a 'forbidden fruit' sort of status that just had to be consumed. Not sure I would have gone to see Antichrist or Kick-Ass if it wasn't for the preaching Mail.

Thoughts?

[–] King-Grim 14 years ago

Well, these days - with the internet and region-free DVD players - banning a film would have little to no effect anyway. If people want to see the films, they're going to, and besides, people are far more aware that blaming movies for all of society's ills is merely scapegoating.

"Killing me won't bring back your goddamn honey!"

[–] LeonardPine 11 years ago

The internet, downloading and streaming films put an end to the ban everything brigade. The scum British press and politicians still try and control what we watch, but it's getting harder and harder for them to stop the public accessing what they want.

The moral clampdown in the 80's was nothing but a disgrace, and as it turned out, an illegal one in the eyes of european law.

The Daily Mail rears it's ugly head every now and then regarding violent video games, but mostly gets ignored thankfully.

What makes me angry is that all those so called nasties can now be be bought on DVD from HMV on the high street, mostly uncut! So what was the big deal in the first place?

"Perhaps he's wondering why someone would SHOOT a man before throwing him out of a plane..."