CASE STUDY BANNING FILMS: A UNIFYING CAUSE Censorship Cinema has always worried the all over the world because of the strength of its power of suggestion compared to other media. Therefore, there are commissions in every country who decide what parts of a film should be seen or whether the film should be seen at all. means forbidding a film to be released, which means censorship has been applied to the script. establishment "Prior restraints" Classification The targets of all censors are films considered against community values, depending on the political regimes and historical periods. As for Hollywood, in 1930 the Hays Office adopted the Motion Picture Production Code, known as the Hays Code, which was liberalised in 1966 after it had become outdated because of changes in society and a more relaxed attitude towards sex. In 1968 the MPAA set up a commission to classify films into categories: G, for general audiences; PG, parental guidance suggested; PG-13, parents strongly cautioned (film contains material inappropriate for children under 13); R, restricted to adults and to children under 17 accompanied by parent or guardian; NC-17, no children under 17 admitted. 1 A great example Bertolucci's (1972) was not only , but its director was for . In 1976 the Italian Supreme Court sentenced all copies to be destroyed and Bertolucci had his civil rights revoked for five years, depriving him of voting rights. It was not until 1987 that the Supreme Court the ban. Last Tango in Paris banned put on trial obscenity overturned In France the film attracted queues of filmgoers, also drawing Spaniards who crossed the border to see it. In Northern Ireland the same film made the miracle of uniting Catholics and Protestants during the civil war: their leaders marched together to block it because it represented threats to morality, and it was banned. Britain considered it pornographic but did not ban it. However, Bertolucci’s erotic drama gained many positive reviews and two Academy nominations. It is now considered as a landmark in movie history thanks to Brando’s acting, Bertolucci’s direction, Vittorio Storaro’s cinematography, and Gato Barbieri’s music. 1 MORE After watching it, American director Robert Altman said, “I walked out of the screening and said to myself, ‘How dare I make another film?’ My personal and artistic life will never be the same.” 1 GLOSSARY : : : : : to ban vietare establishment il complesso delle istituzioni che, in un Paese, detengono il potere prior restraint censura preventiva to put on trial processare to overturn annullare 6 Answer the questions. What does the passage deal with? Why are films subject to censorship? What was the Hays Code? Why was the Hays Code liberalised? Why do you think Italy, Ireland, and Spain banned the film, whereas France did not? Why did unify a country? Do you think violent internet videos should be censored? Justify your answer. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Last Tango in Paris 7. 7 Surf the net and find out where and why one of the most famous films starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman was censored.