Who Shall Be Censor?
Extracts from the Cinematograph Films Act, 1961.
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There shall be appointed under the provisions of the Public Service Act 1912 a Censor of Cinematograph Films.
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The powers conferred on the Censor by this Act may be exercised by any employee of the Public Service duly appointed to act on behalf of or in assistance of the Censor.
Powers of Censor
On the completion of the examination of any film, the Censor may
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Approve the film for exhibition; or
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Refuse to approve the film for exhibition; or
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Approve the film for exhibition subject to such excisions from the film as he thinks proper.
Matters to be considered by Censor
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The approval of the Censor shall not be given with respect to any film or to any part of a film which in his opinion depicts any matter that is contrary to public order or decency, or the exhibition of which would for any other reason be undesirable in the public interest.
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In the case of a film the exhibition of which is intended to be accompanied by a mechanical reproduction of sound (whether or not the device or arrangement for such reproduction is an integral part of the film), the Censor may take such reproduction of sound into consideration in determining the kind of certificate of approval to be issued, or in determining what excisions, if any, should be made therefrom.
[This is the full section (14) in the Act which deals with matters to be considered by the Censor. There are no definitions of "public order" or "decent" or "undesirable in the public interest". Ed.]
Cinematograph Films Censorship Board of Appeal
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For the purposes of this Act, there is hereby established a Board of Appeal to be known as the Cinematograph Films Censorship Board of Appeal.
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The Censorship Board of Appeal shall consist of three persons to be appointed for a term of not more than three years, but shall be eligible for reappointment, and may be at any time removed from office by the Minister for disability, bankruptcy, neglect of duty, or misconduct, or may at any time resign his office by writing addressed to the Minister.
Hearing and determination of Appeal.
On any appeal against the Censor's decision in relation to any film, the Censorship Board of Appeal shall take into consideration the matters required to be considered by the Censor under section 14 of this Act, and may
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Uphold that decision; or
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Reverse it; or
Vary any recommendation, or any condition attached to a conditional approval of the film, or the alterations or excisions that the Censor has required to be made in the film; or
Itself require excisions or alterations to be made in the film.
[Other clauses deal with any appeal made by the Minister and with acts consequent on any decisions made by the Board. Ed.]
Censorship Board of Appeal may refer appeals back for reconsideration by the Censor.
Bans and Appeals: 1956-1966
1956
Banned by Censor
Operation Manhunt Upheld by Board
Cell 2455, Death Row Upheld by Board
Garden of Eden Appeal allowed: G Certificate given
Rebel Without a Cause Appeal allowed, after a few cuts made: R 16 Certificate
The Wild One Decision upheld. This film was first banned in 1954
Censorship Policy
"As usual the vast majority of all excisions - 86 per cent - were made on the score of `violence', a broad category which embraces excessive brutality, dirty fighting, overemphasis on crime and killing, and unnecessarily gruesome and terrifying details.
"The other major cause of cutting comes under the general heading of 'sex,' which takes in unduly suggestive or vulgar situations and dialogue; and here the proportion remained the same as in the previous year-12 per cent."
-From Annual Report of the Department of Internal Affairs 1956.
1957
No feature films were banned.
1958
Banned by Censor
The Wild Party Decision upheld by Board.
The Delinquents Decision upheld by Board.
Chained for Life Appeal upheld, given a restricted certificate after some cutting.
No Orchids for Miss Blandish Decision upheld.
A film banned earlier, Cell 2455, Death Row, had been re-edited by the film company and was given, with more cuts, an A Certificate.
1959
Banned by Censor
Blood of Dracula Re-edited, given R16 Certificate as Blood is my Heritage.
Motor Cycle Gang
The Party Crashers
Karamoja
I Was a Teenage Werewolf Decision upheld by Board.
Tictaban Decision upheld by Board.
High School Confidential Decision upheld by Board.
Naked Paradise Appeal upheld: film given A Certificate after substantial cutting.
1960
Banned by Censor
The Cool and the Crazy
I was a Teenage Frankenstein
Teenage Doll
Elysia
Teenage Monster
Dragstrip Riot Re-submitted to censor after reediting. And allowed.
High School Hellcats Re-submitted to censor after reediting. And allowed.
I want to Live Appeal allowed: R16 Certificate, after cuts made.
Call Girls Appeal allowed: R16 Certificate, after cuts made.
Beat Generation Decision upheld by Board.
How to make a Monster Decision upheld by Board.
Teenage Wolfpack Decision upheld by Board.
The Last Mile Decision upheld by Board.
The Wild One Decision upheld by Board.
"The increase in cutting as compared with last year is due mainly to the increased number of horror films showing scenes of blood, vivisection, vampirism, bestiality, sadism, torture, and terror at length, in detail, and usually in colour."
-From Annual Report of the Department of Internal Affairs for the year ending March 31, 1960.
1961
Banned by Censor
Girls' Town Decision upheld by the Board.
The Pusher Decision upheld by the Board.
This Rebel Breed Decision upheld by the Board.
Peeping Tom Decision upheld by the Board.
The other feature films (un-named in Censor's annual report) which had been banned were re-edited, re-submitted and approved. Seven other feature films (un-named) were banned, and no appeals were made.
"Offensive dialogue is responsible for increased cutting under the headings 'sex' and `other reasons'."
-From Annual Report of the Department of Internal Affairs 1961.
1962
Banned by Censor
A Cold Wind in August Decision upheld by Board
The Vampire and the Ballerina Decision upheld by Board
No Orchids for Miss Blandish Appeal allowed, after re-editing
Sex Kittens Go to College Appeal allowed, after re-editing and a change of title for Sex Kittens.
Too Young to Love Appeal allowed.
Key Witness
Mad Dog Coll
Hand of Death
Black Sunday
Mr. Sardonicus
The Explosive Generation
The Haunted Bungalow
Wild Youth
The Swindlers
Too Hot to Handle
The Curse of the Werewolf
Look in any Window
Jungle Street Decision upheld.
The Young Savages Appeal allowed: R21 Certificate after cuts made.
1963
Banned by Censor
Cape Fear Decision upheld.
13 West Street Appeal allowed "A" Certificate after cuts made.
Ma Barker's Killer Brood Decision upheld
The Hunchback of Rome Decision upheld
I Spit on Your Grave Decision upheld
So Dark is the Night Decision upheld
Rocket Attack U.S.A.
Striptease de Paris
The Wild Ride
Night Mystery
Live Now, Pay Later Appeal allowed: R16 Certificate after cuts made
High School Caesar
1964
Banned by Censor
Two Before Zero
Young and Wild
Mrs. Gibbons Boys
Not Tonight, Henry
Confessions of an Opium Eater
The Keeler Affair Decision upheld
She Walks by Night
Strangers in the City
Maniac Decision upheld
The Beatniks
Something Wild Appeal allowed: R.16 Certificate, after cuts made
Under the Yum-Yum Tree Appeal allowed: R18 Certificate
"Although ... the proportion of excisions on the grounds of sex increased compared with last year, and excisions on those of violence decreased both in number and proportion, excisions on the grounds of sex did in fact include a considerable number of cuts of scenes involving violence to and assaults upon women. In addition, they included cuts for sexual deviations including homosexuality and incest, and for abortion, carnal knowledge of minors, and the use of aphrodisiacs".
- From Annual Report, Department of Internal Affairs, for year ending 31 March, 1964.
1965
Banned by Censor
Nightmare Decision upheld
Vice and Virtue Decision upheld
The Small World of Sammy Lee Decision upheld
The Balcony Decision upheld
Shock Treatment
The Virgin of Nuremburg
Lady in a Cage
The Downward Path
Teenage Jungle
Prostitution Appeal allowed, R18 Certificate, under the title The White Slavers
The Strangler
Shock Corridor
Kittten with a Whip
Thimios and the Big Stars
Young Fury
The Dairy of a Chambermaid
1966
Banned by Censor
The Sandpiper Appeal allowed by Board
The Knack and How to Get It Appeal allowed by Board
Une Femme Mariee Censor's decision upheld
Die! Die! My Darling Censor's decision upheld
Repulsion Resubmitted to Censor, with alterations, and approved R16
The Sadist
Raiders from Beneath the Sea
The Shame of Patty Smith
An appeal made against a cut required by the Censor in the film, The Collector, was not allowed. The film and its trailer were rejected in their entirety by the Board of Appeal. The distributor of the film applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari in the grounds that the Board acted beyond its jurisdiction.
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