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VIDEO NASTIES

THE HISTORY: part 2

The Video Recordings Act Is Spawned: 1984

 

FEB 1984:
FEB 3RD: David Hamilton Grant, secretary of the company that distributed "NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN" is sentenced to 18 months in jail, with 12 more months suspended, for distributing obscene material.
This is despite the fact the print of the film was only 48 seconds longer than the BBFC approved Cinema version, and was a cut print anyway.

Not all MP's (Members of Parliament) are happy with the extreme VRB (Video Recordings Bill) being hurried through. Austin Mitchell MP calls it 'a sledgehammer to crack a nut'.

Eight more Traders are summoned to Court as Police raids on Video stores are stepped up. "THE HILLS HAVE EYES" (with a BBFC cut anyway), "MANIAC" (despite being a heavily censored print) and even "EMMANUELLE 2" are among the titles confiscated.
Tiny, almost comical, fines are handed out.

 

MARCH: Not all newspapers are playing along with the hype. 'The Sunday Times' (who had more than it's fair share of stupid headlines) prints an article by John Mortimer who condemns the VRB as 'unnecessary' and that it undermines liberty.

But already the VRB is steaming ahead, now containing a proposed £20,000 fine and possible prison sentences (for 'more serious offences') for offending Distributors and Retailers.

Dr Clifford Hill and his group publish the results from an enquiry they have been conducting called "Video Violence And Children". In it is printed a list of the top 10 'Nasties' watched by children. One of the top 10 films named by the interviewed children is "Zombie Horror". No film with that title had ever been released in the UK.

'Palace Pictures' threaten to sue over Dr Hill's report because it names "THE EVIL DEAD" as a 'Nasty', despite the film never being successfully prosecuted as obscene.
More prosecutions are pending on the film and 'Palace' say the naming of it as a 'Nastie' in newspapers, following the report, means it can never have a fair trial.

 

APRIL: The BBFC (British Board of Film Censors) is advised by the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) that they must classify Videos with the idea that children might see them.

The results of a Poll printed in "The Guardian" newspaper throws more mud at Dr Hill's amateurish report. It reveals that 68% of children claimed to have viewed films that it turns out don't actually exist.

Some Video companies are 'panic' cutting films themselves in fear of being prosecuted. An example is 'Thorn/EMI' butchering "HALLOWEEN 3".

It comes to light that at roughly £200 a film ($340) the BBFC will be making a tidy profit from the new legislation.

 

MAY: A Video Retailer in Leeds is found not guilty on obscenity charges. Two of his seized films, "THE BURNING" and "THE EVIL DEAD" are found to be 'not obscene'.

 

JUNE: 'Palace Pictures' are given an Award for 'Commercial Innovation' at the annual BFI (British Film Institute) Awards. It is seen as a public show of support by the BFI for the troubled company.
On the same day former executive of 'Thorn/EMI' is cleared over charges relating to it's release of "THE BURNING".

JUNE 27TH: But the recent Legal triumphs in the Courts have no effect on the VRB, which completes its final hurdles.

 

JULY 6TH - 12TH: The VRB is given its final reading and gains Royal Assent. D Day. Only this time it does not stand for deliverance and freedom but draconian oppression of the Video industry, the film industry and civil liberties in general.

Classification was needed...Censorship, anything goes Police raids, business destroying prosecutions and fines were not.

The 'Video Recordings Bill' becomes the 'Video Recordings Act'.
The 'VRA' is here.
Although it is not yet legally implemented, resulting in months of total chaos in Policing and Court verdicts…………….

THE 'VIDEO RECORDINGS ACT': THE FULL DETAILS.

 

(Thanks to John Martin and his excellent "The Seduction of the Gullible" book for invaluable info)