Moment of truth (-: : How much censorship do you tolerate?

[Peter Neal]

Yes, there's no question about that all on this board would rather go for an uncut version than a censored one and that the general idea of movies for a grown up audience being hacked up by distributors (for ratings) and boards doesn't have many supporters here - BUT - in all honesty - how much does the "uncut" question really affect your purchases?
I got just thinking about this in particular regarding the mainstream cinema.
Would I REALLY go for a R1 of "The Frighteners" , "Triple X", "Men in Black" or "Spiderman 2" at all costs just because a few seconds have been chopped for the whole of Europe thanks to the sensitive demands of the UK market?
I don't think so.
Would I really buy some strange German "Integrall/Extended" cut of a cult classic like "Dawn of the Dead" or "Re Animator", just because some small time label considered it to be a good idea to splice every deleted scene at hand without the authorization of the original filmmakers back into the films to promote their hybrid as the "longest version available"?
Would I buy some poor quality R1 for a few extra seconds (or shabby deleted scenes) of a genre movie that has a slightly cut but otherwise extra loaded European release? The new Toolbox Murders movie springs to mind.
What are your thoughts?

[Vaughan]

Well, not all extended versions are poor quality of course. I try not to buy shabby transfers, no matter what it is.

As for getting versions without cuts though - yes, I really would buy from R1 if it's a longer cut.

[fredzilla]

I never accept a cut version of a movie. Never.

[jacksmith1983]

If a R2 DVD has been cut by the BBFC then (where possible) i will always opt for a R1 uncut version.

I would also shun a R2 disc if it truncates scenes that have been presented in previous versions. For example I intend to avoid AB UK's forthcoming disc of Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things for that reason.

[Vaughan]

It must be incredibly frustrating for the likes of ABUK. They know we want uncut, and they know we buy from R1 - yet cuts are forced upon them, and they have to pay for the privilege!

[Pecker]

Generally, I'll go for the uncut version, but there are occasional exceptions.

For example, there was a little discussion recently about some of the Leone re-issues being cut. Apparently a couple of shots of horses falling over were removed, for cruelty to animals reasons.

To be honest, the ommission of a few seconds of horses falling over doesn't worry me. It's not vital to the plot (we know the horses have fallen), and I wouldn't otherwise be sat at home marvelling at how cool those horses looked falling over.

I grew up (film wise) trying to get uncut versions of films like 'Dawn of the Dead'. You remove 50% of the gore from a film like this (as the UK censors did), and it's a completely different cinematic experience. But 3 seconds of horses falling over? I'd rather it were there, but I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist about it.

See also the recent 'Fight Club' thread. Someone hits someone in the face 5 times, and the censors cut 1 of the blows? Don't know why they bothered cutting it, but let's face it, it doesn't really change the film.

Steve W

[jacksmith1983]

Take for example the forthcoming Blind Dead Collection - if just one of the discs was sligtly censored you can bet everyone in the know will shun it for the Blue Underground version.

I would be one of them.

Yes I do sympathise with the fact that AB UK have their business restricted by the BBFC but at the end of the day in this age of the internet and universal one click buying options I just won't buy a truncated release of anything if it is available uncut elsewhere.

Sorry if that upsets the "always buy British" brigade...

(Incidentally I am sure the Blind Dead Collection will sail past the BBFC without cuts, in which case I will buy the AB UK one).

[Companero]

I will only buy a cut version if it is the only way a film can be bought. I will never purchase a shorter version just because it's cheap. I'd rather go without.

[jacksmith1983]

Amen to that!

[Peter Neal]

I'm pretty much hooked on R2. The only expections when I go for R1 are with films which got totally shredded in Europe or got only released on very poor bootleg standard DVDs (Some German "Red Edition" or ASTRO releases spring to mind). And mainstream outings like Spiderman 2 or MIB, I'd definetely (if at all) would pick up on R2 in any case on budget sales. Where things get REALLY hairy are cases like the UK DVD of "Nightmares in a Damaged Brain", so far the best quality release of this film, yet missing something like 2 Minutes . Should/would I really want to wait until one fine day (probably in 2008 or so) a complete first rate release is put together or do I give my used Dutch uncut tape a break and buy the damm thing "just in case"?

[Count Yorga]

If theres an uncut version avialable , Ill always get that one.
/J

[the13thman]

On VHS I took what I could get but on DVD my attitude to cut titles is the same as it is to titles in the wrong aspect ratio - no sale.

I also will not be getting the ABUK Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things release because of the missing footage, just as I avoided the shorter release of The Asphyx. When a film is released in a considerably shortened version then I make sure to avoid it like the plague - especially when I am familar with the longer version.

There are one or two exceptions of course (e.g the ABUS version of Freaked, which is much shorter than the UK release but has fantastic extras) but for the most part even 1 second cut means its time to buy from another region.

I saw the Fistful of Dynamite re-release for a fiver though, may make an exception and get that too.

I don't pretend to be consistent but after a couple of decades of watching choppily edited films with all the "good bits" clearly abridged I am seriously turned off when I hear a film is cut, same goes for incorrect aspect ratios. Should I unknowingly buy a film that turns out to be obviously cut or in the wrong OAR I usually return it to the shop.

[christats]

I think a film being uncut is the most important aspect of a DVD,especially when it comes to Horror films.It annoys me that there is a more complete version.
So much so that when I wasn't as wised up 2 or 3 years ago I have bought cut films and re-bought them when I have found out.
I would rather have an uncut film with not many extras or none at all,than a spruced up release which is cut.
That is why I own a bare bones Dutch Last House on The Left,rather than the UK one.
Price does come into it though,and if there is a ridiculous price difference then for a few seconds its less important.For the sake of a few quid though,uncut every time,then print quality secondary.Anamorphic or not isn't the biggest issue with me or extras,although if everything is correct or the best release possible then all the better.

[the dude]

Uncut for me now since I went multi region. So that means r1 Spiderman 2, when I can be bothered to buy it - should be cheap now.

The same with aspect ratios; if its wrong I don't buy (except for The Evil Dead)

Since going multi region, I have been slowly replacing my cut r2s with uncut r1s.

I couldn't believe how much had been cut out of Die Hard With A Vengeance

[MrC]

I depends on the type of cuts and how much I like the film, Though when I shop I get most things uncut these days because I stopped buying from the shops unless Im bored and pop out and buy a DVD,or passing a shop and see something cheap,I have used mainly region 1 suppliers for about 3 years.
Examples of my tolerance of censorship
Horror-HAS to be uncut will shop around to get most complete version.
Action-95% Uncut but brought a few things like Murder at 1600, Conan, Paid a something like a fiver for each at HMV not bothered about cuts will watch only once. I like Death Wish 2 so I bought U.S cut version,wasnt happy with it then went and bought the European uncut version.
Everything else has to be uncut unless again its a stupid not noticable cut and I have just bought the film for a quick watch and was cheap.

[Rich]

I'm restricted to R2,but I alway's try to buy uncut.Before I make a purchase I usually do a bit of research,checking on DVD compare,the BBFC website,and asking fellow horror fans on forums like this one about possible cuts.A recent example for me would be,The New York Ripper.I knew there were two possible versions available to me,the Japan Shock disc,and the AB US one (both R0).I decided to go for the AB disc for the extra scenes of dialogue that are missing from the Japan Shock disc.I'm thinking about buying the R2 Cannibal Apocalypse,but it's missing 2 seconds of barbecued rat footage,this is how obsessive we horror fans are about getting hold of uncut DVD's!

[Rissos]

I agree with Pecker. A second or two doesn't worry me, particularly when films are cut to get a lower rating. For example, I don't care about a headbut in Shrek II - I'm not going to buy the R1 to see that as it's not a vital part of the film, same goes for Spiderman II. It's only when substantial (a very imprecise word I know) cuts are made that I will look for other versions.
And Rich - there is no excuse any more for being restricted to Region 2. Multiregion dvds are as cheap or cheaper than restricted ones. Have a look around. You can get a player for the cost of a couple of discs now.

[Pecker]

Was 'Spiderman II' cut?

Never seen it. In fact I've never seen the first one.

What was cut?

Steve W

[Vaughan]

I am interested in why anyone would bother to buy a cut movie, when it is known an incut is out there for little to no extra? I appreciate a second hee or there isn't going to change a film too much - however, it's just as easy to click a web site in the US than it is in R2.

[jacksmith1983]

I know its daft. The worst people though are the "fans" who have the temerity to lecture others for buying imports under the argument that they are "damaging the market" for UK companies like AB UK etc,

I'm sure most regular iomport buyers have encountered a blinkered "always buy British" tubthumper or two?