Baise Moi

Sydney · #1 05-13-2002, 04:20 AM

The French art film Baise Moi has been banned from Australia.

The Australian Classification Review Board decided to change the film's rating from R to unclassified, rendering the public screening of the film an offense punishable by law. The unexpected ban was a result of a few complaints from fringe "community standards groups" and some conservative MPs.

I speak for most of my country when I say we should have a right to view what we want to view. The film was never aimed at most of the country, why should those of us who appreciate art films be punished by the moral crusaders who want society to conform to their simple-minded standards?

I'm tired of people who think they know best for the rest of us.

Surfacing · #2 05-13-2002, 04:35 AM

You can always order it on DVD from France or America, you can really order anything over the internet, so who cares what our deformed governments bans, we always have the internet.

LuxoJr · #3 05-13-2002, 05:58 AM

Yeah, that ticked me off, too.

Aside from the implications of this decision, however - it's no great loss. Baise-moi really is a terrible film that shouldn't have even been made, let alone screened. Of course, I agree that banning films of any kind is foolish - with the exception of propaganda. Doing so merely reinforces the problems that such censorship creates in the first place.

As for the film, think A Clockwork Orange without the subtext and clever directing. The sex scenes are full on, but the frustrating thing is that they're irrelevant to the vacant and pointless storyline. We had it showing here in Melbourne for a fortnight or so before the axe fell.

Gatalus · #4 05-13-2002, 06:20 AM

I read an article in a newspaper who were talking to people who went and saw the movie in Australia at some particular cinemas the day after it was banned. What I don't think the censorship people realise, is that by banning something it causes media publicity, which is basically for the movie free advertising. The people in the article said that if it hadn't been for all the fuss over the movie, they probably wouldn't have went to go see it. If they had left it the way it was, R18, it probably would've just sunk into the depths of obscurity, but now, people are lining up to see 'that film that got banned' Hehehehehehe.

LuxoJr · #5 05-13-2002, 08:40 AM

That's true. For the record, I didn't pay to see it at the Longford in Melbourne - I saw a shaky Divx handicam version of it here on the university network. Compared to the guy on said network who found Episode II and the Warcraft3 Beta test, whoever filmed this crock was wasting their time.

It's the same deal with drug legalisation...the theory being that marijuana will lose its appeal once you can order it from a cafe like in Amsterdam.

Gluk Schmuck · #6 05-13-2002, 01:00 PM

You poor little over-censored Australians. First GTA3 and now some film. Tell me, is it voter appathy or voter idiocracy?

Statikk HDM · #7 05-13-2002, 01:11 PM

It is more like a Big Brother fruity Parliament that started to grab a little power and spun out of control. You know, if you don't argue over the little rights to keep them safe, your "impportant" rights get shat upon by power tripping people who want to turn the clock back to some sort of odd kingship where the incrowd tells you what you can and cannot do.

***Alcar*** · #8 05-13-2002, 07:14 PM

I'd personally like to kick or MP's and especially our Prime Minister.

The bastards just dont know when to stop.

Alcar...

Gatalus · #9 05-14-2002, 08:38 AM

Actually we did get GTA back eventually... minus the hookers health cheat *grumble* And they gave State of Emergency an 18 rating *grumble grumble*

Sydney · #10 05-14-2002, 11:11 AM

:

Originally posted by Gluk Schmuck
You poor little over-censored Australians. First GTA3 and now some film. Tell me, is it voter appathy or voter idiocracy?

It's neither apathy nor idiocracy on the part of the voter. The conservative Attorney-General Daryl Williams caved in to fringe "standards" groups. Our state Premiere, Bob Carr, is trying to reverse the ban, as he believes adults have a right to watch the movie if they choose to.

Statikk HDM · #11 05-14-2002, 11:23 AM

The best way to get a person to watch "obscene" material is to ban the material. It is the red button syndrome. In a Red and Stimpy episode,Ren tells Stimpy he can do anything but press a red button because doing so will destroy the universe. Of course, Stimpy presses the button. If someone says to you, Don't do this, it is only human nature to want to flip authority the bird and watch or read the contraband. I never even knew this film iin question exsisted, but now I want to watch it. If it wasn't for the banning, the film would have went under the radar for me as well as many other people.

pinkgoth2 · #12 05-14-2002, 01:44 PM

Free speech will kill itself. It's that simple.

Democracy kills itself too. It did so in german history before - we currently only have a stable democracy because it isn't one. Hitler managed to become a dictator because of democracy. *shudder* Prior to Hitler, dozens and dozens of people were de-elected within a matter of weeks and months again because it was so democratic! *UGHN*

It's like the people who use the right of free speech to critisize free speech. *laughing* It's bull :)

- TyA

Surfacing · #13 05-15-2002, 03:02 AM

:

Originally posted by Gluk Schmuck
You poor little over-censored Australians. First GTA3 and now some film. Tell me, is it voter appathy or voter idiocracy?

Actually GTA3 as been released again here, so get with the program Gluck.