158 replies to this topic

[dirac]

Quote

The thing I have to stress again is that the broadcast destination for this programming was BBC4, not a public channel, a very very specialised niche cable channel with an average viewing audience of about 6 people if they're lucky. And in truth if it IS post watershed why can't specialised programming still take place in appropriate formats, channels and times. Because the BBC was broadcasting pre watershed they pulled the De Frutos - a pity about the time slot, the De Frutos was the most interesting thing on the quadruple bill.

Thank you, Simon, that's worth repeating.  

Like most people posting to this thread, I haven't seen the de Frutos but don't have any problem with daring or potentially offensive material shown on appropriate channels at appropriate times.  If parents aren't minding the kiddies' bedtimes there's only so much broadcasters can be expected to do about that.

I couldn't find it again, but cubanmiamiboy's comment about art works and video game content is a good one.

[cubanmiamiboy]

dirac, on Dec 7 2009, 10:17 AM, said:

I couldn't find it again, but cubanmiamiboy's comment about art works and video game content is a good one.

Here is goes again...

cubanmiamiboy, on Dec 6 2009, 01:02 PM, said:

My two cents to this thread.  My mother is an Arts teacher-(college level in Cuba, elementary school here).  She's prohibited to show her students images of  Laocoön and his sons, Venus de Milo, Michelangelo's David, Goya's Naked Maja and so on.  Meanwhile video games depicting rape, murdering and plain sauvage behaviors are legally allowed.  What's wrong with this picture...?

[Mashinka]

Comment on the BBC's decision from Sadlers Wells CE, Alistair Spalding which also gives him the opportunity to plug performances by Marie Chouinard at his theatre next May.

http://www.guardian....an-be-dangerous

[Simon G]

Here's De Frutos in The Guardian on the pulling of the work:

http://www.guardian....avier-de-frutos


In it he acknowledges that it was only appropriate for post watershed, and as I suspected, when commissioned the BBC thought because it's dance (or ballet, it seems they thought, showing a depressing lack of knowledge of wider dance forms) they assumed it would be anodyne, & safe for all the family, so always thought it would be pre watershed and scheduled it as such.

Regarding the question of pious, appropriate Television viewing fayre for Christmas, and the need to safeguard the moral landscape of society by completely censoring all broadcasts pre and post watershed. I'd just like to point to the fact that part of the Xmas programming for terrestrial television on Channel 5 in the UK, and thus publicallly accessible to everyone of the 60 million residents of the UK is the Exorcist. The full version with nothing cut out.

[dirac]

Nothing says wholesome holiday fun like a little girl shoving a crucifix up her crotch.  Although I'm not sure that wouldn't be better for the children than a viewing of Love Actually.

[Simon G]

dirac, on Dec 20 2009, 11:35 PM, said:

Nothing says wholesome holiday fun like a little girl shoving a crucifix up her crotch.  Although I'm not sure that wouldn't be better for the children than a viewing of Love Actually.

Snuff would be preferable to Love Actually.

[Helene]

Simon G, on Dec 20 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

dirac, on Dec 20 2009, 11:35 PM, said:

Nothing says wholesome holiday fun like a little girl shoving a crucifix up her crotch.  Although I'm not sure that wouldn't be better for the children than a viewing of Love Actually.

Snuff would be preferable to Love Actually.

But it has Alan Rickman in it.  Surely there's something worse than Love Actually...

[innopac]

Here is a quote about the censorship attempts  during Diaghilev's visit to America in 1916. (From Judith Mackrell's biography of Lydia Lopokova.)

On 25 January a legal injunction was passed against both Scheherazade and Faune, requiring Diaghilev to lighten the Slave's make-up and restrict the Faun's climax to a mute expression of longing. But even with these changes, censorship continued to plague the company throughout their tour. In Boston the mayor gave instructions that the Russians were permitted to bare only their toes; and in Kansas City, Captain Ennis of the Police Department gave stern notice that no lewdness was permitted on his watch. As he reported proudly to the Kansas City Star, 'Dogleaf, or whatever his name is couldn't understand plain English [so] . . . I told a fellow [the interpreter] "This is a strictly moral town and we won't stand for any high brow immorality. Put on your show but keep it toned down." I told him we didn't want to make trouble but if the show was too rank I'd come right up on stage and call down the curtain.'

[dirac]

Nice quote, innopac.  Interesting, if unsurprising, that the Americans became at least as agitated over race as sex.