Saturday, July the 10th, 2004
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My old mucker Max Décharné has sent an amusing list gleaned from his current reading matter, What The Censor Saw by John Trevelyan. The British Board of Film Classification has always been keen to protect the public from depictions of moral turpitude, and Max has helpfully noted the following examples of forbidden topics:
1913 — Indecorous dancing. Native customs in foreign lands abhorrent to British ideas.
1914 — Incidents injurious to the reputation of Govermental Departments. Unnecessary exhibitions of feminine underclothing. The effects of vitriol throwing. Stories tinctured with salacious wit. Sensual exposition of Eugenic Doctrines.
1919 — Criminal poisoning by dissemination of germs. Excessive revolver shooting. Animals gnawing men and children*. Clutching hands.
1925 — Libels on the British nursing profession. Bolshevik propaganda. Abdominal contortions in dancing.
1926 — Employee selling his wife to employer to cover defalcations. Severed human heads. Degrading exhibitions of animal passion. Indecent wall decorations. Dangerous mischief, easily imitated by children. Lecherous old men. Themes which are likely to wound the just susceptibilities of our Allies. Comic hanging. Breaking bottles on men's heads.
1931 — Marriages within the prohibitive degree. Girls' clothes pulled off. The Salvation Army shown in an unfavourable light.
* NOTE : Presumably scenes showing animals gnawing women were allowed, then.
Hooting Yard on the Air, April the 27th, 2005 : “Anaxagrotax” (starts around 27:29)