Salo - Uncut in the UK! Whatever next?

DVD Connoisseur · 12-15-2000, 11:11 PM

This may be of interest to purchasers of Region 2 discs. The BBFC (British Board of Film Censorship) has recently started easing up on censorship issues and started releasing previously banned (in the UK) or cut films in an intact or nearly uncut state. One of the more surprising decisions is to release Salo uncut for the cinema and video. The BFI label are releasing Salo on DVD and video formats in February. News obtained from the excellent and informative censorship site www.melonfarmers.co.uk

[This message has been edited by DVD Connoisseur (edited 12-15-2000).]

joltaddict · 12-16-2000, 12:08 AM

It says it will be published by BFI. Anybody know anything about them? Do they do R1?

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Further Proof of my Obsesive-Compusive Disorder

DVD Connoisseur · 12-16-2000, 12:17 AM

Joltaddict, I think it's the British Film Industry's own label. Salo would fit in to their catalogue as it's regarded as an "arthouse movie" in the UK. They won't be releasing Region 1 discs as a) they're a relatively small outfit and b) they won't have universal rights to movies. Still, if you can get past the dreaded PAL to NTSC conversion nightmare, you're home and dry. Chances are, though, that a Region 1 release will appear from a US studio in the near future.

joltaddict · 12-16-2000, 01:29 AM

Thanks for the info DVD Connoisseur, not exactly what I was hoping for but not entirely unexpected. Do publishers even know what the OOP is auctioning off for? You would think this would be a no-brainer.

Jeremy · 12-16-2000, 01:34 AM

I think that the problem with trying to re-release Salo isn't that none of the other companies know about it, but that the American rights are all screwed up and nobody is too sure of it's ownership.

joltaddict · 12-16-2000, 01:49 AM

Then how could Criterion lose the license? It usually reverts back to somebody after a certain contractual period right? I do agree that it is pretty far fetched to think that publishers wouldn't be aware of the going rates for OOP DVDs, but I don't know how tangled the ownership could be for a new one to not even be in the planning stage.

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Further Proof of my Obsesive-Compusive Disorder

12-16-2000, 04:45 AM

Criterion lost the license awfully fast, too, didn't they? Wonder if that had anything to do with any ownership confusion. I don't know much about the movie and don't own it, but I remember seeing it come out and then disappear very quickly. Within a year, I'd guess.

ArrowBeach · 12-16-2000, 09:32 PM

Yes, it is odd that Criterion lost the rights, but SOMEONE had to sell SALO to Criterion ORIGINALLY back in the LD days. So whoever sold them the rights back about 6 years ago, it must have went back to them, right?

Did you noticed SALO begains with the 80's UA logo music? You dont thinkmaybe MGM now owns the rights ot this?

indiephantom · 12-16-2000, 11:10 PM

Interesting point Arrowbeach, about the UA music. I have the Criterion laserdisc. i'll have to check it out again and see. SALO is definitely for special tastes. Not exactly a movie for the Xmas after dinner screening. I think CARRIE or A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET are much more appropriate holiday dishes

DVD Connoisseur · 12-23-2000, 06:09 PM

Welcome to the forum, Jon. Salo sounds like it lives up to its reputation. It's surprising that the BBFC have allowed such a strong film to be released on video/DVD but I guess it's an important arthouse movie and certainly not in the least bit "enjoyable" or "titillating". I don't think we'll see it on the shelves of Blockbuster any time soon....

Jeremy · 12-23-2000, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by joltaddict:
Then how could Criterion lose the license? It usually reverts back to somebody after a certain contractual period right?

I just checked over on the "unofficial" Criterion page, www.criteriondvd.com . They say that Salo went oop because of "intervention on the part of the late director's estate." They didn't elaborate, but I guess it wasn't just a simple case of the license expiring. BTW, criteriondvd.com is a better source of info of Criterion DVDs than the official site!

12-24-2000, 05:21 AM

I saw the new 35mm uncut print at the National Film Theatre here in London on Monday.

It was my first time, but I walked out after the first hour (the nails in the cake was the last thing I remember). To be honest, I could have stayed for more, possibly until the end, but my friend was really shaking, so I did the good deed and left with him, feeling better that I could see it on DVD quite soon.

On the opening titles, there was something quite strange. They were in Italian, but on the actual title card proclaming the film's title "Salo, o le 120 giornate di Sodoma", there was written "Copyright 1975 by United Artists, Inc. All Rights Reserved" in English.

At least we know who should be releasing it in the US, but it seems like a slim chance. The BFI have LOTS of cool stuff about the film. Check out http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/salo/index.html

[This message has been edited by Jon (edited 12-23-2000).]

12-24-2000, 11:04 PM

The Beyond has also slipped through the UK censors uncut as has 2000 Maniacs and Color Me blood Red. I'm not sure about Salo - why would anyone want to watch a film by someone who had a fetish for very young boys. The equivalent perhaps of going to a Gary Glitter concert? Lets restore some morality here!

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www.lundwood.u-net.com/fl/firelightshocks.html CHECK US OUT!

mutleyhyde · 12-25-2000, 04:24 AM

Ha! You're kidding, right? You wanna police horror movies? You're talkin' in the wrong forum. I personally didn't like the film, and NY Ripper is a very grotesque movie as well (pertaining to your post in another topic), however, I am greatly anti-censorship and for the right of individual choice. Sorry, but that post you left on NY Ripper and now this call to "morality" (and just whose morality I might ask) has set me off just a tad. How about in the X-mas spirit, I read you a little scripture... Judge not, least ye be judged.

------------------
"When I go to confession, I don't offer God small sins - petty squables, jealousies - I offer him sins worth forgiving!"

May the Hammer eternally bleed!
M. Hyde

12-26-2000, 12:29 AM

Well, if you've not got my E mail bud, here's the deal. I'm anti-censorship too, at least until someone or something begins to get hurt (e.g. Cannibal Ferox/ Holocaust with all that animal cruelty which breaks laws). NEVER did I say that The New York Ripper or Salo should be banned because, ultimately, they were both made by consenting adults and that's that. However, 'whose morality'? Is saying that I have a hard time being overjoyed about the release of a film whose director had a known fetish for young boys wrong? If so then surely you have no problem with having Gary Glitter around to your house for a cup of tea, or any other well known paedophile. That's all I said. I'm sure you picked me up wrong. Otherwise, I just want everyone to know that myself and my fanzine are against the censoring of any material to an adult audience. On a positive note, the BBFC is getting more lenient (see the interview on my web page) and Last House on the Left is now available on a cool, anamorphically enhanced DVD from France. I got my copy last week and it's good stuff.

------------------
www.lundwood.u-net.com/fl/firelightshocks.html CHECK US OUT!

12-15-2000, 11:11 PM	#1
DVD Connoisseur Moderator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The UK - Home of Censorship Posts: 2,309	Salo - Uncut in the UK! Whatever next? This may be of interest to purchasers of Region 2 discs. The BBFC (British Board of Film Censorship) has recently started easing up on censorship issues and started releasing previously banned (in the UK) or cut films in an intact or nearly uncut state. One of the more surprising decisions is to release Salo uncut for the cinema and video. The BFI label are releasing Salo on DVD and video formats in February. News obtained from the excellent and informative censorship site www.melonfarmers.co.uk [This message has been edited by DVD Connoisseur (edited 12-15-2000).]

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12-16-2000, 12:08 AM	#2
joltaddict HackMaster Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 1,309	It says it will be published by BFI. Anybody know anything about them? Do they do R1? ------------------ Further Proof of my Obsesive-Compusive Disorder

12-16-2000, 12:17 AM	#3
DVD Connoisseur Moderator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The UK - Home of Censorship Posts: 2,309	Joltaddict, I think it's the British Film Industry's own label. Salo would fit in to their catalogue as it's regarded as an "arthouse movie" in the UK. They won't be releasing Region 1 discs as a) they're a relatively small outfit and b) they won't have universal rights to movies. Still, if you can get past the dreaded PAL to NTSC conversion nightmare, you're home and dry. Chances are, though, that a Region 1 release will appear from a US studio in the near future.

12-16-2000, 01:29 AM	#4
joltaddict HackMaster Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 1,309	Thanks for the info DVD Connoisseur, not exactly what I was hoping for but not entirely unexpected. Do publishers even know what the OOP is auctioning off for? You would think this would be a no-brainer.

12-16-2000, 01:34 AM	#5
Jeremy Closet SCREAM fan Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 844	I think that the problem with trying to re-release Salo isn't that none of the other companies know about it, but that the American rights are all screwed up and nobody is too sure of it's ownership.

12-16-2000, 01:49 AM	#6
joltaddict HackMaster Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 1,309	Then how could Criterion lose the license? It usually reverts back to somebody after a certain contractual period right? I do agree that it is pretty far fetched to think that publishers wouldn't be aware of the going rates for OOP DVDs, but I don't know how tangled the ownership could be for a new one to not even be in the planning stage. ------------------ Further Proof of my Obsesive-Compusive Disorder

12-16-2000, 04:45 AM	#7
AceRimRat Guest Posts: n/a	Criterion lost the license awfully fast, too, didn't they? Wonder if that had anything to do with any ownership confusion. I don't know much about the movie and don't own it, but I remember seeing it come out and then disappear very quickly. Within a year, I'd guess.

12-16-2000, 09:32 PM	#8
ArrowBeach HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 1,332	Yes, it is odd that Criterion lost the rights, but SOMEONE had to sell SALO to Criterion ORIGINALLY back in the LD days. So whoever sold them the rights back about 6 years ago, it must have went back to them, right? Did you noticed SALO begains with the 80's UA logo music? You dont thinkmaybe MGM now owns the rights ot this?

12-16-2000, 11:10 PM	#9
indiephantom Horny Spirit Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Ghost World Posts: 3,880	Interesting point Arrowbeach, about the UA music. I have the Criterion laserdisc. i'll have to check it out again and see. SALO is definitely for special tastes. Not exactly a movie for the Xmas after dinner screening. I think CARRIE or A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET are much more appropriate holiday dishes

12-23-2000, 06:09 PM	#10
DVD Connoisseur Moderator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The UK - Home of Censorship Posts: 2,309	Welcome to the forum, Jon. Salo sounds like it lives up to its reputation. It's surprising that the BBFC have allowed such a strong film to be released on video/DVD but I guess it's an important arthouse movie and certainly not in the least bit "enjoyable" or "titillating". I don't think we'll see it on the shelves of Blockbuster any time soon....

12-24-2000, 05:21 AM	#12
Jon Guest Posts: n/a	I saw the new 35mm uncut print at the National Film Theatre here in London on Monday. It was my first time, but I walked out after the first hour (the nails in the cake was the last thing I remember). To be honest, I could have stayed for more, possibly until the end, but my friend was really shaking, so I did the good deed and left with him, feeling better that I could see it on DVD quite soon. On the opening titles, there was something quite strange. They were in Italian, but on the actual title card proclaming the film's title "Salo, o le 120 giornate di Sodoma", there was written "Copyright 1975 by United Artists, Inc. All Rights Reserved" in English. At least we know who should be releasing it in the US, but it seems like a slim chance. The BFI have LOTS of cool stuff about the film. Check out http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/salo/index.html [This message has been edited by Jon (edited 12-23-2000).]

12-24-2000, 11:04 PM	#13
C.R Guest Posts: n/a	The Beyond has also slipped through the UK censors uncut as has 2000 Maniacs and Color Me blood Red. I'm not sure about Salo - why would anyone want to watch a film by someone who had a fetish for very young boys. The equivalent perhaps of going to a Gary Glitter concert? Lets restore some morality here! ------------------ www.lundwood.u-net.com/fl/firelightshocks.html CHECK US OUT!

12-25-2000, 04:24 AM	#14
mutleyhyde Fuck it. Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Dallas Posts: 4,904	Ha! You're kidding, right? You wanna police horror movies? You're talkin' in the wrong forum. I personally didn't like the film, and NY Ripper is a very grotesque movie as well (pertaining to your post in another topic), however, I am greatly anti-censorship and for the right of individual choice. Sorry, but that post you left on NY Ripper and now this call to "morality" (and just whose morality I might ask) has set me off just a tad. How about in the X-mas spirit, I read you a little scripture... Judge not, least ye be judged. ------------------ "When I go to confession, I don't offer God small sins - petty squables, jealousies - I offer him sins worth forgiving!" May the Hammer eternally bleed! M. Hyde

12-26-2000, 12:29 AM	#15
C.R Guest Posts: n/a	Well, if you've not got my E mail bud, here's the deal. I'm anti-censorship too, at least until someone or something begins to get hurt (e.g. Cannibal Ferox/ Holocaust with all that animal cruelty which breaks laws). NEVER did I say that The New York Ripper or Salo should be banned because, ultimately, they were both made by consenting adults and that's that. However, 'whose morality'? Is saying that I have a hard time being overjoyed about the release of a film whose director had a known fetish for young boys wrong? If so then surely you have no problem with having Gary Glitter around to your house for a cup of tea, or any other well known paedophile. That's all I said. I'm sure you picked me up wrong. Otherwise, I just want everyone to know that myself and my fanzine are against the censoring of any material to an adult audience. On a positive note, the BBFC is getting more lenient (see the interview on my web page) and Last House on the Left is now available on a cool, anamorphically enhanced DVD from France. I got my copy last week and it's good stuff. ------------------ www.lundwood.u-net.com/fl/firelightshocks.html CHECK US OUT!