Video Nasty

“Video nasty” is a colloquial term originating from the United Kingdom where it was utilized to refer to a number of films distributed on video cassette that were criticised for their lulzy content by the press, social commentators and various religious organisations. Use of the term became popularised back in the early pre-Web 2.0 1980s when if you wanted to fap over footage of sexy Nazi prison-camps, or cannibals cutting off some bird's left tit with a hot stone knife it wasn't as easy as just torrenting something using bandwidth stolen from your retarded neighbour's insecure WiFi network, you'd actually be required to invest a certain amount of time, effort and most certainly money, because back then VCRs and good quality first-generation releases could be fucking expensive. Happily though, there was no requirement for tapes to be classified before being made publicly available, meaning anybody of any age could legally hire anything they wanted to watch. The result of this being films such as Exposé, Mad Foxes & The Beyond were routinely rented out to salivating wide eyed and often sweaty-palmed 10 year old boys on a regular basis without question. Inevitably as is sadly the case with most good things in life, this all came to an end when in 1984 the Video Recordings Act was implemented, making it illegal to distribute any film that had not been officially classified. The British Board of Film Classification liased with the government's Director of Public Prosecutions and together they came up with a list of titles they deemed to be morally ruinous and thus capable of causing harm to society. It has however been posited by some that rather than seeking to protect society with its clampdown the then Margaret Thatcher led Conservative government were actually trying to distract it from all the heinous shit they were up to at the time and that their “video nasty” golem further served as a nice scapegoat when it came to having to address clear failings in their handling of crime, education and overall societal welfare.

They obviously did it for the lulz, idiot.

Dogs affected by Video Nasties
Conservative MP Graham Bright justifying his calls for greater censorship of videos.

Video Nasties • Banned in the UK
A segment taken from an episode of the Channel 4 short season 'Banned in the UK'

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DPP, Y U “No!” Me?

Typical “video nasty” content

The DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) list of 'video nasties' was first made public in June 1983 and modified on a monthly basis as prosecution failed or were dropped. In total, 72 separate films appeared on the list at one time or another.

A smörgåsbord of sleaze.

39 films were successfully prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act but some of these films have been subsequently cut and then approved for release by the British Broad of Film Classification. The remaining 33 were either not prosecuted or had unsuccessful prosecutions. 10 films remain banned in the UK because they have not yet been resubmitted for classification by any distributors or have been rejected for classification. Some films spent a short time on this list because their prosecutions failed shortly after publication or because it was decided it wasn't worth pursuing. Ultimately, the list became obsolete when the Video Recordings Act came into force, and since 2001, several of the films have been released uncut. In the majority of cases below where cuts were made, they were scenes of real-life animal cruelty and/or excessive violence to women, both of which are still regarded with some degree of severity by the BBFC. A large number of these movies caused additional controversy with the cover art of the original big box releases. Any title seized under Section 2 would make the dealer or distributor liable to prosecution for disseminating obscene materials.

Wholesome family entertainment.

Dealers could be fined or jailed and the film itself would be declared obscene if the prosecution was successful, meaning it could not be distributed or sold in the UK until the obscenity was quashed. 39 of the Section 2 films were successfully prosecuted and remained banned. 33 of the Section 2 films had unsuccessful prosecutions and were subsequently dropped from the list and placed onto Section 3.

Section 3 titles were liable to be confiscated under a 'less obscene' charge, which allowed police to seize a film they considered obscene if the dealer cooperated, they legally admit that the articles are obscene and therefore escape any personal prosecution. The 33 films that couldn't be prosecuted under Section 2 automatically became Section 3 titles and were still seized by the police. The main difference between Section 2 and 3 is that video dealers or distributors could be personally prosecuted in court for holding the film under Section 2 but not under Section 3, where the obscenity is admitted through forfeiting the material.

BAN THIS FILTH About missing Pics

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	“	Societies appear to be subject, every now and then, to periods of moral panic. A condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests ; its nature is presented in a stylised and stereotypical fashion by the mass media ; the moral barricades are manned by editors, bishops, politicians and other right-thinking people ; socially accredited experts pronounce their diagnoses and solutions ; ways of coping are evolved or (more often) resorted to ; the condition then disappears, submerges or deteriorates and becomes more visible. Sometimes the object of the panic is quite novel and at other times it is something which has been in existence long enough, but suddenly appears in the limelight. Sometimes the panic passes over and is forgotten, except in folk-lore and collective memory ; at other times it has more serious and long-lasting repercussions and might produce such changes in legal and social policy or even in the way society conceives itself.	„
	— Professor Stanley Cohen

“I fell in love with a Video Nasty!”

Waffen SS Undead Fucksquad

Section 1: Prosecuted films • Click to expand list

Absurd (original title: Rosso Sangue, also known as Monster Hunter, Anthropophagus 2, and Horrible) - Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 2017.
Anthropophagous: The Beast (original title: Antropophagus, also known as Anthropophagous, Antropofago, The Grim Reaper, Man Beast, Man-Eater, and The Savage Island) – Released with approximately 8 minutes of pre-edits as The Grim Reaper in 2002. Complete version passed uncut in June 2015.
Axe (also known as Lisa, Lisa and California Axe Massacre) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 19 seconds cut in 1999. Released uncut in 2005.
A Bay of Blood (original title: Reazione a Catena, also known as Twitch of the Death Nerve, Blood Bath and simply Bay of Blood) – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1972. Released with 43 seconds cut in 1994. Re-released uncut in 2010.
The Beast in Heat (original title: La Bestia in Calore, also known as SS Hell Camp) – No UK re-release.
Blood Feast – Released with 23 seconds cut in 2001. Re-released uncut in 2005.
Blood Rites (also known as The Ghastly Ones) – No UK re-release.
Bloody Moon (original title: Die Säge des Todes) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 20 seconds cut in 1993. Released uncut November 2008.
The Burning – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 19 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2001.
Cannibal Apocalypse (original title: Apocalypse Domani, also known as Invasion of the Flesh Hunters) – Released with 2 seconds cut to animal cruelty in 2005.
Cannibal Ferox (also known as Make Them Die Slowly) – Released with approximately 6 minutes of pre-cuts plus an additional 6 sec cut to a scene of animal cruelty in 2000. Re-released with 1 minute 55 seconds of animal cruelty cuts in 2018.
Cannibal Holocaust – Released in 2001 with 5 minutes 44 seconds cut to remove most animal cruelty and rape scenes. Re-released with 15 seconds cut to one animal cruelty scene in 2011.
The Cannibal Man (original title: La Semana del Asesino) – Released with 3 seconds cut in 1993.
Devil Hunter (original title: El Canibal) – Released uncut in November 2008.
Don't Go in the Woods – Released uncut in 2007 with a 15 rating.
The Driller Killer – Released with 54 seconds of pre-cuts in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2002. Now considered to be in public domain.
Evilspeak – Released with 3 minutes 34 seconds cut in 1987. Re-released uncut in 2004.
Exposé (also known as House on Straw Hill) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 51 seconds cut in 1997.
Faces of Death – Released with 2 minutes 19 seconds cut to animal cruelty in 2003.
Fight for Your Life – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1981. No UK re-release.
Flesh for Frankenstein (also known as Andy Warhol's Frankenstein) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 56 seconds cut in 1996. Released uncut in 2006.
Forest of Fear (also known as Toxic Zombies and Bloodeaters) – No UK re-release.
Gestapo's Last Orgy (original title: L'ultima orgia del III Reich, also known as Last Orgy of the Third Reich and Caligula Reincarnated As Hitler) – No UK re-release.
The House by the Cemetery (original title: Quella villa accanto al cimitero) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with over 4 minutes cut in 1988. Re-released with 33 seconds cut in 2001. Released uncut in 2009.
The House on the Edge of the Park (original title: La casa sperduta nel parco) – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1981. Released with 11 minutes 43 seconds cut in 2002. Re-released with 42 seconds cut in 2011.
I Spit on Your Grave (also known as Day of the Woman) – Released with 7 minutes 2 seconds cut in 2001. Re-released in a longer re-edited format in 2003 which reframed the rape scenes but was cut by 43 seconds to the second rape scene by the BBFC. The original print was released again with 3 minutes cut in 2010.
Island of Death (original title: Ta Pedhia tou dhiavolou, also known as Devils in Mykonos and A Craving For Lust) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Refused a video certificate in 1987 under the title Psychic Killer II. Re-released with 4 minutes 9 seconds cut in 2002. Released uncut September 2010.
The Last House on the Left – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1974 and again in 2000. Also refused a video certificate in 2001. Passed with 31 seconds cut in 2002. Released uncut on 17 March 2008.
Love Camp 7 – Refused a video certificate in 2002.
Madhouse (also known as There Was a Little Girl) – Released uncut in 2004.
Mardi Gras Massacre – No UK re-release.
Nightmares in a Damaged Brain (also known as Nightmare) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 3 minutes of pre-edits in 2005. Re-released uncut in November 2015.
Night of the Bloody Apes (original title: La Horripilante bestia humana) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 3 minutes of pre-cuts in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2002.
Night of the Demon – Released with 1 minute 41 seconds cut in 1994.
Snuff – Passed uncut in 2003 but no UK release to date.
SS Experiment Camp (original title: Lager SSadis Kastrat Kommandantur, also known as SS Experiment Love Camp) – Released uncut in 2005.
Tenebrae (original title: Tenebre, also known as Unsane) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 5 seconds cut in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2003.
The Werewolf and the Yeti (original title: La Maldicion de la Bestia, also known as Night of the Howling Beast) – No UK re-release.
Zombie Flesh Eaters (also known as Zombie and Zombi 2) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 46 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released with 23 seconds cut in 1999. Released uncut in 2005.

Section 2: Non Prosecuted films • Click to expand list

The Beyond (original title: E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore ‒ L'Aldilà, also known as Seven Doors of Death) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 2 minutes cut in 1987. Re-released uncut in 2001.
The Bogey Man (also known as The Boogeyman) — Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released with 44 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2000.
Cannibal Terror (original title: Terror Caníbal) — Released uncut in 2003.
Contamination — Released uncut in 2004 with a 15 rating.
Dead & Buried — Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released with 30 seconds cut in 1990. Re-released uncut in 1999.
Death Trap (also known as Eaten Alive and Starlight Slaughter) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 25 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2000.
Deep River Savages (original title: Il paese del sesso selvaggio, also known as Man From Deep River) — Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1975. Eventually released with 3 minutes 45 seconds of animal cruelty cuts in 2003, and re-released with 3 minutes of similar cuts in 2016.
Delirium (also known as Psycho Puppet) — Released with 16 seconds cut in 1987.
Don't Go in the House — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 3 minutes 7 seconds cut in 1987. Re-released uncut in December 2011.
Don't Go Near the Park — Released uncut in 2006.
Don't Look in the Basement (also known as The Forgotten) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 2005 with a 15 rating.
The Evil Dead — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 2 minutes cut in 1990. Re-released uncut in 2001.
Frozen Scream — No UK re-release.
The Funhouse — Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 1987. Re-classified 15 in 2007.
Human Experiments — Originally passed uncut for cinema. No UK re-release.
I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses (also known as Drop Dead Dearest) — Released with 1 minute 6 seconds cut in 1986.
Inferno — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 20 seconds cut in 1993. Re-released uncut in September 2010.
Killer Nun (original title: Suor Omicidi) — Released with 13 seconds cut in 1993. Re-released uncut in 2006.
Late Night Trains (original title: L'ultimo treno della notte, also known as Night Train Murders) — Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1976. Released uncut in 2008.
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (original title: Non si deve profanare il sonno dei morti, also known as Let Sleeping Corpses Lie and Don't Open the Window) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 53 seconds cut in 1985. Re-released uncut in 2002.
Nightmare Maker (also known as Night Warning and Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker) — Refused a video certificate in 1987 under the title The Evil Protege. No UK re-release.
Possession — Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 1999.
Pranks (also known as The Dorm That Dripped Blood and Death Dorm) — Released with 10 seconds cut in 1992.
Prisoner of the Cannibal God (original title: La montagna del dio cannibale, also known as Mountain of the Cannibal God and Slave of the Cannibal God) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 2 minutes 6 seconds of animal cruelty cuts in 2001, and re-released with 2 minutes of similar cuts in 2018.
Revenge of the Bogey Man (original title: Boogeyman II) — Released in re-edited form with additional footage in 2003.
The Slayer — Released with 14 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2001.
Terror Eyes (also known as Night School) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 16 seconds cut in 1987.
The Toolbox Murders — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 46 seconds cut in 2000. Re-released uncut in 2017.
Unhinged — Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 2004.
Visiting Hours — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 1 minute cut in 1986. Passed uncut in 2017.
The Witch Who Came From the Sea — Released uncut in 2006.
Women Behind Bars (original title: Des diamants pour l'enfer) — Passed uncut in 2017.
Zombie Creeping Flesh (also known as Hell of the Living Dead and Virus) — Originally passed uncut for cinema in an edited version. Full version released uncut in 2002.

Section 3: Video Nasties • Click to expand list

Abducted (a.k.a. Schoolgirls in Chains) - No UK re-release.
The Aftermath (a.k.a. Zombie Aftermath) - No UK re-release.
The Black Room - Originally passed uncut for cinema. No UK re-release.
Blood Lust (a.k.a. Mosquito the Rapist) - Passed with heavy cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
Blood Song - No UK re-release.
Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll - No UK re-release.
Brutes and Savages - No UK re-release.
Cannibal (a.k.a. Last Cannibal World) - Originally passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Released with 2m 46s of cuts in 2003.
Cannibals (a.k.a. Mondo Cannibale) - No UK re-release.
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith - Passed uncut for cinema in 1978. Released without cuts in 1987.
The Child - Passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 2006.
Christmas Evil (a.k.a. You Better Watch Out) - Passed 15 uncut in 2012.
Communion (a.k.a. Alice Sweet Alice) - Passed uncut for cinema. Passed with 8s of cuts in 1998. Released uncut in 2014.
Dawn of the Dead - Originally passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Passed with cuts for video in 1989 and 1997. Released uncut in 2003.
Dawn of the Mummy - Passed with 27s of cuts for cinema. Passed with 1m 43s of cuts for video in 1987. Released uncut in 2003.
Dead Kids (a.k.a. Strange Behavior) - Passed with 27s of cuts in 1993 and 2008.
Death Weekend (a.k.a. The House by the Lake) - Passed with cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
Deep Red (a.k.a. Profondo Rosso) - Passed with 11s of cuts in 1993. The extended version was passed uncut in 2010.
Demented - Released with 1m 19s of cuts in 1987.
The Demons (a.k.a. Les Démons) - A composite version was passed uncut in 2008 and the original version was passed uncut in 2017.
Don't Answer the Phone - Passed with cuts for cinema. An edited version was released without further cuts in 2005.
Eaten Alive! - Passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Passed with heavy cuts for animal cruelty in 1987 and 1992.
Enter the Devil (a.k.a. Disciples Of Death) - No UK re-release.
The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein - No UK re-release.
The Evil - No UK re-release.
The Executioner (a.k.a. Massacre Mafia Style) - No UK re-release.
Final Exam - Released uncut in 1986.
Foxy Brown - Passed in edited form for cinema. Passed with 2m 48s of cuts in 1987. Released with previous cuts waived in 1998.
Friday the 13th - The R-rated version was released without cuts in 1987. The full unrated version (previously released for cinema) was released uncut in 2003.
Friday the 13th Part 2 - The R-rated version was passed uncut in 1987. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2008.
GBH (a.k.a. Grievous Bodily Harm) - No UK re-release.
Graduation Day - Passed uncut in 1986. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2003.
Happy Birthday to Me - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1986. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2004.
Headless Eyes - No UK re-release.
Hell Prison (a.k.a. Escape from Hell) - No UK re-release.
The Hills Have Eyes - Passed with cuts for cinema. Passed with 2s of cuts for video in 1987. Released uncut in 2003.
Home Sweet Home - Released uncut in 2004.
Honeymoon Horror - No UK re-release.
Inseminoid - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987. Downgraded to a 15 certificate in 2005.
Invasion of the Blood Farmers - No UK re-release.
The Killing Hour (a.k.a. The Clairvoyant) - Passed with 1m 19s of cuts in 1986.
The Last Horror Film (a.k.a. Fanatic) - Passed with cuts for cinema. An edited version was released in 2003.
The Last Hunter - Passed uncut for cinema. Passed with 8s of cuts in 1988. Released uncut in 2002.
The Love Butcher - No UK re-release.
The Mad Foxes - No UK re-release.
Mark of the Devil - Passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Passed with cuts in 1998 and 2003. Released uncut in 2013.
Martin - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1994.
Massacre Mansion (a.k.a. Mansion of the Doomed) - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1992. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2000.
Mausoleum - Released uncut in 1987.
Midnight - Passed uncut for cinema. An edited version was released in 1993. Full version passed uncut in 2011.
Naked Fist (a.k.a. Firecracker) - Passed with 3m 53s of cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
The Nesting - Passed uncut in 1986.
The New Adventures of Snow White (a.k.a. Grimm Fairy Tales for Adults) - No UK re-release.
Nightbeast - Passed uncut in 1996.
Night of the Living Dead - Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1987. Downgraded to a 15 certificate in 2007.
Nightmare City (a.k.a. City of the Walking Dead) - Passed with 3m 5s of cuts in 1986. Released uncut in 2003.
Oasis of the Zombies - Passed 15 uncut in 2004.
Parasite - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1993.
Phantasm - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1989. Downgraded to a 15 certificate in 2005.
Pigs (a.k.a. Daddy's Deadly Darling) - No UK re-release.
Prey - Passed with 11s of cuts for cinema and video. A print shortened for dialogue was passed uncut in 2004.
Prom Night - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987.
Rabid - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1992.
Rosemary's Killer (a.k.a. The Prowler) - Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 2007.
Savage Terror (a.k.a. Primitives) - No UK re-release.
Scanners - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987.
Scream for Vengeance! - No UK re-release.
Shogun Assassin - Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1999.
Street Killers (a.k.a. Beast with a Gun) - No UK re-release.
Suicide Cult (a.k.a. The Astrologer) - No UK re-release.
Superstition (a.k.a. The Witch) - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1986.
Suspiria - Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1998.
Terror - Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1997.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre — Refused a cinema certificate in 1975. Passed uncut in 1999.
The Thing - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987.
Tomb of the Living Dead (a.k.a. Mad Doctor of Blood Island) - Passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 42s of animal cruelty cuts in 2003.
The Toy Box - No UK re-release.
Werewolf Woman - Passed with cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
Wrong Way - No UK re-release.
Xtro - Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2007.
Zombie Holocaust - Passed uncut in 2000.
Zombie Lake - Passed uncut in 2004.

Fight for Your Life
One of the many movies IRL b& as a “video nasty”...

Island of Death
Showcasing rape, murder, sexual sadism, goat fucking & wincest.

Naked Fist
aka Firecracker

SS Experiment Love Camp
“Past and future no longer exist for you. You are going to serve a victorious cause for our Third Reich.”

Absurd
aka Anthropophagus 2

Mad Foxes
a “brazenly incoherent mélange of kung fu, softcore porn, Nazi fetishism and bike film
pegged loosely to a rape-revenge structure, albeit one caught in a garbled narrative loop”.