Art History Uncensored: Video Nasties Panic

Welcome back to another Art History Uncensored; today we’re going to be doing something a little different. Instead of talking about a single piece of censored art, we’ll be talking about 72 of them by diving into the 1980s video nasties panic in the UK.

To try to understand why the government suddenly banned 72 films, we’ll have to rewind a bit more. In the early 1980s, the home video market was booming. Before it, movies literally lived and died during their theatrical runs. But with VHS, audiences could watch their favorite films, again and again, at home. This, and home video recording equipment becoming more affordable, created the perfect environment for some homegrown indie films to flourish. At the time, many theaters (outside of arthouse cinemas) wouldn’t bother with indies over high-grossing studio films.

However, some creators were able to circumvent the theater system for other reasons, since all theatrically released films had to pass through the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). These same laws did not apply to home video, though. This led to plenty of filmmakers pushing the envelope as much as they could in terms of content, then selling as many copies as they could to video rental stores, which were also booming. To entice more viewers, many companies began using lurid cover art, even if it wasn’t really representative of the film. Some went so far as to endlessly retitle the same film with more and more graphic names. Because sex, as well as carnage, always sells. 

The Gore Boom Busts

As you can imagine, some people were not thrilled to see horrific covers each time they walked into their local video store. Teacher and conservative activist Mary Whitehouse became a figurehead for the morally outraged. Despite never having seen any of the films she would eventually help ban. As pressure mounted, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) released a list of 72 films the office believed to violate the Obscene Publications Act 1959. Up until now, this law had only really applied to pornography. Several titles that had previously been approved had these classifications revoked too. 

And it wasn’t long before the government started to fix the loophole in the home video market. Fittingly, in 1984, the Video Recordings Act made it illegal to distribute any film that had not been classified. Police began raiding video stores looking for titles on this infamous list. 

Breaking The (Confusing) Law

These officers were sometimes seizing a store’s entire stock. Stations across the country had cops watching movies looking for anything that could be deemed “obscene.” This also led to a lot of confusion about what was and wasn’t on the list. Some titles would be added and subtracted depending on whether they were successfully prosecuted or not. By the end, only 39 films were classified as video nasties. Others dropped in and out of being classified as a video nasty seemingly at random. Shop owners lived in constant fear of losing their business or going to jail over accidentally having the wrong title on the shelf. 

Sometimes this confusion worked in shop owners’ favor, though. Some video nasties were allowed classification with editing. In these cases, distributors would reach out to shop owners to send their old tapes back to get them replaced with the legal cut. As with most recalls, very few complied. It’s not like the police could really tell what was on the tape unless they watched all of it.  

Think of The Children!

To add fuel to the fire, one study claimed that 37% of children under 7 had seen a video nasty. In reality, the “study” was a survey, and out of 47 respondents, 2 of these kids said they had seen 17 video nasties between them. So they divided that 17 by 47 and rounded up…Yeah, that isn’t even remotely how statistics work. 

In response, a properly run study by researcher Dr Guy Cumberbatch went to different elementary schools and interviewed kids about the Video Nasties list. But he slipped in some fake titles alongside the real ones. 2/3rd of kids claimed to have seen fake movies; some even tried to explain their plots. Showing that most of these kids were probably just telling tall tales to impress their pals.

The 72 Films

Below are all 72 films classified as Video Nasties and a brief description as to why they might have been included. There was little to no transparency about why titles were deemed a video nasty, so most of these are theories. Keep in mind that the marketing gimmick of violent covers and titles is believed to be why many of these films were targeted. While the government claimed that these films would lead to moral decay, many of these movies are rather tame, even by 1970s and 1980s standards. 

• 1963 – Blood Feast
  • Possible reason for inclusion: very over-the-top and cartoonish violence. 
• 1968 – The Ghastly Ones aka Blood Rites
  • Possible reason for inclusion: sadistic themes.
• 1969 – Love Camp 7
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a Naziploitation film with sexual assault.
• 1969 – Night of the Bloody Apes aka La Horripilante Bestia Humana
  • Possible reason for inclusion: stock footage of open-heart surgery. 
• 1971 – A Bay of Blood aka Reazione a Catena, Blood Bath, and Twitch of the Death Nerve
  • Possible reason for inclusion: over-the-top stylised gore. It’s been endlessly retitled, possibly to dodge bans via confusion.
• 1972 – The Cannibal Man aka La Semana Del Asesino
  • Possible reason for inclusion: the film’s title and slaughterhouse footage in the beginning. 
• 1972 – The Last House on the Left
  • Possible reason for inclusion: extreme violence and sexual assault. 
• 1972 – Sacrifice! aka Il Paese Del Sesso Selvaggio, Man From Deep River, and Deep River Savages
  • Possible reason for inclusion: real animal violence and killings. 
• 1973 – Flesh for Frankenstein
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit sex.
• 1973 – Don’t Look in the Basement aka The Forgotten
  • Possible reason for inclusion: shocking subject matter.

“Lisa, Lisa,” 1974 (Frederick Productions and Empire Studios)

• 1974 –Axe aka Lisa, Lisa and California Axe Massacre
  • Possible reason for inclusion: its retitling made it appear much more lurid than it is. This film was targeted despite Texas Chain Saw Massacre (the title it’s clearly spoofing) not being on the list.
• 1974 – The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue aka Non Si Deve Profanare il Sonno Dei Morti, and Don’t Open the Window
  • Possible reason for inclusion: graphic cannibalism.
• 1975 – Frozen Scream
  • This was only on the list for 2 months, making it the second-shortest ban during this panic. 
• 1975 – Last Stop on the Night Train aka L’ultimo Treno Della Notte, Late Night Trains, Night Train Murders, and The New House on The Left
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit violence and sexual assault. 
• 1975 –  Snuff
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a very fake snuff scene was tacked on to the end of an unrelated movie. 
• 1975 – Night of the Howling Beast aka La Maldición de la Bestia and The Werewolf & the Yeti
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a woman has her skin peeled.
• 1975 – Women Behind Bars aka Des Diamants Pour L’enfer
  • Possible reason for inclusion: contains a scene with a woman being whipped nude. The box art may also have been a culprit.

“Eaten Alive,” 1976 (Mars Productions Corporation)

• 1976 – Eaten Alive aka Death Trap, Starlight Slaughter,  and Horror Hotel
  • Possible reason for inclusion: Received a theatrical release with very little cut, but the VHS was banned. There is a theory that there was a bias against Tobe Hooper for making the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which, we’ll reiterate, was never banned.
• 1976 – Trauma aka Exposé and House on Straw Hill
  • Possible reason for inclusion: sexual assault.
• 1976 – Island of Death aka Ta Paidia Tou Diavolou and Island of Perversion
  • Possible reason for inclusion: incest, bestiality, animal cruelty, and racism. This is one of the few films on the list that seems designed with the sole intent of being offensive. (Even some of the more campy titles at least feign social commentary about something.)

• 1976 – SS Experiment Love Camp aka Lager SSadis Kastrat Kommandantur
  • Possible reason for inclusion: cover showed nudity and nazi imagery. It was also used as an early test case for prosecuting violence under the Obscene Publications Act.
• 1976 – The Witch Who Came from the Sea
  • Possible reason for inclusion: the cover references incest and castration.  Yes, it delivers.

“The Beast in Heat,” 1976 (Eterna Film and Sonora Films)

• 1977 – The Beast in Heat aka La Bestia in Calore
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a nazipoltation film with a scene where a man rips off and eats a woman’s pubic hair.
• 1977 – Fight for Your Life
  • Possible reason for inclusion: centers around racism and was banned due to slurs. It may be the only film added due to language.  
• 1977 – The Gestapo’s Last Orgy aka L’ultima Orgia del III Reich
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a nazisplotation film where people eat babies. As the name may imply, it’s also hyper sexual.
• 1978 – Drop Dead, Dearest aka I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses and Left For Dead
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a man repeatedly kills his wife. 
• 1978 – Faces of Death
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a mix of real and fake violence.
• 1978 – I Spit on Your Grave aka Day of the Woman
  • Possible reason for inclusion: repeated, brutal, sexual assaults.
• 1978 – Mardi Gras Massacre
  • Possible reason for inclusion: ritualistic violence and nudity.
• 1978 – The Toolbox Murders
  • Possible reason for inclusion: graphic violence. 
• 1978 – The Mountain of the Cannibal God aka La Montagna Del Dio Cannibale, Slave of the Cannibal God, and Prisoner of the Cannibal God
  • Possible reason for inclusion: animal cruelty and a cannibal orgy. 

“The Driller Killer,” 1979 (Navaron Films)

• 1979 – The Driller Killer
  • Possible reason for inclusion: extremely graphic cover of someone being killed via a drill to the head.
• 1979 – Zombie aka Zombi 2 and Zombie Flesh Eaters
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit violence. 
• 1979 – Don’t Go in the House
  • Possible reason for inclusion: this film centers around a man luring women to his home to burn them alive. It was considered incredibly misogynistic. A cut version played in theaters, but it received an uncut VHS release. 
• 1979 – Human Experiments aka Electro Choc and Beyond the Gate
  • Possible reason for inclusion: lumped in due to films like SS Experiment Love Camp being banned. 
• 1979 –  Don’t Go Near the Park
  • Possible reason for inclusion: exploding rapists.
• 1979 – The Killer Nun aka Suor Omicidi
  • Possible reason for inclusion: an older woman had pins put into her face. Despite being protested by the catholic church, it was eventually dropped from the Video Nasties list. 
• 1979 – Delirium aka Delirio caldo
  • Possible reason for inclusion: graphic box art for the VHS. 

“Cannibal Holocaust,” 1980 (F.D. Cinematografica)

• 1980 – Cannibal Holocaust
  • Possible reason for inclusion: banned for the entire run of the video nasties panic due to excessive, very realistic violence and real animals being killed. It was one of the first non-pornographic films to be prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act.
• 1980 – The Boogey Man
  • Possible reason for inclusion: box art. 
• 1980 – Cannibal Apocalypse aka Apocalypse Domani
  • Possible reason for inclusion: excessive violence.
• 1980 – Cannibal Terror aka Terreur Cannibale
  • Possible reason for inclusion: this was dropped after being unsuccessfully prosecuted. More than likely, this was banned due to the word cannibal in the name.
• 1980 – Contamination aka Alien Contamination
  • Was dropped from the list and now has a 15 certificate.
• 1980 – Devil Hunter aka El Caníba
  • Possible reason for inclusion: sexual violence.
• 1980 – Toxic Zombies aka Bloodeaters and Forest of Fear 
  • Possible reason for inclusion: violence.
• 1980 – House on the Edge of the Park aka La Casa Sperduta Nel Parco
  • Possible reason for inclusion: contains a scene with a woman being stripped and attacked with a razor. After being denied a certificate for theatrical release, it was put out on VHS, where it was promptly banned. 
• 1980 – Inferno
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a scene where a cat eats a mouse. 
• 1980 – Night of the Demon
  • Possible reason for inclusion: boasts extreme and explicit violence on the cover. 
• 1980 – Hell of the Living Dead aka Virus and Zombie Creeping Flesh
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit gore. 
• 1981 – Absurd aka Horrible, The Monster Hunter, and Rosso Sangue
  • Possible reason for inclusion: very gory kills with fairly well-done practical effects. 
• 1981 – Anthropophagous: The Beast
  • Possible reason for inclusion: it has a scene where an incredibly fake fetus is eaten.

“The Beyond,” 1981 (Fulvia Film)

• 1981 – The Beyond aka E tu vivrai nel terrore! L’aldilà
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit violence. 
• 1981 – The Evil Dead
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit violence. 
• 1981 – The Burning
  • Possible reason for inclusion: 9-seconds had to be cut for theaters, but the first VHS release accidentally contained the uncut version. A recall was issued once the mistake was realized.  
• 1981 – The Funhouse
  • Possible reason for inclusion: bias against director Tobe Hooper. 
• 1981 – Possession
  • Despite Isabelle Adjani winning Best Actress at Cannes for this film, it was briefly banned.   
• 1981 – Cannibal Ferox aka Make the Die Slowly
  • Possible reason for inclusion: marketing for the film claims it’s banned in 31 countries, mostly due to animal cruelty. Also contains scenes of someone having their brains eaten and being pierced through their breasts. 
• 1981 – Dead & Buried
  • Possible reason for inclusion: realistic violence. 
• 1981 – Don’t Go in the Woods
  • Possible reason for inclusion: rumored bias against movies with “don’t” in the title. 
• 1981 – Evilspeak
  • Possible reason for inclusion: recommended by Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan. Sweeping it up in the satanic panic as well.
• 1981 – Bloody Moon aka Die Säge des Todes
  • Possible reason for inclusion: in one scene, a woman is stabbed through the back, with the knife exiting out of her breast. 
• 1981 – The House by the Cemetery aka Quella villa accanto al cimitero
  • Possible reason for inclusion: violence. 
• 1981 – Madhouse aka There Was a Little Girl
  • Possible reason for inclusion: a dog is killed by a drill.
• 1981 – Nightmare aka Nightmare in a Damaged Brain
  • Possible reason for inclusion: explicit violence. Its distributors served jail time for the film.
• 1981 – Night School aka Terror Eyes and Der Frauenköpfer
  • Possible reason for inclusion: VHS box cover.

“Tenebrae,” 1982 (Sigma Cinematografica Roma)

• 1982 – Tenebrae
  • Possible reason for inclusion: this originally got a certificate, but it was later banned due to stylized graphic violence. An axe dismemberment scene in the movie features Veronica Lario, now-former wife of ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. So there are rumors this got an unofficial ban in Italy too when Berlusconi was in office.
• 1982 – The Dorm That Dripped Blood aka Pranks and Death Dorm
  • Possible reason for inclusion: graphic VHS box art.
• 1982 – Night Warning aka Nightmare Maker and Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
  • Possible reason for inclusion: domestic violence. 
• 1982 – The Slayer
  • Possible reason for inclusion: contains a scene where a woman is stabbed through the back with a pitchfork that exits through her breasts. 
• 1982 – Unhinged
  • Only included in the list for a month, making it the shortest ban of the video nasties era. 
• 1982 – Visiting Hours
  • Possible reason for inclusion: intense misogyny. 
• 1983 – Revenge of the Boogeyman aka Boogeyman II
  • Possible reason for inclusion: reuses a lot of footage from The Boogeyman, which was also on the list.

The Impact

Out of the 72 films deemed Video Nasties, only 39 of them were successfully prosecuted. However, the panic they incited caused a Streisand Effect where the censorship caused gorehounds and the curious to use the list to FIND movies to watch. Had the media and government not flipped out, many of these films would have stayed relegated to the outskirts of the horror genre, only for diehard fans to scoop up. Even now, many of these movies are still unknown to anyone who didn’t live through the Video Nasties panic. 

Funnily enough, most of the infamous 72 have now received uncut releases in the UK. And seemingly none of that celluloid has caused the moral decay the government so feared. As you can see, their various reasons for inclusion seem arbitrary at best. The Video Nasties era should always stand as a stark reminder that moral panic run amok always leads to art being destroyed. If this were any century before, this list would be us recounting these completely lost films. Physical media and distributors willing to break the law were the only reason some of these movies even survived. Art is art and deserves to be preserved, whether you like it or not.

Come back next week, when we’ll do a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the 1981 movie Possession.