It’s fair to say in this day and age, the United Kingdom is pretty open-minded when it comes to cinema.
But that hasn’t always been the case. Throughout film and TV, there have been several titles that have been considered either too violent, too graphic or too disturbing for the general public.
This has led to many silver screen hits being pulled and blacklisted from theatres up and down the country, sometimes for decades at a time. One example of this was back in 1996 when the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) banned the polarising hit 1996 film, Crash.
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As the movie celebrates its 28th anniversary, Daily Star has taken a deep dive inside the controversial thriller. The movie tells the story of a guy who nearly dies in a car crash and ends up being very aroused by the whole experience.
(Image: New Line Cinema)
The film doesn’t shy away from nudity and crude scenes. In one sex scene where the main character has sex with a disabled woman (played by Rosanna Arquette) by penetrating a scar on her leg.
In the end, James runs his wife Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger) off the road before they have sex by the wreckage. The film is based on a 1973 novel by JG Ballard which has since acquired cult status.
Cut to 23 years later, and the controversial book was made into a blockbuster film, starring James Spader and Holly Hunter. But the movie certainly divided viewers due to its vivid depictions of graphic sexual acts instigated by violence.
(Image: GL PicDesk)
At the Cannes Film Festival, one screening reportedly provoked boos and angry screams from upset viewers, with many walking out during the showing. Speaking in 2020, director David Cronenberg claimed that the Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola was so opposed to the film that he blocked it from receiving the Palme d’Or.
Instead, the filmmaker was presented with a Special Jury Prize created specifically for the film. But it is understood that Cronenberg was then booed when he went up to accept the award.
When it screened at the festival, a film critic described the movie as “beyond the bounds of depravity”. When it came time for the movie to premiere at the London Film Festival, it had to get special permission from Westminster Council.
(Image: PA)
On the day it premiered in the UK, the Daily Mail started a campaign to get the film banned across the country. When the publication demanded to “ban this car crash sex scene” the BBFC decided to seek expert advice.
They sought out a legal opinion as to whether the movie was obscene and asked a psychologist to advise them as to whether Crash would provoke copycat behaviour. Both parties approved the film, but the company decided to screen the film to 11 disabled people to get their thoughts too.
It is understood the group said they “did not generally enjoy the film” but found the movie’s portrayal of disability to be “generally a positive thing.” After being held up for several months, Crash finally received an 18 certificate in 1997 and was released uncut, much to the disappointment with campaigners across the country.
(Image: New Line Cinemas)
Even after getting the green light, there were still some parts of the UK that wouldn’t show the film. Before it landed in theatres, one place in the UK made sure to permanently ban the screening of the film in their theatres – and it was the spot it had first screened at in the UK.
After much deliberation, Westminster Council refused to let cinemas in their area show Crash until certain explicit scenes had been cut. The filmmakers refused to cut down their movie and so the film remained banned in the West End.
However, anyone who wanted to see this film in many other countries across the UK allowed screenings of the graphic film available in their theatres.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
