Baise-Moi and the BBFC

[One Eyed Jack]

Just seen a french film called Baise-Moi which has an 18 certificate and available through high street retailers like HMV, Block Busters etc and was eye poppingly surprised at the full on display of blow jobs, hand jobs, fucking amidst some flagrant displays of violence. How did this happen? The film was banned in France and a few other european countries but gets a release here. If anyone has seen the film, you'll know it's not an art film by a bloody long shot. They didn't even use any lights!!!

I am scratching my head, puzzled. Someone please explain

[Matt]

Apparently they did edit 12 seconds, Jack-me-lad. And I quote... (ahem).... "explicit close up of sexual penetration of woman during rape scene; sight of gun being pressed into man's anus prior to being fired"

The second of those two has evoked imagery that may take several hours to pass. Still, if what you say is correct, it's a step forward.

I've long suspected that the BBFC are kind of on our side-ish, but their hands are tied by this invisble non-entity we call 'public opinion' and law, of course. Hopefully with Paul Teverner on the case, things will change shortly!!

[Paul Garfield]

I don't think the film was actually banned by the French. There was some kerfuffle over the certification after a Whitehouse-like group objected. The film was temporarily relegated to the level of porno (which incurs prohibitive taxation in French cinemas) and then the libertarians rallied round and (as I recall) it came out as their equivalent of an 18.
It's not the first 18 to feature hardcore (see also The Pornographer, Romance and Ai No Corrida, amongst others) but it certainly goes the furthest. The fact that it's co-directed and stars adult actresses blurs things even further. If I was a cynic, I'd suggest that there are three reasons why it has escaped being described as a porno:
1. Nobody appears to be having a good time
2. Arty 'transgressive' writer Virginie Despentes wrote and co-directs.
3. It has a story (allegedly, m'lud)

Sadly, the sex is probably the only reason to watch Baise-Moi. It's weird to see it in the high street, but it's just a shame it's such a bad film.

[Cornish Chris]

Yeah I agree totally with the above, it is a film depicting some harrowing scenes, and pushes the boundaries of 18 certificate to the full.
Baise-Moi for those who do not already know is French for "Fuck-Me" I just wonder if this was a British film with the english title, and depicted the same subject matter whether it would have been dealt with so sympathetically by the good old BBFC.
Somehow I think not, so if Ben Dover shoots his next project in Paris and titles it "Les Bangers de Butthole deux" will all these conflicts be solved.

Cheers Cornish Chris

[Academie Francaise]

Avec beaucoup de respect, mon brave, "baiser" signifie "to kiss" en le langue des Rosbifs.

[joe king]

so, they cut the video - but the cinema release is uncut. People who go to cinema don't get corrupted?

[CornishChris]

With much respect to to our French friend above, please read the following link :-



Or maybe all us "Rosbifs" have got it wrong.

Viva la difference !!!!

CC

[Hitman]

The film stars French porn actress Karen Lancaume & Raffa?la Anderson.
I've ordered my copy and can't wait to see it. More details about the film on the Internet Movie Database:

slightly off the topic, I'm not surprised to read that the 18 cert contains stronger scenes, I recently bought a DVD - Ben Dover: Essex Girls, and it contained handjob scenes which would have been cut by the BBFC a few years ago.This is on a softcore Ben Dover 18 cert DVD, So Its good to see that the softcore versions a getting better. I most note that being a 18 cert DVD it did not contain any penatration or oral-sex scenes.It Just contained uncut Handjob, Erect Penis - Ben's Todgger, & the girlies private parts. Interesting viewing!! but not recomended If your a R18/X cert fan. I wonder If any one else has Ben Dover: Essex Girls on DVD? fearuring Lee-Ann McQueen in the handjob scene.Its more likely to be a repackaged/edited scene from one of her other Ben Dover videos.

[Paul Garfield]

I think the film was cut for both cinema and video release in the UK. The justification for more stringent cuts on video and DVD tends to be that young children are more likely to come across an 18 certificate DVD or video in the home than wander haphazardly into a cinema showing an 18 certificate film. I'm not saying I necessarily agree, but that's how they appear to justify it.

[Academie Francaise]

Rising to the challenge, I commissioned some research. Here is the result.

If you look up "Kiss" in an English-French dictionary, you get "Baiser".

However, if you look up "Baiser" in certain French-English dictionaries you get "Kiss" as the main meaning, plus "screw" as a second, vulgar meaning.

So, nobody's wrong.