HNC Photography, IFC - Coursework, Introduction to Film Culture Blog, Part two - Love and Lust, Research & Reflection IFC
The Hayes Code
The Hays Code was a set of regulation that although technically voluntary were highly influential in how movies got made and what was allowed to be shown in the US from 1930 to 1968.
The code was set up in reaction to the various scandals which enveloped the US movie industry in the late 1920’s such as Fatty Arbuckle charged with manslaughter in the death of a young actress. The code list thing that could and could not be shown or was deemed inappropriate for audiences.
BBFC was set up in the UK in late 1912 and was
The film industry self-policing itself after a public outcry over the movie Manger to the Cross which depicted the story of Jesus. In the UK film was and still are required to be licenced for presentation by local authorities the BBFC then and still does reviews film and guides the local authorities.
The age classification system BBFC was what the US model there classification system on as the use of the Hays code waned in the late 1960’s.
Other than the BBFC there were other codes which stopped certain thing, for example, South Africa under apartheid inter-racial relationship could now be shown – famous in James Bonds film as late as A View To A Kill in 1985.
How does censorship effect? I believe it just pushes the majority of thing underground – the depiction of child pornography, for example, has to stop, but the depiction of things such as rape do need to be brought out there for the public to discuss and help remove the stigma attached to it – helping victim overcome their problems
Film are still heavily censored in nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia where even simple kissing scene are removed from both foreign and domestic movies. And even one of the biggest movie producing country India still have a significant restriction on any form of nudity in films.
The countries with heavy censorship tend to be heavily religious countries like Indonesia (although this in theory in a secular country) Malaysia. Overly oppressive political regimes North Korea Iran, Saudi Arabia – although the crossover here with religious issues.