The Australian Classification Board has banned L.A. Zombie from screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival. According to The Age, the ACB refused to issue an exemption for the festival to show the film based ‘on information submitted by MIFF, inspection of the film and the classification history of the director”.
Festival director Richard Moore told The Age that ‘Bruce LaBruce’s blend of sex and violence can be confronting’, but he argues that within the context of the festival, it is ‘nonsensical and patronising to not allow people to decide what they want to see’.
By taking a look at the photo gallery on the film’s official website, it’s easy to see why L.A Zombie would have had the ACB squirming in their seats; There’s leather, guns and dongs. Multiple types of flesh eating too.
Another case of the Walking Braindead in the annals of Australian censorship history.
5 comments
Stacey says:
Aug 12, 2010
LA Zombie is slated to screen in Melbourne on August 29 in defiance of the federal censor:
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/gay-zombie-porn-to-screen-in-melbourne-20100811-11zu9.html
Simon says:
Dec 16, 2010
I thank God every day that I am 45 years old. It means that I can remember Australia as the lucky country that it used to be instead of the soul less,sterile housewife paradise it has become.
Anyone deluded in to thinking we live in a free country need to re think because it is just not true anymore RIP AUSTRALIA and welcome to this artificial society that has replaced it.
SHAME SHAME SHAME
Violet says:
Sep 7, 2011
Well, I never got to see that, so I don’t think it was screened in defiance of the ban. I did see his other film, though, “Otto: Or, Up With Dead People”, and there was one scene in that film that I’m surprised they allowed.
I also would like to say that they allowed “Weak Species” at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and that had a scene at the end which was so disturbing that people were walking out of the screening, and a work colleague refused to see any more films at the festival for that year because he was so disturbed by the film – anyone who saw that short (30 minutes) film will instantly know which scene I am talking about. So… they allow “Weak Species”, and yet they ban “LA Zombie” which, if “Otto” is anything to go by, couldn’t possibly be as bad as “Weak Species”? Where is the logic in that?
Peter says:
Sep 13, 2011
> Anyone deluded in to thinking we live in a free country need to re think because it is just not true anymore.
This wouldn’t be the case if Australian’s elected proper defenders of freedom.
Cam says:
Jan 4, 2012
Coming from NZ we have pretty good censorship that seems to be pretty open minded. Apart from the sky net law .We actually have am R18 rating as well. I’m confused as to why Australia is so dark ages censorship wise , so conservative. The whole setephen conroy censor hip thing was also a bolt from the blue. Are we a open western democracy or not? Time for Labour to be voted out. They have started enough trouble all ready/