This rare FOR GENERAL EXHIBITION NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 12 YRS. film classificationappears to have been allocated by the Australian film censor sparingly in the early 1960's only.
I have located only three films that I am aware of that received this rating. The films being Ben-Hur ( 1959 ) ,Gorgo ( 1960 ) and Jack The Giant Killer ( 1962 ). The three films were released here in Australia between 1960 and 1964.
a Ben-Hur late 1960's re-release daybill poster.
I have a feeling I had possibly noticed in the past another film title that was allocated this film classification. Not sure if my mind is playing tricks or not though.
If anyone is aware of any other films that were allocated this rating please let us know.
Cinderella 2000 was classified R18+ in Australia on 1 December 1977.
Regent Trading Enterprises supplied to M.A.P.S. Litho the above American artwork. The person responsible for the daybill design changed the X certificate classification to the Australian R certificate rating.
Unfortunately they included the ''No one under 17 admitted'' wording when they should have left it off the Australian artwork altogether, or at least have altered the 17 to being 18.
Screaming Mimi (1958) original U.S.A. insert and Australian daybill. Apparently the word striptease was frowned upon, but I do like the clever tagline used on the daybill.
Macumba Love (1960 ) original U.K. quad and a U.S.A. insert poster. The tagline and images on the American poster were apparently unexceptable here in Australia, so the artist decided to draw the exciting image of a female, along with one of a skeleton head on a stick instead.
Rated X in the U.K. the film only received the mild Not suitable for children classification im Australia. after having around three minutes edited out of the film here..
A rare FOR GENERAL EXHIBITION NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 14 Australian film classification that was allocated, to the best of my knowledge. to only one film. The film in question being Spartacus (1960 ) which was also released in Australia in 1960.
Another much earlier film title that was classified and released in Australia has now been discovered. A different slant on things regarding 14 year and under censorship recommendation this time.
Instead of For General Exhibition Not Suitable For Children Under 14 rating on the 1960 Spartacus film, a different classification wording was advertised as being Not Suitable For Children Under The Age Of 14 years. No mention of General Exhibition in the rating,
Apart from mixed audience screenings some cinemas also screened separate male sessions for male and female audiences.
( Trove )
Interestingly at the above cinema in Rockhampton, Queensland they advertised that ''Children under fourteen not admitted unless accompanied by parents.''
The film in question is a 1937 small budget exploitation film titled Damaged Goods that was released in Australia in 1939. The subject of the film is about syphilis.
The above herald that promotes an Australian screening clearly advertises that the film subject is about venereal disease. It would be interesting to see what an Australian daybill and one sheet would look like.
On the other hand the U.S.A. poster advertising made no mention of venereal disease, and instead called it ''The Greatest Moral Story Ever Pictured!''
; A U.S.A. film poster printed for the 1931 American film Seed.
To the best of my knowledge I believe the following would be the only example of an Australian press sheet being censored that I have ever seen..
The following information was published in the Smith's Weekly newspaper in Sydney on 7 November 1931, and sourced from the National Library of Australia archives.
CENSOR'S WEIRD EXPURGATION OF INNOCUOUS FILM PRESS-SHEET
More Sidelights on Great Comedy.
BESIDES keeping the screen safe for the delicate-minded morons. Film Censor O'Reilly in entrusted with the grave and awful problem of expurgating the press-sheets, which accompany each big picture. These sheets, containingsuggestions for the basis of advertising campaigns are scrutinised with an eagle eye by the distilled souls of the censor's department
A PRESS SHEET advertising ''Seed'' came to Smith's office this week, bearing on the front page the rubber-stamped inscription---
''WARNING. Any obliterations made in this press-book have been made by the Censor and therefore the matter marked is censored, and must not be used in any way to advertise this picture.''
We turned the page with interest and saw on the inside sheet that one article had been crossed out with a blue pencil.
''Smith's'' would like to challenge the Censor to produce a single word from the article which could be considered objectionable, even by Mr. Creswell O'Reilly.
The article goes on to ridicule Australian censorship of that time and calling it a joke.
It would be great if any members have any actual Australian press sheet that were censored in any way for them to include them here. Love to see them.
Walter Creswell O'Reilly was the Chief Commonwealth Australian Film Censor from 1928 until 1942.
There was an overseas perception of Australian film censorship being among the strictest in the world during his term as Chief Censor.
He did though circa 1930 introduce the grading of films as being For General Exhibition and Not Suitable For Children (Not Suitable For General Exhibition).
I have located Australian daybill posters from 1930 onwards marked with various forms of the General Exhibition rating. A Different story though with a Not Suitable For General Exhibition rating only found appearing first on a 1936 Australian release daybill.
Has anyone ever noticed the high number of daybill posters, particularly Paramount daybills, from the early to mid 1930's that have no censorship ratings appearing on them at all..
It would appear for whatever reason the complete application of the ratings process on to posters was very slow in taking place in Australia.
I have located Australian daybill posters from 1930 onwards marked with various forms of the General Exhibition rating. A Different story though with a Not Suitable For General Exhibition rating only found appearing first on a 1936 Australian release daybill.
Has anyone ever noticed the high number of daybill posters, particularly Paramount daybills, from the early to mid 1930's that have no censorship ratings appearing on them at all..
It would appear for whatever reason the complete application of the ratings process on to posters was very slow in taking place in Australia.
Love to hear any one else's thoughts on this subject.
Was there an actual law passed to mandate displaying the ratings on posters, or would it have been due to different censorship between states that would make printing on the actual posters problematic? Perhaps they used snipes?
Was there an actual law passed to mandate displaying the ratings on posters, or would it have been due to different censorship between states that would make printing on the actual posters problematic? Perhaps they used snipes?
Thanks for your thoughts Peter.
Although introduced in Australia in 1930 the displaying of the classification of film censorship ratings in Australia was updated in 1933., as detailed below.
( Trove)
The only time any individual states interfered with Government censorship it was extremely limited, with mainly only the outright banning of an odd film by single states on a number of occasions.
During 1932 Censorship of films for Victoria were now dealt with by the Commonwealth.
My previously included Ad. Regulations information was I image just the ruling already used in the other states of Australia that had been recently introduced.
There was a classification used only in Victoria applied during the 1920s titled the 6 to 16 Clause. During the 1920s no censorship ratings appeared on all general Australian advertising material until 1930.
Prince Of Adventurers ( Original U.S.A. title Casanova) from 1927. Pre any Australian Commonwealth classification being applied to film advertising.
The word censorship that was applied on the above daybill referred to the Victorian censor only.
This is all great research and information to have.
Thanks Peter. I so am glad that you appreciated it.
Some additional material to follow soon once I do get to sort out some individual film titles and images from the earliest usage of the new classifications in Australia in 193O and 1931nthat was applied to film advertising material at that time..
The above notification was published 2 July 1930 in an Australian newspaper.
The article's final two sentences would explain then why early 1930's film posters and advertising didn't have Not Suitable For General Exhibition. classifications printed on them.
THESTART OF UNIFORM AUSTRALIA WIDE COMMOMNWEALTH FI.LM CENSORSHIP APPLIED TO FILM ADVERTISING MATERIAL, First General Exhibition on one line format used in 1930. Found on daybill and one sheet sizes. First For General exhibition on line used in 1932. Found on a daybill Horse Feathers.. First For General Exhibition in triangle used in 1933. Found on daybill and one sheet sizes.
First Not Suitable For General Exhibition in 1933. Found on a glass slide. Not located on any daybills or one sheets until around circa 1936.
First Suitable Only For Adults on one line in 1930. On newspaper advertising only located. First Suitable For Adults Only alternative on line wording placement in 1931. Frankenstein Australian daybill.
The first example found of Suitable For Adults Only in a circle. classification usage. Initially the above Censorship Warning as seen above on the left side was allocated to King Kong in 1933.
The Suitable For Adults Only classification I do believe reading in the past was only introduced after some complaints were made regarding the original classification wording.
A newspaper advertisement published in Adelaide, S.A. on the12th of April 1952 ,(Trove /NFSA).
The above clipping was previously featured in Hondo's This And That Thread in April 2023. What wasn't mentioned then was the following censorship notice that is appropriate now to include here on this thread.
Children were admitted but they had to pay the full adult admission price.
Comments
This rare FOR GENERAL EXHIBITION NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 12 YRS. film classification appears to have been allocated by the Australian film censor sparingly in the early 1960's only.
I have located only three films that I am aware of that received this rating. The films being Ben-Hur ( 1959 ) ,Gorgo ( 1960 ) and Jack The Giant Killer ( 1962 ). The three films were released here in Australia between 1960 and 1964.
I have a feeling I had possibly noticed in the past another film title that was allocated this film classification. Not sure if my mind is playing tricks or not though.
If anyone is aware of any other films that were allocated this rating please let us know.
It certainly is interesting in how different countries classified films. In the U.K. Gorgo. received an X cerfificate.
Cinderella 2000 ( 1977 ) Australian daybill.
Original U,S,A, one sheet.
Cinderella 2000 was classified R18+ in Australia on 1 December 1977.
Regent Trading Enterprises supplied to M.A.P.S. Litho the above American artwork. The person responsible for the daybill design changed the X certificate classification to the Australian R certificate rating.
Unfortunately they included the ''No one under 17 admitted'' wording when they should have left it off the Australian artwork altogether, or at least have altered the 17 to being 18.
"False advertising" I would say if the answer was no!
The Flesh And Blood Show ( 1972 ) Australian daybill.
The N.S,W, country cinema that screened this film decided to flaunt the rules by encouraging young children to attend an M15+ rated horror film.
Screaming Mimi (1958) original U.S.A. insert and Australian daybill. Apparently the word striptease was frowned upon, but I do like the clever tagline used on the daybill.
Macumba Love (1960 ) original U.K. quad and a U.S.A. insert poster. The tagline and images on the American poster were apparently unexceptable here in Australia, so the artist decided to draw the exciting image of a female, along with one of a skeleton head on a stick instead.
Rated X in the U.K. the film only received the mild Not suitable for children classification im Australia. after having around three minutes edited out of the film here..
Instead of For General Exhibition Not Suitable For Children Under 14 rating on the 1960 Spartacus film, a different classification wording was advertised as being Not Suitable For Children Under The Age Of 14 years. No mention of General Exhibition in the rating,
Apart from mixed audience screenings some cinemas also screened separate male sessions for male and female audiences.
Interestingly at the above cinema in Rockhampton, Queensland they advertised that ''Children under fourteen not admitted unless accompanied by parents.''
The film in question is a 1937 small budget exploitation film titled Damaged Goods that was released in Australia in 1939. The subject of the film is about syphilis.
The above herald that promotes an Australian screening clearly advertises that the film subject is about venereal disease. It would be interesting to see what an Australian daybill and one sheet would look like.
On the other hand the U.S.A. poster advertising made no mention of venereal disease, and instead called it ''The Greatest Moral Story Ever Pictured!''
A U.S.A. film poster printed for the 1931 American film Seed.
To the best of my knowledge I believe the following would be the only example of an Australian press sheet being censored that I have ever seen..
The following information was published in the Smith's Weekly newspaper in Sydney on 7 November 1931, and sourced from the National Library of Australia archives.
CENSOR'S WEIRD EXPURGATION OF INNOCUOUS FILM PRESS-SHEET
More Sidelights on Great Comedy.
BESIDES keeping the screen safe for the delicate-minded morons. Film Censor O'Reilly in entrusted with the grave and awful problem of expurgating the press-sheets, which accompany each big picture. These sheets, containing suggestions for the basis of advertising campaigns are scrutinised with an eagle eye by the distilled souls of the censor's department
A PRESS SHEET advertising ''Seed'' came to Smith's office this week, bearing on the front page the rubber-stamped inscription---
''WARNING. Any obliterations made in this press-book have been made by the Censor and therefore the matter marked is censored, and must not be used in any way to advertise this picture.''
We turned the page with interest and saw on the inside sheet that one article had been crossed out with a blue pencil.
''Smith's'' would like to challenge the Censor to produce a single word from the article which could be considered objectionable, even by Mr. Creswell O'Reilly.
The article goes on to ridicule Australian censorship of that time and calling it a joke.
It would be great if any members have any actual Australian press sheet that were censored in any way for them to include them here. Love to see them.
Any feedback is welcomed.
Peter
All I can mention is what I included previously -The article goes on to ridicule Australian censorship of that time and calling it a joke.
The article should be able to be sourced from The National Library archives if you would care do so,,
Peter
There was an overseas perception of Australian film censorship being among the strictest in the world during his term as Chief Censor.
He did though circa 1930 introduce the grading of films as being For General Exhibition and Not Suitable For Children (Not Suitable For General Exhibition).
Has anyone ever noticed the high number of daybill posters, particularly Paramount daybills, from the early to mid 1930's that have no censorship ratings appearing on them at all..
It would appear for whatever reason the complete application of the ratings process on to posters was very slow in taking place in Australia.
Peter
Although introduced in Australia in 1930 the displaying of the classification of film censorship ratings in Australia was updated in 1933., as detailed below.
The only time any individual states interfered with Government censorship it was extremely limited, with mainly only the outright banning of an odd film by single states on a number of occasions.
Frankenstein ( 1931 ) Banned in South Australia Only. — Vintage Movie Posters Forum
More on this subject soon.
Peter
My previously included Ad. Regulations information was I image just the ruling already used in the other states of Australia that had been recently introduced.
There was a classification used only in Victoria applied during the 1920s titled the 6 to 16 Clause. During the 1920s no censorship ratings appeared on all general Australian advertising material until 1930.
Prince Of Adventurers ( Original U.S.A. title Casanova) from 1927. Pre any Australian Commonwealth classification being applied to film advertising.
The word censorship that was applied on the above daybill referred to the Victorian censor only.
Peter
Some additional material to follow soon once I do get to sort out some individual film titles and images from the earliest usage of the new classifications in Australia in 193O and 1931nthat was applied to film advertising material at that time..
The above notification was published 2 July 1930 in an Australian newspaper.
The article's final two sentences would explain then why early 1930's film posters and advertising didn't have Not Suitable For General Exhibition. classifications printed on them.
First General Exhibition on one line format used in 1930.
First For General exhibition on line used in 1932.
First For General Exhibition in triangle used in 1933.
First Not Suitable For General Exhibition in 1933. Found on a glass slide. Not located on any daybills or one sheets until around circa 1936.
First Suitable Only For Adults on one line in 1930. On newspaper advertising only located.
First Suitable For Adults Only alternative on line wording placement in 1931.
A case of two Australian states banning a Commonwealth passed film
The first example found of Suitable For Adults Only in a circle. classification usage. Initially the above Censorship Warning as seen above on the left side was allocated to King Kong in 1933.
The Suitable For Adults Only classification I do believe reading in the past was only introduced after some complaints were made regarding the original classification wording.
A newspaper advertisement published in Adelaide, S.A. on the12th of April 1952 ,(Trove /NFSA).
The above clipping was previously featured in Hondo's This And That Thread in April 2023. What wasn't mentioned then was the following censorship notice that is appropriate now to include here on this thread.
Children were admitted but they had to pay the full adult admission price.