Nos anos 80 no Reino Unido foi passada uma lei chamada Video Recordings Act 1984 que visava "proteger" os consumidores de cassettes de video em relação a uma lista de filmes que, segundo a censura da época, eram considerados de "má reputação" devido à sua violência extrema e elevado nível de terror. Isto originou, está claro, numa grande onda de pirataria porque, já se sabe, o fruto proibido é sempre o mais apetecido. Mas se pensam que a lista era pequena, enganam-se: o número subia aos 72 filmes! Setenta e dois, meus amigos! Ficaram então conhecidos como os "Video Nasties" e a sua procura pelos fanáticos do género era imensa e incansável.
A editora inglesa Nucleus Video prepara-se agora para lançar um triplo DVD que presta homenagem a toda essa era de censura e proibição. E este lançamento anuncia-se obrigatório, porque o cuidado prestado a esta edição parece ter sido exímio. Então vejam:
Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide - out on DVD in Oct 2010
Prepare to be corrupted and depraved once more as Nucleus Films releases the definitive guide to the Video Nasties phenomenon - one of the most extraordinary and scandalous eras in the history of British film.
For the first time ever on DVD, all 72 films that fell foul of the Director of Public Prosecutions are featured with specially filmed intros for each title in a lavish three-disc collector's edition box-set, alongside a brand new documentary - VIDEO NASTIES: MORAL PANIC, CENSORSHIP AND VIDEOTAPE, directed by Jake ('Doghouse') West.
Producer Marc Morris, co-author of 'Art of the Nasty' and 'Shock Horror: Astounding Artwork from the Video Nasty Era' comments: "Hopefully, every true movie fan will want this in their collection"..
Disc One presents the 39 titles which were successfully prosecuted in UK courts and deemed liable to deprave and corrupt. These included: 'Absurd', 'Cannibal Holocaust', 'The Driller Killer', 'I Spit on Your Grave', 'Nightmares in a Damaged Brain', 'Snuff' & 'Zombie Flesh-Eaters'.
Disc Two presents the 33 titles that were initially banned, but then subsequently acquitted and removed from the DPP's list. These included:
'Death Trap', 'Deep River Savages', 'The Evil Dead', 'Human Experiments', 'The Toolbox Murders' & Zombie Creeping Flesh
Both discs can be viewed either as a non-stop trailer show, or with newly-filmed introductions from a wide range of acclaimed media academics and notable genre journalists. Each disc is preceded by a brief introduction by cult horror presenter Emily Booth.
Disc Three This era-defining documentary features interviews with filmmakers Ruggero Deodato ('Cannibal Holocaust') Neil Marshall ('The Descent', 'Doomsday'), Christopher Smith ('Severance', 'Black Death') and MP Graham Bright as well as rare archive footage featuring James Ferman (director of the BBFC 1975-1999) & Mary Whitehouse. Taking in the explosion of home video, the erosion of civil liberties, the introduction of draconian censorship measures, hysterical press campaigns and the birth of many careers born in blood and videotape, West's documentary also reflects on the influence this peculiar era still exerts on us today.
Extras include a gallery of original video company idents and extensive gallery of lurid cover art for every video nasty.
Comente