CENSORING FILMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18765, 19 January 1923, Page 7

CENSORING FILMS

MILLIONS OF FEET SEEN. Sitting in Ida corner of the small darkened foom where the films go through the hands of ’ the censor before being made available tor public entertainment, Mr Joliffo has during the past vc-ar, with the aid of -his assistant, Been pictures amounting to 4 .637,810 t of fim pass over tho screen (says the Wellington Post). The year’s work has not been marked by anything unusual either in the matter of tho class of the films censored or in connection with the method in which the censor’s scissors have been used Tho pictures seen have been of much the usual variclv, the eternal triangle providing the basis for the balance of tho diamas. “It always is. and always will be the basis but it is wonderful what a largo a'limint ol viii'i' iy ie vodted i:ito the piots, sUtod Mr Jo'iffe, to a Post reporter a day or two since He said that -during the past year it had been necessary to ban 34 pictures, running into some 387,009 feet, while cuts ranging f.oni u few feet to 1800 feet had been made in 101 of Hie pictures submitted. The cuts are made for vaiying bo-c-mse of tho art headings, often because the scenes arc not, in the censors opinion edifying, sometimes because the episodes are ‘disloyal in a British country, and for a variety of other reasons. , Every foot lias to be carefully watched, for it can‘never bo told when some undesirable incident will make its appearance in a play in which no other fault can bo detected. When such an incident or scene appears tho censor touches a hell, and tho operator in the next room slips a piece of paper into the reel of film, and later slices out the objection able portion and pastes tho film together again, leaving ns little trace that anything has been removed. That m, of ■ course, -a work of art in itself, particularly in plays whore there is a pronounced plot. In comedies where tho plot ii negligible, tho cutting is an easier matter. Accordin'’' to the censor, the cla.ss of film was about tho same, with tho Hiat their- was not so much of ‘Old Glory m Hie American films, and there was a slight increase in the number of sconics. The amount of cutting done was about the eama as in previous years. . Speaking of censoring, Mr Johfte stated that the "proposal to have women censors had been revived to a certain extent, during Hm past, year. Ho said! ho was distinctly against the, proposal if it meant that, a board of'women was to be appointed. It might not bs unworkable if only one woman was appointed, lint with the nnpunctnahty amt war,to of time in discussion, ot winch tin. Kinr-.malograpb Board ot Appeal was a. sample, the censor's department would be unable' to cope with the work. As it was, be and his assistant, working all day fire davs a week, were only just, aide to cope with the demand. Stored in several locked bins in the Connor's office sre the cuttings from the films. These- havo never yet been asked for by the owners of the films, and this goes to show that they realise the actions of tho censor were for the best, and that the films have not suffered from his actions during’ tho past years.