Case Studies:
- Last house on the left: Director Wes Craven, 1978-1978, Realism/Documentary
- Evil Dead: Director Sam Raimi, 1982, Gory/Animation
- The Texas chainsaw massacre: Director: Tobe Hooper, 1978, Realism/Documentary
Wes Craven: became a mainstream director from banned films - video nasties became the template to horror films
Sam Ramai: made one of the most mainstream flops - became mainstream from banned videos
Common aspects they had:
- teenage driven
- very low budget
- horror films
- chainsaws
- gore
- imitable
- demonic/agriculture related stuff going on
- nudity, sex and rape
What was so different about the evil dead and the year?
Video regulation act was introduced in 1984 just after the walking dead got released meaning new rules have to be in place to stop films like evil dead happening again.
What years are we looking at?
1980s (recession, riots, continual raids)
What makes the walking dead significant to video nasties?
- It was released just before the video regulations act got reinforced in 1984 - you see everything
- Used video nasties being banned as a selling point
- Deliberately making it a video nasty
What role did Mary Whitehouse (NV&LA) have in this period?
- She reinforced what the conservative views
- Part of a pressure group (national views and listeners association - NV&LA)
- She didn't like the content of video nasties - they influenced others
- Christian values
Why did the conservative government get involved - scapegoating?
- They didn't agree with the content of films
- Blamed the video nasties for things happening eg raids and violence
- Made the whole thing worse (criminal)
What was the role of the BBFC at this time?
- BBFC were not very strict with video nasties until they were a conservative influence within the group who linked video nasties to problems within British society.
- 80 films got banned
- Certificates were introduced and put in place
- Cannot restrict films on a criminal level (video nasties = criminal/illegal)
What is the VRA (1984)?
Video Recordings Act: This meant that all films which may be considered a video nasty must have been sent to the BBFC for evaluation
Social context:
- government and pressure groups protecting society
- Mary had this in mind
Economic context:
- power cuts, unemployment, recession --> industry being closed --> privatisation (privatised) --> protests --> riots
Political context:
- government and media (rich white people)
- scapegoat - Margret Thatcher
Technological context:
- home videos (VHS)
- allowed people to access unregulated, uncensored content --> opinion, decide themselves --> moral/entertainment
1. What is the significance of home video & the format wars for audiences?
- home videos hard to censor
2. What were the concerns around home video & censorship?
- kids between 12-16 watching it at home
3. What is a video nasty & why were they popular?
- nasty videos - can't be shown in cinemas
- a film on video that contains scenes that are considered to be gratuitously and offensively violent or pornographic
- they were popular because they were new and could watch them at home
- it was a trend
- used as a political weapon
4. What did these films have in common?
- horrors
- low budgets
- teens
5. Who are Margaret thatcher & Mary whitehouse & why were they relevant?
- Margaret thatcher was prime minister of the Conservative party
- Mary whitehouse (nvla) part of a pressure group - scapegoat
6. How did video nasties become political and how was this moral panic being exploited by the government?
- by scapegoating
Video nasties:
- 72 videos banned
- used as a political weapon
- videos that were violent & pornographic
- banned based on word of mouth, front covers and reputation
- horror films
- immutable behaviour
- realistic style - low budget
- popular with teenage boys
Moral panic:
- something emphasised by the media
- news papers - conservative (daily mail)
- capitalised by the government
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