Cut: The Unseen Cinema

by Baxter Phillips

NEW/Trade pb. An eyeopening book about censored movies, with many photo illustrations of the cut scenes. An excellent history of all this and not just sensation. LA SPECIAL. No markings or creases, very clean and bright, with straight, tight binding. Bounty Books trade pb, 111 pp.

Genres: Film

111 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Tristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've got really mixed feelings about this book. The research and volume of information and photos included is impressive. The author discusses in detail why censorship happened in film and shares hundreds of stills of film clips that have been cut (or "scissored" as he continuously says, which is more than a little startling to read here in modern times!). HOWEVER, as a woman, it's a rough read. The majority of the book is about rape in films and brutal, torturous rape at that. Once I was bombarded by image after image after image of women being raped and killed, I just couldn't take it - especially when there is no doubt that this book was created in large part, for titillation purposes. Proceed at your own risk.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obtained at Half Price Book for $3.98 in exquisite condition. A quickie history of sex, violence and censorship in the movies and chock full of images of nudity, mostly of the female variety since it was men who made almost all of the films. A lot of the images are ones I've never seen before from films I've never heard of. This is a first edition (paperback) from 1975 - a book that often sells for a lot of money on Amazon. I mean, look at the cover, Lolita is fellating a pair of scissors that have just sliced up some film strips. When I bought it, the guy at the counter asked if he could take it to the bathroom first. I declined. I didn't want it "flagged."

FINAL THOUGHTS: Phillips, ultimately, comes off a tad prudish. He seems to think that Ken Russell's 1971 film, "The Devils" (a masterpiece, in my opinion), goes beyond the bounds to the point of justifying censorship. In any case this book is a little misleading. It's not really about what's "cut" from movies, per se, as most of the scenes talked about in the book show up in one version of a film or another. The book is most intriguing when talking about the convergence of sex and violence; the author expounds on the fascinating idea of the crucifixion being the original pornographic image. This was not an exhaustive treatment by any means, but provides a good framework for tackling more scholarly approaches to the subject. It did help to read this in tandem with the pictures.

[Ostap Bender · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t learn about a few films over the history this covers (to 1975, when it was published), and some of the images and graphic artwork were of interest, but the quality of the writing is mediocre at best. Phillips flits from one blithe comment to another over a pretty broad range of films, but there is very little depth, and at times his accuracy is not the greatest. He makes broad generalizations (“There are practically no straight sex films in Japan: all contain aggression, blood and perversion”), and while he seems to revel in all of the sex and violence he shows us, he also seems to condone censorship in later films that apparently had gone too far for him. He seems to have a lot of knowledge, but the book needed a more academic approach. As it is, it’s a mishmash designed probably to titillate, e.g. for readers to flip through its various salacious photos.

[Jack Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

A girl I’ve been seeing recently got too drunk on a date and threw up everywhere and this was her « apology present » for me…

It is interesting here and there but the author does not have much to say beyond the most basic, and sometimes suspect, historical claims.

It’s bookshelf filler realistically but I quite like the story behind my acquiring it.

[Neil Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

good quickie views on censorship in film and how it developed in North America

[Diane Schneider · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't find a cohesive thesis through the book. There were more pictures than actual text, and it feels like what text there was served to legitimize the mass quantity of sensational photos.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmm, a history of film censorship or a 1970's excuse to publish a book with a lot of women's bare breasts? You decide!

[Willy Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated but historically interesting account of movie censorship, from origins to (then) present day.

[LordSlaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cut: The Unseen Cinema is a fascinating, short history of movie censorship. The book is crammed with dozens of illuminating, frequently lurid, photographs and movie stills. Good stuff.

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting peek into the forces that shaped censorship in film in America & Europe. Also, lots of pics & info about censored or banned films.