American movies flood the market

LAST YEAR saw one film banned of the 211 brought to the island, according to a censorship council report released yesterday. No films were banned in 1996.

The banned film was David Cronenberg’s Crash, but in general 1997’s films seem to be less offensive than those released the previous year, as just 24 films were rated ‘3’, or suitable for adults only, down from 51 in 1996. The vast majority of films, 117, were considered suitable for all, up form 80 in 1996, while 69 were issued with the intermediate ‘2’ category, as opposed to 55 in 1996.

No films have been banned so far this year, though the full frontal male nude scene at the end of the Oscar-nominated Boogie Nights caused much consternation at the censorship board. The film was, however, passed intact.

The report also noted that America still provided the vast majority of films released on the island — 194 — followed by Britain, trailing with just seven. Three French films were shown, while Yugoslavia, Australia and the Czech Republic, this year’s only newcomer, supplied one each. Local productions numbered three, up on 1996’s one.

The total number of films shown last year is also up on 1996, when just 164 were shown, though 1996 saw films from a broader range of countries, with representatives from Greece, Italy, Sweden, Holland and Vietnam.

In 1997, the public were offered more dramas (142) than any other genre, though comedy came in second with 55. Ten animated features were released, and four musicals.