MovieChat Forums > Deadbeat at Dawn (1999) Discussion > What happened a few years ago in the UK?

What happened a few years ago in the UK?

posted 18 years ago by nikkisixx215
11 replies | jump to latest

I remember when Exploited tried to release this a few years ago in the UK something strange happened, from what I remember Exploited pressed 1000's of copies but they never made it to the shops! I think it was banned inbetween pressing and the release date, was it never submitted to the BBFC or something like that, I remember there was lots of controversy at the time and everyone at film fairs was talking about it, anyone know exactly what happened? if it's still banned I might sell my R1 copy on ebay.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nikkisixx215 18 years ago

I know it wasn't passed I just wondered why it was still pressed. Maybe I was dreaming this or I'm going mad but I remember seeing a UK Deadbeat released on Exploited but never making it to the shops... I've even held a copy in my hands

This is confusing me now, someone help...

[–] leb318 18 years ago

couldnt say for sure but someone reckons they're selling it on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DEADBEAT-AT-DAWN-Jim-Van-Bebber-Vhs-Gang-Movie_W0QQitemZ6470431355QQcategoryZ80026QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[–] nikkisixx215 18 years ago

Well done captain,

That's exactly what I'm talking about, so I wasn't dreaming, I still want to know the full story behind this release though.

[–] scuba steve 18 years ago

I wonder what condition the UK version Exploited had prepared is in. When they submitted it in 98 they had already removed about 2 and a half minutes. Does that mean they were set to release this cut version or are all these dvd's in this stock pile uncut?

[–] avalon_enigma 18 years ago

It was a cut edition they were going to release, though the Exploited label, but when Exploited released My Sweet Satan and the rest of Van Bebbers shorts and Van Bebber saw the release he was pretty displeased (listen to the commentary). I think that was what prompted Exploited to resubmit DEADBEAT. Then with all the hastle Exploited just decided to shut up shop and they left to work for Blue Underground in the states. They make the documentary stuff for Blue Underground through their own label (Exploited).

If you want a release track down the Synapse version. With it you get the commentary and the uncut My Sweet Satan short, and music videos.

[–] merenda 18 years ago

I had a time stamped VHS version of this that I sold on ebay many years ago.. it
had an 18 certificate and was basically ready to be released.

Wasn't their lots of letters in Dark Side from both, J.V.B. and Exploited having a go at each other. They were also posted on Exploited's old website??

or am I just confused?

[–] avalon_enigma 18 years ago

I think I remember something like that too. Apparently there was an early release of this movie that Van Bebber sold on a UK signing tour at the time. It was uncut with a different commentary to both the official UK and US releases; I once spoke to someone who insisted they had a copy, but I never saw it myself.

Strange things are afoot at the circle-K.

[–] ctw1976 15 years ago

I may be mistaken, but I'm sure that I had seen Exploited's release for sale in stores like Boudisque in The Netherlands a few years back.

[–] Bunders 15 years ago

Here you go, this should answer your questions.

The video was submitted by Dave Gregory from the Exploited label and he made it absolutely clear that Whittam Smith was personally responsible for the ban. The story goes like this:

I submitted Deadbeat at Dawn back in July hoping to release it alongside Vigilante. The BBFC sent me a not entirely unexpected cuts list for Deadbeat totalling two minutes of footage. I made around fifty cuts to remove all sight of chain sticks and throwing stars exactly as they requested. Most of the gore in the film passed unnoticed.

I resubmitted the film and started sending out preview copies, printed the sleeves, and ran a couple of ads, under the foolish assumption that because I had cut what they asked the film would be approved. Not so. Ferman watched it and through his secretary informed me that there was a problem with the violence in the film. A discussion was to be staged on the matter two days after the original release date: Oct. 26th. According to Ferman, opinions were split among the examiners.

Then Whittam Smith entered the room, overruled all discussion and declared that the film was to be rejected. Democratic discussion! Anyway, Ferman said they didn't want to issue another cuts list and that I could submit a toned down version if I wanted to. He had this impression of the film reaching a massive audience of impressionable. I told him that he ought to consider, in future, the actual market for a film of this type. 1500 units max! Not a huge blockbuster by any account, but a healthy specialist market.

[–] ryanwhittaker666 14 years ago

sold my R1 copy for £700 so go for it !