MovieChat Forums > Saturday Night at the Baths (1975) Discussion > censored release

censored release

posted 16 years ago by paulweeks-1
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I've been waiting over 30 years to get this movie on tape or DVD. I saw it in a theater in the mid 70s and it had a profound effect on me. I have cherished the memory of one scene in particular that has been edited out of the DVD release!

Close to the end of the film, in the original version, there is a beautiful scene of the two men lying together, naked. There is no "action", no pornography, they could be asleep, but it was a breath-takingly beautiful camera-pan of their two bodies. That scene has been removed. Although there is lots of casual nudity between the heterosexual couple at the beginning of the movie, in this release there is simply a rough cut from the two men sharing a kiss to the one coming home and telling his girl friend that "something happened". I am astounded that the movie was butchered in this way. I am returning the copy that I purchased. I am very disappointed. If you have a memory of this movie I suggest that you stick with your memory rather than take this neutered version.

It's such a shame. I loved this movie as a sweet memento of times gone by and it's been ruined.

I did buy it from Amazon.ca perhaps it was censored for the Canadian market? If anyone bought a US version, I wonder if that scene remains.

I am outraged that films can be edited and sold to us without any mention on the box that you're not buying the original film, just someone's diluted version of what they feel you're allowed to view.

[–] RulesofAttraction18 16 years ago

http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Night-at-Baths-Directors-Cut/dp/B001781JSQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1210178345&sr=8-1

New uncensored version of the film.

[–] jm10701 11 years ago

That new DVD not only includes the gay love scene (not just them lying naked in bed, but that too) but a few extra seconds of the wonderful Jane Olivor song and of the fabulous Judy impersonator. And it's a cleaner copy, with noticeably better video and sound. It also has extensive new interviews with David Buckley, the writer-director, and with Steve Ostrow, the owner of the Baths, who now lives in Sydney and works tirelessly helping gays in need.

The first DVD (released in 2006 by Water Bearer Films) is indeed a GREAT disappointment. The second (released in 2008, also by Water Bearer Films, but with a new cover showing a guy's torso wrapped below the waist in a white towel) is a very worthwhile investment, not only as a document of the Baths but for the fantastic gay love scene it restores, making it actually a good movie in itself. I'll repeat the Amazon link in clickable format: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001781JSQ/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk.

By the way, the first DVD was released without David Buckley's knowledge or consent; somebody bought a defective copy of the film at a garage sale or something and got it released on DVD, thinking that Buckley wasn't even still alive. Buckley was alarmed when he saw it and got out the complete version with its interesting extras. It's been out for more than five years now, but people are still getting ripped off buying and renting (it's the one Netflix has) the old, butchered version.