cenorship of films

It important to look at the development of the acceptance of films during their times, from research i found that crime had mainly escalated during WW2 and mainly went unreported or detected. life was hard, and many restrictions remained after it had finished, people found escapism in films and it was soon recognised that they had to be protected from corruption. Every film had to pass the examination of the British board of censors. Often producers were told to 'cut' certain scenes of violence or sexual content. The board was very strict refusing distribution rights time after time until the producers complied with their wishes. The ideology was that every villian would get punished; and the idea that 'Crime didnt pay' had to be potrayed.
Over the decades this censorships has been drastically reduced, countless court cases have upheld the rights of producers to show life as it really is. It seems today no subject is taboo, no outcome is unacceptable, and within reason, violent and sexual scenes are left more or less to the discretion of the film makers.

Advertising

By the mid 1950's the film industry had now packed the cinema's to capacity week after week, even to the extent of the public standing inside waiting for seats to be vacated. The time length of the films, compared with today's was short, but the 'show' included two films, the main attraction and a supporting film, which was often less proffesionally made. To keep the public's appetite for including 'picture night' in their weekly agenda 'Trailers' are shown of next weeks films. Even these trailers had to be passed before the board for cenorship as the film makers often tried to show scenes from the film out of context.
Posters on the other hand did not have to go before the cenors and full use of the situation was made. Often under the heading of ' coming soon to this theatre' poster images differed greatly from actual scenes in the film. Gangsters for instance would be shown tall, slim and well dressed, brandishing a glistening revolver with scantily blonde clinging on his leg, a scene not remotely taken from the film. Posters would not contain actual scenes from the film, artists had the freedom to attract the interest and imagination of the patron in anyway they felt fit.
The designs to posters have not changed drastically, they have only changed by technology available.

The bouting Brothers

Film studious and complexes were money saving factors for film makers. Sets enalbled producers to film without worrying about the weather or failing light. scenes could be filmed out of sequence if necessary if stars were absent. But too much studio work made the film boring, too much dialogue lost the audiences interest. The B.B. bought excitement into their films, filming on location with plenty of action made their films very popular.