Disney Classics Censored In Some Markets?

[Scamander]

The Nazi element wasn't completely removed. Yes, most of the scenes (but also some others) were cut out but the story works still. In fact, I don't know the original cut.
The problem was also, that the movie was released in a time when Germany wasn't yet in the process of coming to terms with his own past. On the other hand also non-nazi scenes were cut out or shortened, like in "Pete's Dragon" (23 minutes), too.

The 60s and 70s were a really hard time for german movie/ disney fans. They even redubbed 'Bambi' in a horrible more kitschy way. The prince is now a "crumby" (?) and there is way more twittering in the forest than in the original.

[Wonderlicious]

Some British cuts now (mainly to secure a "U" rating):

*A 2-second headbutt in Mulan was removed. The first DVD release in 2000 (similar to the US Limited Issue/Gold Collection DVD) actually did feature the headbutt by accident, and it had to be withdrawn after a few days on sale.

*To avoid Lilo and Stitch getting a "12" rating, a shot of Lilo climbing out of a tumble dryer was reanimated to have her lowering the top of a cardboard pizza box cover she is using to hide herself under a wooden table. The pizza box takes the place of the dryer door, and the table is the same size as a dryer. The scene is identical in every other way, including the action between Nani and Lilo. Apparently the lack of a latch or seal of any kind on an enclosed space satisfied the censors. The film has the same length as other uncut versions. When the Disney Channel aired this, it removed the scene entirely, skipping to when Nani has apprehended Lilo (taken pretty much word for word from IMDb, with a little editing for context by me).

*The UK version of Cars has Jeremy Clarkson (presenter of popular British motoring programme Top Gear) provide the voice of Harv instead of Jeremy Piven (why yes, British voices do fit perfectly into the all-American world of Cars ). Recasting bit parts like this has been common in the UK; the Ugly Sister in Shrek 2 was voiced by Jonathan Ross instead of Larry King (Ross being a UK talk-show host), and the catwalk commentator voiced by Joan Rivers was revoiced by Kate Thornton (presenter of showbiz-related TV shows in the UK).

There have been some other cuts in films and shows that could be watched by similar audiences to those of Disney programmes that also really irk me (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ren and Stimpy and basically any film with a headbutt). So many films are only available in edited forms (all done for commercial reasons to get "better" ratings), and unedited versions aren't available; they even have to edit bonus features or give films higher ratings, as they have to rate those too (but hey, we can get approximate running times that Disney won't give us). Censors in some other comparable countries (such as France, even the US in some regards) aren't so obsessive, and they allow viewers to make more decisions based on plain common sense (especially in France). The folks at the BBFC, however, can really be a bunch of miserable fogies, and the studios are just as bad for not bickering with them.

So, what the HELL is "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" all about if the Nazi element is chopped out? Talk about re-writing history! It's wartime but Germany ISN'T the enemy, so Eglantine decides to fly around on a bed collecting information for a spell that she doesn't actually NEED? Come on!

I haven't seen the German version, but apparently it's just about finding out the very last spell that Prof Brown left off because of not having the complete spell (perhaps just so she gets her money's worth? ). A bit of cutting, some redubbing and bingo, an un-Nazified version of Bedknobs and Broomsticks. To be fair (and sorry if I sound like an apologist), the Second World War in Germany is treated as a very sombre, dangerous and serious period, and not the type of thing that should be referenced in a Disney fantasy musical. Don't go claiming that Germans ignore their often dark history, but having funny animated fish and kooky magic spells alongside images of Nazis invading a nervous country (something they never did anyway) would seem distasteful to audiences in Germany, especially in 1971 (26 years after the War ended). This case of editing is probably more valid than just cutting it so that they can get a better rating commercially.

[kenai3000]

The Nazi element wasn't completely removed. Yes, most of the scenes (but also some others) were cut out but the story works still. In fact, I don't know the original cut.
The problem was also, that the movie was released in a time when Germany wasn't yet in the process of coming to terms with his own past. On the other hand also non-nazi scenes were cut out or shortened, like in "Pete's Dragon" (23 minutes), too.

The 60s and 70s were a really hard time for german movie/ disney fans. They even redubbed 'Bambi' in a horrible more kitschy way. The prince is now a "crumby" (?) and there is way more twittering in the forest than in the original.

I assume that Bambi redub is the one on the DVD then? as I believe Pinocchio, Dumbo & Lady and the Tramp were all redubbed in the 70's as well.

[Goliath]

images of Nazis invading a nervous country (something they never did anyway)

I beg your pardon?!

[Disney Duster]

Wondy, was the Lilo & Stitch re-anaimtion from Disney's own team that animated the original scene? And, did they change it to a pizza box and table so children would not imitate Lilo and hide in the dryer and have something bad happen to them by chance?

[Big Disney Fan]

Many countries deemed Snow White too terrifying. On initial release in England, for example, they banned the film from anyone under the age of 12, while in Sweden, an uncut version wasn't released until 1992, at which time it was okayed for anyone under seven years with a parent. That country edited the movie by eight minutes in the 1960s and four minutes in the 1980s, trimming the scenes with Snow White's flight through the forest, the Queen turning into the Witch and the Dwarfs chasing the Witch. And at one point, according to author Neal Gabler, they banned the movie from Dutch children, too, until they boycotted a Snow White-themed chocolate bar to force the censors to give in and lift the ban.

And some international releases of Walt Disney Treasures had edited their contents, too. In Germany, Runaway Brain (called "Micky Monster Maus" in that country) was not included on the Mickey In Color 2 set, while ALL international releases of the Donald 2 set removed not only two war shorts ("Der Feuhrer's Face" and "Commando Duck" for their demeaning treatments of Germans and Japanese, respectively), but also one non-war short, "Donald's Crime". The war shorts' cuts were probably understandable, but I don't know why they left out "Donald's Crime". Oh, well, at least they're all uncut in the States. On the other hand, I'm told that international releases of the Silly Symphonies set had, in "Three Little Pigs", the original depiction of the Big Bad Wolf as a Jewish peddler, while the stateside version used the less offensive version where the wolf dressed as the Fuller brush man.

[Scamander]

I assume that Bambi redub is the one on the DVD then? as I believe Pinocchio, Dumbo & Lady and the Tramp were all redubbed in the 70's as well.

Yes, the Bambi-dub was unfortunaley never replaced with the original or a totally new one and it's true that all other movies you mentioned (plus Fantasia, Snow White and 101 Dalmatians) were also redubbed in the german market during the 60s and 70s. Bambi is nevertheless by far the worst and totally unwatchable.

I beg your pardon?!

I believe Wonderlicious was just speaking about the UK, not any country.

Wondy, was the Lilo & Stitch re-anaimtion from Disney's own team that animated the original scene? And, did they change it to a pizza box and table so children would not imitate Lilo and hide in the dryer and have something bad happen to them by chance?

Yes, the Disney animators changed the scene by themselfs (though I don't know if it was the same team that made the original). The reason for the changing was the bbfc, which had classified the movie otherwise with a higher ranking. Of course your thought children could imitate Lilo was also a risk the bbfc saw in the movie. Anyway, Disney was not forced to change the scene, they just avoided a higher ranking.

You can see some pics of the change here.

[Goliath]

I'm just glad the Dutch 'censors' aren't as uptight as those in other (European) countries. (*If* all those are true, because some of them are hard to believe...) We've got no Disney films censored. If a film is not deemed appropriate for little children, it'll simply get a higher rating.

And at one point, according to author Neal Gabler, they banned the movie from Dutch children, too, until they boycotted a Snow White-themed chocolate bar to force the censors to give in and lift the ban.

Hmmm... I've never heard of that. When would that have been? From what I know out of the Dutch 'Donald Duck' weekly comics magazine from the 1970's on, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were familiar characters in Holland, and an album of the film was released in the 1950's.

[Disney Duster]

Thanks Scamander, and I think I get it now. If the dryer door is closed with a child in it, the child could suffocate in it, or not know how to open the door, or not be able to open the door, or someone could turn on the dryer with them in it!

[Super Aurora]

Thanks Scamander, and I think I get it now. If the dryer door is closed with a child in it, the child could suffocate in it, or not know how to open the door, or not be able to open the door, or someone could turn on the dryer with them in it!

Which is a stupid censor begin with. I hid in the dryer all the time when I was little when playing hide-and-seek with my sisters and cousins. Hell I hide near a water meter behind the basement walls(it's damn narrow).

[Disney Duster]

If I were your parent I'd probably never allow that. There's a difference between characters running into situations that are obviously dangerous to them and what you're talking about. It's like something dangerous disguised as something good and okay. I wouldn't want to think of my kid being in a dryer, ever.

[estefan]

Haha, this entire discussion reminds me of that Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog PSA:

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[Super Aurora]

If I were your parent I'd probably never allow that. There's a difference between characters running into situations that are obviously dangerous to them and what you're talking about. It's like something dangerous disguised as something good and okay. I wouldn't want to think of my kid being in a dryer, ever.

My parents wouldn't want that. I just did it anyway.

[Disney Duster]

I know, you just did it on your own and they didn't know, and it's good nothing happened to you. I'm saying I don't want to accidentally encourage kids to do it.

estefan that video was kinda funny but was it just me or was Sonic kinda mean? Bein' and asshole to kids...

[mdnitoil]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Disney censoring Fantasia for at least the U.S. audience to protect us from the boobie fairies...or horses. I can't exactly remember what it was that they figured audiences of today couldn't handle.

[Disney Duster]

But Fantasia's no longer edited except for Sunflower, right?

[jpanimation]

Yes, the Disney animators changed the scene by themselfs (though I don't know if it was the same team that made the original). The reason for the changing was the bbfc, which had classified the movie otherwise with a higher ranking. Of course your thought children could imitate Lilo was also a risk the bbfc saw in the movie. Anyway, Disney was not forced to change the scene, they just avoided a higher ranking.

You can see some pics of the change here.

Thanks for the pics, what an...interesting edit. Quite frankly, it's stupid. Why would she randomly have an enclosed table (that, BTW, looks like a chicken coop or dog house) in her laundry room instead of a dryer? It looks really goofy but at least they matched the art style enough it doesn't distract.

Anyways, Lilo & Stitch already had a PG rating over here in the states, and it didn't hinder it's success or popularity in the slightest. So why would they go out of their way to avoid the PG rating in the UK?

But Fantasia's no longer edited except for Sunflower, right?

Well, they re-dubbed all of Deems Taylor's existing lines using Corey Burton. I count that as a pretty major edit.

[Big Disney Fan]

But Fantasia's no longer edited except for Sunflower, right?

Well, they re-dubbed all of Deems Taylor's existing lines using Corey Burton. I count that as a pretty major edit.

Well, in that case, perhaps they couldn't find the original Taylor footage and they had no other choice except to redub it.

[KubrickFan]

Well, they re-dubbed all of Deems Taylor's existing lines using Corey Burton. I count that as a pretty major edit.

Well, in that case, perhaps they couldn't find the original Taylor footage and they had no other choice except to redub it.

They could find most of it, but not all. So, instead of leaving the original dialog in, and search for an impersonator, Disney decided to throw away all of Deems Taylor's voice, and redub it.

[Big Disney Fan]

They could find most of it, but not all. So, instead of leaving the original dialog in, and search for an impersonator, Disney decided to throw away all of Deems Taylor's voice, and redub it.

What do you mean by leaving the original dialog in? Are you saying that they should have just bridged the gaps with an impersonator?