Disney Classics Censored In Some Markets?

[rodis]

I went through some old "Little Mermaid" reviews on Amazon and was really surprised to see a comment by a Norwegian viewer saying the VHS releases of the film omitted a few "scary" parts:

The shark chase in the beginning was cut short
When Eric sees the dynamite and then the explosion
In the climax, when Ursula shoots Ariel off the rock and then tries to kill her

Those are some vital parts in the film, especially the last two,
Is this even legal??? It's absurd if it's true!

[Goliath]

I don't know about the Classics, but I do know Disney came to an agreement with China's government to let them show Disney shorts on their state tv the way they wanted it --censored, cut up, implemented propaganda etc.

[Scamander]

There are some Disney classics in Germany which are cut. Those movies were not censored by the government but by Disney itself to receive a lower rating ("approved for everyone" instead of a 6 rating). I know for sure, that Tarzan and "lilo & Stitch" are cut here. Bedknobs and Broomsticks was also shortened about 45 (!) minutes and almost all Nazi scenes were cut out.
There are many other examples from all studios, like the second Harry Potter film which wasn't available uncut till the blu-ray was released.

[milojthatch]

Well, so at least they are equal opportunity when it comes to edits. I keep saying it, just release every version and let each person decide for themselves which one they wish to watch.

[kenai3000]

I went through some old "Little Mermaid" reviews on Amazon and was really surprised to see a comment by a Norwegian viewer saying the VHS releases of the film omitted a few "scary" parts:

The shark chase in the beginning was cut short
When Eric sees the dynamite and then the explosion
In the climax, when Ursula shoots Ariel off the rock and then tries to kill her

Those are some vital parts in the film, especially the last two,
Is this even legal??? It's absurd if it's true!

The Swedish VHS of Little Mermaid removed those scenes plus

-Triton destroying Ariel's Grotto
-The green hands from the end of Poor Unfortunate Souls basically Ursula says the spell, Ariel sings while she's saying it then you see Ursula collecting her voice.
-Some of Ursula's laughing at the end of said song
-Most of Les Poissons
-Most of Giant Ursula rising up from the water, and saying "you pitiful insignificant fools"
-Eric stabbing Ursula with the ship.

[Disney Duster]

I'm surprised they didn't remove "body language", the close-up of Ariel naked, or Ursula changing from Vanessa to her true self.

So, do they release the unedited versions alongside these?

Or do you have to order them yourself from other countries?

It's a travesty if children in these countries never get to see the real films, and how good all those parts are!

[ajmrowland]

[Scamander]

I'm surprised they didn't remove "body language", the close-up of Ariel naked, or Ursula changing from Vanessa to her true self.

Sexual references and nudity in movies are no problem in most european countries. In Germany it's pretty normal to go with the whole family to a naturist beach.
I'm also surprised that TLM was cut in some countries. It's a pretty harmless film, if you ask me. In the german version Ursula calls Arielle a bitch in one scene and it got nevertheless an approval for everyone!

So, do they release the unedited versions alongside these?

In Germany they (Disney) don't do this normally. In fact they release the edited versions also in Austria and the german speaking Suisse, even though those countries don't have such a strict rating system. An exception was the DVD-release of the first Narnia movie, where you could choose between the cut single-disc and the uncut double disc-release. Warner Bros. on the other hand released the unedited DVD of 'Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets' in the suisse but barred the retailer from exporting it to Germany.

[kenai3000]

I'm surprised they didn't remove "body language", the close-up of Ariel naked, or Ursula changing from Vanessa to her true self.

Sexual references and nudity in movies are no problem in most european countries. In Germany it's pretty normal to go with the whole family to a naturist beach.
I'm also surprised that TLM was cut in some countries. It's a pretty harmless film, if you ask me. In the german version Ursula calls Arielle a bitch in one scene and it got nevertheless an approval for everyone!

So, do they release the unedited versions alongside these?

In Germany they (Disney) don't do this normally. In fact they release the edited versions also in Austria and the german speaking Suisse, even though those countries don't have such a strict rating system. An exception was the DVD-release of the first Narnia movie, where you could choose between the cut single-disc and the uncut double disc-release. Warner Bros. on the other hand released the unedited DVD of 'Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets' in the suisse but barred the retailer from exporting it to Germany.

Which German dub did Ursula call Ariel a bitch? the original one? For the Platinum DVD Norway & Sweden finally got it uncut.

[Disney's Divinity]

The Swedish VHS of Little Mermaid removed those scenes plus

-Triton destroying Ariel's Grotto
-The green hands from the end of Poor Unfortunate Souls basically Ursula says the spell, Ariel sings while she's saying it then you see Ursula collecting her voice.
-Some of Ursula's laughing at the end of said song
-Most of Les Poissons
-Most of Giant Ursula rising up from the water, and saying "you pitiful insignificant fools"
-Eric stabbing Ursula with the ship.

Wow...if you're going to bother cutting that much, why even release it?

Also, at Ursula calling Ariel a bitch. That does sound in-character.

[Scamander]

Which German dub did Ursula call Ariel a bitch? the original one?

It's on the second rerelease dub from 1998.

For the Platinum DVD Norway & Sweden finally got it uncut.

Good to know! Maybe the next releases of originally cut movies in Germany will be uncut then.

[kenai3000]

Which German dub did Ursula call Ariel a bitch? the original one?

It's on the second rerelease dub from 1998.

For the Platinum DVD Norway & Sweden finally got it uncut.

Good to know! Maybe the next releases of originally cut movies in Germany will be uncut then.

Ah the horrible dub. I think I heard Ariel say Scheisse in the first dub though.

[UmbrellaFish]

In a German dub Ursula calls Ariel a bitch...

I need to learn German.

[Goliath]

I went through some old "Little Mermaid" reviews on Amazon and was really surprised to see a comment by a Norwegian viewer saying the VHS releases of the film omitted a few "scary" parts:

The shark chase in the beginning was cut short
When Eric sees the dynamite and then the explosion
In the climax, when Ursula shoots Ariel off the rock and then tries to kill her

Those are some vital parts in the film, especially the last two,
Is this even legal??? It's absurd if it's true!

The Swedish VHS of Little Mermaid removed those scenes plus

-Triton destroying Ariel's Grotto
-The green hands from the end of Poor Unfortunate Souls basically Ursula says the spell, Ariel sings while she's saying it then you see Ursula collecting her voice.
-Some of Ursula's laughing at the end of said song
-Most of Les Poissons
-Most of Giant Ursula rising up from the water, and saying "you pitiful insignificant fools"
-Eric stabbing Ursula with the ship.

I call bullshit!

[kenai3000]

The Swedish VHS of Little Mermaid removed those scenes plus

-Triton destroying Ariel's Grotto
-The green hands from the end of Poor Unfortunate Souls basically Ursula says the spell, Ariel sings while she's saying it then you see Ursula collecting her voice.
-Some of Ursula's laughing at the end of said song
-Most of Les Poissons
-Most of Giant Ursula rising up from the water, and saying "you pitiful insignificant fools"
-Eric stabbing Ursula with the ship.

I call bullshit!

Hard to believe, but it is the truth. Ask any Swede and they will tell you everything listed was cut on VHS. Like I said earlier the recent DVD is uncut.

[Prince Edward]

I only remeber the following 2 scenes to have been cut short on the Norwegian VHS:
- When Eric sees the dynamite and then the explosion
- In the climax, when Ursula shoots Ariel off the rock and then tries to kill her

The Norwegian DVD had all the scenes.

The Swedish VHS-release sounds crazy! Why would Disney remove every "scary" part of the movie? It's like destroying the movie's soul.

[kenai3000]

I only remeber the following 2 scenes to have been cut short on the Norwegian VHS:
- When Eric sees the dynamite and then the explosion
- In the climax, when Ursula shoots Ariel off the rock and then tries to kill her

The Norwegian DVD had all the scenes.

The Swedish VHS-release sounds crazy! Why would Disney remove every "scary" part of the movie? It's like destroying the movie's soul.

Swedish censors were crazy back then. Back when Snow White first came out almost every scene with the Queen/Witch was cut as was Snow White running through the forest.

[Goliath]

I call bullshit!

Hard to believe, but it is the truth. Ask any Swede and they will tell you everything listed was cut on VHS. Like I said earlier the recent DVD is uncut.

I still call bullshit.

Sorry, nothing personal, but cutting out entire scenes like the destruction of the grotto, for no reason at all? Cutting out an entire key scene in the film? Cutting out the ending of the film? (Swedish children: "Daddy, where did Ursula go?") I call major bullshit.

Sounds like an urban legend to me. Like the story that Donald Duck cartoons at one point in time were forbidden in Finland because the character didn't wear pants. That's a very popular urban myth that still pops up on the internet, and TLM's cutted scenes fit in with it very well.

[Flanger-Hanger]

A German cut of Bedknobs and Broomsticks apparently had all the scenes involving Nazis removed despite them begin crucial to the plot. IMDB lists an 89 min runtime for a German version which is even shorter than the NA 1979 re-issue.

Nothing would surprise me.

[Cordy_Biddle]

A German cut of Bedknobs and Broomsticks apparently had all the scenes involving Nazis removed despite them begin crucial to the plot. IMDB lists an 89 min runtime for a German version which is even shorter than the NA 1979 re-issue.

Nothing would surprise me.

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!