Censored in the UK

Artwork is an act of the imagination that simulates through inspiration response in viewer.

Is thinking a crime? No matter how extreme censorship could become our thoughts can’t be censored. People should be free to openly discuss things honestly without the threat of persecution. My opinion is not a crime, as an illustrator I should encourage myself to constantly raise questions. We learn what is right and wrong, and each of us forms our set of morals. No person should have to power to enforce principles and a determined way of life onto others.

Are some subjects too sensitive, that they bring the society to a less tolerant state and make snap judgments? If this is a reality, we live in a dangerous society. It is not right to have disliked opinions deemed punishable. Would some illustrators loose credibility and never work again after producing work on a sensitive topic?

‘Exhibit B’ an art instillation that was forcibly shut down from the power of 200 protesters. This minority group of 200 people deemed ‘Exhibit B’ as racist so thousands should not be able to see it. This is a result of the lack of understanding; this art was to approach the importance of the subject of oppression and slavery that is not pro-racist.

Censorship is not new in the UK; the first book to be banned was William Tyndale’s translated bible in 1525, the Catholic Church disapproved it. ‘The Wild One’ (1954) was banned in the UK until 1967 as it was regarded as anti-establishment and the encouragement of the morals of rebels. In 1955 ‘The man with the Golden Arm’ was also banned from the presence of a fictional heroin addiction.

Can the majority regulate themselves, or do they need society to do it for them?

Censorship is the control of, or limited access to information or imagery. It is usually in relation to sensitive, graphic, or deviant behaviour. The issue is who can decide what is deviant and what is acceptable behaviour. What is normal behaviour and what is classed as defiance?

UK regulatory bodies were founded to give people the power to suppress in the major areas of media production.

BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) from 1912

VSC (Video Standards Council) from 2012

ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) from 1962

There are forms of self-regulation in the form of broadcasting with the 9pm watershed of adult content, and online techniques such as parent locks, safe search and blocked content are used to control the information. Self-regulation allows the person to make decisions, if you don’t like it don’t watch it, if you don’t think its appropriate don’t let your children watch it, if it offended you, you can make a complaint.

However exposure to violence leads to a downward spiral of social dis-inhibitions, and could no longer be a taboo. Something that is preserved as deviant becomes normalised through exposure. This could lead to a demand in the next step; it could potentially lead to the desire for the real thing. This moral corruption is easily avoided by censorship so self-regulation cannot be effectively upheld in every aspect.

Much censored material is so from the threat it poses to society and the concern of potential corruption of morals. Some taboos have become acceptable, such as nudity, but many remain especially when relating to monarchy. There is constant new threats challenging the system.

Women In Cinema

[‘The Hurt Locker’, Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, 2010]

Kathryn Bigelow was awarded an Oscar for best director for the feature film ‘The Hurt Locker’ in 2010. She is the first woman to win the award and only the 4^th woman to be nominated; these were Sofia Coppola 2003, Jane Campion 1993, Lina Wertmuller 1976. To me this highlights how the film industry is male dominated; this may be because the cost and budgets are so high and the money is given to men rather than women.

This would suggest a gender bias among film production, were there is assumptions made and stereotypes pushed on women. Action films are widely thought of as a film for men, the assumption made that a woman would much prefer a romance. There is an underlying discrimination in cinema, which I had never noticed or considered before.

Even with laws to prevent this bias it is still present, for example Kathryn Bigelow directed ‘Point Break’ in 1991 that made $100million in its 1st year yet received no nominations for awards. In the Director Guild of America only one woman has won an award for an action film, Kathryn Bigelow for ‘The Hurt Locker’, on the other hand several awards have been given to women for documentary films. This enforces the ideas of the female stereotype, that women are more successful producing a documentary than a high cost action film.

Contextualisation

Traditionally, key positions in society were held by men and socially it was accepted that a woman’s place was in the home. The stereotypes of women still remain in society regardless of progress, a motherly, caring, weak, helpless person, an object of desire, and the ultimate male possession.

Women had no voice of their own, they had not power, they could not inherit wealth of any kind, and women did not have the right to vote. At this time men were in total control, the idea that these ethics can still be affecting present day society makes me angry that people can be shunted based on their gender.

Before 1867 most men in the UK could not vote, this was changed in 1867 when men aged over 21 who also own property could vote, then 2.5million people out of 30million had the right vote. It was not until 1918 when all men over 21 years old could vote, this was also the year when women on a property register and aged over 30 gained the right to vote. This was the time of the Suffragettes; women who took direct action to gain equality with men, from fear of revolution women received the vote from the ‘Representation of the Peoples Act’. In 1920 women were given the vote in USA and by 1928 equal voting rights were established in the UK.

Cinema was first invented in 1895, when women did not have voting rights, this potential for profit transformed film into the big business that attracted wealthy men. Post WWI both the money and power in Hollywood, was controlled by a few rich and powerful men these were, Adolph Zuker, Louis B Mayer, Jack Warner, David O Selznick, and Howard Hughes.

At this time an actress was not regarded as a legitimate profession, it was considered on par with prostitution, it was vulgar and common. Very different to today when actors and actresses are idolised by the masses. The view was that women should be part of the scenery rather than main characters. The male characters were portrayed as a ‘hero’, a strong leading role, as these films were produced by men, for men. The women in these films are the romantic interest fawning over the men or the ‘problematic’ of the narrative. As the films developed they introduced new stereotypes for example the ‘dumb blonde’.

Dorothy Arzner’s produced films that included strong female lead characters, using subtle undertones to emphasise female friendships and relationships. She was also responsible for inventing the boom microphone, however after she stopped working she became virtually invisible.

French Film

Since the start of the film industry in France women have made their presence known. Alice Guy-Blanche (1873-1968) was the first women director in cinema history and one of the first feature film directors who introduced a narrative to her work. Alice was a pioneer in the use of sound; she used endless techniques of special effects, double exposures, colour, and masking. After a 25 year career she oversaw more than 700 films which in other places (USA/UK) was deemed impossible. No matter how successful she was now she is overshadowed my men and their accomplishments in the history of the film industry.

‘Brazil’ 1985 directed by Terry Gilliam

This is a surrealist film with elements of a dream world and the real world. The real world is dull and without passion and the dream world is anything you make it.

Before I watch this film, I have looked at and annotated a poster advertising the Film. There are two areas to this image to represent the dream and real worlds. The dream is represented by clouds covering the top section of the poster.

I like the soft purple colours and how they give it a magical unrealistic appearance. The creatures appearing out of the figures mind are winded animals only existent in a person’s imagination. Strong flares of light from this figures head indicate the power and hope present in that world.

I like the contrast of the magical dream world and the dull representation of the mundane real life. The conformity of life is portrayed by the dark ordered buildings that show the repression of self expression. This section is stripped of colours to enforce the dreariness and boredom this character is feeling of the real world.

From my impression of this poster and the clear line between the two areas, I conclude that the dream world and reality are completely separate in this narrative. This other world the character feels is so real will contribute to my understanding of visualizing unusual imaginary places.