Video nasty

**Video nasty** is a word to describe movies that contained violent content and were criticized by people for it. The word "video nasty" became popular after the National Viewers' and listeners' Association used it. Video nasties are typically horror movies. These movies' releases were not rated by the British Board of Film Classification. Video nasties were allowed to be sold in shops. This made many parents worry that children may be able to view these films.

Mary Whitehouse made a campaign against these movies. People selling these movies started to be punished by the law. The Director of Public Prosecutions made a list of 72 movies that contained content that went against the rules of the Obscene Publications Act 1959. Some of the movies in the list had earlier been considered to not be breaking the obscenity law or already had been rated and approved by the BBFC. A second list was made that included 82 movies. These didn't break any laws. However the movies in the second list could still be confiscated. Because of the confusion people had about what made a movie "Obscene", Parliament created a new law; Video Recordings Act 1984. This law made it so that any videos released had to get a certification from the BBFC

The law made censorship on videos stricter then on cinema. Many movie studios had their videos banned. Recently, videos have been allowed to have content that was banned. Many of the films considered video nasties are now allowed to be sold. Some of the videos contain all the same content. Some videos had to cut out certain content to be sold.

## Obscenity and video

When home video recorders were first sold, there were no laws for videos except the Obscene Publications Act 1959. This law had been changed in 1977 to cover sexual films. Popular film distributors were worried about selling videos. They feared people would pirate their films. Lots of low budget horror films were sold during this time. Some of the movies sold were passed by the British Board of Film Censors. Some movies were not. The movies that weren't accepted couldn't be shown. The Obscene Publications Act defined obscenity as that which may "tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it". However, many people are confused by the meaning. Many people do not know what is and what isn't obscene.

If the Director of Public Prosecutions thought a movie broke the law, they could prosecute the people who made it. The act said that cops could take away videos from sellers if they thought the movie broke rules. In the early 1980s, the amount of cops searching video stores increased. The movies they took seemed to be random. They took movies which didn't break rules. For example, they took the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas because they thought it was a porn film.

The Video Retailers Association asked the DPP to make guidelines so sellers could know what was allowed and what wasn't allowed. The DPP understood their issues and created a list of movies. This list became known as "video nasties".

## DPP list

The first list was made public in June 1983. The list was modified monthly. 72 movies had appeared on the list. Some of these movies may have been removed later. 39 movies were prosecuted. However, some of them were allowed to be sold after being edited.

### Section 1: Prosecuted films

1. _Absurd_ (original title: _Rosso Sangue_, also known as _Monster Hunter_, _Anthropophagus 2_, and _Horrible_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 2017. The film is classified at 18.
1. _Anthropophagous: The Beast_ (original title: _Antropophagus_, also known as _Anthropophagous_, _Antropofago_, _The Grim Reaper_, _Man Beast_, _Man-Eater_, and _The Savage Island_) – Released with approximately 8 minutes of pre-edits as _The Grim Reaper_ in 2002. Complete version passed uncut in June 2015.
1. _Axe_ (also known as _Lisa, Lisa_ and _California Axe Massacre_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 19 seconds cut in 1999. Released uncut in 2005 with an 18 certificate.
1. _A Bay of Blood_ (original title: _Reazione a Catena_, also known as _Twitch of the Death Nerve_, _Blood Bath_ and _Bay of Blood_) – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1972. Released with 43 seconds cut in 1994. Re-released uncut in 2010.
1. _The Beast in Heat_ (original title: _La Bestia in Calore_, also known as _SS Hell Camp_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Blood Feast_ – Released with 23 seconds cut in 2001. Re-released uncut in 2005.
1. _Blood Rites_ (also known as _The Ghastly Ones_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Bloody Moon_ (original title: _Die Säge des Todes_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 20 seconds cut in 1993. Released uncut November 2008.
1. _The Burning_ – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 19 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2001.
1. _Cannibal Apocalypse_ (original title: _Apocalypse Domani_, also known as _Invasion of the Flesh Hunters_) – Released with 2 seconds of animal cruelty cut in 2005.
1. _Cannibal Ferox_ (also known as _Make Them Die Slowly_) – Released with approximately 6 minutes of pre-cuts plus an additional 6 seconds cut to a scene of animal cruelty in 2000. Re-released with 1 minute 55 seconds of animal cruelty cuts in 2018.
1. _Cannibal Holocaust_ – Released in 2001 with 5 minutes 44 seconds cut to remove most animal cruelty and rape scenes. Re-released with 15 seconds cut to one animal cruelty scene in 2011.
1. _The Cannibal Man_ (original title: _La Semana del Asesino_) – Released with 3 seconds cut in 1993.
1. _Devil Hunter_ (original title: _El Canibal_) – Released uncut in November 2008.
1. _Don't Go in the Woods_ – Released uncut in 2007 with a 15 rating.
1. _The Driller Killer_ – Released with 54 seconds of pre-cuts in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2002.
1. _Evilspeak_ – Released with 3 minutes 34 seconds cut in 1987. Re-released uncut in 2004.
1. _Exposé_ (also known as _House on Straw Hill_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 51 seconds cut in 1997.
1. _Faces of Death_ – Released with 2 minutes 19 seconds cut to animal cruelty in 2003.
1. _Fight for Your Life_ – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1981. No UK re-release.
1. _Flesh for Frankenstein_ (also known as _Andy Warhol's Frankenstein_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 56 seconds cut in 1996. Released uncut in 2006.
1. _Forest of Fear_ (also known as _Toxic Zombies_ and _Bloodeaters_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Gestapo's Last Orgy_ (original title: _L'ultima orgia del III Reich_, also known as _Last Orgy of the Third Reich_ and _Caligula Reincarnated As Hitler_) –  Refused a video certificate in 2021.
1. _The House by the Cemetery_ (original title: _Quella villa accanto al cimitero_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with over 4 minutes cut in 1988. Re-released with 33 seconds cut in 2001. Released uncut in 2009.
1. _The House on the Edge of the Park_ (original title: _La casa sperduta nel parco_) – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1981. Released with 11 minutes 43 seconds cut in 2002, and re-released with 42 seconds cut in 2011. Passed uncut in May 2022.
1. _I Spit on Your Grave_ (also known as _Day of the Woman_) – Released with 7 minutes 2 seconds cut in 2001. Re-released in a longer re-edited format in 2003 which reframed the rape scenes but was cut by 43 seconds to the second rape scene by the BBFC. The original print was released again with 3 minutes cut in 2010, and the film again received 1 minute 41 seconds of cuts for the 2020 Blu-ray release.
1. _Island of Death_ (original title: _Ta Pedhia tou dhiavolou_, also known as _Devils in Mykonos_ and _A Craving For Lust_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Refused a video certificate in 1987 under the title _Psychic Killer II_. Re-released with 4 minutes 9 seconds cut in 2002. Released uncut September 2010.
1. _The Last House on the Left_ – Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1974 and again in 2000. Also refused a video certificate in 2001. Passed with 31 seconds cut in 2002. Released uncut on 17 March 2008.
1. _Love Camp 7_ – Refused a video certificate in 2002. Refused a certificate for streaming in 2020.
1. _Madhouse_ (also known as _There Was a Little Girl_) – Released uncut in 2004.
1. _Mardi Gras Massacre_ – Passed uncut in March 2022.
1. _Nightmares in a Damaged Brain_ (also known as _Nightmare_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 3 minutes of pre-edits in 2005. Re-released uncut in November 2015.
1. _Night of the Bloody Apes_ (original title: _La Horripilante bestia humana_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 3 minutes of pre-cuts in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2002.
1. _Night of the Demon_ – Released with 1 minute 41 seconds cut in 1994. Released uncut in 2022.
1. _Snuff_ – Passed uncut in 2003 but no UK release to date.
1. _SS Experiment Camp_ (original title: _Lager SSadis Kastrat Kommandantur_, also known as _SS Experiment Love Camp_) – Released uncut in 2005.
1. _Tenebrae_ (original title: _Tenebre_, also known as _Unsane_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 5 seconds cut in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2003.
1. _The Werewolf and the Yeti_ (original title: _La Maldicion de la Bestia_, also known as _Night of the Howling Beast_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Zombie Flesh Eaters_ (also known as _Zombie_ and _Zombi 2_) – Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 46 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released with 23 seconds cut in 1999. Released uncut in 2005.

### Section 2: Non Prosecuted films

1. _The Beyond_ (original title: _E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore ‒ L'Aldilà_, also known as _Seven Doors of Death_) — Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 2 minutes cut in 1987. Re-released uncut in 2001.
1. _The Bogey Man_ (also known as _The Boogeyman_) ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released with 44 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2000.
1. _Cannibal Terror_ (original title: _Terreur Cannibale_) ‒ Released uncut in 2003.
1. _Contamination_ ‒ Released uncut in 2004 with a 15 rating.
1. _Dead & Buried_ ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released with 30 seconds cut in 1990. Re-released uncut in 1999.
1. _Death Trap_ (also known as _Eaten Alive_ and _Starlight Slaughter_) ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 25 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2000.
1. _Deep River Savages_ (original title: _Il paese del sesso selvaggio_, also known as _Man From Deep River_) ‒ Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1975. Eventually released with 3 minutes 45 seconds of animal cruelty cuts in 2003, and re-released with 3 minutes of similar cuts in 2016.
1. _Delirium_ (also known as _Psycho Puppet_) ‒ Released with 16 seconds cut in 1987. Released uncut in February 2022.
1. _Don't Go in the House_ ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 3 minutes 7 seconds cut in 1987. Re-released uncut in December 2011.
1. _Don't Go Near the Park_ ‒ Released uncut in 2006.
1. _Don't Look in the Basement_ (also known as _The Forgotten_) ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 2005 with a 15 rating.
1. _The Evil Dead_ ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 2 minutes cut in 1990. Re-released uncut in 2001.
1. _Frozen Scream_ ‒ No UK re-release.
1. _The Funhouse_ ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 1987. Re-classified 15 in 2007.
1. _Human Experiments_  ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema. No UK re-release.
1. _I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses_ (also known as _Drop Dead Dearest_) ‒ Released with 1 minute 6 seconds cut in 1986.
1. _Inferno_ ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 20 seconds cut in 1993. Re-released uncut in September 2010.
1. _Killer Nun_ (original title: _Suor Omicidi_) ‒ Released with 13 seconds cut in 1993. Re-released uncut in 2006.
1. _Late Night Trains_ (original title: _L'ultimo treno della notte_, also known as _Night Train Murders_) ‒ Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1976. Released uncut in 2008.
1. _The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue_ (original title: _Non si deve profanare il sonno dei morti_, also known as _Let Sleeping Corpses Lie_ and _Don't Open the Window_) ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 53 seconds cut in 1985. Re-released uncut in 2002.
1. _Nightmare Maker_ (also known as _Night Warning_ and _Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker_) ‒ Refused a video certificate in 1987 under the title _The Evil Protege_. Released uncut in 2024
1. _Possession_ ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 1999.
1. _Pranks_ (also known as _The Dorm That Dripped Blood_ and _Death Dorm_) ‒ Released with 10 seconds cut in 1992.
1. _Prisoner of the Cannibal God_ (original title: _La montagna del dio cannibale_, also known as _Mountain of the Cannibal God_ and _Slave of the Cannibal God_) ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 2 minutes 6 seconds of animal cruelty cuts in 2001, and re-released with 2 minutes of similar cuts in 2018.
1. _Revenge of the Bogey Man_ (original title: _Boogeyman II_) ‒ Released in re-edited form with additional footage in 2003.
1. _The Slayer_ ‒ Released with 14 seconds cut in 1992. Re-released uncut in 2001.
1. _Terror Eyes_ (also known as _Night School_) ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 16 seconds cut in 1987.
1. _The Toolbox Murders_ ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 46 seconds cut in 2000. Re-released uncut in 2017.
1. _Unhinged_ ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 2004.
1. _Visiting Hours_ ‒ Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with approximately 1 minute cut in 1986. Passed uncut in 2017.
1. _The Witch Who Came From the Sea_ ‒ Released uncut in 2006.
1. _Women Behind Bars_ (original title: _Des diamants pour l'enfer_) ‒ Passed uncut in 2017.
1. _Zombie Creeping Flesh_ (also known as _Hell of the Living Dead_, _Night of the Zombies_ and _Virus_) ‒ Originally passed uncut for cinema in an edited version. Full version released uncut in 2002.

### Section 3: Video Nasties

These movies couldn't be prosecuted, but could still be taken by cops and could be destroyed.

1. _Abducted_ (a.k.a. _Schoolgirls in Chains_) – No UK re-release.
1. _The Aftermath_ (a.k.a. _Zombie Aftermath_) – Passed without cuts in 1988 on the Goldcrest video label.
1. _The Black Room_ – Originally passed uncut for cinema. No UK re-release.
1. _Blood Lust_ (a.k.a. _Mosquito the Rapist_) – Passed with heavy cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
1. _Blood Song_ – Re-released as Dream Slayer.
1. _Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Brutes and Savages_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Cannibal_ (a.k.a. _Ultimo Mondo Cannibale_ and _Last Cannibal World_) – Originally passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Released with 2m 46s of cuts in 2003.
1. _Cannibal World_ (a.k.a. _Mondo Cannibale_ and _The Cannibals_) – No UK re-release.
1. _The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith_ – Passed uncut for cinema in 1978. Released without cuts in 1987.
1. _The Child_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Released uncut in 2006.
1. _Christmas Evil_ (a.k.a. _You Better Watch Out_) – Released uncut in 2012 with a 15 rating.
1. _Communion_ (a.k.a. _Alice Sweet Alice_) – Passed uncut for cinema. Passed with 8s of cuts in 1998. Released uncut in 2014.
1. _Dawn of the Dead_ – Originally passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Passed with cuts for video in 1989 and 1997. Released uncut in 2003.
1. _Dawn of the Mummy_ – Passed with 27s of cuts for cinema. Passed with 1m 43s of cuts for video in 1987. Released uncut in 2003.
1. _Dead Kids_ (a.k.a. _Strange Behavior_) – Passed with 27s of cuts in 1993 and 2008.
1. _Death Weekend_ (a.k.a. _The House by the Lake_) – Passed with cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
1. _Deep Red_ (a.k.a. _Profondo Rosso_) – Passed with 11s of cuts in 1993. The extended version was passed uncut in 2010.
1. _Demented_ – Released with 1m 19s of cuts in 1987.
1. _The Demons_ (a.k.a. _Les Démons_) – A composite version was passed uncut in 2008 and the original version was passed uncut in 2017.
1. _Don't Answer the Phone_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. An edited version was released without further cuts in 2005.
1. _Eaten Alive!_ – Passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Passed with heavy cuts for animal cruelty in 1987 and 1992.
1. _Enter the Devil_ (a.k.a. _Disciples Of Death_) – No UK re-release.
1. _The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein_ – Released uncut in the U.K. on 22nd Jan, 2018, with an "18" certificate. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Erotic-Rites-of-Frankenstein-Blu-ray/186150/
1. _The Evil_ – No UK re-release.
1. _The Executioner_ (a.k.a. _Massacre Mafia Style_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Final Exam_ – Released uncut in 1986.
1. _Foxy Brown_ – Passed in edited form for cinema. Passed with 2m 48s of cuts in 1987. Released with previous cuts waived in 1998.
1. _Friday the 13th_ – The R-rated version was released without cuts in 1987. The full unrated version (previously released for cinema) was released uncut in 2003.
1. _Friday the 13th Part 2_ – The R-rated version was passed uncut in 1987. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2008.
1. _GBH_ (a.k.a. _Grievous Bodily Harm_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Graduation Day_ – Passed uncut in 1986. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2003.
1. _Happy Birthday to Me_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1986. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2004.
1. _The Headless Eyes_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Hell Prison_ (a.k.a. _Escape from Hell_) – No UK re-release.
1. _The Hills Have Eyes_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. Passed with 2s of cuts for video in 1987. Released uncut in 2003.
1. _Home Sweet Home_ – Released uncut in 2004.
1. _Honeymoon Horror_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Inseminoid_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987. Downgraded to a 15 certificate in 2005.
1. _Invasion of the Blood Farmers_ – No UK re-release.
1. _The Killing Hour_ (a.k.a. _The Clairvoyant_) – Originally passed uncut for cinema. Passed with 1m 19s of cuts in 1986.
1. _The Last Horror Film_ (a.k.a. _Fanatic_) – Passed with cuts for cinema. An edited version was released in 2003.
1. _The Last Hunter_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Passed with 8s of cuts in 1988. Released uncut in 2002.
1. _The Love Butcher_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Mad Foxes_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Mark of the Devil_ – Passed with heavy cuts for cinema. Passed with cuts in 1998 and 2003. Released uncut in 2013.
1. _Martin_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1994.
1. _Massacre Mansion_ (a.k.a. _Mansion of the Doomed_) – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1992. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2000.
1. _Mausoleum_ – Released uncut in 1987.
1. _Midnight_ – Passed uncut for cinema. An edited version was released in 1993. Full version passed uncut in 2011.
1. _Naked Fist_ (a.k.a. _Firecracker_) – Passed with 3m 53s of cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
1. _The Nesting_ – Passed uncut in 1986.
1. _The New Adventures of Snow White_ (a.k.a. _Grimm Fairy Tales for Adults_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Nightbeast_ – Passed uncut in 1996.
1. _Night of the Living Dead_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1987. Downgraded to a 15 certificate in 2007. Now in the public domain.
1. _Nightmare City_ (a.k.a. _City of the Walking Dead_) – Passed with 3m 5s of cuts in 1986. Released uncut in 2003.
1. _Oasis of the Zombies_ – Passed uncut in 2004 with a 15 certificate.
1. _Parasite_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1993.
1. _Phantasm_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1989. Downgraded to a 15 certificate in 2005.
1. _Pigs_ (a.k.a. _Daddy's Deadly Darling_) – Released by 88 Films in 2016. Unknown if cut.
1. _Prey_ – Passed with 11s of cuts for cinema and video. A print shortened for dialogue was passed uncut in 2004.
1. _Prom Night_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987.
1. _Rabid_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1992.
1. _Rosemary's Killer_ (a.k.a. _The Prowler_) – Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 2007.
1. _Savage Terror_ (a.k.a. _Primitives_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Scanners_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987.
1. _Scream for Vengeance!_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Shogun Assassin_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1999.
1. _Street Killers_ (a.k.a. _Beast with a Gun_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Suicide Cult_ (a.k.a. _The Astrologer_) – No UK re-release.
1. _Superstition_ (a.k.a. _The Witch_) – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1986.
1. _Suspiria_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1998.
1. _Terror_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. Released uncut in 1997.
1. _The Texas Chain Saw Massacre_ — Refused a cinema certificate in 1975. Passed uncut in 1999.
1. _The Thing_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987.
1. _Tomb of the Living Dead_ (a.k.a. _Mad Doctor of Blood Island_) – Passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 42s of animal cruelty cuts in 2003.
1. _The Toy Box_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Werewolf Woman_ – Passed with cuts for cinema. No UK re-release.
1. _Wrong Way_ – No UK re-release.
1. _Xtro_ – Passed uncut for cinema. Also passed uncut for video in 1987. Downgraded to an uncut 15 certificate in 2007.
1. _Zombie Holocaust_ – Passed uncut in 2000.
1. _Zombie Lake_ – Passed uncut in 2004.