Barry Mahon’s tongue-in-cheek takedown of censorship, masquerading as a reel of banned exploitation footage.
CENSORED
A collection of clips that had reputedly been scissored from various films on account of their content being too racy. (None of them actually were - in fact, it's all footage shot for this film by Barry Mahon - but why get in the way of a good story?)
Censored is a 1965 American drama film directed by Barry Mahon that presents itself as a compilation of footage allegedly banned for being too racy, though all material was staged specifically for the film.
Synopsis
In 1965, the work of exploitation renaissance man Barry Mahon (The Beast that Killed Women) was at a peak. But, the government had a problem with “Adults Only!” films. Mahon had a problem with the government. Fists to paper, Barry Mahon cried, “Where does the fine line between Constitutional freedom and pornography lie?!” Then, he added, -CENSORED-.
Good God. I’ve been Censored!
Predating Faces of Death and the trend of compiling fake footage by decades, Censored promises to show YOU, the audience, exactly what was cut ‘n’ banned from several films in Barry Mahon’s vast arsenal. At the same time, it sincerely attempts to raise awareness regarding the horrors of artistic censorship by The Man. But Mahon couldn’t find any excised footage from his movies. So, he made the whole thing up. Censor that.
Like The Weird World of LSD, Censored is a black-and-white mishmash of random, escalating outrageousness, only bolstered with the unique fervor of Mr. Mahon. Plus a host/narrator straight out of a classroom scare film. You may grow listless with naked girls on the phone, naked girls talking about the weekend, and naked girls sitting on couches. Impossible, but true. Suddenly, Censored dives headfirst into stunning depths of weirdness. Bloodless basement dismemberment by saw. Killers in the ladies’ room. An apartment molester. A man who screams “I HATE TELEVISION!” before pouncing on his girlfriend. Close-ups of bra straps, moles, lesbian petting, and butch Nazi-lesbo torture with a fireplace poker. And so much more.
Chock full of priceless dialogue (“It’s unfortunate that human life, which is so rich in spiritual attainment, has to be conceived in the filth of a bedroom!”), 60s library music, and constant Art vs. Government yuks, Censored is Barry Mahon’s cracked masterpiece. On its own, the concept breaks the mold of innovative huckster filmmaking. Mahon takes his idea to its absolute pinnacle, coalescing creeps, nakedness, boredom, and abnormality into 60 minutes of total disconnection. All for the good of the people.
Barry Mahon has made a statement. Donn Davison, Dale Berry, and Peter Perry would be proud; we should all be grateful.
- Director
- Barry Mahon
- Release
- 1965
- Runtime
- 1h 1m
- Genres
- Drama
- Also Known As
- This Picture Is Censored
Why Cult
All the so-called censored clips are original Barry Mahon creations, not actual outtakes, making the premise a playful ruse.
Mahon lampoons both government censors and the exploitation circuit, questioning where free expression ends and titillation begins.
From girls tied up on boats to nude phone calls, the cast dives headlong into Mahon’s parade of sensational set pieces.
Themes & Keywords
Questions from the Vault
What is Censored about? +
Censored is a 1965 American drama film directed by Barry Mahon that presents itself as a compilation of footage allegedly banned for being too racy, though all material was staged specifically for the film.
When was Censored released? +
Censored was released in 1965.
Who directed Censored? +
Censored was directed by Barry Mahon.
How long is Censored? +
Censored has a runtime of 61 minutes.
What genre is Censored? +
Censored is a drama film.
Where can I watch Censored? +
Censored is available to stream on SassyFlix.
