Film Lens
Smut Hounds tells the story of censorship in Australian cinema during the late 1960s. It focuses on the controversy surrounding a Swedish film that Sydney Film Festival director David Stratton wanted to screen, which the censors believed contained actual sex. The film illustrates how 77 seconds of footage led to a scandal that impacted the film industry and censorship policies in Australia.
The documentary features a mix of banned film clips and commentary on the cultural climate of the time. It shows the strict censorship laws that dictated what could be shown in theaters, including the removal of scenes involving lovemaking and kissing. By examining this specific incident, Smut Hounds provides insight into the wider effects of censorship on artistic expression in Australia.
Why Watch
- •See David Stratton's battle with film censors in Australia.
- •Find out how 77 seconds changed Australian cinema.
- •Meet the banned films that shocked a government.
Did You Know
•In the late 1960s, most films in Australia were censored.
•David Stratton was the Sydney Film Festival director involved in the scandal.
•77 seconds of footage caused a significant controversy in Australian cinema.
•Scenes involving lovemaking and kissing were often removed from films.
Perfect For
Film censorshipAustralian cinema history1960s cultural studies