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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1974
FILM CENSORSHIP TOO LAX: SURVEY
STRICTER CONTROL URGED
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MORE THAN HALF OF HONG KONG'S CINEMA-GOERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE STRICTER CENSORSHIP OF FILMS, WHILE UNE THIRD OF FREQUENT CINEMA-GOERS WANT CENSORSHIP STANDARDS RELEAXED.
THESE WERE AMONG THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF A RECENT SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE SURVEY RESEARCH HONG KONG LIMITED FOR THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND FILMS.
THE SURVEY ALSO SHOUS THAT THE CHINESE PEOPLE THINK THAT CENSORSHIP OF SEX AND VIOLENCE IN THE CINEMA IS TOO LIBERAL AT PRESENT, AND THEY REGARD SEX AS THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR CENSORSHIP.
A REPORT ON THE STUDY WAS MADE PUBLIC TODAY. AMONG OTHERS, THE STUDZ AIMS AT ASSESSING THE CURRENT ATTITUDE AMONG THE CHINESE POPULATION ON SEX, VIOLENCE AND PORNOGRAPHY ON THE SCREEN, AND AT PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO THE FILM CENSORS ON A SERIES OF SPECIFIC ISSUES.
THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT THOSE WITH HIGHER EDUCATION IN HONG KONG DO NOT EXHIBIT A TENDENCY TO HORE LIBERAL VIEWS ON ISSUES SUCH AS FILM CENSORSHIP. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY ARE MUCH STRICTER.
WOMEN, THE REPORT SAYS, ARE STRICTER, THAN MEN IN THEIR VIEWS ON CENSORSHIP OF SEX FILMS, AND THE OLD STRICTER THAN THE YOUNG.
+AT ONE END, 89 PER CENT OF OLDER WOMEN CHOSE STRICTER CENSORSHIP AT THE OTHER END 67 PER CENT OF YOUNG MEN CHOSE THE SAME IN EITHER CASE, WHEN FACED WITH A HARD CHOICE, THERE IS AN UNEQUIVOCAL EXPRESSION OF OPINION THAT SEX FILMS SHOULD BE CENSORED MURE STRICTLY IN HONG KONG THAN THEY CURRENTLY ARE.+
IT ALSO STATES THAT THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE THAT THE FREQUENT CINEMA-GOERS HAD MORE HARDENED SUSCEPTIBILITIES TO SEX AND VIOLENCE ON THE SCREEN.
IT CONTINUES: +THERE IS A VERY CLEAR MAJORITY OPINION THAT THE FANTASY VIOLENCE OF THE MANDARIN HOVIES HAS A MUCH MORE HARMFUL EFFECT ON YOUTH, THAN THE REALISTIC VIOLENCE OF MOST WESTERN CRIME FILMS.
+IT IS THE REALISM ITSELF WHICH MAKES THE LATTER
THE MANDARIN MOVIES ... – REASONABLE, AND IN-A SENSE RATHER TAME.
HOWEVER ARE THOUGHT LIKELY TO EXCEED ALL. BUT THE MOST HARDENED *THRESHOLDS OF VIOLENCE'.+
THE SURVEY SHOWS THAT THERE WAS A LARGE MEASURE OF DISAPPROVAL OF FILMS WITH THEMES OF ROBBERY WHEN THEY GAVE A DETAILED TECHNICAL ACCOUNT OF HOU TO COMMIT THE CRIME. FILMS WERE WIDELY AND ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY CRITICISED.
FILMS WHICH GLORIFY SADISM AND VENGEANCE WERE ALSO
CONDEMNED.
SUCH
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