INDEPENDENT NEWS

Censor Censured Over R-16 For South Park

Published: Mon 2 Aug 1999 01:05 PM
“The Acting Chief Censor, Bill Hastings, seems determined to have New Zealand lead the world in promoting anti-family entertainment,” commented Party Leader Graham Capill today.
While Britain and Canada restricted the age of viewers to 18 years and above or banned the movie South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, the Office of Film and Classification set the New Zealand classification at a low R16.
“It is incomprehensible to me why Hastings has felt the need to allow teenagers the opportunity to see such soul destroying garbage”, said Mr Capill. “It would appear that he has bought into the Hollywood belief that children are to be exploited not protected.”
The film, targeted at young people, is littered with scenes New Zealand parents neither want their children to see nor emulate. The opening scene has a gang of eight year olds sneaking into an X-rated movie, and leaving again mouthing a torrent of obscenities. From here on in it is all down hill. The primary-school-age cartoon characters constantly use profanities when referring to God and, incredible as it may seem, the movie contains graphic homosexual activity involving Satan.
Capill warns parents not to be fooled into thinking that this is just another cartoon. “This is about destroying childhood innocence. International studies continue to show that crude language, vulgar and violent scenes, and explicit sex are making children much more aggressive and increasingly insensitive to those around them.
“It this is Bill Hastings’s image of New Zealand the way he wants it, he can get himself another job. New Zealanders are not interested in promoting the pornographic perversity and incessant obscenities and blasphemies contained, in what must be, one of the filthiest mainstream movies ever to be released.
“Because the Acting Chief Censor is not doing his job properly parents must be vigilant and aware of what movies their teenagers can see at the local theatre”, Mr Capill said.
Christian Heritage will be seeking a reclassification of the film from the Department of Internal Affairs and urges the Government not to appoint Bill Hastings to the permanent position of Chief Censor.

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