Malaysia has banned Bruno for its story line, offensive language, jokes and racy nature, an unnamed official from Malaysia's Film Censorship Board told a local newspaper.
The official said the movie was considered unacceptable. "It's banned because the story is based on gay life... There are a lot of sex scenes," she was quoted as saying in The Star on Tuesday. "It's contrary to our culture."
The report also quoted her as saying that “sex toys, politically incorrect comments and jokes about religion also irked the censors.”
Controversial scenes include Bruno and his boyfriend having sex and couples engaging in sexual acts at a swingers' party.The film features British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno, a flamboyant gay fashion journalist from Austria, and is being marketed as a satirical attempt to expose the prejudices and bigotries of people he interviews in the US although some critics disagree.
The movie had come under fire in the US as gay groups warn that the movie may further encourage gay stereotypes than to dispel them. Media watchers are concerned that some jokes might be lost on viewers and will leave the theatres with their homophobia validated.
"Sacha Baron Cohen's well-meaning attempt at satire is problematic in many places and outright offensive in others," Rashad Robinson, senior director of media programs for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) told the New York Times in June.
Gay sex, or "carnal intercourse against the order of nature," is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and whipping in Malaysia.
Reader's Comments
But you're too late Darling. The dvd is already being widely circulated amongst KL's gay community.
Funny. Almost as funny as the movie itself.
Yes, hihihi, a few politically correct, straight-thinking, tight-assed AND gay (we are, after all, allowed to be stupid too aren't we?) would-be censors in the US were outraged because the movie assumes that viewers are intelligent enough to make the difference between plain homophobia and second-degree jokes. The controversy is probably as old as humour itself, as is the unfortunate confusion between "rude" and "vulgar".
Censors, gay or straight, western, eastern or whatever else, always think they are the only ones with a brain and tha the "general public" (whoever that may be) needs to be told what is right and what is wrong. Thing is, they have power. What do we have to oppose ?
Gay and political movies will never make it to Malaysia cinemas, if the censors feel that the movie cannot meet the 'guidelines', so please get it clear. See what happens to Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain? It got a 'banned' by the censors. Thus the distributor replaced Brokeback with Steven Spielberg's Munich. It got a 'banned' again for Munich deals with Isreal and Palestenian issues. In the end, they had to replace both movies with Jack Neo's so called politically correct 'I Not Stupid Too', which was passed by the censors.
Just recently, Malaysia censors banned Rob Zombie's Halloween 2 for being too bloody and sexually explicit, which was supposed to be screen during the Raya season. Many people can sense that the censors are simply making way for 2 crappy Raya movie, which was a flop eventually. Unfortunately, this is what we saw: any silly and uncreative productions made by Malaysia will get the green light, and they are rated suitable for any age. Good movies dealing with controversial issues will never be able to make it to the cinemas.
Back to Cohen's previous production, Borat. It was banned in Malaysia as well for similar reasons, minus the gay theme. Conclusion: anything that is deemed cotroversial will never make it to Malaysia cinemas, thanks to their censorship guidelines that failed to move on with times (at least not for the next century.)
While I agree that Bruno was heavily censored in Singapore, Board of Film Censors Singapore has seemed to censored the wrong part of the mockumentary. Tasteless and offensive racist elements gets the green light, while gay sex ends up on the censor's chopping board. Anyway, this is not the first time a gay-themed movie gets slaughtered or butchered in Singapore.
If censors of both countries are still living in prehistoric age, it will simply put the movie industry to an end. Reason: people will opt for free downloading of an uncut and uncensored version of the movie, rather than paying S$10/RM15 to watch a butchered movie. Film makers will ceased to make a movie in future when people opt for free downloading of movies.
You guys remember when the "gay pride" parade was violently opposed (and eventually called off) by "red-shirt" demonstrators in Chiangmai ?
They said exactly the same thing ie that gay culture was contrary to the culture of Northern Thailand.
Interesting.
I've already watched the movie. I was laughing out loud but on the other hand, I would have said that this movie is funny in heavily offensive nature. Releasing this movie for general viewers in my country might not add any value to the perception improvement and acceptance level of gay lifestyle amongst the so-called "religious" majority. I regretfully has to agree (in my very personal opinion) that this movie might strengthen the wrong/negative stereotype of gay people and its lifestyle if its screened (even with heavy censors) for general public in my country. Call me pesimistic, but I think the majority of Indonesians still have not accepted gay lifestyle as a normal (for whatever blah blah blah religious/moral reasons) and can get easily offended by such stereotypes showed in Bruno. Maybe in time, the attitude might changed/improved by more educated, open-minded, and rational generations. I'm not going to compare the condition in Indonesia and Malaysia, but I guess me and my Malaysian gay friends might share the same condition at certain degrees.
However, it's just not the end of the world... In Jakarta, for example, we could watch the movie on DVD (bootleg copy is sold in Chinatown) or we might have a chance to watch the movie (hopefully) on annual Q! Film Festival (Indonesian GLBT-theme movie festival) which has been running for 8 years (correct me if I'm mistaken) now and get quite positive acceptance even though in moderately limited audiences.
Back to the topic, it's a fact that there's a lot of people who still think that they knew what is right and what is wrong for the others. These people, especially the ones in power, will do anything to ensure that their so-called "good values" be applied for everyone, especially when they put the religions and/or morals value as the basis of their actions.
So my dear friends, don't be too emotionally absorbed by this news. It's a fact we are facing now and we knew they will do that anyway. :-) Just watch Bruno on DVD (bootleg can do!) with your friends (str8 or gay or both) and laugh your ass off!
Peace.
But I personally never think that was what the movie was suppose to do, because in the first place, it was NEVER MEANT TO BE.
So c'mon! Take it easy! You should know it's after all, mockumentary.
anyone who is Malaysian(whether gay or not)..would know very well that a movie like that,would never be screened here !!
not that i'd wanna watch it.
so don't bother debating people..
growing up as Malaysians, we are fully aware of our limitations in every aspect.
plus, DVDs are everywhere !!
Who is to say what is offensive to an adult. This country (and others) need to let adults make up their own mind what is offensive and what is not!
The next thing you know, people will not be allowed to leave their house because they might see something offensive!
I mean, scapegoat, much?
You can say that as gay men (period), we should be less indifferent towards the banning of this crap ass film. But there is nothing gay "ASIAN"-specific about this movie so how is that even relevant? As if being Asian should somehow factor into our support for "Bruno". Well, what exactly has the gay community as our "allies" (I guess) done to help empower US?
bear in mind that conservative religion.
old groups even my 72 y/o grandmother also know what is gay. just they are restricted themselves to this ominously words (to them); because their heart not yet fully open for it.
do not outright broadcast gay movie which contains deep & wide dimensions like sex toys.... instead should air gay movies that are not so aggressive first. then gradually develop.
according to psychology expert: ppl cannot accept, know it, comprehend it, digest it, then final is acceptance.
Critic my opinion, that's fine, it's your right. But heck, am I not okay with you trying to sound all 'personal', as if you know us all too well. How'd you know I'm letting people walk all over me? To begin with, you think I don't go through shit like what all gay men do? I am deeply insulted, so how dare you.
Everywhere with your comments, you're always out to create some tension. What's with you & your sadness?
And since we are so pathetic, why not YOU get the hell out off Fridae (It was started off by Asians, & slogan? Empowering ASIA.). And since we are such losers, why not YOU quit all the big talking & get out there to do something
Your attitude perfectly explains why gay men are still so being highly discriminated.
Wawasan 2020 is looking like more and more of a pipe dream, I'm afraid. I think Malaysia is a fantastic country with a load of potential but if the good people of Malaysia allow their nation to be buried in religious dogma and outdated thinking (and not just about sexuality), then that vision will go unrealized.
And #32 -- couldn't agree with your comment more. Well said.
Censors have an odd sense of determining what needs to be censored in Malaysia.
One such example brought up to me was the fact that in movies with beheadings, it's okay to show a head rolling away, or being picked up and shown to a crowd, but it's NOT okay to show the act, meaning the sword detaching the head from a person's body.
Similarly, the Muhammed cartoons, while banned in Malaysia, were shown on three national newspapers. One of these papers had their license revoked, while two more, owned by government cronies, were allowed to continue printing.
I personally am in two minds with this. Do I want to allow people the liberty to view the movie, and at the same time unknowingly let people see this as the stereotype for gay culture?
Similarly, do people think Borat is the stereotype of a Muslim?
Malaysia has proven on too many occassions lately to be a county where free loving individuals should stay away from - it is a dictatorship.
# 23
what has this continent n the people of n from this continent, got to do with the subject in matter ??
the subject of homosexuality does not predominantly exist in just the Asian culture.
It is in the constraints of any society n narrow minded people like u,with a shallow perspective that causes the suppression of homosexuality in the first place.
At some point,at some time,anywhere they may be,in Asia or elsewhere, every homosexual,im sure, has felt discrimination.
So dont go dissin' n dismissing your own kind or Asians, mr .
And I've spent a good part of my gay life as an activist so I know how tough the road to success is, I know what antagonism is and I know what success means. I also know that if you do nothing you achieve nothing
Coming from that background I still think you are a pathetic bunch of whimps. You are so selfish you could never unite to form a force of any worth and you delight in leaving the tough jobs for other people
So when Lokies tells me he is deeply insulted by my minor criticism. I say you go for it darling, you waste all your energies being insulted cos its a wonderful excuse for doing nothing
No always amuse by shallow projection of the gay community, where we do have dept in our interaction with life matters and being constructive in the way we contribute to our own community in our own country.
If they can ban 'Prince of Egypt', a harmless cartoon that didn't meet their version of the Moses story, (see link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/263905.stm ), I didn't think this one will survive...
This is the 21st Century...so many ways of getting information and stuff...as if we, the rakyat, needed their consent to run our lives...
Now that struck a nerve, Dennis. Fine, you grew up being a gay activist in America. Big whoop.
How many times have you seen an activist in America being thrown into jail without a trial for 6 months?
Or simply being taken away and locked up with the key thrown away. These are the realities of being an activist here in Malaysia. So instead of marching the streets like you used to do, we take our fight to the Internet and to the safe places available for intellectual discourse, to educate and increase tolerance before moving further with our agendas.
How many Asian countries have had Gay Pride parades while under threat from their citizens who can't accept them, hurling not only abuse, but also threatening violence?
Besides, since you're now staying in KL for you know how long, and have an Asian BF, why aren't you fighting for his rights too?
We are not wimpy as you state. It's just that we know how to pace ourselves to advance with the times to avoid full blown confrontations.
Yeah, you did come from the days where tolerance towards gay people was minimal. But you don't call us pathetic just because 50 years later, intolerance is still present.
I cannot comprehend your presence here on Fridae with your mentality towards the gay community today, & your god awful assumptions that 'you've seen everything of today'. Move on already, it's as if you're still constantly stuck in this bitterness because today, things are better. It's as if you want those 'old times' to be back when you're glad it's 'over'. Probably that explains that constant anger & sadness in you.
"I know how tough the road to success is, I know what antagonism is and I know what success means. I also know that if you do nothing you achieve nothing." - For the record, these are not only felt by you from the past. So don't come "coming from that background", you're the selfish, pathetic one.
Of course, I shouldn't be expecting any positive energy from you unless it's 1949 again.
lokies and denseaus...shall we all focus on gerard butler's butt instead?
ps: fridae news editor, lets not insult your fridae members with pointless articles...who cares about movies being banned these days...please work a little harder, I didnt pay membership fees to see and hear crap...
Yes, I'm in for that one. =)
Some gays here are way out of topic. Please lah ...compare apple with apple , dick with dick okay. Others sounded like some pathetic authority in this field when they cant obviously see or understand what is in their own backyard...there is also pathetic views of some who is such an opportunist for attention ...eeewww...that is so 50's or 60's ....get a life and you know who you are ...and if you think you are so great ...go back to your country and prove it , losers ...what have you done in your country anyway ...but anyway I dont really care ...
whether its germs or elephants, we are still happily getting laid..arent we?
think we have all said enuff about this movie being banned, this article doesn't serve any purpose...
neither does the next article....
even in malaysia..gay is againts asian culture & religion....but still gay bar & club operate as usual in kl everynite.....except for anwar ibrahim sodomy case....do u heard any malaysian gay being charge in court?....only when got raid at gay sauna in penang state ( the only chinese majority state & non muslim ). y in other islamic state in peninsular malaysia....no gay sauna or pub got raid...unless if got drugs case...so nobody cannot denied it
Why dont I fight for my bf's rights you ask.. My answer is that its not my fight. Its yours. Or do you want me to be a Mahathir or a LKY and be incapable of giving up the reins to younger men. I'm already appalled by the level of repression of young people in Asia, I dont want to become a part of that philosophy
But you guys are right, there has always been intolerance towards gay men and women and there always will be so long as religions prevail.... and so long as you dont face up to intolerance. For every act of intolerance there are a thousand acts of apathy on the part of gay men and women and that apathy gives the intolerant the courage to continue their intolerance
Now you know and I know that we each do our parts with whatever's given to us, Dennis.
And what do you mean it's not your fight? Are you now setting an age limit on whose struggle it is? And please, do we really want to go into what Mahathir or LKY is really doing?
Because you're doing it right now. Criticising and bitching from the sidelines and saying your time is over.
I really want to leave from here as far as possible....
However, I know out there aint anyone waiting for...
It's like hopeless dream for me, too far me to get the rope..
there aint any place for me though...
Hmm...lifeless.....
Anyway, wish you all have a nice day...
and #36, Chad, did you back to Malaysia yet?
=) wish everything going fine with you...
Anyway, Bruno may be a stupid moronic movie but hey, it's for me to decide and I'm very sure that I have the ability to make my own judgment on that.
For those who have watched the movie and happily announced their relief that the movie was banned, I seriously dont see much of the difference between you and the MCB. For goodness sake, we are adults, so let us have the freedom make our own decision!
Could we hold our holy fire for a few minutes and remember that in humour as in other forms of human expression there are many different styles...?
Sasha B. Cohen, who by the way is anything BUT stupid or racist (etc), opted for the genre known as farce, a genre that goes back as far as we can find in the history of performing arts.
One of the oldest is Aristophanes (c.450 BC).
Interestingly, farce has always been very popular AND frowned upon by people who think they somehow fly (or is it just fart?) higher than the populace. Even writers like Goldoni or Molière were attacked in their time by self proclaimed "good taste" keepers who scoffed at their "heavy" jokes.
Ha!
Pinching your nose at Bruno and Borat doesn't make a genius or an aristocrat of you, and does not prove that your taste is of the highest quality either.
It's OK to like heavy and provocative humour, lol ! It's also OK to laugh when someone farts AND yes! you can still enjoy Woody Allen, George B. Shaw or any other humorists glorified by the international intelligentsia. Doesn't have to be one OR the other.
Intelligence is not measured by WHAT you like, but HOW and WHY you like it.
This somehow reminds me of people who go to gay saunas and when you meet them on the spot they spend hours explaining to you that they're here only for the steam and the gym. One of Moliere's most hilarious (and terrifying) character perfectly personifies the attitude - his name is Tartuffe.
Well... I GUESS that's what most customers do in saunas, but how would I know ? I don't have time to go there myself, I'm too busy helping the poor, cleaning the church, and reading holy texts :-P
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