Go to previous section
Go to Table of Contents
Showtime, like HBO, runs uncut theatrical films. While Showtime does create some original programming, it contains much less of this kind of programming than HBO and relies more on films.
Showtime ran 21 theatrical films during the prime time hours of the two-week sample. Of these 21, 14 would raise concerns on broadcast television if they were not edited. These films are as follows:
The title tells the story of the film. There are over 30 acts of violence in a film that is only 83 minutes in length. Everything about the film is violent. It is graphic, gory and features much "excessive force." In one scene, someone is stabbed in the ear with a pen. This film probably could not be edited sufficiently to appear on broadcast because violence is too central to the theme and makes up too much of the entire movie.
A science-fiction action film, American Cyborg ran at 8:00 p.m. and contained very graphic and vivid scenes of violence, most involving some form of technology. In the most graphic scene a cyborg has just been thrown down an elevator shaft. Stunned, he recovers and climbs back up the shaft, grabbing the hero by the ankle. The hero uses a knife to cut off the cyborg's arm, but as he falls he catches hold of the hero's arm. During a long scene, the cyborg pulls on the arm as it begins to separate from the socket. Blood spurts everywhere. The cyborg pulls the arm completely off and again falls down the shaft. It is extremely graphic and emphasizes the suffering of the hero. At this point the hero then discovers that he too is a cyborg. Until this point, and through the entire scene of violence, the audience believes he is human and watches him scream and bleed.
A sequel to the film monitored on the broadcast networks, Another Stakeout contains fewer scenes of violence than similar action films. Still, the violence is unnecessary and would raise concerns. The film would probably be mildly edited on broadcast television.
There are several unpleasant scenes in this film including one in which a man's eyes are burned with acid, he accidentally chops off his own arm and is killed by falling on a chain saw. This film would probably be substantially edited before it appeared on broadcast television.
There are 15 scenes of violence in this film including one in which a wife, possessed by the VCR, stabs her husband with scissors. Another scene shows a man murdering his father and mother. This film would probably also be substantially edited by the broadcast networks.
This film contains many glorified scenes of football tackles in slow motion and one very violent rape. This film, however, could probably be easily edited to run on broadcast television without concern.
All of the scenes in this film are comical or farcical but there are approximately 25 of them in a 75-minute movie. Full of slapstick, this film would probably only experience require mild editing by broadcast television.
Also full of comedic violence, this film contains a large number of violent scenes. None of the scenes are overly graphic but the large number of violent scenes would probably be edited by commercial television.
This film uses much graphic violence. The final fight scene (this is a Jean-Claude Van Damme film) lasts for 10 minutes. There is fighting, a gunshot to the head, the villain impaled on spikes and countless other acts of violence. This would be virtually impossible to edit for broadcast television.
Despite the inviting title, the film features well over 20 scenes of violence in less than 90 minutes. Many of the scenes feature guns and killing. However, most of the violent scenes, are not very intense. The "tonnage" of the violence is what raises concerns.
This film contains only a few scenes of violence and, with the exception of two much longer scenes, none are too intense or a problem. Those scenes would probably be edited on broadcast television.
This film contains eight scenes of violence, four of which are very intense. In one extremely excessive scene, a mother, in front of her daughter, shoots herself in the head, spraying blood all over the daughter and the room. This film would probably be difficult to edit for broadcast television.
This film uses violence for the sake of violence. There are over 30 scenes of violence in 90 minutes, many of which are very long and unnecessarily graphic. A barroom fight scene is particularly excessive. It is doubtful that the film could ever be shown on network television.
This film has some extremely graphic scenes of violence. After a shooting, the viewer sees pieces of flesh flying from the wound followed by another shot of the very bloody wound. In a later scene thick and gooey blood gushes like a fountain out of a character's stomach. While the film contains a lot of sex, the violence alone probably would prevent this film from ever appearing on network television.
These films could air on network television without raising concerns about violence:
Only one made-for-television movie, Zoo Man, ran during the sample period. Zoo Man could not appear on commercial television without changes, particularly because of a shooting scene early in the film.
Three original productions were monitored: Love Street, The Outer Limits and Red Shoe Diaries. None raised any issues of concern with regard to violence. The Outer Limits contained several violent scenes, but all were handled well within the context of the story.
Showtime's children's series were The Busy World of Richard Scarry, A Bunch of Munsch, A Christmas Eve, Ready or Not, Owl TV, Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories, Degrassi Jr. High and Chris Cross. None of these shows raised any issues of concern in regard to violence. On both Saturdays that were monitored, there was an unusual problem. On both days theatrical films were run in the morning. The Double 0 Kid began very early (at 5:25 a.m.). In one scene, the viewer sees a man killing two security guards who twitch when they are shot. The film has 23 scenes of violence. The title is very likely to attract children who are awake early in the morning. FX2 ran at 9:00 a.m. on the other Saturday we monitored. FX2 contained several very graphic scenes including one in which a man's throat is slit. This film is particularly inappropriate for Saturday morning.
Go to next section
Go to Table of Contents