Norway ends censored films ban

Norway's national film board has lifted a ban on hundreds of films censored for sex or violence since 1913.

Films now deemed fit for release include 1990 urban crime film New Jack City and the 1994 Steven Seagal movie On Deadly Ground.

Tom Loeland, head of Norway's film board, said many bans were enforced when censors followed "moral" not "professional" criteria.

Norway still bans hardcore pornography in cinemas, and on TV, videos or DVDs.

Ninety years have passed since prior approval of films was introduced in the country.

Close to 14,000 films have been looked at by censors under the to the Norwegian Act on Film and Video since 1955.

Of these, almost 300 were still banned until the latest move by Mr Loeland.

Sexual acts

There are also numerous films being released that were censored by the government film control body from 1913 to 1955.

BANNED BUT NOW RELEASED On Deadly Ground Hard Target New Jack City Predator 2 Robocop 2 Evil Dead II Commando Return of the Living Dead

"Many of these films were banned in different times. Historically there was an emphasis on moral criteria in censorship," said Mr Loeland.

"Today professional criteria have become more important for the classifiers."

The Realm of the Senses (1976) by Nagisa Oshima was the last film banned from cinemas by the National Board of Film Classification.

It was censored for viewing in the theatres in 1999 for its intimate depictions of sexual acts and sadomasochism ending in murder.

In 2001 the decision was reversed by the complaints board, and the film was given an absolute age limit of 18 years.

The latest release to be banned was On Deadly Ground - deemed too violent.

Mr Loeland said it was time to adapt film legislation to a media world where movies increasingly will reach viewers through multiple channels.

But he added: " [The board] makes a clear distinction between obvious pornography on one hand, and film with sexual or erotic elements on the other."