University Daily Kansan
Page 3
Kansas Censor Laws On Movies Doubted
By Lee Stone
The state agency that censors and approves the movies shown to KU students and all Kansans is in trouble.
Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have branded most Kansas censorship statutes "unconstitutional" because they were vague or ambiguous, says the latest bulletin of the KU Government Research Center. The article was prepared by K. A. Harris, KU research assistant.
"We have not recended any movies recently," McMahon said. But, she said, "The board had cut a word of dialogue or so."
Bob Lewis, the board's contact in the state attorney general's office, said that because of the lack of constitutional statutes to give the censor authority, the board had been instructed to rely on a narrow definition of "obscenity" derived from the Roth versus Baker case.
KITTY McMAHON, chairman of the Kansas State Board of Review said, "We hope enough people get up in the air to do something about it." She was referring to the court's ruling which leaves only a skeleton of a once full body of movie censorship statutes.
In the Roth case the court held that a film could be deemed obscene by comparing its content with "contemporary community standard," that of the "average person."
UNTIL 1954 the board has disapproved of whole movies such as "The Moon is Blue." It was said to have had "a sex theme throughout; too frank bedroom dialogue; many sexy words." Since then the censorship law has undergone severe criticism of its constitutionality.
Now the board must content itself with editing a few frames and words from such movies as "Blood Feast," "Commonlaw Wife," and "Naughty New Orleans."
Richard Yell, assistant manager of a local theater, said that local theaters do not usually play such movies in any case.
"The L-Shaped Room" was cited by Lewis as one movie that played locally and had had a line of dialogue cut by the board.
THE BOARD also disapproves of four-letter words and "lustful body movements."
The attorney general's office said it was not aware of legislation planned to increase or revise the board's
The State Board of Regents has similar powers in such areas as campus traffic. When regulations are filed with the Revisor of Statutes they receive the "force of law," Lewis said.
The KU research center bulletin said Kansas lawmakers "may have to consider what they want a censorship statute to do." A constitutional statute would have to define explicitly "how much and what portions of the human body may be exposed," as well as other fine points of language and behavior, a cumbersome undertaking for any legislative body.
THE BULLETIN suggested that classifying movies for different age groups may present an alternate solution for lawmakers.
Nearly a quarter of a century after Thomas Edison developed the cinema, the Kansas State Legislature created the Kansas State Board of Review to sensor the violence, shapstick, and vice of the silent screen. It has been the butt of attacks by defenders of morals and liberal thinkers alike since its creation, but for conflicting reasons.
powers. At present, he said, the censor has the power to make rules and regulations.
Today only four states maintain movie censors.
The Kansas State Board of Review occupies a few rooms in a Kansas City fire station. The recent popularity of foreign films is the board's greatest concern as is evidenced by their increase in "cuts."
The board is appointed by the governor for three year terms, and with the help of several full time employees they will review some 28 features or so a month.
WORLD WAR I had just begun when the board was created and the wave of "super-patriotism" and "super-morality" which followed the war no doubt helped affirm its place in Kansas government.
Later it adopted a rule that caused scenes to be cut which showed sex acts unlawful in Kansas, nudity, sexual relations of any kind, human births, sexual hygiene, or contraception, and profitable criminality as well.
At one time the board eliminated barroom scenes, social drinking, and cigarette smoking as a routine duty.
Now its powers are limited to a narrow rule based upon the average standards of the community.
'Raisin in the Sun Ticket Sale Begins
Tickets for "A Raisin in the Sun went on sale today at the University Theatre box office in Murphy Hall.
The play, an experimental theatre production, will be presented Feb. 13-16 and 18-22.
"A Raishin in the Sun," written by Lorraine Hansberry, is the story of a hardworking Negro family of Chicago's Southside. It presents a portrait of this family and their struggles. The family fights to create a satisfactory life for themselves in their small apartment.
The characters' conflicting desires are apparent when after years of hard work, the family's ambitions are about to be realized.
William Kuhlke, instructor of speech and drama, directs the play. The settings are done by Richard Jamison.
Tickets are available for $1.00
or 50 cents with a KU-D.
Mama Younger, a widow, is expecting a $10,000 insurance check. Mama and Ruth, Mama's daughter-in-law, dream of a house. Walter, Mama's son, wants to spend the money for business ventures. Beneatha, Mama's grand-daughter, hopes to continue her education and become a doctor.
35c
Feature Times: 7 & 9:30 p.m.
Fraser Theater
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