Disney+ Removes “Banned” Version Of “The Abyss” In The UK
Late last year, Disney released a remastered version of the classic 20th Century Studios film, “The Abyss”, in 4K on digital platforms to purchase, before making the movie available to stream on Disney+ earlier this year.
The film tells the story of what happens when a nuclear sub mysteriously sinks, and a private oilrig crew is recruited to join a team of Navy SEALs on a search and rescue effort. It leads to a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, where a mysterious force exists that could either positively change the world or destroy it!
Shortly after the release of the film on Disney+, the RSPCA revealed that the streaming service had made an uncut version of the film available, which included a scene featuring the mistreatment of a rat, that had previously been made to be cut out by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) on animal cruelty grounds.
The controversial scene where a real rat is forcibly submerged in fluorocarbon liquid, aiming to demonstrate that the rodent could breathe in the liquid. According to the RSPCA, while the rats used during filming are said to have survived the ordeal, the scene remains prohibited from UK cinema screenings and physical media releases.
The scene was cut by the BBFC under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, meaning it must be cut for any theatrical use. The BBFC – as the regulator of content released on physical media – has also cut the scene under the Video Recordings Act 1984, meaning it must not be included on releases on formats such as Blu-Ray and DVD. The uncut version also can’t be shown on UK television channels, since they must adhere to the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, which states that no material cut refused classification by the BBFC may be broadcast to viewers.
However, streaming services like Disney+ are not required to comply with the same standards, which means that releasing the uncut version of “The Abyss” on Disney+ doesn’t break any rules.
Disney has now removed “The Abyss” from Disney+ in the United Kingdom. It’s unclear if the edited version of the film will be made available on Disney+ in the future.
The RSPCA’s Head of Public Affairs said in a statement regarding the movie being potentially re-added to Disney+:
“This isn’t about cancel culture—we’d welcome Disney Plus reinstating the film to their platform, just with this troubling scene removed—as is already the case in cinemas, on TV, and on DVD.
This was instead about highlighting a loophole that currently exists, allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes—and protecting the public from having to see this animal abuse content.
Roger’s Take: Ultimately, I do believe Disney is in the right for removing the film from Disney+, since there’s a valid reason the BBFC banned that scene back in the 1980s, and streaming should conform to the same rules as other media formats. I really hope Disney does edit out that scene and returns the movie, though I do wonder if they will, since that’ll cost them money to do, but it’s a fantastic film, so it’ll be a shame if Disney+ subscribers can’t access it any more. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a complete oversight by Disney, and the fact that the movie has been removed, would indicate that they are trying to reduce the negative publicity about a banned scene being available on Disney+.
What do you think of this decision to remove “The Abyss”? Let me know on social media!
Roger Palmer
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