Compared are the NC-17 Version and the Unrated Version (both available as 24fps screener by ILLUSIONS UNLTD. films)


- 6 scenes with alternate footage
- no length difference (duration of the censored footage: 21 sec)

Background Information and US Ratings

There is no doubt that, with Blood Feast (1963), Herschell Gordon Lewis created a milestone of the horror genre/splatter subgenre. In 2002, Lewis himself shot the sequel Blood Feast 2 - All U Can Eat. The here compared remake was shot in 2016 and directed by Marcel Walz. And yes, Blood Feast (2017) is better than his earlier works like Seed 2 - The New Breed or La Petite Mort. With a rather sinister atmosphere, the handmade special effects should be to the genre fans liking - not too many though but there are some throughout the entire movie and they are rather graphic as well.

But reviewing the movie is not the issue here, the focus lies on international censorship problems of course. In US theaters, only the censored R-Rated Version was shown at first. However, a few theaters were screening the Unrated Version in April 2018. As it turns out, there was an intermediate stage as well. With the very same length of the Original Version aka Unrated Version, there is also a version with alternate footage in the violent scenes. According to the producers, this version is to be considered uncut as well but it got rated NC-17.

The Unrated Version & Austrian uncut release from ILLUSIONS UNLTD. films

Compared with the very same NC-17 Version, the uncensored Unrated Version contains more explicite footage - particularly when the first victim gets killed. To be more specific, there are several close-ups of a penis getting severed. It does not come as a surprise that this kind of footage might cause problems with the MPAA. A close-up of a head wound at the end and two cannnibalism shots in the finale are a little shorter as well.

All in all, the alterations are within reason but it goes without saying that the Unrated Version should be first choice. Another reason against the NC-17 would be that audio that remains unchanged and fits much better to the Unrated Version of course.

In the near future, ILLUSIONS UNLTD. films will release all versions in Austria, the comparison has been made with an advanced copy. As matters now stand (September 2019), neither the NC-17 Version nor the Unrated Version have been released anywhere. Only the R-Rated Version is available on Blu-ray/DVD/VOD in the US.



Time index refers to
NC-17 Version in 24fps / Unrated Version in 24fps

At least the German screener of the NC-17 Version contains the German title.

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version

Alternate
40:28-40:30 / 40:28-40:30

While the NC-17 Version (and of course the R-Rated Version) contains an additional shot of some candles, the previous shot is longer in the Unrated Version: Fuad gets the homeless guy's penis out.

Please note: There is a similar close-up afterwards, positioning the knife included. It appears as if the intention was reducing the number of those kind of shots.

no difference

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version

Alternate
40:35-40:40 / 40:35-40:40

The NC-17 Version contains a slow tracking shot of the statue.

In the Unrated Version, there are several close-ups of cutting of the genital. Also, there are intercuts of the homeless guy screaming.

no difference



Alternate
40:44-40:45 / 40:44-40:45

Instead of candles, the Unrated Version here contains an explicit close-up of the severed penis instead.

no difference

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version

Alternate
77:06-77:10 / 77:06-77:10

Clement picks his head wound much longer. There were similar shots before, except the lobe is a little further down here. The NC-17 Version (and also the R-Rated Version) cuts to Fuad watching from behind a tree while wearing an animal mask.

no difference

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version

Alternate
86:31-86:34 / 86:31-86:34

In the middle of the shot of Penny biting Lilou's tongue, the NC-17 Version contains an intercut to Goddess Ishtar. The Unrated Version on the other hand only shows Penny and Lilou.

no difference

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version

Alternate
89:02-89:04 / 89:02-89:04

Subsequent to the shot of Fuad at the dinner table, the NC-17 Version contains a shot of Louise. In the Unrated Version, the following shot of Penny starts earlier instead resp. there is more footage of her having dinner. When she pulls off the piece of meat, the versions are back in sync.

no difference

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version

At the very beginning of the end credits, the movie title reappears. Similar to the beginning, the NC-17 Version contains the German title - at least that is the case with the German screener used for this comparison.

NC-17 Version	Unrated Version