The other night my wife and I were watching Misery on network TV, and I was surprised by how much violence was left uncensored. Given America’s current political climate, you’d think that graphic violence would be as frowned upon as a wardrobe malfunction, but apparently not. The scene at the end of the movie where the characters played by James Caan and Kathy Bates fight to the death was left intact, even the part where a bloody Kathy Bates is bashed senseless with a heavy typewriter.
Before Kathy Bates is killed, though, James Caan calls her “a crazy bitch” – except the word “bitch” was censored out.
I’m not sure what to make of this. The network censors were perfectly fine showing a bloody killing, but didn’t want to offend anyone with a swear word? What a strange country I live in.