Cause for Concern (2002) (V)

Director:

Ryen McPherson

Genre:

Reality-TV

Plot Keywords:

Violence | Alcoholic | Exploitation | Controversial | Handheld Camera

Cast

Donald Brennan	...	Himself
Donny	...	Himself
Rufus Hannah	...	Himself
Peter LaForte	...	Himself
Todd Richard Lewis	...	The Bumhunter

Also Known As:

Bumfights: Cause for Concern (USA) (DVD box title)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Canada:(Banned) (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | New Zealand:(Banned) | UK:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

La Mesa, California, USA

Company:

Indecline Productions

Trivia:

Banned in the UK for a video release. BBFC justifies this with the following statement: Bumfights - Cause for Concern consists substantially of camcorder footage of homeless people ('bums') being abused, assaulted, and humiliated. These scenes are intercut with footage of street brawls and soft pornography. Under the Video Recordings Act 1984 the Board must have special regard to any harm to those likely to view a video and to any harm to society through the behaviour of those viewers afterwards. The Act singles out particular elements as being potentially harmful including criminal behaviour and violent behaviour or incidents. The BBFC guidelines for '18' rated works state that the Board may "cut or reject... any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts which is likely to promote the activity" (page 16). The Board's guidelines for violence also state as particular concerns "callousness towards victims, encouraging aggressive attitudes[and] taking pleasure in pain and humiliation" (page 9). In the Board's view, the video breaches these guidelines by exploiting the physical and other vulnerabilities of homeless people. The Board considered the possibility of cuts. However, given the extent of the unacceptable material, cuts were not considered a viable option on this occasion.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Veronica Mars: Return of the Kane (#1.6)" (2004)

Contemptible bilge

Bumfights is a "direct to video" DVD that showcases staged fights between homeless people. The homeless are baited with promises of some food or cheap prizes and goaded into pummelling each other into bloody pulp.

The makers of this disgusting tripe should be taken to Cabrini Green in Chicago and made to go toe to toe with hordes of bums. They should get beaten up, allowed to rest, then beaten again. By the most psychotic bums available. Payback galore.

People who take advantage of others who suffer from mental disorders, drug/alcohol addiction and who have no money should not be allowed to market this kind of garbage. It's capitalistc opportunism at its worst.

Bumfights is the most vile, contemptible thing I've ever seen. The makers should be in prison.