 Tenebrae has been released on home media in many different versions in numerous territories . In 1983 , when the VHS edition was released in the United Kingdom , it was short by about four seconds . However , the film soon found itself included in a list of thirty @-@ nine so @-@ called " video nasties " that were successfully prosecuted and banned from sale in UK video stores under the Video Recordings Act 1984 . Deemed harmful to audiences , " video nasties " were strongly criticised for their violent content by the press , social commentators and various religious organizations . Speculating in 2011 , Thomas Rostock said that the higher @-@ than @-@ usual murder count for an Argento film was partially responsible , while James Gracey believed it was perhaps " the highly sexualised presentation of its violent content " . He went on to say , " Of all the titles placed on the video nasty list , Tenebrae is perhaps the most misunderstood and undeserving of the grimy status it gained through its association with the whole debacle . " Kim Newman agreed that Tenebrae 's reputation as a " video nasty " was unwarranted , saying that none of the on @-@ screen deaths are as gory or lingering as those in Argento 's previous films . He also believed Tenebrae would eventually be remembered on its own merits , rather than as part of the " video nasties " list . Nevertheless , the ban lasted until 1999 , when Tenebrae was legally released on videotape with one second of footage removed in addition to the previously censored five . In 2003 , the BBFC reclassified the film and passed it without any cuts . In Germany , the release was strongly cut , and reportedly seized by the authorities . 
