When you tend to think of James Cameron movies, you might think of The Terminator, Titanic, or Avatar. But, tucked away among his impressive repertoire of blockbusters between 1986's Aliens and 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a nautical nightmare that's still causing controversy some 36 years after it was released. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox means its expansive catalog of movies can now be found on Disney+. This includes the likes of Cameron's Aliens alongside the Avatar movies already being on there under the Disney banner.
Unfortunately, GamesRadar reports that Cameron's The Abyss has been removed from the streaming giant in the United Kingdom. The movie follows a US diving team that tries to uncover what happened to a sunken submarine in the Caribbean, accidentally coming into contact with an alien species. The Abyss is marred in controversy for other reasons, but after it was released, the RSPCA took umbrage with a scene of supposed animal cruelty.
The original version included a scene where a rat is dunked in fluorocarbon liquid, and with a real rat being used during production, the RSPCA campaigned to have the scene removed.
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Although the rat reportedly survived, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) deemed that the rat scene should be removed from all theatrical releases under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. It was also removed from Blu-Ray and DVD formats under the Video Recordings Act 1984, while it can't be shown in its original form on UK TV.
The Abyss was added to Disney+ in April in what the RSPCA has called a 'loophole' that means streaming services don't have to obey the same laws as theaters, home entertainment, or TV broadcasts.
David Bowles, the RSPCA's Head of Public Affairs, previously reminded us about how the rat scene has been a point of contention for decades, saying it's "hard to fathom out why Disney+ has decided to broadcast it."
He reiterated the RSPCA's mission to ensure people are exposed to materials that promote or show cruelty to animals, and since The Abyss has been removed, Bowles has released a fresh statement. Cheering the underwater adventure's removal, he said: "This isn't about cancel culture – we'd welcome Disney+ 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."
Disney+ hasn't confirmed when The Abyss will be back on the service, but this isn't the only time it's found itself in deep water. Back when filming, there were concerns about safety, with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio having a breakdown on set and Ed Harris admitting he burst into spontaneous sobbing when driving home.
In the aftermath, Harris said, "I'm never talking about it and never will,” while Mastrantonio added: "The Abyss was a lot of things. Fun to make is not one of them." Despite all of this, The Abyss was nominated for four Academy Awards and won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.