German Film On SBS At 2AM With Frequent Tasteful Full Frontal Nudity Wins Ratings Battle

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

For the first time since a world cup soccer match, the other public broadcaster has won the nightly ratings battle.

Over three million people tuned in to SBS in the early hours this morning to watch a little known German film, Das Boner. The 89-minute epic follows the journey of a Bavarian time traveller who uses his abilities to flash women he fancies throughout history.

It features frequent male and female full frontal nudity, un-simulated sexual intercourse, drug use, course language. It received a R18+ rating from the puritans at Australian Classification Board.

Nevertheless, the lids on the sparkling white are cracking down at the SBS's base in Sydney's real Little Italy, Artarmon, where they've chalked the success of Das Boner up to recent changes to legislation around people under 18 watching blue movies on the internet.

"It's been a real boon," said one SBS source.

"All of a sudden, we have the most valuable ad space in commercial television. All thanks to the government, which is ironic, I'll tell you. We'll be showing movies like Das Boner every night from now on. We'd be mad not to."

A local young gentleman, who preferred not to be named for obvious reasons, said he tuned in last night to watch Das Boner in the living room, while family slept.

Watching the scenes on mute, he said that the experience was, on the whole, positive.

"It was a rush," he said.

"You know, having everything from norks to some bloke's rock hard skin flute up on the 110-inch OLED that Dad got for the Ashes. It was quite a surreal experience. I can't believe they put this stuff on TV. I'll certainly be watching again."

More to come.