A Year In Classification: 2009
2009 saw the release of the latest set of classification Guidelines based on extensive research into public views. BBFC Director David Cooke noted this demonstrated the BBFC is ‘in touch with current public attitudes’ adding that Consumer Advice and Extended Classification Information available on the main BBFC website and the BBFC's website for parents www.pbbfc.co.uk ‘means that anyone trying to decide which film they, or their family, should see has access to as much information as possible to enable them to make informed decisions’.
‘U’ films which prompted discussion from BBFC Examiners included Ice Age 3 – The Dawn Of The Dinosaurs. Though the film had clear appeal to younger viewers familiar with the franchise some mild comic threat, including a character wielding a knife made of a prehistoric tooth, was discussed. Ultimately the work remained at ‘U’, rather than ‘PG’ as it wasn’t a ‘realistic or easily accessible’ weapon and was used by a pirate-style character.
Several of the biggest films passed at ‘PG’ were based on famous books or stories – for example Coraline, A Christmas Carol, St Trinians 2, Fantastic Mr Fox, and Where The Wild Things Are. Though each treated their material very differently they all included mild scenes of threat, violence or horror. However, in each case mitigating factors such as the familiarity of the story, the lack of injury or blood, and comic moments and presentation were noted and allowed them to be passed ‘PG’.
The trend for adaptations continued at ‘12A’ with further instalments of The Twilight Saga and the Harry Potter series both passed at ‘12A’. The former included some blood and threat, especially from snarling werewolves although it was presented in a clearly fantastical and familiar context. Some adaptations of more adult bestsellers were also submitted including The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Lovely Bones. The latter, an adaptation of Alice Sebold’s disturbing novel about a murdered teen, sat at the higher end of ‘12A’, and was seen several times. Though the child murder theme and scenes indicating that crime were clearly distressing it was felt the work could be contained at ‘12A’ and should be available to a teenage audience. These factors included the well known source, the restrained treatment and the clear and important cautionary message about ‘stranger danger’.
As in 2008 more cinema films were passed ‘15’ than any other category. Many films pushed the boundaries of that category presenting challenging themes and issues in works which retained considerable appeal for mid teen audiences for both entertainment and education purposes. Examples of ‘15’s in 2009 include Brüno (which became the first film to run simultaneously at ‘18’ uncut and at ‘15’ with cuts in UK cinemas), Fish Tank, and Shifty. The producers of Shifty chose to remove very strong language to achieve a ‘15’, and the film was used in National Schools Film Week.At ‘18’ BBFC Guidelines continue to allow adults to freely chose what they wish to watch, within the law. The category isn’t a punishment though, and several films passed ‘18’ went on to be successful, critically acclaimed, popular or all three, despite a restrictive certificate. These included Saw IV, A Prophet, Inglorious Basterds and Watchmen. Films at the higher end of the ‘18’ category for issues such as sexual violence and real sex included Run Bitch Run! and Antichrist.
The annual report also summarised key decisions giving statistics for rejections, cuts and works with cuts reinstated (ie where previously removed material was allowed to be put back into films). There were three BBFC Rejects, all of which where considered to be potentially harmful. Of the 555 films submitted eleven (2.0%) were cut, but all of these were cuts made by distributors to obtain a lower category.
The BBFC is also able to reclassify older works in line with current public opinion, Guidelines and laws. Several older films were sent to the BBFC by film companies eager to have cuts reinstated, changes overturned or new certificates. For example the video version of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction originally came in for classification in 1994 when a heroine injection scene was reframed to remove what was considered at the time to be instructional detail. In 2009 it came in again and the scene was passed uncut, based on up to date advice and medical opinion.
Former ‘video nasty’ The House by the Cemetery, was passed uncut for the first time since it was made in 1981 and the producer’s cut of L’Empire des Sens – In the Realm of the Senses, was submitted for a modern classification and passed ‘18’ uncut. More details on the history of L’Empire des Sens – In the Realm of the Senses can be found in the SBBFC Case Study section.2009 also saw a reduction in the number of complaints to the BBFC, and unlike some other years no one classification decision dominated public feedback. More information about public feedback and complaints can be found here.
Despite declining cinema and DVD submissions – as less films and video works are sent to be classified – the BBFC saw growth in other areas, notably their online classification scheme which provides certificates for content available on the web. The BBFC.online scheme provided certificates, a digital version of the black card seen in cinemas, for over 8000 works including film and television content.
David Cooke, the Director of the BBFC explained how useful the online certificates were to consumers, especially parents, who understand the BBFC’s rating system: “While we continue to see a decline in traditional submissions we are looking to an online future. Considering that BBFC.online is a voluntary scheme, we have chalked up an impressive membership list, reflecting the importance the digital industry places on effective content labelling. The industry recognises the trust which the public places in BBFC classifications and the well recognised and understood category symbols and black card. We see widespread use of BBFC classifications through this scheme as the best way of signalling to consumers, and in particular parents, the nature of the video-on-demand content being offered and its suitability for different age groups.
He added that more generally BBFC classification continues to offer more than a legal safety net to the film and DVD and related industries in the UK, noting that whilst there was some legal updating to make the Video Recordings Act enforceable last year ‘the vast majority of distributors continued to submit their works for classification during the hiatus’ and ‘Entertainment retailers also continued to restrict sales according to BBFC classifications’.