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BBFC TEAMS UP WITH MYMOVIES.NET (04.03.08)
The BBFC is teaming up with the UK’s leading online and mobile supplier of film and film and video game related material to allow visitors to the Board’s new website for parents – pbbfc.co.uk – to watch the latest film, DVD and video game trailers. MyMovies.Net will provide cinema trailers for ‘U’, ‘PG’ and ‘12A’ films (both those currently showing in cinemas and those not yet out), as well as trailers for the latest DVDs and video games.
The BBFC’s website for parents, launched in October 2007, has already passed the one million hit mark. The site provides detailed information about the content of ‘U’, ‘PG’ and ‘12A’ films showing in cinemas across the UK and for ‘U’, ‘PG’ and ‘12’ rated DVDs. In addition, parents can check on the rating and content of video games classified by the BBFC from ‘U’ through to ‘18’. This new facility will enable parents to not only decide whether a particular film is suitable for their child but also, by being able to watch the trailer in their own homes before going to the cinema or buying the DVD, whether their child (and they) will enjoy it.
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
“We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to our website for parents, both in terms of usage and feedback. MyMovies.Net has been extremely supportive of what we are doing on this website and we are delighted that we have been able to work with them to provide visitors to the site with this facility. We want to be able to provide parents with a single point for all the information they need before setting off to the cinema or the DVD store. The site will also allow parents to check out whether the film is showing at their local cinema and at what time. Being able to watch the trailer for a film, in addition to checking out whether there is anything problematic in it, will take the guess work out of the cinema going experience.”
Monica Chadha, Commercial Director of MyMovies.Net said:
“We are delighted to be able to be supporting this very worthy initiative as the BBFC seeks to give parents the tools necessary to make an informed decision about film and video game content. We know from experience that sticky video content drives traffic online, and in the case of pbbfc.co.uk, heralds the arrival of a platform that educates parents at a time when regulation of content and advertising to children is high on the Government’s agenda.”
The BBFC’s website for children – cbbfc.co.uk – will also benefit from this new arrangement as MyMovies.Net will provide the film clips which visitors to the site can try their hands at classifying. There are also plans to include film clips on the BBFC’s website for students – sbbfc.co.uk.
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BBFC REJECTS SEXUALLY VIOLENT DVD (28.02.08)
The BBFC has rejected the DVD Murder Set Pieces. This means that it cannot be legally supplied anywhere in the UK. The decision was taken by the Director, David Cooke and the Presidential Team of Sir Quentin Thomas, Lord Taylor of Warwick and Janet Lewis-Jones.
Murder Set Pieces is a feature with a single-minded focus on the activities of a psychopathic sexual serial killer, who, throughout the film, is seen raping, torturing and murdering his victims. Young children are among those terrorised and killed, and their inclusion in this abusive context is an added concern. In relation to the adult victims, there is a clear focus on sex or sexual behaviour accompanied by non-consensual pain, injury and humiliation.
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
“It is the Board’s carefully considered view that to issue a certificate to Murder Set Pieces, even if statutorily confined to adults, would involve risk of harm within the terms of the Video Recordings Act, would be inconsistent with the Board’s Guidelines, and would be unacceptable to the public.
“Rejecting a work outright is a serious matter and the Board considered whether the issue could be dealt with through cuts. However, given the unacceptable content featured throughout, and that what remains is essentially preparatory and set-up material for the unacceptable scenes, cutting the work is not a viable option in this case and the work is therefore refused a classification.”
Under the terms of the Video Recordings Act distributors have the right to appeal the Board’s decision. Murder Set Pieces also raises potential legal questions, for instance in relation to the Protection of Children Act 1978, as well as possible breaches of other legislation such as that on obscenity. Having concluded that the work would in any case have to be rejected on grounds of harm and unacceptability to the public, the Board did not think it necessary at this stage to reach a final view on these legal issues, but they would have to be considered in the event of any appeal. 28 February 2008
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