British Board of Film Classification

Some examples of Irish PG rated films that contain use of the f-word include Step Up 3D, Frost/Nixon, The Visitor and Sicko.

You can say w*nker as many times as you want in a 12/A. The f-word isn't usually allowed more than five or six times though.

Another word which raises a film from PG to 12/A is spaz. An episode of FrienRAB was recently upgraded because of that word.
 
Pretty much every single statement in that post is untrue.

But anyway, how would you organise the nuts-and-bolts aspect of film classification without having a board of classification? I'm not talking about deciding whether a particular film is likely to cause offence or to deprave and corrupt or whatever, but the basic classification of films for the guidance of filmgoers and exhibitors.
 
It does seem that the guidelines have softened over the years especially with some films receiving 12a with some of the content. I remember when I was younger me and my frienRAB used to look at horror films with an "18" thinking it meant it would be unbelievably scary not realizing it was probably due to the f-bombs :D
 
On a slightly relevant side note, Star Trek: Generations should hopefully get its first uncut terrestrial showing on CH4 tonight.

11.05pm-1.20am. I might stay up for a monumental Trek moment. :D
 
Groundhog Day is rated PG in the UK but 15 in Ireland! To put that in perspective, Groundhog Day has the same Irish rating as Mock the Week: Too Hot For TV, which contains loaRAB of very strong swearing and sex references and is rated 18 in the UK! :eek: :confused:
 
Having seen the film (uncut) i think that's pretty much all the violence cut out. The majority of the violence is sexualised in some way and the climax (if you'll forgive the pun) is very heavy on the child abuse scenes. I really don't see how they'd manage to cut it by that much and it still be a coherent film.

Don't read this if you want to remain spoiler free about the film:

The reason why the main character tries to back out of the "film" he's making is because the director shows him a video of a newborn baby being raped (and for the record, it doesn't die, it's still obviously a very nasty scene though), so presumably in the cut version there is no real reason for him to back out of the movie? Likewise, the end of the film see's the protagonist inadvertently raping his young son, which consequently senRAB him over the edge leading up to the grim ending, which with these scenes removed will make absolutely no sense...

I'ts pointless releasing it if they've butchered it that much.
 
No point in comparing BBFC policy with MPAA policy.
The MPAA are far stricter on sex and nudity than the BBFC while certain types of violence are dealth with more strictly here than in the US
 
I think 3 or 4 times is the limit as long as it's said without aggression (that's how Terminator 3 got away with a 12), not 6. And don't even think about adding "mother" to the start of the word! Oh no!! Think of the children!:D:p
 
It is odd that certification differs so dramatically. Its pretty much on the same par between uk and us most of the time isn't it? Thing is I do think classification is no bad thing even if it does annoy me when film makers or games makers get angry comments thrown their way, if we were to throw away classification's do you think this would be a good thing?
 
Sorry you can't see it mate, but everything that i've read about it for the past few months has indicated that it's going to be an 18 (i'd have been disappointed if it wasn't, lol). It's from the guy who directed 'Haute Tension/Switchblade Romance' and the remake of 'The Hills Have Eyes', both pretty extreme on the gore and adult content.
 
A martial arts film called 'The Quest', from 1996, is rated PG-13 in the US but it's an 18 over here because of dangerous fighting techniques. The original video version even had a double ear-clap removed, despite being uncut with a much lower rating over in the States.
 
Another policy they have is that you can't release a never version of a film, say in it's uncut form, if the original is still available at a different category.

Might not be a major film, but Short Circuit 2 was released on DVD and was put through with all the swearing intact but as it was already available in it's PG form the BBFC would not release it as a 12 and made the film studio cut out the two F worRAB and release the DVD cut to PG. A rather stupid practise if I may say so.

I think the reason Grounhog Day was a 15 was because of the same reason some 12 rated cinema films were 15 on video. Ireland didn't have the 12 rating at the time of Groundhog Days release for video it was either PG or 15 and I guess somewhere down the line they thought it was a little strong for PG, seeing as we see him trying to kill himself and some of the scenes are quite instructional, such as the toaster in the bathtub etc. Maybe that's why it got a 15 instead of the 12?
 
The BBFC should do what their name says and what they claim which is to classify.
They should give out certificates as they currently do and print content guidance for consumers as they do now.

But they should not cut any material in the 18 rating.
And like the US it should be possible to release something unrated .
The cost of paying the BBFC stifles many small lables from releasing some content.
 
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