Extended Classification Information is available for this work.

July 21, 2010 11:19 AM

The British Board of Film Classification has updated its website, and as part of the remodel made the Extended Classification Information more visible. And oh the wisdom as the classifiers must justify their actions ... [via]

For Hamlet 2:

"Strong language is permitted at the '15' level under the guidelines, as are strong sex references. As part of the comically inept and bad taste songs in the musical there are references to rape and fisting. One of the play's audience experiences a cathartic reaction during the premiere and confesses to having been abused as a child. In all of these instances broad comedy is the intention, and the issues are all well precedented at the stated category."

For Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen:

"Moderate language includes a couple of directed uses of 'bitch', and a suggestion of strong language - although never anything explicit or actually completed, just 'f'ing', 'mother ...' and 'fu ..' - all acceptable at '12A'. There is a short, comic scene, where Sam's ditzy mother inadvertently eats a hash cookie that she buys at college, not realising what it is. There is no sight of any actual drug taking - just a brief shot of a packet with a marijuana leaf on it. Whilst the eating of a hash cookie is not openly condemned in the film - although a worried Sam and his dad do try to stop her - the mother subsequently embarrasses herself and her family, and is not at all portrayed as a cool or positive role model. As such, these soft drugs references were permitted at '12A', where BBFC Guidelines direct 'Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or instructional'."

And the synopsis for Avatar which demonstrates perfectly what's happened to modern filmmaking:

"AVATAR is a science fiction action adventure film about a man whose genetically engineered human-alien hybrid has been grown on a planet and is intended to persuade the indigenous population to relocate and allow the human military to drill for valuable minerals. It was passed '12A' for moderate violence and intense battle scenes."

posted by feelinglistless (12 comments total)

As part of the comically inept and bad taste songs in the musical there are references to rape and fisting.

Okay, I missed the fact that this was from Hamlet 2, and immediately went to the original to find this song in the play within a play Hamlet performs for his uncle/king. Needless to say, if it appears in the original, it is remarkably well concealed - even for the Great Bard.
posted by Think_Long at 11:29 AM on July 21, 2010

Had to read the Inception one since it's the one film currently out that I've seen. No spoilers, but I love that the Brits rate "crap" and "bullshit" as "mild language".
posted by immlass at 11:30 AM on July 21, 2010

Oh yes, "crap" and "bullshit" regular appear in Afternoon Plays on Radio 4.
posted by feelinglistless at 11:32 AM on July 21, 2010

If you want to know EXACTLY what is in a movie, check out Kids-In-Mind.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:33 AM on July 21, 2010

For Americans more familiar with the MPAA ratings, a comparison between the two systems:

Unlike the NC-17 rating in the US, cinema chains across the UK are happy to screen 18 certificate films. There is no way you could call an 18 badge 'the kiss of death', as many have done for NC-17.

Just a couple of examples to illustrate the point: In the US, one could take a seven year old in to see Hostel, whereas in the UK only those aged 18 were ever allowed to attend; Eyes Wide Shut was released completely uncut in UK cinemas, where US screenings featured only an altered version with CG props and obstructions placed about the orgy scene to hide some 'action'.

posted by Electric Dragon at 12:38 PM on July 21, 2010

First movie I managed to lie about my age to see was Starship Troopers. It was also the last movie I had to lie about my age to see.
posted by pyrex at 1:02 PM on July 21, 2010

blue_beetle: "If you want to know EXACTLY what is in a movie, check out Kids-In-Mind."

Hee hee this is fun.
posted by Perplexity at 1:05 PM on July 21, 2010

This Film Is Not Yet Rated is an excellent documentary about the US system.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 2:54 PM on July 21, 2010

I used to work in the same building as the NZ Office of Film and Literature and we had some great conversations with some of the staff outside smoking. They were some fucked up people; really nice, but fucked up. According to one guy, it wasn't the porn and violence that got to him, but the boring stuff that was never going to be watched by more than a few train enthusiasts or whatever.

It's a shame they don't provide more information than a simple "Objectionable" in their decisions:

28
Beastiality Horse Fucking
With Cock In Pussy-Animal-
Sex-XXX-Porno- Floggy 07
(2.30)(1).mpg
1000732.000

Objectionable

Computer
Moving
Image File

s13(1)(ab)

Also, "Hot Buttered Cop Porn" is possibly the best porn title I have ever heard.

------------------------------------------------

First movie I managed to lie about my age to see was Starship Troopers. It was also the last movie I had to lie about my age to see.

Ahaha me too. We made the mistake of slipping out to get popcorn just before it started, though, and then they wouldn't let us back in and we had to come back in two hours to get our jackets.
posted by doublehappy at 3:20 PM on July 21, 2010

On film posters in the UK, as well as giving the classification you now also get a little rating box that explains what sorts of things the film may contain.

Its often struck me that these explanations would serve as good straplines for the movies, rendering most of the rest of the poster obsolete.

e.g.
"Couples Retreat" - "Contains moderate sex references"
"Paul Blart - Mall Cop" - "Contains moderate comic violence and mild language"
"Fast & Furious" - "Contains strong action violence and sexualised posing"
posted by memebake at 3:34 PM on July 21, 2010 [2 favorites]

First movie I managed to lie about my age to see was Starship Troopers.

We didn't have to lie about our age, but the rating system totally let us down. What a way to find out that your potential SO is arachnophobic.

Trigger words, people!
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:18 PM on July 21, 2010

I admire the way that the BBFC has put its house in order in recent years, and along with a more coherent and broadly liberal approach to film rating also gives you the explanation of the thinking behind their ratings.

That said, it will never replace the greatest movie rating site out there, CAPAlert. Which uses a totally objective scoring system to tell you what God thinks about the films of today.


It is hard enough for our youth to develop a healthy respect for sexual purity when at such an early age they are filled with images like these that challenge sexual humility as is accused of the Barbie™ doll (do a serach on <> and you'll se what I mean). As many social engineers of the past knew, changing the outlook of youth will change the population ... in one generation. Such sexual re-engineering that has been going on since the bisxual pedophile zoologist Alfred C. Kinsey [Luke 17:2] has taken its toll -- and is still strong with entertainment imagery such as in this film which would have rightfully been verbotten before Kinsey corrupted the sexual morés of so many with his "if it feels good do it" mentality. I was there! At Indiana University. The state agency I worked for rented space from the Indiana University Poplars Research and Conference Center which housed Kinsey's Institute for Sex Research under the banner of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). I was not in any way a participant of such a pansexual outfit but I was there.

That's from a review of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. No, really. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
posted by DNye at 5:22 PM on July 21, 2010