BBFC Guidelines Notes
- 1. BBFC Guidelines Notes: Sex References More liberal nowadays, especially higher categories Sex has to be contextually justified and not pornographic 12A sex references shouldn’t go beyond what children would know Crude jokes = 15, e.g. Knocked Up and Superbad Innuendos ok for 12A as parents likely to understand and children won’t Nudity varies between cultures Naturalised nudity and sexualised nudity No sexual nudity detail below 12 Case Studies Monster’s Ball = long sex scene, scene is vital in the plot and so in context, 15. 9 Songs = real sex not simulated, 18. Language Pubic feel strongly about this No use of bad language below a 12 ‘f-word and c-word’ = 15 or 18 Derogatory terms such as ‘spaz’ or ‘retard’ cause many complaints in films rated lower than a 12 because they are offensive words. However they are not classed as bad language in the BBFC guidelines and so are allowed in U/PG/12A Case Studies Billy Elliot = could not receive a rating any lower than a 15 because of the strong language in the film Four Weddings and A Funeral = first scene dominated by bad language and so is rated at a 15 Drug Use Parents want the BBFC to be careful with allowance of drug use in films As soon as you can see people taking drugs = 15 or 18 Films cannot glamorise drugs Can show drug use whilst having fun at a party but must balance out with negatives. I.e. someone’s downfall as a drug addict No-one should be able to learn how to take drugs by watching a film
- 2. Case Studies Trainspotting = the plot is solely based around the lives of drug addicts. The film is an 18 because of the various explicit scenes of heroin abuse and close-ups of drug paraphernalia. Strong drug content allowed however because in no way are drugs glamorised and showed the addiction in its truest form. Violence Violence most often defines category for a film Must be remembered that violence is a part of children’s culture with programmes like Tom & Jerry Blood is a good indicator for high level of violence 15 = emphasis on blood allowed 18 = build up to someone being injured, violence can move away from the plot, dwelling on infliction of pain 12 = impressionistic violence is allowed. I.e. you don’t see graphic violence and a lot of violence is just implied and not seen Case Studies Casino Royale 12 = Impressionistic violence in the torture scene Die Hard 15 = see more of violent contact, male and female fighting, a lot of comical parts but was too violent for a lower certificate Last King Of Scotland 15 = strong violence, vicious torture scene, hooks put into chest, goes on for a long period of time, dramatisation of a true story so the context of torture is different to an 18 film.