BBFC decisions you agree/disagree with...

[grim_tales]

I was used to them being 18

[Bes30]

Originally Posted by eddyw78

Just noticed that all the Bruce Lee films excluding Enter the Dragon have been downgraded to 15. Can kind of see Way of the Dragon, Fist of Fury and possibly Game of Death at this rating but always thought that The Big Boss was the most violent and most deserving of it’s 18.

Until recently I'd have thought Big Boss would retain its '18'. Then I watched the recent release of Lady Whirlwind which contained some similar gore and got a '15' and I thought this would probably slip through as well.

They note it is 'occasionally gruesome' though. I suppose, although gory, the climactic flesh puncturing is the stuff of fantasy. And the killings throughout the film were presumably not judged to be lingered on in a sadistic way.

Or perhaps the BBFC just thought the red paint gore wasn't too shocking these days... Who knows? They are about as consistent as the MPAA these days so anything can happen.

Big Boss is an '18' worthy film in my memory and the others are okay as fairly strong '15' films. To be honest though, I assume most of us saw these films underage and never had any issues.

[Bes30]

Originally Posted by grim_tales

I was used to them being 18

The 4K and Blu sets will still be '18' due to the daft submission policies over here; only the cinema showings will be '15'. Seems silly but it is what it is.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by Bes30

The 4K and Blu sets will still be '18' due to the daft submission policies over here; only the cinema showings will be '15'. Seems silly but it is what it is.

That's because Enter the Dragon is still an 18.

[CyberController]

Originally Posted by eddyw78

Just noticed that all the Bruce Lee films excluding Enter the Dragon have been downgraded to 15. Can kind of see Way of the Dragon, Fist of Fury and possibly Game of Death at this rating but always thought that The Big Boss was the most violent and most deserving of it’s 18.

The 18s always looked cool on the covers, too.

[Bes30]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

That's because Enter the Dragon is still an 18.

True, I forgot about that bonus disc. But I meant the other films will still be an '18' on disc.

Either way though the set itself would indeed be an '18' for Enter... Though if that were resubmitted it would surely be downgraded to a '15' as well. Most of the violence is offscreen and would pass in a '12'; the murder of

[Show spoiler]Williams

and drug content would keep it safely in the '15' category though (and a few bone breaking bits).

[pferreira]

Originally Posted by CyberController

The 18s always looked cool on the covers, too.

All of them looked cool with the previous BBFC logos.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by Bes30

True, I forgot about that bonus disc. But I meant the other films will still be an '18' on disc.

Either way though the set itself would indeed be an '18' for Enter... Though if that were resubmitted it would surely be downgraded to a '15' as well. Most of the violence is offscreen and would pass in a '12'; the murder of

[Show spoiler]Williams

and drug content would keep it safely in the '15' category though (and a few bone breaking bits).

Depends on the extras though.

[CompleteCount]

Originally Posted by pferreira

All of them looked cool with the previous BBFC logos.

They were always fun, and hyped you up for craven thrills in a way a sodding "15" certificate can't

dragon.jpg

[Rottweiler30]

Valmont getting downgraded to a 12 surprises me. If only for the scene where Firth goes er cheek to cheek with the 15 year old character. Although, it getting a U in france doesn't surprise me at all, they even have said scene on the cover of the french blu ray!

[Bes30]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

Depends on the extras though.

I suppose they could dig up the notorious lost deleted scene of Bruce aggressively calling Nora Mao the C word before callously one inch punching her in the chesticles.

[hakunamufasa]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

They were always fun, and hyped you up for craven thrills in a way a sodding "15" certificate can't

You have to try *much* harder for an 18 today

Nunchucks and headbutts aren't enough anymore - gotta be a badge of honour 😏

[hakunamufasa]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

Valmont getting downgraded to a 12 surprises me. If only for the scene where Firth goes er cheek to cheek with the 15 year old character. Although, it getting a U in france doesn't surprise me at all, they even have said scene on the cover of the french blu ray!

It's a 15 in Ireland - cross the border and you won't feel guilty.

[CompleteCount]

Originally Posted by hakunamufasa

You have to try *much* harder for an 18 today

Nunchucks and headbutts aren't enough anymore - gotta be a badge of honour 😏

If it was said that "Williams" had committed suicide, Enter The Dragon would still be an 18.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

They were always fun, and hyped you up for craven thrills in a way a sodding "15" certificate can't

Attachment 290525

The BBFC never would've allowed those nunchakus on the back cover!

Originally Posted by hakunamufasa

You have to try *much* harder for an 18 today

Nunchucks and headbutts aren't enough anymore - gotta be a badge of honour 😏

More's the pity. Used to be you could watch an '18' with blood squibs ahoy and it would still be fun. Now it's probably some poor lass getting a broken bottle rammed up her fanny.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by LeftHandedGuitarist

I was pleased with the BBFC's decision to give Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret a PG rating. It's depiction of puberty, menstruation, discussions about bodies, illustrations of sex organs, etc. could have easily landed this a 12 (I see the MPAA gave it a PG-13).

That's typical MPAA, they hate anything to do with sexuality, especially if it's treated seriously instead of glossed over with innuendo and juvenile humor. Female sexuality seems to make them especially uncomfortable, probably because it's easier to find male sexuality, including sexual development, funny. I'm sure if they could have realistically given the film an R rating, they would have.

Having said that, I haven't seen the film yet, but I was surprised that Ireland also went with PG. The film felt like something they might be a bit more conservative about, too:

https://ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/DF6F370B005C291D

(As a counter-example, Book Club: The Next Chapter is PG-13 in the US and 12A in the UK, but managed a 15A in Ireland.)

I have to assume it is quite genteel, which makes the MPAA's decision all the more stupid. It just goes to reinforce how there really is no true "PG" rating anymore in the US, instead the G rated films get PG now.

[CompleteCount]

Originally Posted by markgway

the bbfc never would've allowed those nunchakus on the back cover! :d

It was a cover my missus did for a friend of hers. He had managed to track down all of the releases from that set, but had the irrits that Enter the Dragon wasn't part of it.

etdvhs.jpg

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

Attachment 290540

Yes, otherwise it looks the part.

I had that collection, too... until I got hold of uncut boots.

[McCrutchy]

The anime OVA series Gunbuster (1989-1990) has gone from PG on VHS and DVD to (apparently) 15 on Blu-ray, but it's not on the site, yet:

[Show spoiler][IMG][/IMG]

I have the Discotek US version which is claimed to be identical, meaning there is nothing in the extras that would push the certificate up. If true, 15 is harsh for this anime, which has some violence and nudity, but is really more of a 12 at worst than a 15, as evidenced by the fact that it has been PG up until now. It's a shame we can't have proper slightly naughty PG ratings anymore, but it will be nuts to think that an 8-year-old kid could go buy the DVD, but technically wouldn't be able to buy the Blu-ray.

[doomgen]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

The anime OVA series Gunbuster (1989-1990) has gone from PG on VHS and DVD to (apparently) 15 on Blu-ray, but it's not on the site, yet:

[Show spoiler][IMG][/IMG]

I have the Discotek US version which is claimed to be identical, meaning there is nothing in the extras that would push the certificate up. If true, 15 is harsh for this anime, which has some violence and nudity, but is really more of a 12 at worst than a 15, as evidenced by the fact that it has been PG up until now. It's a shame we can't have proper slightly naughty PG ratings anymore, but it will be nuts to think that an 8-year-old kid could go buy the DVD, but technically wouldn't be able to buy the Blu-ray.

I've never seen it, but there's a possibility the 15 is due to sexualised images of women whether nude or not, which the BBFC seem to register the likely intent of a lot more now. there was an anime called Strike Witches which got a 12 for its first season, despite having frequent upskirt shots of the main characters which are inarguably sexualised. I think maybe the only reason they went with 12 was because there was a lack of actual nudity, but the second season got a more understandable 15 so they clearly realised that they went a little too lenient there.