BBFC News

Thundercrack! is a 1975 US adult comedy by Curt McDowell
Starring Marion Eaton, George Kuchar and Melinda McDowell

A cult film that was notably unreleased in the UK for many years except on the cinema club circuit. The film was finally BBFC 18 rated without cuts for 2024 release. The BBFC noted that it contains strong real sex. Uncut and MPAA Unrated in the US.

Summary Review

With a killer gorilla on the loose, a group of strangers find themselves stranded at a remote mansion of a grieving madwoman one dark and stormy night. They indulge in swapping bizarre personal backstories - and bodily fluids.

Imagine yourself a typical low-budget horror opening, in which random people gather around an old dark mansion during a nightly thunderstorm. They're all slightly eccentric characters with unusual backgrounds and/or odd personalities and, naturally, the female owner of the mansion is the queen of all madness.

Her guests soon begin to physically experiment with themselves and each other and these sexual outbursts become gradually odder. Masturbation and ordinary hetero-sex at first, but before you properly realize it; you're up to your neck in gay sex, voyeurism, sex with peculiar attributes and even bestiality.

This movie is available in two versions, but I can safely say already that even the cut Theatrical Version (120 minutes instead of 150) is more than weird enough for every avid fan of offbeat cinema on this planet.

Versions

uncut run: 159:27s pal: 153:04s		UK: Uncut and BBFC 18 rated for strong real sex, nudity: 2024 BFI VoD (rated 05/02/2024) titled Thundercrack! US: Uncut and MPAA Unrated for: 2015 Synapse Films 40th Anniversary Edition R0 Blu-ray at US Amazon 2015 Synapse Films 40th Anniversary Edition R0 DVD at US Amazon
cut cut:   run: 125:30s pal: 120:29s		Sweden: There is a cut version running about 120m

Robot Dreams is a 2023 Spain/France animation drama by Pablo Berger
Starring Ivan Labanda, Tito Trifol and Rafa Calvo

BBFC category cuts were required for a BBFC PG rated cinema release in 2024.

Summary Notes

Based on the popular graphic novel by the North American writer Sara Varon, ROBOT DREAMS tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the '80s.

Versions

cut: run: 102:29s pal: 98:23s		UK: BBFC PG rated for mild rude humour for mild rude humour after BBFC cuts: 2024 Artificial Eye Film Co. cinema release (rated 30/01/2024) The BBFC commented: The company obscured rude gestures in order to achieve their preferred category of PG. An uncut 12A classification was available.
uncut run: 102:46s pal: 98:39s		Ireland: Uncut and IFCO G rated for consumer advice: explores themes of friendship and loss with positive resolution: 2024 Curzon cinema release (rated 16/01/2024)

The New Boy is a 2023 Australia historical fantasy drama by Warwick Thornton
Starring Cate Blanchett, Aswan Reid and Deborah Mailman

There are no censorship issues beyond noting that the BBFC made a mistake in noting the occurrence of the word 'cunt' requiring a 15 rating. When asked to listen again the BBFC changed its mind and noted just moderate language for a 12A rating.

Summary Notes

A nine-year-old Aboriginal Australian orphan boy arrives in the dead of night at a remote monastery run by a renegade nun.

Versions

uncut run: 96:03s pal: 92:12s

UK: Uncut and BBFC 12A rated with a trigger warning for moderate violence, language, bloody images, discrimination: 2024 Signature Entertainment cinema release (rated 23/02/2024) UK: Uncut and BBFC 15 rated for infrequent very strong language: 2024 Signature Entertainment cinema release (rated 23/02/2024) Thanks to Scott: This Australian film originally appeared on the BBFC's website last month as a 15 for infrequent very strong language. I noticed that it was only a 12A in Ireland and an M (completely unrestricted) in Aus, with no mention of anything higher than moderate language from either, so emailed the BBFC to let them know they'd probably misheard a c-word. Sure enough, a week or two later, the cert was revised to 12A for moderate violence, language, bloody images, discrimination. They subsequently replied to my email: With regard to New Boy, we have already been in conversation with the producers and have since revised the age rating to 12A. Ireland: Uncut and IFCO 12A rated for an aboriginal boy is taken to a christian monastery in 1940`s australia - contains moderate violence with brief injury detail, moderate language: 2024 Signature cinema release (rated 14/02/2024)

The BBFC press release reads:

BBFC launches new Classification Guidelines reflecting shifts in public opinion towards violence, drug use, sex and use of language

Today, the BBFC publishes its new Classification Guidelines, informed by its largest-ever public consultation. Throughout 2023, the BBFC spoke to 12,000 people across the UK to explore what matters most to audiences when it comes to classification.

The research found people are now more concerned about depictions of violence on screen in content across all age ratings. The findings demonstrated broad support for how the BBFC currently classifies violence, but audiences expressed concerns about how distressing or disturbing some forms of violence can be. Going forward, a higher rating may be required for violence across all age-rating categories, especially when particularly intense or impactful scenes occur.

The last time the BBFC conducted this research was in 2019. Then, as now, sexual violence was the biggest area of concern for UK audiences. Since 2019, however, suicide and self-harm has risen to the second biggest area of concern - ahead of sex, violence and drugs. People expressed a clear desire to be warned about this type of content, and the BBFC will continue to highlight suicide and self-harm in its content advice.

Although people are largely in agreement with the BBFC's current approach towards classifying drug content across all age categories, audiences have become more relaxed about cannabis use and solvent misuse than they were in 2019.

The research revealed that people are now slightly more accepting of cannabis misuse at 12A/12, so long as it is not detailed, glamorised or frequent. The BBFC will therefore take a less restrictive approach to such material, but maintain its current standards on other drugs. People also felt the BBFC's current policy towards classifying solvent misuse was overly cautious, and this finding has been supported by expert advice. Such content will now be treated less restrictively.

People are calling for a more cautious approach to classifying sex scenes at the border of 12A/12 and 15. Participants were concerned by the level of sexual detail, nudity and the duration of the sex scenes rated 12A/12 under the 2019 guidelines. Similar content is now more likely to be rated 15. However, the research also indicates that audiences are happy for classification to be more lenient towards some sex references at the 15/18 borderline, especially in comic contexts.

The new research also offers valuable insights into the evolving perspectives and expectations of parents and caregivers, grandparents, educators, and young people.

Parents are concerned about the normalisation of bad language, especially terms with sexual or misogynistic connotations. For example, terms such as son of a bitch, bitch, dick. The worry is that young viewers may hear and repeat such language. Language such as this may now require a higher age rating.

Audiences are comfortable with the relaxation of standards across most areas when it comes to trailers, especially in the junior categories (U, PG and 12A/12). For example, in some cases, this may include isolated use of strong language in trailers at 12A/12.

More than eight in ten (81%) people want a consistent age rating system across cinema, physical media and Video on Demand (VoD)/streaming services. Netflix, which carries BBFC age ratings across its entire UK platform, is now the third most popular source of recognition for BBFC age rating symbols (behind cinema and physical media) and the second most recognised source for content advice (behind cinema).

The findings support that the BBFC and its iconic age rating symbols are highly trusted, well recognised and valued by audiences across the UK.

99% of respondents recognise at least one BBFC age rating symbol, with 78% recognising them all 97% of people see a benefit to age ratings for some or all audiences 90% of parents/caregivers (a 7% increase in the last five years), 91% of teachers, and 88% of teens aged 16-19 trust BBFC age ratings all or most of the time 87% of parents/caregivers agree with BBFC age ratings all or most of the time 85% of respondents trust BBFC age ratings to accurately reflect the nature of the content they consume

To help parents facilitate important conversations and help increase awareness, the BBFC has created a collection of BBFC Guides that focus on various classification areas such as discrimination, drugs, and sex. Each bite-sized guide provides an overview of how the BBFC classifies different issues, what they mean at each age rating, and a collection of film case studies.

President, Natasha Kaplinsky OBE stated:

At the BBFC, we're dedicated to ensuring what we do is responsive to the ever evolving world around us. Since we last asked people across the country what they thought about our standards, society has changed, and opinions have followed 203 it's fascinating how this vast body of new research reflects this.

This is the first Classification Guidelines update I have overseen as President. Not only am I proud and thrilled to launch these findings, but as someone who has always looked to the BBFC for guidance for myself and my family, seeing first-hand the level of dedication and insight that went into this process has been eye-opening and inspiring. Without a doubt, we are truly shaped by you.

Chief Executive, David Austin OBE stated:

The effectiveness of what we do relies entirely on trust. To ensure we have that trust, and to get to the heart of what audiences think and feel, we go directly to them. Only by doing this can we ensure we are classifying content in line with the expectations of families across the UK. This is essential to maintaining the extraordinarily high levels of public trust that the BBFC is privileged to enjoy.

The BBFC will present its new guidelines to cinema authorities on 15th March 2024. The BBFC writes:

The BBFC provides age ratings and content advice for cinema films on behalf of licensing authorities. In 2024, the BBFC will publish its new Classification Guidelines. These set out how it arrives at its age-rating decisions for all the films and other content submitted to it. The guidelines, revised every 4-5 years, are the result of a large-scale consultation, which this time has involved over 12,000 people in the UK. This pre-publication briefing for those working in cinema licensing will provide an overview of the research findings and the changes to the BBFC's classification standards.

Who should attend: Cinema licensing officers, elected members and all involved in permitting UK cinemas to show films.

What will be covered:

• How the BBFC carried out the guidelines research -- the key topics it covered and how it ensured a diversity of responses

• Key changes to BBFC classification standards under the new guidelines

• New topics of concern to UK audiences

BBFC board meeting minutes from December 2023 reveal that changes to its censorship rules will be introduced in the first quarter of 2024:

Researchers from We Are Family joined the meeting to share the findings of the guidelines consultation, which has run throughout 2023. The qualitative stage of the research involved 31 focus groups in locations across the UK, six teen parties to seek views from young people, four film screenings, and an online community, while the qualitative survey reached over 11,000 respondents. A combined total of 12,001 people took part in this research, the highest number of participants the BBFC has ever consulted on its guidelines, providing a very robust set of findings to help ensure that our standards continue to reflect the views of UK audiences.

The proposed changes to the guidelines based on the findings were agreed by the Classifiers. The updated guidelines will be introduced in Q1 2024.

Poor Things is a 2023 Ireland/UK/US comedy romance by Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe

The BBFC required cuts under its interpretation of child protection law for a BBFC 18 rating and these cuts have been applied to all worldwide versions.

Summary Notes

The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter; a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter.

Versions

cut:   run: 141:38s pal: 135:58s

UK: BBFC 18 rated for strong sex, nudity, very strong language for strong sex, nudity, very strong language after BBFC cuts: 2024 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK cinema release (rated 01/01/2024) The BBFC commented: We originally saw this film for advice. We informed the distributor we would be likely to classify the film 18 on condition that changes be made to one short sequence depicting sexual activity in the presence of children. This is in accordance with the Protection of Children Act 1978. When the distributor submitted the film for formal classification, the scene had been re-edited, and we were able to classify the film 18. Thanks to Scott: An employee of Disney's UK arm confirmed that the cuts were made months ago to an unfinished version of the film, with Lanthimos' consent, and the cut version is the definitive, being released worldwide. Ireland: IFCO 18 rated with a trigger warning for frequent strong scenes of a sexual nature including male and female nudity, very strong and sexually explicit language throughout, some gory scenes of dead and dismembered bodies, references to drug use and suicide: 2024 Disney cinema release (rated 22/11/2023)