BBFC News

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 distributor requested 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

category cuts by substitution cut: run: 102:29s pal: 98:23s

UK: BBFC PG rated for mild rude humour for mild rude humour after BBFC category 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. Thanks to Jon: The BBFC were initially set to give the film an uncut 12A rating. However, when Artificial Eye heard the film was going to be a 12A, it was Artificial Eye who said they wanted a PG, because the film would be ideal for younger kids, as the film was due to be released during the February school Half-Term. It was at that point, that the BBFC stated to Artificial Eye, that if they wanted a PG, the middle finger gesture would need to be removed. Artificial Eye went back to the director, explained the situation, and between him and Artificial Eye, they agreed that the best solution would be to animate a black rectangle over the offending moment, so that adults would still get the joke, but kids would not, and the censorship would appease the BBFC without any cuts being made to the film's duration. The animators added-in the black rectangle, the film was resubmitted, and the film was passed with the new censored middle finger scene as a PG. The film could easily have been left uncut with a 12A, and it would not have affected anything. But the distributor stupidly wanted a kid-friendly rating, despite the fact most kids couldn't follow the film and didn't find it especially entertaining. So Artificial Eye really ballsed-up here. Thanks to Scott, Jake and Chris. The rude gesture was in fact the robot showing his middle finger when copying members of a street gang. The director was involved in deciding how to obscure the gesture by covering it up. The solution to cover up the gesture with a black strip proved more than acceptable as it gets a laugh from viewers realising that the robot is making the gesture and that this has been censored. Ireland: The cut UK version was IFCO G rated for consumer advice: explores themes of friendship and loss with positive resolution: 2024 Curzon cinema release (rated 16/01/2024)

Soldier Blue is a 1970 USA western by Ralph Nelson.
Starring Candice Bergen, Peter Strauss and Donald Pleasence.    

Reportedly cut in the US for an MPAA rating in 1970. These cuts have long since been forgotten and the R rated version is the best available. The film was cut for an MPAA PG rating in 1974 but the R rating was restored in 1976.

The R rated version was cut by the BBFC for X rated cinema release and 18 rated VHS. The BBFC cuts for sexual violence were waived in 2004 for 18 rated DVD releases but new cuts were required for horse falls. In 2024 further BBFC cuts were required for previously unnoticed indecent images of a child.

Summary Notes

After a cavalry group is massacred by the Cheyenne, only two survivors remain: Honus, a naive private devoted to his duty, and Cresta, a young woman who had lived with the Cheyenne two years and whose sympathies lie more with them than with the US government. Together, they must try to reach the cavalry's main base camp. As they travel onward, Honus is torn between his growing affection for Cresta, and his disgust for her anti-American beliefs. They reach the cavalry campsite on the eve of an attack on a Cheyenne village, where Honus will learn which side has really been telling him the truth.

Versions

best available run: 115m pal: 110m		US: Uncut and MPAA R rated for: 2020 Kl Studio Classics (RA) Blu-ray at US Amazon US 2006 Lions Gate R1 DVD via UK Amazon and at US Amazon There are reports that the original US R Rated version was cut to avoid an X rating in 1970. The film was cut for a PG rating in 1974 but the R rating was restored in 1976. Any such cuts have long since being forgotten though, and the current uncut US version is definitive.
cut		US: Cut for an MPAA PG rating in 1974
cut cut: run: 115:19s pal: 110:42s		UK: BBFC 18 rated for strong violence, sexual violence for strong violence, sexual violence after BBFC cuts: 2024 Studio Canal Blu-ray (rated 13/05/2024) The BBFC commented: Compulsory Cuts were required for illegal horse falls and potentially indecent images of a child.
cut cut: 6s run: 114:38s pal: 110:03s		Passed 18 after 6s of BBFC cuts with previous cuts for violence restored for: UK 2008 Optimum R2 DVD The BBFC commented: Four cuts were required to remove the presence of cruel, dangerous and illegal horse falls
total cuts cut: 28s run: 114:12s pal: 109:38s 7s distributor 23s		Passed 18 after 7s of BBFC cuts and 23s of distributor cuts for: UK 2005 Momentum R2 DVD Bizarrely the Momentum Pictures resubmission in 2005 ended up by being unnecessarily more cut than the previous version. The BBFC made the following statement: The BBFC requested 7 seconds of cuts to remove cruel horsefalls but the distributor made additional voluntary cuts of 23 seconds to remove an acceptable horsefall and part of a rape scene. These cuts were not required by the BBFC but were in line with cuts made to previous video releases.
23s cut: 23s run: 114:02s pal: 109:28s		Passed 18 after 23s of BBFC cuts for: UK 1999 BMG VHS The BBFC cuts were: The cuts as per previous Embassy version except that slightly less cut from the rape scene
cut cut: 36s run: 113:25s pal: 108:53s		Passed after 36s of BBFC cuts for: UK 1986 Embassy VHS The cuts were: Cuts are to a scene showing the rape of an Indian woman, during the massacre of the village Cuts to a shot of a naked Indian woman strung up by her wrists with blood on her breasts A horsefall has been removed
cut cut: run: pal: sub: 114:39s		Passed X (18) after BBFC cuts for: UK 1970 cinema release The BBFC cuts were: Cuts to a scene showing the rape of an Indian woman, during the massacre of the village Decapitation of indian squaw removed

The BBFC commented in a recent board meeting minutes:

BBFC Classifiers discussed a policy proposal to allow BBFC age ratings issued by self-rating partners such as Netflix to be made available for wider online use by other VoD services licensed to carry BBFC ratings. This proposal will promote greater ratings consistency across the VoD landscape, to help families make safe and informed viewing decisions.

The Classifiers approved the new policy to be implemented on a 12 month trial basis, after which the BBFC will review its impact and effectiveness.

The BBFC commented about a recent decision to uprate Mary Poppins from U to PG.

Historically rated U, the film was recently submitted for classification ahead of a 60th anniversary cinema re-release. When distributors choose to resubmit older films, the BBFC considers them under its current Classification Guidelines so that the modern rating is in line with public expectations. This means that older titles may sometimes require a higher or lower age rating than in previous years.

Viewed under the current guidelines, MARY POPPINS required a PG rating for two uses of the discriminatory term hottentot. In the film, Admiral Boom (who believes he is a naval commander in charge of a ship travelling the world) asks Michael, a child, if he is going on an adventure to defeat hottentots. Later, the character shouts We're being attacked by hottentots! after seeing a gang of chimney sweeps (who have faces blackened with soot) dancing on a rooftop. He then proceeds to launch fireworks in their direction.

At U, the guidelines state that Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly disapproved of. There is no disapproval of the language used in MARY POPPINS, and so a PG rating was required.

The decision received considerable attention from the press, both in the UK and around the world, with factual reporting as well as opinion pieces both supporting and criticising the decision. David was interviewed about the reclassification live on the BBC.

The Classifiers suggested that it might be wise in future to publish a statement on our website about any reclassification decisions that generate similar levels of media interest, to ensure that accurate information is readily available for anyone who needs it.