Page 1 of Censorship

HI all
I read in the paper that the bbfc is looking at abandoning the certification scheme, if so will this mean we will be able to purchase R1 discs at our own local shops instead of sending abroad?
Roy

Hi Royd,

No it doesn`t unfortunately. It`s still is and will be illegal under current laws for retailers to sell R1 discs, whilst it`s still ok to buy R1`s for personal import/viewing from E-tailers.

I guess somebody on the forum may have a better handle on this than me but the little I have learned so far is that the BBFC are considering removing or at least relaxing 12 and 15 certificates and going for a more parent goverend scheme where the 12 and 15 are advisory only and it`s up to parents to decide whether content is suitable or not for their kids.

I believe the 18 certificate will remain as it is now, ie enforced by BBFC and the relevant legislation.

Hope this of some help, and if someone with a better understanding can add to or correct any mistakes in the above then please feel free.

Cheers

Chris

This only has a slight connection, but...

I went to Florida last year and the US cinema rules are very lax. l saw some man take four kids aged six to ten in with him to watch SHAFT!

(l watched MI:2 which sucks big time compared to Mission:Impossible)

The TV series?

Why does nobody agknowledge that these days, it is so much better than either of the films. Yup.

Aye.

--rant begins--

AFAIK, the censorship situation in the US changed during the Reagan administration (probably the old fart got the idea from TBW and her accursed Video Recordings Act 1984), but prior to then the whole film certification thing had been very free - almost non-existent.

The MPAA (that funny elliptical world and film reel logo at the end of all movies) were given the job of sorting out a film certification system that has evolved into the modern mess. Like the UK with U, PG, 12, 15 and 18, the Yanks got G, GP (aka PG), PG-13, M, NC-17 and R. I think M might be defunct. Anyway, of these ratings, only NC-17 and R mean kiddiwinkies can`t get in to see them. All the others, kids can get in with parental consent or accompaniment (like the old A rating here).

The latest idea from the BBFC is to bring this "parental consent" idea into the 12 and 15 rating to put the onus back on parents who should know what they`re kids are watching. Personally I think it`s high time we made people responsible for what they or their damn offspring watch and stopped passing the buck to some faceless bureaucrats in Soho. If OFCOM does come about, I hope they take on some of these considerations rather than making another gravy-train existence for a bunch of folk who think they`re more socially sophisticated than the rest of us.

--rant ends--