BBFC Ratings

[FuzzyLogic]

No idea why I feel compelled to post this, probably know the answer already, with the bbfc becoming more relaxed over the years, but something did make me wonder today.

I was watching the Stargate movie and decided that it might be a good idea to buy the sg-1 box sets (it's a series I enjoy and can watch repeatedly, so sue me ) and when I looked it up on play, there was a distinct 18 rating on the box, spotting that it's just the first disc, I assume it must be the pilot that has it, and I was right, Children of the Gods is rated 18 either for infrequent mild language, or one strong (sexual?) scene of violence, given the number of fights in it and not having seen it for so long I don't remember the scene it's on about. It's not like it really bothers me, but something clicked in my head at the thought of it having the 18 rating...

I saw Land of the dead just two days back, and it was gory, and violent, but no sex, and it was given a 15 rating. It just struck me as a bit odd that Stargate of all shows was given a higher rating than a George Romero zombie film.

Is it me or did some horror fans rate that movie?

 

[Uriel]

Hmmm, are you sure the version you originally saw wasn't rated PG? From the link you provided it looks like there was a second cut of the episode which came out two years after the original release and which contained the scene of strong sexual violence.

As for the logic behind classification... violence against non-human entities zombies, orcs, aliens etc. is usually a lot less likely to attract a restrictive category, which is probably why so many films are now made with CGI monsters as the cannon fodder.

Excessively strong language, explicit sex, drug use and violence against people, particularly vulnerable people, is likely to attract an 18.

Not having seen the episode in question I can only guess the 18 version has a rape scene in it which pretty much guarantees an 18 cert (it's not like there's going to be any kind of mitigating context). Particularly since the series is typically aimed at children/teenagers.

 

[FuzzyLogic]

Aye probably, the sg-1 cut must be a new'un I haven't seen, though a rape scene or something similar in sg-1 really seem out of character for the show.

But still, Land of the Dead might use models etc, but those are still realistic looking people having realistic looking guts ripped out of them, no aliens or bad cg there

 

[nath]

Plus in the zombie films there are always victims getting ripped apart.

Sex has always been worse than violence as far as censors are concerned - it's a bit silly.