Thursday 25 August 2011

25.8.11 Film Censors

I own a reasonably large collection of DVDs.  There's a bit of everything, so it's handy for catering for any occasion, age group, persuasion, genre or specific requirement.  What's strange, though, is the information noted on the boxes regarding the nature of the content.  Clearly we're all aware of the classifications, ie. 18, 15, PG, U etc. but I suspect you'll not be entirely aware of the words used to inform viewers of the content of a film.  Here are some of the various 'warnings' detailed on the covers.  What's amazing is that even Disney films, and middle-of-the-road films like Flashdance have alarming advice.  Some are just funny!
The struggle is understanding what type of language is classified as 'mild' rather than 'strong' or even 'very strong'.  What's 'strong' sex, as opposed to 'mild sex'?

After the word "Contains", there are various additions, on the films I have, as follows:

Strong language, bloody injury and disturbing images
Mild language and comic fight scenes
Mild comic violence and threat
Strong violence, moderate sex references and surgical detail
Moderate horror and action adventure violence
[Does that mean certain rioters recently suggested swashbuckling their fucking way to the loot?]
Strong sustained threat, humiliation and violence
Emotionally intense scenes
One scene of sexual violence and brief strong nudity
[What's strong nudity?  You're fucking nude or you're not!]
Mild violence and innuendo
Strong bloody horror, violence and gore
One use of strong language and a moderate scene of injury
Strong real sex and strobing effect
[As opposed to 'stroking' effect]
Strong violence and extended scene of torture
Moderate comic sex references
Mild martial arts action
Strong language and moderate sexual assault
[What's moderate sexual assault?  A flick to the cunt?]
Child murder theme, disturbing scenes and moderate violence
One use of strong language, moderate violence and mature theme
[What's a mature theme??]
Moderate and comic wrestling violence
Strong language, psychological horror and images of surgery
Moderate violence and fatalities
One instance of Mild Peril
Strong language and one gory image
Strong bloody violence and terrorisation
Very strong sexualised gore
[What's that when it's at home?]
Strong language, some very strong, and drug use
Sustained strong menace
Strong fetishistic sex and violence
Mild war violence
[I would have thought that war is reasonably violent]

These descriptions of film content are laughable!

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