RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film?

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 2:59:58 PM

Shifty Bench

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quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir
I am convinced that in the early-mid 80s, when I started renting vids (through my dad) Jaws was a 15. BBFC website doesn't agree with that and subsequent ex-rental vids that I've seen also don't back that up, but I just can't shake the image of seeing a big-box Jaws with a 15 on it.

Let me play detective here. The Video Recordings Act was introduced in 1984 meaning all home video releases must have certificates. Jaws 3 was released in cinemas in 1983.It was cut to make it a PG but the 15 certificate video was released in 1987. It is either that you saw the box for Jaws 3 around that time and your memories are mixed up or your memory is screwing with you altogether

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 4:17:13 PM

Spaldron

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My Jaws dvd has a 12 on it.

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Post #: 62

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 4:31:41 PM

Shifty Bench

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Spaldron

My Jaws dvd has a 12 on it.

Yeah, that's for swearing in the special features. It should say, in small print, that the film is still a PG on the back cover

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Post #: 63

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 4:35:37 PM

MonsterCat

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Jaws should be rated 12 by it's self. It's quite bloody.

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Post #: 64

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 4:36:02 PM

jonson

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I remember when Jaws was an A.

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Post #: 65

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 4:41:07 PM

Shifty Bench

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jonson

I remember when Jaws was an A.

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Post #: 66

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 4:50:55 PM

Deviation

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jonson

I remember when Jaws was an A.

You remember?!

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Post #: 67

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 5:03:21 PM

Discodez

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jonson

I remember when Jaws was an A.

Me too

I was taken to see Jaws for my birthday, after moaning at my mum and dad all summer to see it, they eventually took me (my Birthday in January) my Dad was of the opinion it should have been an AA or an X (now who feels old?

). Think it was the fact that nearly everyone of my age, in fact everyone on the planet, had been seen it by then that persuaded him to take me in the end. I would have been 8 on that birthday......

Another story, I was waiting to watch Beverley Hills Cop at the cinema, and would have been about 15/16 at the time, with a few mates and one (or two) of us whilst hi on Kia-Ora no doubt were getting a bit lippy and sweary waiting for the film. An old couple a few seats down admonished us and told us off for our "awful language", so being the respectful young chaps we were we cut out the language and quietened down... Then Eddie Murphy comes on screen, and says mother-fucker about ten times in the first few minutes! Needless to say the old couple left!

The difference between a 15 and an 18 these days defintley seems to be context, something that is real world or could easily be copied gets an 18 usually. Which is why something like "Funny Games", gets an 18, even though the actual on screen violence/gore is really quite tame compared to some films.

As for a nomination for a 15 that should be higher? I'd say the BBFC seems to get it pretty much right these days and I really can't think of a film where I've thought, that's a bit naughty for a 15!

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Post #: 68

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 5:20:14 PM

MovieAddict247

Posts: 3359
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What about 18s that seem tame in comparison?

sex, lies and videotape is an 18 here, and personally, I can't see why. The sex and language in the film are nowhere near as strong as the violence and language in other films like Kick Ass which get a lower rating. Is it more the setting and context of the content that gets it a higher rating? So is it more acceptable for comedy, but not for drama?

Robert Altman said something about one of his films (I think Gosford Park?) along the lines of "I put in swear words to raise the classification, just so the right audience go to see it". In other words, if its a 15 more adults will go and see it, and there aren't as many kids in the audience. And in the same way, lowering the classification for films like Kick Ass, making it a 15, gives you a larger audience.

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Post #: 69

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 5:46:38 PM

Taizy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: vader100

quote:

ORIGINAL: Taizy

Pans Labyrinth. I'm squeamish at the best of times but one of the opening scenes to a film has a shot of a man having his face bottled nearly made me just go and ask for my money back and spend it on jelly beans instead. I used to say I couldn't watch 18 cert films in case of goriness but after this (and The Town, great film but would be my number 2 for 'strongest' 15) I might have to stick with nice, gentle 'moderate violence, adult themes and sustained peril' 12A's

Blimey, man up.

I can handle the language, just the violence/gore that gets me. As I'm female I'll probably decline your advice though

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Post #: 70

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 8:28:52 PM

Coyleone

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Joined: 13/10/2008

30 Days Of Night is definitely up there, the beheading nearer the end is seriously fucked up but awesome. There are other things aswell though.

Black Swan was also pretty strong for a 15.

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Post #: 71

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 8:56:15 PM

Super Hans

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I've just thought of possibly the mildest 15 I've seen in recent years: Die Hard 4. There's no way that film should have been a 15. From what I remmember, there were no F-bombs, no strong violence and the violence it did contain, I seem to remember it was pretty bloodless. I remain convinced that they deliberately put something very subtle in there to get that certificate - seem to remember there being a lot of bad word about it being toned down so much before it was released. If ever a film could benefit from not being a 12A, it's a Die Hard film.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 9:07:42 PM

Shifty Bench

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I think the scene were McClane beats on Maggie Q made it a 15.

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Post #: 73

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 11:36:40 PM

Spaldron

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Die Hard 4 was a 12A. Your confusing the theatrical with the uncut version.

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Post #: 74

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 11:40:44 PM

MonsterCat

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Joined: 24/3/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Spaldron

Die Hard 4 was a 12A. Your confusing the theatrical with the uncut version.

Nope. It was 15.

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Post #: 75

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 3/5/2011 11:44:37 PM

Shifty Bench

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Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spaldron

Die Hard 4 was a 12A. Your confusing the theatrical with the uncut version.

Both versions were 15s- http://www.bbfc.co.uk/search?searchwhere=db&q=die+hard+4

< Message edited by Shifty Bench -- 3/5/2011 11:45:25 PM >

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ORIGINAL: matty_b
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Post #: 76

RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 9:47:33 AM

horribleives

Posts: 4183
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quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir
I am convinced that in the early-mid 80s, when I started renting vids (through my dad) Jaws was a 15. BBFC website doesn't agree with that and subsequent ex-rental vids that I've seen also don't back that up, but I just can't shake the image of seeing a big-box Jaws with a 15 on it.

You sure it wasn't the late '80? I'm pretty sure Jaws:The Revenge was a 15.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 10:13:04 AM

jackcarter

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Die Hard 4 was a PG13 (12) in the US but a 15 in the UK...theres the unrated one with more F bombs and CG blood which is R (15/18) in the US and still a 15 in UK

it was the same for AvP ...plus the R rated Terminator 4 Directors Cut (although that was still a 12 in UK)

What about Terminator 1....originally 18 at cinemas and vhs but 15 on dvd (so maybe thats the strongest 15 film?)

also Star Trek II was PG at cinemas but a 15 on vhs before sensibly being made a 12 on dvd

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 12:40:09 PM

great_badir

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RE Jaws 15 on video - it's definitely not Jaws 4. It could have been Jaws 3, but I'm sure the cover was the original...I'm probably just being mental.

By the BBFC's own admission, swearing does not generally have any part of the rating beyond 15 (think South Park), and has not since the very late 90s/early 00s, with the exception being the c-bomb - time was they allowed one cunt and any more than that automatically made it an 18 (I can't remember what film it was for, but there's a DVD commentary where the writer/director said he had two cunts in the original film and he was aiming for a 15, but the BBFC told him they would have to make it an 18 unless he dropped one of the cunts, which he did and it came out as a 15), but now I think it might be two or three cunts. Otherwise you can drop the f-bomb as many times as you want and that alone will not secure an 18.

I don't think I've ever written cunt so many times in one paragraph.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 12:41:08 PM

great_badir

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jackcarter
What about Terminator 1....originally 18 at cinemas and vhs but 15 on dvd (so maybe thats the strongest 15 film?)

The Terminator seems quite tame these days, even for a 15.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 1:34:01 PM

jackcarter

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maybe it should get downgraded again to a 12 like T3 and T4

T1 scared the crap out of me when i first saw it so i always thought the 18 was fully justified

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 4:11:17 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14570
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quote:

ORIGINAL: jackcarter
also Star Trek II was PG at cinemas but a 15 on vhs before sensibly being made a 12 on dvd

It was cut to be a PG but the 'uncut' version was a 15 as there was no 12 certificate at the time. It was cut PG or 15 back in the 80s.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Great_Badir

By the BBFC's own admission, swearing does not generally have any part of the rating beyond 15 (think South Park), and has not since the very late 90s/early 00s, with the exception being the c-bomb - time was they allowed one cunt and any more than that automatically made it an 18 (I can't remember what film it was for, but there's a DVD commentary where the writer/director said he had two cunts in the original film and he was aiming for a 15, but the BBFC told him they would have to make it an 18 unless he dropped one of the cunts, which he did and it came out as a 15), but now I think it might be two or three cunts. Otherwise you can drop the f-bomb as many times as you want and that alone will not secure an 18.

Again, it really depends on the context. If it it said in an aggresive manner it's an automatic 18. Hot Fuzz has it as a spoken word and a written word (it's seen twice, close-up, I think) and it was given a 15 yet the blu ray is an 18 for uses of the word in a special feature.. And as I said earlier, Boys On The Side has been a 15 for the past 16 years and has over a dozen uses of the word. It is allowed as none of the uses are used in an aggresive way.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 4:19:44 PM

Spaldron

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quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

quote:

ORIGINAL: jackcarter
What about Terminator 1....originally 18 at cinemas and vhs but 15 on dvd (so maybe thats the strongest 15 film?)

The Terminator seems quite tame these days, even for a 15.

Seriously? You mean The Terminator with its several f-bombs, countless bloody shots and squibs and Arnie gouging out his eyeball?

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 4:23:28 PM

lukeyboy

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As a kid I only ever remember being truly shocked/affected by bloody violence and gore and therefore think any movie with serious amounts of bloodletting and the like should be rated 18 not 15. Braveheart immediately springs to mind but I think that should be rated 18 due to Mel Gibson's accent and the films historical innaccuracy more than anything........

Seriously though, Braveheart, Gladiator and anyone of the Final Destinations/Saw movies that wasn't rated 18 (I forget which ones were as there's so bleeding many of them) should all be rated 18. Anthing with gratuitous sex in it should be rated U or PG because it's great and I said so!

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 4/5/2011 7:19:58 PM

juanvasquez

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Spaldron

quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

quote:

ORIGINAL: jackcarter
What about Terminator 1....originally 18 at cinemas and vhs but 15 on dvd (so maybe thats the strongest 15 film?)

The Terminator seems quite tame these days, even for a 15.

Seriously? You mean The Terminator with its several f-bombs, countless bloody shots and squibs and Arnie gouging out his eyeball?

Not to mention the sexings.

Shaun of the Dead is pretty bloody and sweary for a 15. As is the Expendables. If it wasn't for a 2 second cut, it would have been an 18 at the pictures.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 5/5/2011 1:21:07 AM

swordsandsandals

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Rewatching Back to the Future recently I was surprised to find 'shit' and 'bastard' in a PG. Just didn't seem right.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 5/5/2011 1:33:12 AM

MonsterCat

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quote:

ORIGINAL: swordsandsandals

Rewatching Back to the Future recently I was surprised to find 'shit' and 'bastard' in a PG. Just didn't seem right.

Those words are quite mild, though.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 6/5/2011 11:11:19 AM

jollypiratedonuts

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quote:

ORIGINAL: lukeyboy

Seriously though, Braveheart, Gladiator and anyone of the Final Destinations/Saw movies that wasn't rated 18 (I forget which ones were as there's so bleeding many of them) should all be rated 18.

All the Saws are 18 and all the Final Destinations are 15. Saw V was very close to a 15 though IMO.

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 6/5/2011 1:10:46 PM

great_badir

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Compared to the current endless glut of teen slasher pics, which routinely get 15s, yeah I think The Terminator is quite mild.

< Message edited by great_badir -- 6/5/2011 1:11:06 PM >

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RE: The Strongest 15 Certificate Film? - 6/5/2011 1:21:35 PM

clownfoot

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Now, my mind may be fucking with me, but I'm pretty sure when I saw Starship Troopers on it's original cinema release it was only a 15. Can anyone clarify?

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