12A + R18 = Huh?: A Guide To BBFC Classifications

For the two people who read this, here's a brief primer on the BBFC classification system.  (For anyone in the UK who happens to drop in, have some tea and biscuits and we'll get back to the important stuff in a little while.  And save me a cup of that tea, I could do with a spot myself.)

Originally, the BBFC had only two classes: U for Universal and A for Adult.  Either way, they were just an advisory, with no restrictions on admissions.  These stood from 1913 until 1932, when another classification was added: H for Horror!  78 years later, I think this one should be added to our ratings system here, make the admission the same as that of an NC-17 film, and finally get an uncut release of Murder-Set-Pieces.  Anyway, in 1951 they changed H for Horror to X for No One Under 16 Permitted, Kid, Get The Bloody Hell Out Of Here, the first rating that restricted admission based on age.  In 1970, A stood for Advisory, AA stood for No One Under 14, and X stood for I Don't Care If You're 17 Now, You Gotta Be 18 To See This Picture!

If this is confusing, don't worry, it just gets more complicated.

In 1982, there's U, PG (Parental Guidance, of course), and now three age-restricted categories: 15, 18, and R18.  The R is for Restricted, because (being, you know, classy and polite) P for Porno was a little too lowbrow.

All that above only applied to films released in theatres.  Here is a statement from the BBFC itself regarding the advent of the VCR and the insurgence of exploitation films on video:

"At the time there was no formal requirement that videos should be classified by the BBFC, with the result that a number of small and enterprising companies exploited the loophole by releasing strong horror films onto the video market without submitting them to the BBFC. Not only did the lack of video classification mean that material that had been cut or rejected by the BBFC (or which would not have been classified by the BBFC) was freely available. It also meant that such material was available to persons of all ages, including children."

The above quote is taken from an article relating to the classification of Cannibal Holocaust on the SBBFC website, a BBFC resource for film students.  The language strikes me as contradictory, stating that there was no requirement to submit films for video, then calling the lack of regulation a "loophole".  A lack of regulation isn't a loophole, it's a lack of regulation.  Loophole implies that laws were already in place and they found a way around them.  But I digress.

I have seen Cannibal Holocaust, and I strongly agree with the BBFC that the film should not be available to children.  Watching the film is an upsetting experience, even for an adult, and a child exposed to it would undoubtedly be traumatized.  When the film was finally submitted for a formal classification in 2001, it was passed with an 18 and had nearly six minutes cut from the running time.  We'll explore what those cuts were and why they were made in detail later, but I think it is also important to acknowledge that the BBFC saw that the film, while despicable and disturbing in many ways, also has something to say, and a film that brings across the message in as strong a manner as Cannibal Holocaust is nearly impossible to ignore, whether you appreciate the film itself or not.

So in 1985 the classifications were revised again to include video as well as film, with some films being cut more for a video release due to home viewing being a more accessible arena for the young.  The only addition to the ratings was the Uc for Universal particularly suited for young Children.  This has since been discontinued.  The 12 was added in 1989 (No One Under 12 Admitted), and the 12A in 2002 (Under 12 Admitted With Adult Supervision).

That's the history.  To sum up, here's what the classifications are as of today:

U (Babes In Toyland)
PG (Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure)
12 (Sweet November)
12A (Something's Gotta Give)
15 (Speed)
18 (My Own Private Idaho)
R18 (Pizza Boy Gangbang, which does not feature Keanu Reeves.  Unfortunately.)

Few of the films on the list of Video Nasties has been released with a certificate lower than 18, often requiring cuts to achieve even that.  Hopefully this leaves you a little less lost when the subject of certificates is broached.  Until next time, I'll be here waiting for you if you need me.  Because my name's Justin.  JustinCase.