BBFC (British Board of Film Classification)

Says the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification): "Parents would like to calibrate parental controls to filter out inappropriate music video content for their children and we look forward to working with the Digital Service Providers to incorporate these findings into the way age ratings and BBFC insight is presented on their platforms. Non-UK label artists wanting to submit music videos for an age rating and further digital service providers wishing to display them are also welcome to help broaden the coverage of age ratings for online music video content in the UK."


We recently watched a screening of the 1987 fantasy comedy adventure film The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner and written by William Goldman (adapted from his own novel), starring Cary Elwes (the guy who cuts his foot off at the end of Saw), Mandy Patinkin (Saul from Homeland), and Robin Wright (at different points married to Sean Penn and Forrest Gump).


After the screening, we were treated to a talk from a BBFC film classifier. He fondly recalled watching The Princess Bride in the cinema on its initial release. He enjoyed it just as much now, a testament to its timeless value and Toy Story-like appeal to audiences of all ages. He told us all about how films get given age ratings, based on their levels of bad language, sexual content, and violence. According to their website, the factors the BBFC weigh in on in classifying a film are as follows: "discrimination, drugs, horror, imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, sexual violence, theme and violence."


Using The Princess Bride as an example, he told us it was rated PG as it contains some mild gore and inappropriate language to the tune of "son of a bitch," so it could not be rated U, however it is on the whole family-friendly, so it was certified PG. The ratings system was different in the 1980s, as they didn't have the diversity now allowed by U, PG, 12A, 12, 15, 18 and R18, so a PG film could get away with a lot more then than it can now. However, the man explained that The Princess Bride was given a re-evaluation by the BBFC to determine whether or not it needed a higher rating now that 12A is available, but they ultimately decided the original PG rating was still fitting.