Tales of Bus Fares and Film Certificates
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
About time for another blog entry I feel, something today specifically focused on the lovely new changes made by the BBFC (film classification company in Britain) and the First bus company in Bristol, England.
A few months back I watched one of this year's greatest films, Batman Begins. I thoroughly enjoyed the feature and plan to see it again with my girlfriend at a local IMAX theatre. However, during the more violent and scary aspects of the film my thoughts debated the choice of certification. In Britain, Batman Begins has been rated with the fairly recently created 12A certificate (after the Spider-man violence debacle).
This means that a six year old would be allowed in to watch this film. A nagging child desperately wanting to see the latest super hero flick would be the most likely candidate. However, if I were a parent there would be some scenes I would just not want my child to see. For instance the scarecrow and drug induced hallucinations. Most of the violence and battle scenes consisted mostly of quick camera changes and flashes and these didn't bother me. It was more the frightening aspects and themes that some of my twenty something friends were afraid of that bothered me. Introducing drug induced paranoia and scary hallucinations to a young child could really scar(e) them and keep them up at night. I questioned why a simple 12 rating was not used, anyone over the age of 12 would love this movie. Had this film been released in the early nineties a 15 certificate would be guaranteed.
I have now returned from seeing the latest War of the Worlds adaptation by Spielberg. There were no violent scenes, bad language or sex acts in this movie and there were fantastic special effects, combine this with Spielberg and a 12A rating and you'd think this would be a perfect movie for a group of eight year old's and a birthday party. In fact it was a similar combination that led me to take my girlfriend on a date to see this flick. We settled down with our Fanta and chocolate buttons hoping for another fantastic summer blockbuster. We were gravely disappointed (the ending... seriously wtf, Spielberg you douche). I'd read interviews that talked about how 'berg would concentrate on the human and dramatic aspects of an alien invasion and he did exactly that. There may be some spoilers below, so don't read on if you are afraid of me ruining moments. Dysfunctional families, a lazy yet loving father, distraught children faced with death on a massive scale, images of multiple dead bodies flowing down a river, humans being turned to dust, crazy lunatic hitch hikers frantically attacking the only working car resulting in gun shots and murder, insanity and murder for survival, booming sirens and shuddersome aliens, humans being ground into fertilizer and sprayed across fields, complete hopelessness, fear and death. These were the themes of the movie that were incredibly realistic and terrifying, such that my twenty year old date cowered behind her hands for much of the second half of the movie. I was shocked at the brutal reality of parts of the movie and if this was the aim of Spielberg then I applaud him in his success (although all those narrow escapes were ridiculous). Once again my thoughts turned to the rating of this movie. It was 12A. If I were a parent there would be no way I would ever let my son or daughter watch this movie, even if they were over 12. The themes in this motion picture are simply things an eight year old should not be confronted with in the search for entertainment. What were the BBFC thinking? A film certificate should be a guide to parents and in this country also a governed restriction. Five years ago this movie would have been a 15 or even 18 certificate yet today a six year old can see this with his ignorant misinformed parents. By the time I am a parent I'm going to have to watch all the films they might want to see beforehand just in case they are not suitable. Whatever happened to standards?
BBFC and the 12A certificate
Moving on, to another note entirely. Today I travelled into Bristol city centre to enjoy the day in town. In lacking means of transportation we decided to take the "First" bus (badger line). It used to cost £3 for a single during rush hour and £2 off peak. However since June 28th prices have gone up. Now off peak travel costs us £3.60 each and a massive £5 return. A 40 minute bus journey into town and back for two costs us £10. Comparing this to the bus I take to university which takes 50 minutes and costs £1.80 return (each) during peak periods and the coach tickets to London (return) that cost £16.50 then you see that this price is extortionate. Where a short trip to the next suburb used to cost £1 it now costs three. No wonder people don't want to use public transport.
I'm done, stick a fork in me. (Why doesn't blogger create £ signs without the annoying A-hat before it?)
A few months back I watched one of this year's greatest films, Batman Begins. I thoroughly enjoyed the feature and plan to see it again with my girlfriend at a local IMAX theatre. However, during the more violent and scary aspects of the film my thoughts debated the choice of certification. In Britain, Batman Begins has been rated with the fairly recently created 12A certificate (after the Spider-man violence debacle).
Children under the age of 12 will be able to see a '12A' film at the cinema if they are accompanied by a person of 18 years or over. The adult must watch the film with the child or children and not just pay for the ticket.
This means that a six year old would be allowed in to watch this film. A nagging child desperately wanting to see the latest super hero flick would be the most likely candidate. However, if I were a parent there would be some scenes I would just not want my child to see. For instance the scarecrow and drug induced hallucinations. Most of the violence and battle scenes consisted mostly of quick camera changes and flashes and these didn't bother me. It was more the frightening aspects and themes that some of my twenty something friends were afraid of that bothered me. Introducing drug induced paranoia and scary hallucinations to a young child could really scar(e) them and keep them up at night. I questioned why a simple 12 rating was not used, anyone over the age of 12 would love this movie. Had this film been released in the early nineties a 15 certificate would be guaranteed.
I have now returned from seeing the latest War of the Worlds adaptation by Spielberg. There were no violent scenes, bad language or sex acts in this movie and there were fantastic special effects, combine this with Spielberg and a 12A rating and you'd think this would be a perfect movie for a group of eight year old's and a birthday party. In fact it was a similar combination that led me to take my girlfriend on a date to see this flick. We settled down with our Fanta and chocolate buttons hoping for another fantastic summer blockbuster. We were gravely disappointed (the ending... seriously wtf, Spielberg you douche). I'd read interviews that talked about how 'berg would concentrate on the human and dramatic aspects of an alien invasion and he did exactly that. There may be some spoilers below, so don't read on if you are afraid of me ruining moments. Dysfunctional families, a lazy yet loving father, distraught children faced with death on a massive scale, images of multiple dead bodies flowing down a river, humans being turned to dust, crazy lunatic hitch hikers frantically attacking the only working car resulting in gun shots and murder, insanity and murder for survival, booming sirens and shuddersome aliens, humans being ground into fertilizer and sprayed across fields, complete hopelessness, fear and death. These were the themes of the movie that were incredibly realistic and terrifying, such that my twenty year old date cowered behind her hands for much of the second half of the movie. I was shocked at the brutal reality of parts of the movie and if this was the aim of Spielberg then I applaud him in his success (although all those narrow escapes were ridiculous). Once again my thoughts turned to the rating of this movie. It was 12A. If I were a parent there would be no way I would ever let my son or daughter watch this movie, even if they were over 12. The themes in this motion picture are simply things an eight year old should not be confronted with in the search for entertainment. What were the BBFC thinking? A film certificate should be a guide to parents and in this country also a governed restriction. Five years ago this movie would have been a 15 or even 18 certificate yet today a six year old can see this with his ignorant misinformed parents. By the time I am a parent I'm going to have to watch all the films they might want to see beforehand just in case they are not suitable. Whatever happened to standards?
BBFC and the 12A certificate
Moving on, to another note entirely. Today I travelled into Bristol city centre to enjoy the day in town. In lacking means of transportation we decided to take the "First" bus (badger line). It used to cost £3 for a single during rush hour and £2 off peak. However since June 28th prices have gone up. Now off peak travel costs us £3.60 each and a massive £5 return. A 40 minute bus journey into town and back for two costs us £10. Comparing this to the bus I take to university which takes 50 minutes and costs £1.80 return (each) during peak periods and the coach tickets to London (return) that cost £16.50 then you see that this price is extortionate. Where a short trip to the next suburb used to cost £1 it now costs three. No wonder people don't want to use public transport.
I'm done, stick a fork in me. (Why doesn't blogger create £ signs without the annoying A-hat before it?)
Labels: Life
Posted by FofR
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