Paranoia Agent edited...

[Tora-chan]

This just came up on the BBFC website concerning volume 3 of Paranoia Agent:

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classi...3?OpenDocument

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To obtain this category cuts of 1m 20s were required. The cuts were Compulsory.
Cuts required (on potential harm grounds) to the sight of a child attempting to hang herself, and accompanying subtitles

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This seems a little over then top, especially considering that a show like Lain was only passed a 12 with a schoolgirl jumping off a building. Might be worth e-mailing them asking them to consider this comparison.

Thoughts?

[quenelf]

[ QUOTE ]
To obtain this category cuts of 1m 20s were required. The cuts were Compulsory.
Cuts required (on potential harm grounds) to the sight of a child attempting to hang herself, and accompanying subtitles

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF? That's really disturbing. I certainly understand that it's a violent show and deserves the 18 rating, but censorship beyond that seems out of order.

Are they not allowed to show pictures of anyone attempting to commit suicide? I can't see why the fact that it's a child doing it should make any difference (given that it's 18 rated).

[ QUOTE ]

This seems a little over then top, especially considering that a show like Lain was only passed a 12 with a schoolgirl jumping off a building. Might be worth e-mailing them asking them to consider this comparison.


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If you wanted to attempt to get this changed I would recommend:

1) (vital) Somebody actually reads the relevant law (they mentioned it) to check whether it does definitely apply to that sequence. If it does there's no point bothering to complain (except to your MP).

2) Somebody gets in touch with MVM to see if they have any plans to object/appeal/whatever (doubt it).

3) Then maybe write a letter.

I think it's absolutely a lost cause, though. (Unless somebody knows like a journalist who'd be interested in bringing up the issue in some more general way... I don't know if there's a story there though.)

I don't remember the episode but that sounds like it could be a significant cut, of a key scene... for those who are serious fans of the series I'd recommend obtaining this particular volume from the US. Really sucks since, on this occasion, it's not MVM's fault (i.e. not like they were trying to keep it 15 though offered an 18).

Of course the same thing has happened many times to violent live-action movies that were slightly cut in the UK even though given an 18 rating. I thought the incidence of that was lessening, but maybe I'm wrong.

--quen

[demonanya]

[ QUOTE ]
Tora-chan said:


Thoughts?

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My thoughts, buy the R1 version of the volume as it isn't cut.

/dons flame retardant jacket

[Tora-chan]

I sent the BBFC a 500+ word e-mail.

I was polite, so I'll see if i get a response. [img]/images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif[/img]

[Exelion]

Not worth emailing them at all, most cuts like this would of been reviewed by several examiners, they know what they are doing and they know the law. Mentioning another show won't change their minds.


I would also like to point that I had the pleasure of meeting a BBFC examiner at University last year and a couple of interesting points came up, on the comparison with Lain not everything which has been passed uncut the last time it was classified by the BBFC will pass uncut the next time it needs classifying. The example that was given was (and for the life of me I can not remember the name of the movie) a scene in a arthouse film where the directors son has sex for the first time, in the film, at the time of the original release this wasn't a problem and was passed uncut. When the movie came to be certificated for DVD release many years later this movie required cuts due to the current public fears of underage sex and child pornography.


Also it should be pointed out that in the episode in the PA agent in question does show a person how to hang themselves (as well as other forms of suicide), and there are numerous live action movies, TV shows with similar sequences, or other forms of potentially harmfull sequences which are cut each year.

[shokoti]

That explains the delay to April then. [img]/images/graemlins/depresse.gif[/img]

It's probably worth noting (since a lot of UK reviewers read these forums) that the check discs for this volume sent out in February are uncut, so you won't notice anything odd while watching. When I first read this I wondered why I didn't notice when I was reviewing it.

It's a real shame as this is an awesome series and it deserves the best release possible. But I very much doubt anyone will be able to do anything about the cuts, even if the BBFC reversed their decision it would probably be way too expensive for MVM to repress it. And I doubt the BBFC would change a decision anyway. The only time I can think of them doing that in recent memory was reclassifying Spider-Man as 12A when it was introduced as a result of the uproar from parents over the original 12 rating.

[Tora-chan]

[ QUOTE ]
Exelion said:
Not worth emailing them at all, most cuts like this would of been reviewed by several examiners, they know what they are doing and they know the law. Mentioning another show won't change their minds.


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I'm not expecting them to change their decision (I even said that in the e-mail, that's how polite I was!), but a fuller explanation would be nice.

They're a public service, so as I can I might as well vent my opinion. [img]/images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif[/img] (it only takes about 25 complaints to get an advert banned for example, that has nothing to do with the BBFC, I know!) Just so they know I'm watching them... *gives them the evil eye* [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[ic14]

As i said over on eyeonanime, its not the hanging itself thats bad, its the context of it. If its slightly humorurs in anyway (and going by what you said on there Tora, it is, in a blackhumor sorta way) then it has to get the snip.

Still, it should of got by with a 18 and a warning on the front, but thems the breaks.

[ic14]

[ QUOTE ]
Demonanya said:
My thoughts, buy the R1 version of the volume as it isn't cut.

/dons flame retardant jacket

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Plus it has better video, eh?

[img]/images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif[/img]

At least you said that one volume, unlike a user on eyeonanime who used to be well known round here....

[Damo]

[ QUOTE ]
IanC said:
As i said over on eyeonanime, its not the hanging itself thats bad, its the context of it. If its slightly humorurs in anyway (and going by what you said on there Tora, it is, in a blackhumor sorta way) then it has to get the snip.


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It may also be the context of how they met, the young girl and the two older guys met via internet chatrooms, and there are always fears about the dangers of chatrooms circulating in the media. paranoia agent in a black humour way also may touch upon those fears in the context ofthe show leading to a suicide pact.