'The Woman in Black' has three times 'Black Swan' BBFC complaints
Published Jul 12 2012, 14:00 BST | By Mayer Nissim
The Woman in Black has been reported to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) 120 times this year.This is already three times the amount of reports for last year's most complained-about film, Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan.
The Woman in Black was the first post-Harry Potter role for actor Daniel Radcliffe, and was rated 12A by the BBFC after being cut by six seconds and having sound levels reduced and scenes darkened.
"The main gist of the complaints was that people felt it was too scary for a 12A," The Daily Telegraph quotes a BBFC spokeswoman as saying.
"People have certain expectations about films with Daniel Radcliffe in them."
She added that the BBFC always provides detailed information about the reasons for its classifications and descriptions of plot points and scenes.
On its release, the BBFC explained that The Woman in Black was "just too intense, too scary for 12A" and had originally been given a 15 certificate before cuts were agreed with the distributor.
Radcliffe himself said that children under the age of 12 "really shouldn't see this film", warning parents that it was "genuinely frightening and might buy you a couple of nights of a sleepless child".
The BBFC noted that the 40 complaints for Black Swan were "proportionately very small indeed" given the amount of people who viewed the Oscar-winning film.
The board's annual report confirmed that the "standout issue" in most complaints was a lesbian oral sex scene.
"While the scene is visually discreet, narratively justified and within the 15 Guidelines criteria, some correspondents felt it was pornographic in nature."
It continued: "That it was a sex scene between two women was an aggravating factor for some who argued that portrayals of homosexual activity should either be restricted to the 18 category, or not shown at all.
"However, the BBFC, in line with broad public opinion, applies the same standards to portrayals of sexual activity, regardless of sexual orientation."
The report also noted that some complainants "had expected to see a film about ballet rather than the story of a young woman's mental disintegration".
Watch the trailer for The Woman in Black below:
The Woman in Black was a beautifully made film: the scenery, costumes, sets, acting, music... is was worth watching. They advertaised it as a scary film, but it was a more like one of the old horror scary movies, and personally I loved it, I think it was about time a film like this was made again, and by Hammer no less. So I don't understand these complaints, it's stupid to think than because Radcliffe is in it it's suitable for kids, that's just so close minded, he is an actor and has played in all kind of roles already.
July 17th 2012 at 9:49pm
acually took my 11 year old to see it along with hubby, as I had acted in the play as a child. none of us thought it was scary. it was disturbing in places but the 1st scene were the girls jump from the window and the mother can be heard screaming "my babies" had my daughter laughing out loud. My daughter is an avid movie watcher and knows what she likes and did not have any problems sleeping after watching this. My hubby thought the ending sucked as he felt there wasnt one. Havent deen black swan as it didnt apeal to me, though the people who complained that they thought it would be a movie about ballet should really read reviews.
July 12th 2012 at 11:24pm
pathetic people complaining because it was a LESBIAN oral sex scene, because that is so much worse than a regular oral sex scene
July 12th 2012 at 11:02pm(+1 like)
"Thought it was too scary for a 12a"... I didn't find it scary, but then again I'm not 12. -.-
July 12th 2012 at 7:43pm
I saw the woman in black and I thought It was utter tripe.
July 12th 2012 at 5:15pm