Finally! An “Uproar” I Can Get Behind! Sort Of! Maybe! Well… Just A Little!
I absolutely adore The Dark Knight. There’s definitely no getting around that. The film of the Summer and quite possibly the year, in my humble opinion (check out my review here!) but did I walk out of every screening I’ve encountered so far shaking my head at the thought that this particular movie has been given a UK rating of 12A? Yes siree! From the IMDB:
The decision of the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) to issue a “12A” rating to The Dark Knight that allows it to be seen by children 12 and under if accompanied by a parent has been denounced by members of both the Conservative and Labor parties. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith wrote that he was “astonished” by the “relentlessly violent” nature of the film when he went to see it with his 15-year-old daughter. “Unlike past Batman films, where the villains were somewhat surreal and comical figures, Heath Ledger’s Joker is a brilliantly acted but very credible psychopathic killer, who extols the use of knives to kill and disfigure his victims during a reign of urban terrorism laced with torture,” he remarked. Labor MP Keith Vaz, commented, “The BBFC should realize there are scenes of gratuitous violence in The Dark Knight to which I would certainly not take my 11-year-old daughter.” But Sue Clark, a spokeswoman for the BBFC, responded that the film was “a fantasy movie with only implied violence.” She added that if the board had raised the classification, “We would have ended up with far more complaints from people who wanted to see the film and couldn’t.”
The Dark Knight is friggin’ intense and, with knife crime towards, and carried out by, the generation beneath me increasing at a rate that sickens me to my very core, do I think that a film with a wonderfully etched character like The Joker (and his propensity for knife related violence) doing what he does, should be seen by CHILDREN, let alone CHILDREN UNDER 12? No Way.
The Dark Knight is a 15 in it’s temprement and tone, all across the board, and the only reason it isn’t is because the BBFC are still under the opinion that “based on a comic book” means a “comic book movie” and “comic book movies” are for “kids”. Bullshit - Road To Perdition is based on a comic book, with less violence and a dark tone that looks like daylight in comparison to The Dark Knight and THAT got a 15 certificate here.
Your thoughts?
Seriously, come on, let’s have a “discussion”:
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11 Responses to “Finally! An “Uproar” I Can Get Behind! Sort Of! Maybe! Well… Just A Little!”
Movies don’t create killers, they just make killers more creative. You already have to be FUBAR to leave TDK and start knifing people. Then again, I don’t live in the UK, so I don’t fully understand the knife situation.
Oh I agree. But do I want to find out whether a 12 year old can find “inspiration” from The Joker in TDK? Nope! Do I think 12 year olds and under should be seeing this? Nope!
And Kris, my gorgeous future ex-wife, check this out:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_3753000/3753722.stm
And this…
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Lambeth-Stabbing-London-Knife-Crime-Victim-Named/Article/200807315045866?f=rss
And this…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4267606.ece
And, unfortunately, this…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/11/knifecrime.ukcrime1
I’m ashamed to live in the UK right now and I’m completely scared to death about what generation my nephews are growing up with as well.
Good grief! That’s terrible!
When I was growing up Kris us lads used to argue with each other and shove each other around and occasionally you’d plant the other lad in the face and bloody up his nose.
Now? Now kids are stabbing each other TO DEATH over stupid things like “disrespect” (e.g. someone dared make eye contact with the wrong person) and I just cannot comprehend it.
I don’t get how the knife craze started. I mean, why not carry a gun and be done with it? What is it about a knife specifically that has driven so many Brit kids nuts? Did people always pack little Swiss Army knives or something? Is it a gang thing?
How else are the kids suppose to give someone a Chelsea grin. Besides, knives don’t jam up or run out of bullets.
Also, aren’t guns kinda hard to acquire in England?
Knives have been a staple for certain people to carry in the UK for a long time. Think about it, if you want to go and hurt someone is it easier to try and save up the money and track down someone who will sell you a gun or to grab a serrated edged knife from your parents kitchen drawer?
It’s getting to the point now where all teenagers seem to be carrying knives, some because they want to hurt people and some because they don’t want to be hurt, and it’s turning into a never ending cycle of death.
Very sad, and for once I’m glad I live a long way away from the cities now.
Man. I thought school shootings were the worst of it. Right after Columbine over here, I was terrified to come to school, as were a lot of kids. Now being in college, I get scared all of the time, especially after the Virginia Tech massacre. It’s a dangerous world. We just gotta be careful.
I’m not too worried.
Who’d want to shoot you Grundy anyway; you’re just too loveable for words lol
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