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Spectre film rent6/17/2023 ![]() So whilst responsible parents are likely to read up on the film or check the movie out in advance, some will do a blind ticket buy, persuaded by perhaps a love of Bond, or the huge swathe of advertising. ![]() Because 12A means, in the cold light of things, almost universal access. Furthermore, nobody is suggesting that Spectre is a children’s film. A 12A doesn’t mean a film is suitable for the under 12s, it just means that they can watch it. It is important though that 12A is still 12 at heart. Anyone who tries to watch a 12A film in a multiplex on a Saturday afternoon will be able to support that claim. Thus, whilst 12A does have a 12 in it – and I’m coming to that in a second – it’s increasingly being used as shorthand for ‘anyone can go’. The commercial pressure to have a rating that allows anyone to see a film without the movie having its edges cut off is immense. That said, it’s an impossible job being the BBFC, and the organisation does appear backed into a corner with 12A. But I think Spectre is a brutal, intense piece of cinema, and my personal view is that a 12A rating – even by the BBFC’s guidelines – does not seem reflective of the film’s content. I fully appreciate that’s each to their own (my eldest devours as much as he can, and has a good resistance for material I would have struggled with at his stage), of course, and every child is different. I can only talk for my own children, one of whom is just on the cusp of 12, but Spectre is one of the few 12As I’m not letting them near. Yet they’re both intense, excellently shot, and chilling. The latter example, ironically, is a victim of sorts to just how well it’s done, with the patience of director Sam Mendes paying real dividends. In fact, both of those sequences could have done. And then later on, there’s the usual Bond interrogation sequence, although in this case it could have been lifted out of a horror movie. One comes very early on in the film, where Dave Bautista’s ruthless Mr Hinx proves his villainy in quite bloody style. I don’t want to spoil the film here, so I’ll imply two particularly difficult sequences rather than fully describe them. But still, even one or two people involved with the current Bond have apparently expressed surprise that it’s got such a relatively soft rating. There’s a little bit of the Bambi effect at work here, in that one or two crucial moments aren’t seen, but are heavily implied and heard. Spectre has been given its 12A for “moderate violence, threat”, and I’d argue that’s some understatement. And it’s be fair to say that Spectre very much falls into that category. We’ve explored many times before on this site about the drive for 12A/PG-13 ratings for films that aren’t always as family-friendly as the may appear. Because, basically, they’d had a dry run at getting their certificate when Spectre was finally submitted, Sony knew it had its crucial 12A in the bag. It’s a useful process for studios this, because they can proclaim that their films have been marked uncut by the BBFC. When the film was submitted for formal classification, acceptable reductions had been made in both scenes and the film was classified 12A.” The company was advised it was likely to be classified 15 but that their preferred 12A could be obtained by making reductions in a scene of violence and in another scene showing the aftermath of a violent act. This film was originally seen for advice in an unfinished version. Note: The following text may contain spoilers Following this advice, certain changes were made prior to submission. “During post-production, the distributor sought and was given advice on how to secure the desired classification. Two recommended snips later, and Spectre is being released this week in the UK with a 12A sticker on it. Sony submitted an early version of the film, and was advised that a 15 certificate was set to be granted in that form. The latest James Bond adventure, Spectre, also went through this process.
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