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Old 24th May 2010, 12:08 AM
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Daemonia Daemonia is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vincenzo View Post
If it was challenged in a court then the BBFC would simply extend their legal guidelines in line with their existing policy.
I wasn't aware the BBFC had the power to alter and extend the law. However, if challenged in a Court of law, the Court would either have to rule that under present legislation it's not actually illegal for such scenes to be present in a video for private consumption (as the Cinematograph Act only, technically, covers films for public exhibition) or, and this is highly likely, the Judge will set a precedent in law that would make it illegal. This would then enter the statute books and, unless amended by Parliament itself, would stand as the legal ruling on the issue of animal cruelty in films for private consumption.

However, this is a moot point - no-one's ever going to challenge it and so the BBFC continue on with their 'policy'. Now let's be clear here, a policy is exactly that, it's not a legal ruling. It's simply how they've decided to interpret and implement the law. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand their position and I understand them erring on the side of caution - but, and this is a very big but, I think the BBFC should use different determining factors. I don't think cutting old films does anything and doesn't send a message to anyone - I think in this day and age most filmmakers no longer employ such shock tactics. What I'm trying to say is that cutting an old film of a couple of horse trips (or a cat eating a mouse) has no impact on future films. It's not going to prevent what's already happened. Now if this was a new film - then yes, cut it, if for no other reason than to send a message to the filmmaker that it's unacceptable; that would affect the present and the future. Cutting films in retrospect seems a bit daft, though IMO.
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