As it turns out, “Return of the Jedi” and “Jurassic Park” were among the famous films whose ratings were raised by film censors in 2023.
The Star Wars classic was deemed no longer suitable for young children due to violent scenes, including where Darth Vader's hand was “cut off at the wrist.”
“Santa Claus: The Movie,” the supernatural comedy “Casper,” “The Addams Family” and “School of Rock,” starring Jack Black, also had their classifications raised by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
At the same time, the age ratings for violent films such as Enter the Dragon, Raging Bull, Mean Streets, Friday the 13th and Gangs of New York were relaxed.
Investigations have revealed that the BBFC has raised the age limit for some family films due to concerns about violence and foul language.
The Star Wars classic was deemed unsuitable for young children due to scenes of violence, including where Darth Vader's hand was “cut off at the wrist.”
“Santa Claus: The Movie,” the supernatural comedy “Casper,” “The Addams Family” and “School of Rock,” starring Jack Black, also had their classifications raised by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
The BBFC said it had upgraded “Santa Claus: The Movie” from “U” to “PG” due to its “mild violence” and said the use of the word “crap” exceeded its current guidelines for U-rated films
Nevertheless, other films were downgraded in which the “how-to” on the topic of violence was said to have “evolved”.
The BBFC said it had upgraded “Santa Claus: The Movie” from “U” to “PG” due to its “mild violence” and said the use of the word “crap” exceeded its current guidelines for U-rated films.
Concerns about “moderate violence,” which featured a “brief focus on pain and injury” in “Return of the Jedi,” exceeded guidelines for U-rated films and were therefore raised to a PG rating.
The BBFC says a PG film should not be upsetting to a child aged around 8, adding that people of all ages can watch it, but “parents are advised to consider whether the content might upset younger children.” “.
“Jurassic Park,” directed by Steven Spielberg, was bumped from PG to 12A for its “moderate threat, violence and bloody images.”
But Bruce Lee's last film, Enter the Dragon, fell from 18 to 15 because the violence “lacks the visual detail” required for a higher rating.
Martin Scorsese's 1980 film “Raging Bull” was downgraded from 18 to 15, and the 1980s horror film “Friday The 13th” fell to 15 as audiences' expectations of horror films changed.
A BBFC spokesperson said: “We began the review of our latest guidelines this year, speaking to a wide range of parents, families, teenagers and educators across the country.”