Thriller Certification

In general thriller films have a higher certification than, for example, comedy films. This is because of the conventions with in them that they need to reach to be classified into the thriller genre. Even with the higher certification (usually 15 although sometimes 18) they pull in the mass audience. This is because they are usually made by high budget institutions. These films need to be made by high budget institutions once again because of the thriller genre conventions such as big chases and fight scenes, small budget film companies do not have the resources to make films like this. Also the fact that thriller films are made by these companies means they can spend a lot of money on getting big name actors that people will want to see and can spend a lot on advertising and distribution.

Thriller films usually fall into the 15 section of the BBFC guidlines, this is because violence is a pivitol feature of thriller films and there is often bad language and sexual scenes. These scenes are rarely bad enough to make it into the 18 bracket as thee violence isn't glamorised and any sex or nudity is only implied or not dwelled on.

For example the thriller film Taken (2003) is certified as a 15 on the BBFC website, I looked at heir analysis to see why they gave it this certification and it said, there is strong violence and scene of torture. I was interested to see how a scene of torture was only given a rating of 15. The BBFC said that this scene consisted of,

The torture scene involves the kidnapper being electrocuted several times by the ex-spy as he tries to force the man to reveal his daughter's whereabouts. The man is briefly seen to judder and is left screaming off-screen at the end of the scene when the ex-spy leaves him being electrocuted.

This gives the impression that the pain is not specicifically shown or dwelled on, only implied and the scene was in context so I tink it was right to be put into the 15 bracket.

I was interested in what made a thriller film go from a 15 to an 18 certification so I looked at the certification details of the 18 film Drive (2011) This film has been classified as an 18 because of 'Strong gory violence and one use of direct racist language' The violence is said to exceed what is seen to be acceptable. The violence is very explicit and is seen to be glamorised, a lot of emphasis is put on inflicting pain which is why it was increased to an 18 film. Throughout the whole of the BBFC's guidlines it says that discrimitory language and actions must not be used, implied or endorsed. The BBFC thought that the use of self directional racist language was endorsing racism and discrimination, this was another factor in it being moved to an 18 film.

On the whole the large majority of thriller films are certified as 15's this means they still reach a mass audience but have more freedom in the content of the film to make it a successful thriller film.

Olivia Saltmarsh