BBFC Case Study 1: Hunger Games 2012

The Hunger Games

Released: 23/3/2012

Directed by: Gary Ross

Rated: 12A with cuts and 15

Plot: Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete. (Source: IMDb)

KEY NOTES

• Was a 15, but cuts were made for a 12A
• Adult-themed, but with teenagers
• Violence and gore
• Realistic scenes
• Glamorized violence

What was the THREAT?

• Intense threat
• Moderate violence
• Occasional gory moments, including blood splashes, bloodied wounds and blood on weapons
• Use of weapons

What was CUT in order to release the film as a 12A for the theatrical release?

• Reductions to violence were made anyway, during post-production stages as the distributor sought to secure an appropriate classification
• A number of cuts were made in one scene to reduce the emphasis on blood and injury
• Blood was removed from sight digitally, and it was removed from wounds as well as weapons
• Four scenes showing violence and one scene showing injuries were reduced by cuts and also the darkening of certain shots to reduce the impact

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• It was important to the producers that The Hunger Games received a 12A certificate in the cinema, as this included a considerable chunk of their targeted audience
• The film was released uncut at 15 on DVD – which would not have created much of a problem, since the physical regulation of DVD’s is much harder to regulate, than where there is a physical regulatory body in a cinema, creating a barrier from access to anybody under the age rating
• The Hunger Games was hit by a racism row as fans tweeted vile slurs over the casting of black teenage actress as one of the characters, however this is not linked to the classifcation as there was no intention of any racial hatred
• Despite cuts being made to reach a 12A. Parents took to online forums to argue that it was too much. However, it was only a small minority who complained about the age rating of a 12A after cuts.
• The Daily Mail was behind a few articles discussing that the cuts were not enough
• No actual killings were directly seen by the audience. They were just implied