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INTEREST: BBFC Comments on Paranoia Agent Censorship




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GeorgH



Joined: 15 Mar 2016
Posts: 64
PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:34 pm Reply with quote
Correction:
Quote:
The series has only had a DVD release from MVM from 2005, which is now long out of print.

The series was released 4 times in the UK: 2005/6 singles, and 2008, 2010 and 2011 as Complete Series releases. The DVDs themselves are identical for all releases, and the 2011-release is still considered "in print" (at least it is still avaiable directly from the publishers webstore)
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:48 pm Reply with quote
I don't see why the cut scene is any worse than any other suicide attempt in Happy Family Planning. Hell, I don't see how it is any worse than the gleeful salary men jumping off a tall building in the OP.
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:39 pm Reply with quote
Suicide is a big issue in Babylon. As I recall multiple people jumped off the roof of a tall building together at one point. Has the BBFC made any announcements about how they will treat this show?
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Nilrem



Joined: 06 Dec 2003
Posts: 145
PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:30 pm Reply with quote
i never even realise the UK dvd was cut, and as that's the version i've seen wasn't aware of the that scene at all.

I would hope that any future release might be uncut with a warning, although it's already an 18 so would require the BBFC guidelines to have changed.
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andyos
ANN Associate Editor


Joined: 27 Oct 2008
Posts: 269
PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:48 am Reply with quote
Grateful thanks to GeorgH for the correction; the text has been fixed. Re the other comments, I would guess that what makes the difference is the fact that the Agent scene involves - and focuses upon - a preteen child, happily trying to kill herself.

Speculating further - and this is purely my speculation...

The BBFC's reasoning _might_ have been that a (real) child might plausibly be interested in a colourful animated series, more than in a live-action adult drama, and that the same child might be particularly affected by what a child on screen does. The DVD was rated 18, but that's not a guarantee that the child wouldn't see it.

And if we're staying with hypothetical children, it's not so easy for most kids to jump off a high building. But when it comes to hanging... Well, we've seen the news. In the scene, the child character is showing having great fun, jumping up and down with her neck in the noose, enjoying herself hugely. I think I can see why the BBFC judged that it just went too far.
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lilitu93
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Joined: 05 Jan 2018
Posts: 22
PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:09 am Reply with quote
yuna49 wrote:
Suicide is a big issue in Babylon. As I recall multiple people jumped off the roof of a tall building together at one point. Has the BBFC made any announcements about how they will treat this show?


Fortunately the BBFC only gets involved for home video releases and not streaming, so they won’t have looked at Babylon, as it hasn’t been licensed yet here. They only review it when it’s submitted by the licensor.
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ZephyrVayu



Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Posts: 79
PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 5:03 am Reply with quote
"Potentially dangerous to children". That's why we have the 18 rating, to protect them from scenes like this. If a child got their hands on this DVD it's either due to a very negligent store clerk or very irresponsible parents - it would not be the fault of the creators or the BBFC. I think it should've been left uncut but with a strong warning. I'm sure the BBFC has let scenes worse than this slip by with an 18 rating.
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