Research into the BBFC-Miss Miller-Media

Who is the British Board of Film Classification? What is their job?

The BBFC is an organisation that was formed in 1912 is very experienced in classifying and regulating upcoming film productions and DVD/Blu-Ray releases. They are highly expert at executing this task and need to take a number of matters into consideration when doing their job. For example, they need to make sure the public, especially children, will be satisfied and protected with the ratings that new movies are given and whether they are appropriate. They also have to respect that adults have freedom of choice to watch any film that they want to, when they want to watch it. Lastly, social attitudes and public opinions are very important and the BBFC need to respond to this. this done through research and interaction with the public. The classifications that are used by the BBFC are U, PG, 12, 12A, 15 and 18. These ratings are given to a film depending on the content which is in the film.

A U rating stands for universal. This means that if a film has a U rating, it is suitable for audiences of all ages. Movies that usually receive a U rating often contain the following: use of mild bad language, no focus on sexual innuendo or behaviour (although kissing/cuddling is allowed) and very mild violence/slapstick. References to drugs are quite uncommon.

The most common genres of films to receive a U rating are children's films and animations. An example of one of these films is Disney/Pixar's "Monsters, Inc.". This children's animation which was released in 2001 is regarded as one of the most popular children's movies of all time and is also seen as one Disney's "animated classics". It stars John Goodman and Billy Crystal as monster best friends James P. "Sulley" Sullivan and Mike Wazowski who live in a parallel monster universe in a city called Monstropolis, who's power is supplied by the screams of human children. This is collected at the factory of Monsters, Incorporated where the two work as partners. The monsters are afraid however that the children will end up contaminating them, so when one child "Boo" accidentally makes it into Monstropolis, Mike and Sulley must try to get her back to the human world. The BBFC gave "Monsters, Inc." a U rating saying it contains "mild comic violence".

A PG ratings stand for parental guidance and means that children will be able to watch the film, although sometimes there may be a number of scenes which might be unsuitable for them. PG films usually contain: mild violence and bad language, and maybe undetailed sex references, but this is uncommon.

There isn't really a specific audience in mind for films that are rated PG as it can vary from topics that will interest children, teenagers or adults. An example of a film that has been given a PG rating is the hugely popular and influential "Back to the Future". This box office smash was 1985's highest grossing film and its huge popularity is still clear today. This sci-fi comedy tells the story of teenager Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) and his mad-scientist close friend Dr Emmett "Doc" Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd). One night Doc asks Marty to sneak out of his home in the middle of the night to meet at "Twin Pines Mall" in their hometown of Hill Valley to show him his latest invention: a time-machine made from a DeLorean. Things escalate quickly when they are attacked by a group of Libyan terrorists (due to Doc stealing the time-machine's fuel: plutonium from them) and Marty ends up travelling back 30 years in time to 1955 after trying to use the DeLorean to escape. He quickly runs into the teenage versions of his parents, which results in his own mother falling in love with him. Marty manages to find 1955 Doc and convinces him that he invents the time machine and that Marty is from the future. Together, they attempt to get Marty's parents to get with each other and to get Marty back to 1985. Personally, the film is without a doubt one of my all-time favourites and I'm sure many people would agree with me. The film was given a PG rating due to it containing "mild language (for example: s*it or b**tard) and violence. I think this is a very suitable rating as the film would interest not only children, but also teenagers and adults too.

The next age rating up from PG is 12 and 12A. If a movie is given a 12A rating, this means that any child under the age of twelve must be with an adult in order to see this movie and 12 is pretty much the same except for DVDs and Blu-Rays, in which the film is not allowed to be purchased by anyone under the age of 12. A prime example of a 12/12A film is 2002's comic-book adaptation "Spider-Man". This wa actually the first film ever to be given a 12A rating. This was due to the fact that there would likely be many children who would like to see their favourite superhero on the big screen when the film was released. The movie follows Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker: an unpopular teenager and high-school nerd who gains the powers and abilities of a spider and superhuman strength after being bitten by a radioactive spider. He uses these powers for the greater good and to protect New York City (and fellow high-school student Mary-Jane Watson) from the evil Green Goblin (played by Willem Dafoe). The movie was given a 12A rating as it contains "moderate violence", but also so that younger fans of the movie would be able to watch it in the cinema.

The next age rating up from 12 and 12A is 15. This rating means that nobody under the age of 15 is allowed to watch a 15 rated movie in the cinema. Films that are rated 15 usually may contain things like: "strong violence, language, sex references, sex and drugs". One of the most common genres to usually receive a 15 rating are comedies, one notable one being 2011's "The Inbetweeners: Movie" which at the time was the highest-grossing opening weekend for a comedy in the UK ever (before the record was beaten by the sequel: "The Inbetweeners 2"). Following from the hit TV series, we find four sixth form friends Will, Simon, Jay and Neil finally at the end of their school life and a turbulent two years of all sorts of shenanigans. So they decide that the best way to celebrate is to go off on a "mental holiday together". We watch and laugh hysterically as the lads once again get up to more ridiculous activities as they have a time they will never forget, no matter how hard they try to. The film given a 15 rating as it contains: "strong language and strong sex references".

After a 15 is 18. An 18 is the highest age rating a movie can have (excluding R18, which stands for restricted). Films that are rated 18 are for adults only and nobody under the age of 18 is allowed to see an 18 rated film in the cinema or buy an 18 rated DVD/Blu-Ray. In order to be given an 18 rating, a film will contain one of the following: "very strong violence, frequent strong language, strong sex, sexual violence, strong horror and strong gore"

One film to be rated 18 is one of my personal favourites, David Fincher's: "Fight Club". The 1999 cult-drama stars Edward Norton as Jack, an insomniac who is fed up of his dead-end job and resorts to going to disease support groups in order to help cope with his insomnia. One day though whilst on a business trip, he runs into the charismatic but very unusual Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a business man who makes and sells soap. One night after drinking at a bar together, Tyler asks Jack to have a full-on, no-holds-barred fistfight with him. Jack reluctantly agrees and surprisingly finds an unexpected thrill. They then have the idea of forming an underground "fight club" which grows rapidly, spreading across the entire country. However, Tyler has a plan in mind that will become something so much more than fight club ever will be. Also starring Helena Bonham Carter, the film was given an 18 certificate as it contains: "frequent bloody violence and language".

In my opinion the BBFC have been doing an exceptional job in making sure that films are given appropriate certificates in order to maintain satisfaction for the public and I am sure that they will continue to do this job for many years to come.

History of Thriller Films-Miss Georgiou-Media

Why are thriller films still popular within today's society?

Over the years the thriller genre has shocked, scared and overall entertained audiences of all kinds. These audiences seem to love and almost crave the rush and excitement of being dragged into a whole new universe of complex and well thought-out plots, twists and also impressive acting.

Thriller films have gone over many changes over the years appealing to more and more audiences in the process. For example, in the 1930's one of the biggest and most influential thrillers was Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps". The story consists of a man and a woman (played by Robert Donat and Medeleine Carroll) going on the run after being framed for an agent's murder and attempting to foil a plot by a group of spies named The 39 Steps" from stealing top secret information. It was voted 1935's best film in Britain and is regarded by many (people and companies) as one of the greatest British movies of all time. It is also ranked as one of the best book-to-film adaptations of all time. Since its release 80 years ago there have been many other adaptations, including Broadway and West End shows, TV movies (for example by the BBC in 2008) and even a "Sesame Street" sketch.

In the 1940's, another big thriller release captivated audiences: "Double Indemnity" which was directed by Billy Wilder and starred Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson. This American production heavily praised by many critics and was nominated for seven Academy Awards but was unable to win any. However it is still hailed as one of the best American films ever and is said some by some to be one of the first (and sometimes the very first) movie in the "film noir" genre. Despite being praised by audiences and critics at them time as being an "original" thriller, some where disturbed by the plot of the film, but since the years after its release the film's popularity and critical reception has only seemed to get better receiving a rare 4 star (which at the time was the best) rating in 1977 by Leslie Halliwell. It is also seen by many as a classic.

The 1950's has been regarded by many as one of the definitive years for the thriller genre, with director's like the one and only Alfred Hitchcock producing some of his most famous pieces of work. One of these pieces being 1958's "Vertigo". The story follows former detective John "Scottie" Ferguson (played by James Stewart) who goes into early retirement after developing vertigo and acrophobia. He is then hired by Gavin Elster to follow his strangely behaving wife Madeleine (played by Kim Novak). Despite having mixed reviews from critics, the film is regarded by many to be on the long list of Hitchcock's classics. The cinematography of the film is also very significant as it is the first film to ever use the "dolly zoom" technique (which was used to represent Scottie's acrophobia). "Vertigo" is also on many "best films of all-time" lists and still captivates intrigued audiences to this day.

Alfred Hitchcock was still producing masterpieces in the next decade, with his most famous of them all coming at the start of it. 1960's "Psycho" never fails to come to mind when Hitchcock or thriller films are mentioned. The movie follows Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. A woman who steals £40,000 from her employer and goes on the run. She ends up at the Bates Motel, run by the peculiar Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins) and his mother Norma. But Norman is not who he says he is. With its iconic shower scene accompanied by the chilling screeching of the violin, it is definitely one of the film industry's greatest triumphs. The production received critical acclaim, was nominated for four Academy Awards and is one of the most famous thrillers of all time.

In 1975 one of the most famous movies to ever be released hit the big screen: Steven Spielberg's "Jaws". The story follows a giant man-eating Great White Shark as it attacks the seaside resort town of Amity Island. It's up to police chief Martin Brody (played by Roy Schneider), oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to hunt down and stop the shark's reign of terror. With its iconic theme tune (composed by John Williams) and memorable quotes ("you're gonna need a bigger boat"), it became one of the most influential films ever and was also the highest-grossing film of all-time until it was surpassed by "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope". The film has had three sequels and two theme park rides (in Florida and Japan) and still makes audiences afraid to go in the water to this day.

Five years later in 1980, Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson teamed up to create one of the most psychologically terrifying thriller films ever: "The Shining". Based on the novel by horror mastermind Stephen King, it tells the story of writer Jack Torrance (played by Nicholson) and his wife Wendy (played by Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (played by Danny Lloyd) as they volunteer to look after the isolated Overlook Hotel. The family are eventually stranded in the hotel after a snowstorm and begin to witness the supernatural occurrences which take place there, resulting in Jack spiralling into insanity. The film is filled with tons of astonishing and terrifying imagery and contains one of the most famous scenes/quotes ever ("Here's Johnny!"), which helps maintain its status as one of the best films ever.

In the next decade one of my most favourite films was released: "The Silence of the Lambs". This 1991 masterpiece of cinema stars Jodie Foster as FBI trainee Clarice Starling who is tasked to retrieve information and advice from the fantastic psychiatrist Dr Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins) in order to help catch "Buffalo Bill" (played by Ted Levine),  a serial killer who kidnaps and skins his victims. There is however one setback: Lecter himself is a serial killer and also a cannibal. Starling must try her best to keep Lecter out of her head and attempt to find Buffalo Bill before he takes any more victims. The film won all top-five Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Best Actress for Foster and Best Actor for Hopkins) and continues to cement its place on top all-time movie lists to this day.

One of the 2000's most well-known thrillers was 2005's "Sin City". This Frank Miller thriller hold a big all-star cast consisting of Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Benicio Del Toro, Brittany Murphy and Elijah Wood. The film is based on Miller's graphic novel of the same name and is shot very digitally to give that comic-book feel to the big-screen. The film's plot resolves around a man who is hell-bent on finding the killer of his former love and will get rid of anyone who stands in the way of his mission. The film was released at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and a sequel (entitled "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For") was released in 2014.

One of the biggest thrillers of the 10's was Oscar-Winning director Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island". This 2010 psychological thriller was a box-office smash (grossing almost $295 million) and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley. The story follows U.S Marshall Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio), who is hired to investigate the disappearance of one of the patients of a psychiatric facility on the eerie and isolated Shutter Island. As his stay on the island goes on, he begins to uncover more secrets about not only the facility and its patients, but also himself too.