3. Hate Crime:
• The first ever video-on-demand submission to be refused a certificate by the BBFC as it
focused on "the terrorisation, mutilation, physical and sexual abuse and murder of the
members of a Jewish family by the Neo Nazi thugs who invade their home."
• Technically the film is not "banned" in a legal sense as there is no requirement for films
released solely online to be BBFC-classified, and no jury or magistrate has ever
condemned it as violating one of the laws applying to online material distributed in
Britain (such as containing indecent images of under-18s, being obscene, constituting
incitement to hatred or glorification of terrorism.)
• As the same or stricter criteria are applied to video works, it would however certainly
be unlawful to supply in the UK on a physical medium where the Video Recordings Act
does mandate BBFC approval
4. Why I Chose this trailer & How it can be applied:
I chose this trailer because its interesting that the films initial release was in October 2011 and the film was not
officially banned by the BBFC until 2015. Its shocking that it took the BBFC 4 years to ban such an obscene film. This
controversial case study support media Theories such as the:
Copy Cat theory: This theory will suggest that the BBFC banned this film in the UK. As they believe its so
abysmal that it can be used as a propaganda. Which could potentially irk a negative impact from the public
encouraging people to imitate and copy this vile act. Especially in a period where society is politically divided
due to the increase of migration because of Brexit. This racist propaganda can be used negatively. An example of
a real life copy cat crime. Is in 2013 a teen claimed the 2007 version of ‘Halloween’ inspired him in the slaying
of two members of his family. Evans killed his 48year old mother and his 15year old sister, in Aledo, Texas on the
3rd of October 2012. In a four page confession that was released in the media . Evans said he watched Halloween
three times that week: "I started watching Rob Zombie's ‘Halloween.' In the movie, a 12-year-old boy murders
his stepfather, sister, and his sister's boyfriend. While watching it, I was amazed at how at ease the boy was
during the murders and how little remorse he had afterword [sic]. I was thinking to myself it would be the same
for me when I kill someone.“
Hypodermic needle model: This theory is another reason to support the reason as to why the BBFC have
decided to ban this movie. This theory suggest that as an audience we can easily be manipulated and influenced
by media creators. This says the audience are passive and the media has such a big impact that’s why they
banned this film as it could indoctrinate the passive public into thinking these crimes are not acceptable.
Theories that I disagree with in relation to this case study.
The desensitisation theory is the belief that because there is so much violence shown in the media. People have
less of an emotional impact to violence and feel less sensitive towards it. In my opinion I could never gradually
become comfortable or less impacted from this film. This level of violence is so horrific that this will never be
normality to me.
The Post modernism theory: The theory that anything can be art and anything deserve to reach an audience.
This suggest that any form of media is artistic and their shouldn’t be an restriction. This is too obscnce in my
opinion and certain media needs to be restricted.
