Friday, October 21, 2005

Goblet of Fire: PG-13 (US) and 12A (UK)

(Tip o' the hat to The Leaky Cauldron.) Grown-up Harry Potter is too scary for children:

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has given Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire a 12A certificate. Children under that age can watch only if accompanied by an adult. The previous three Harry Potter films were all given a PG rating allowing children of all ages to watch them unaccompanied.

A graveyard battle between Harry and the Death Eaters was deemed too frightening for some young children as well as a character being dragged below ground by a tangle of plant roots. There are also too many scary spiders, which can cause nightmares, for a PG rating.

The language is stronger than in the earlier films, reflecting the maturation of its central characters, but an interjection of “piss off” did not impress the examiners. The long-awaited death scene may also disturb some.
...
The BBFC said: “The tone of the film is much scarier and darker than its predecessors. We expect most parents will still take their children but they should be aware that youngsters of a nervous disposition might be upset.”

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