'Passion' first film to get M18 rating
Movie passed uncut; new classification starts next week
By Ong Sor Fern
MEL GIBSON'S controversial epic, The Passion Of The Christ, is the first movie to get an M18 rating under the new film ratings system.
THE NEW FILM RATINGS
• G: General Suitable for everyone. Examples: Finding Nemo, Shrek
• PG: Parental Guidance Requires parents or adults to provide guidance as the films may feature themes or scenes not suitable for young children
Example: The Lord Of The Rings trilogy
• NC16: No Children below 16 Contains mature themes or scenes suitable for teenagers aged 16 years and above
Example: Mystic River
• M18: Mature 18 For viewers aged 18 and above. Designed to plug the age gap restriction between NC16 and R21 and allows access to quality, mature films for young adults
Examples: The English Patient, Shakespeare In Love
• R21: Restricted 21 For adults aged 21 and above. Contains themes or scenes that have a greater degree of realism and explicitness. This replaces the current R(A) rating
Examples: Eyes Wide Shut, Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Chronicling the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ, the uncut film opens here on April 1.
The Films Consultative Panel and religious leaders from the Christian and Jewish communities reviewed the film and concluded that it 'did not distort or denigrate Christianity. Neither was it anti-Semitic'.
The ratings system, details of which were released by the Media Development Authority (MDA) yesterday, takes effect from next Monday.
The M18 category allows young adults access to quality films with more mature themes.
This addresses past complaints that the R(A) rating given to acclaimed movies like Oscar best picture winners Shakespeare In Love (1998) and Schindler's List (1993) put them beyond the reach of young adults.
Other changes include the renaming of the much derided Rated (Artistic) category to the more factual label of R21.
M18 and NC16 titles will be allowed in cinemas in the HDB heartland. But R21 films are still restricted to cinemas in town.
There is no guarantee that M18 and R21 films will be uncut.
Ms Amy Chua, director of MDA's media content division, said that content will be edited 'if a film denigrates race or religions, or contains exploitative sex and violence'.
The Board of Film Censors will also be tougher on coarse language and violence. Consumer advice alerting viewers to potentially offensive content will be provided.
The rules are in line with the recommendations in the Censorship Review Committee's report released last September.
However, the MDA's communications division director Michael Lim added that the new system does not mean a 'radical liberalisation' but is a gradual process towards the easing of the censorship laws.
The Passion would have received an R(A) rating under the old system.
Ms Chua said that 'the violent scenes are integral to the story' and 'to edit such a film would be disrespectful'.
Mr Ng Peng Hui, general manager of 20th Century Fox, which distributes the movie here, is pleased with the rating.
'This is in line with the rating set by other markets like Britain and Taiwan.'
The M18 rating is good news to junior college student Wee Wei Ze, 18, who plans to watch The Passion.
'It's good, especially for national servicemen who feel they are ready to defend their country but are not allowed to do something as simple as watch a serious film.'
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hmmm...another move by our fickle minded yet snipper happy censorship board
