The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has issued a statement after lowering the age rating of horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street . The organisation, which handles the censorship and classification of films released in the UK , had previously given the 1984 movie an “18” rating, forbidding anyone under the age of 18 from seeing it in cinemas or purchasing it on DVD. However, on 1 August, the film was reclassified with the more lenient age rating of “15”, ahead of a re-issue of the film this September.
Speaking to The Guardian , a BBFC spokesperson said that there was “strong support” among audiences for older films to be re-classified to better reflect modern sensibilities. Released in the UK in 1985, A Nightmare on Elm Street follows a group of teenagers who are stalked and murdered by supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger in their dreams. The spokesperson said: “At the BBFC, we review the classification of older films when they are submitted to us by the distributor, typically ahead of an upcoming rerelease.
When doing so, we apply our current standards as set out in our published Classification Guidelines. These guidelines evolve over time, informed by large-scale research, most recently involving 12,000 people, to ensure they continue to reflect the expectations of UK audiences. As a result, films may require a higher or lower age rating than they received in the past.
“In the case of A Nightmare on Elm Street , although the film feature.