CENSORS ORDER TOMB RAIDER RECUT
Copyright 2001 www.tombraiderchronicles.com Source: Ananova

[ June 29th 2001 ]

The British Board of Film Classification have said that certain scenes from Paramount Pictures Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie would need to be cut over concerns about violence and the use of knives after footage of head butts and throat chops were deemed unacceptable for a lower classification. BBFC director Robin Duval said today:

"The natural audience for Lara Croft is the 12 to 15 age group, but the board's classification guidelines make it clear that at 12 the glamorization of weapons such as knives and the graphic illustration of dangerous techniques such as head-butts and throat chops are unacceptable. The film company has responded positively to the BBFC's concerns with cuts to those elements and to other violent content at several points in the film." Mr. Duval said the action-packed film would now not surprise audiences familiar with 12-rated films such as the Bond series.

"As with the Bond films, the combat, gunplay etc is mitigated by the absence of bloody or graphic detail and by the generally fantastical setting of the story. "The Board's concern about knives, however, reflects the fact that they are much more readily accessible in the UK than the other more unfamiliar equipment characteristic of these films." Movie producers have agreed to the changes, and the movie is expected to maintain a July 6th nationwide UK release. Since it's premier in the U.S. almost two weeks ago, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider has generated over $100m in revenue, despite coming under fire from critics.