Tuesday, July 16, 2013



British movie attracts first ever complaint after claim classic film encourages viewers to play on train lines

For more than 40 years, families have gathered to watch movie classic The Railway Children, with adults trying to hide their tears at the heart-warming tale.

Now ratings body the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has received its first complaint about the U-rated movie.

But the moment which got the viewer steamed up was not when Jenny Agutter gasps ‘Daddy, my Daddy!’, prompting uncontrolled sobbing – it was the fear that the movie could encourage youngsters to play on railway lines.

But the BBFC, which has classified movies for a century, says the film illustrates the dangers clearly and is set in a very different time.

The 1970 film, which stars Miss Agutter, Bernard Cribbins and Dinah Sheridan, has been a festive favourite for many years and is widely regarded as one of British cinema’s treasures.

Based on the E Nesbit novel, it was filmed on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway – masquerading as the Great Northern and Southern Railway – and chronicles the adventures of three children forced to move from London to Yorkshire when their father is imprisoned after being falsely accused of selling state secrets.

The complaint about the footage is revealed in the BBFC’s annual report, which notes: ‘The correspondent was concerned that children may be encouraged to play on railway tracks as a result of seeing the film.

‘While aware of the real dangers of such behaviour, the BBFC judged that it was very unlikely that The Railway Children would promote such dangerous activity.

Source

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think this illustrates that people have definitely gotten dumber in the last 40 years.

See people in my generation had something apparently totally devoid in the current generation - COMMON F'N SENSE!

See we didn't have to be told not to play on the track or play in traffic or not stick our fingers in light sockets or drink the stuff under the sink.

This world is packed full of morons who cannot think critically or use common sense. These idiots are why there are 30 warning stickers on a freaking ladder or the warnings on a hair dryer says "do not use while sleeping" and "do not use in the shower!"

God help this world!

Anonymous said...

This is the kind of thing that happens when formally sensible societies surrender the concept of majority rule, and instead, allows itself to be ruled by one complainer. It's what allows someone to walk into a liberal court and disrupt the lives of tens-of-million of people.

Yes Anon 2:02, we are getting dumber, and weaker, by the day. And, we will pay the price for it.

Anonymous said...

Reminds me.of the criticism of the Bugs Bunny and.Wile E. Coyote cartoons. Adults must have a.pretty poor opinion of their children's intelligence if they think kids can't perceive that trains are dangerous.

Anonymous said...

With much of today's youth, parents are probably right to think that.

Anonymous said...

If that is.true, parents bear most of.the.blame.