Censorship and the BBFC

So, the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) have decided that they are unable to give a certificate to Human Centipede 2, because it is considered to be too gruesome for British audiences. There has been, as one would expect, a tremendous outcry across the artistic media and much debate, but what is all the fuss about? Contrary to popular opinion, the film is not banned in the UK, the BBFC doesn't have that power. It is unclassified but can still be shown at the discretion of local authorities if they so chose. But more to the point, why shouldn't the BBFC take this decision if they consider it merited. We have a system of film classification in this country specifically to try to limit the exposure of young children to inappropriate imagery, and it serves this purpose reasonably well. It also acts to limit the gratuitous use of shocking images that don't have an artistic merit. This is more of a difficult issue since it does rely on an arbitrary definition of what is art and what has artistic merit?

In the case of this particular film it is largely a question of hype surrounding the first film. For whatever reason this film was considered shocking by many, even seminal by some, whereas having watched it, it was actually quite derivative in terms of plot, having similarity to "The island of Doctor Moreau", quite basic in terms of storyline, mad scientist takes experiments too far, and the objectification of victims, on the theme of "Silence of the lambs" or "Hostel". As such there was little that was groundbreaking beyond the rather overblown use of consumption of human excreta, something that has its own pornographic genre. The sequel to this film, if anything, appears to have more merit in that the storyline addresses a fundamental complaint about horror films in general, that they have a negative societal effect on certain sections of the audience who are more vulnerable to external influence. The second film takes the story on to feature a fan of the original becoming sexually aroused by watching the original, and deciding to complete the project, again kidnapping victims and modifying them through surgery such that each victims mouth is attached to another victims anus.

It certainly is pretty graphic and pretty gruesome, and features some additional shock content around the sexualisation and brutalisation of the victims, and their descent into an associational sexuality as they are themselves degraded, but this is not anything particularly new. There have been several films in the serial killer genre where the "Stockholm syndrome" whereby victims become conditioned to agree with their captors/abusers have been made. I think back to "Natural born killers" and the relationship between Mickey and Mallory, and the implicit and explicit corruption of Mallory through the incestuous abuse by her father to the apparent freedom of an abusive relationship with Mickey.

So, this sequel presents little that is new, little that can't be found on the internet, and little of substance. Should it be unclassified? Probably not, but the decision has been made. Best to let it lie and move forward perhaps...