This year, family-friendly supernatural movie, Casper, will be heading back into UK cinemas, and when it reappears on the big screen, the film will be sporting something new. That little ‘something’ will be an all-new film classification, which has been awarded by the British Board for Film Classification (BBFC).
When Casper was originally released in UK cinemas waaaaaay back in 1995, the movie was granted a ‘PG’ certificate, for ‘parental guidance’. When Casper makes its return to UK cinemas in 2023, it will now be a ’12A’.
In the UK, if a film is given a ‘PG’ certificate, it means it is suitable for general viewing. According to the BBFC, “unaccompanied children of any age may watch, but parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger, or more sensitive, children.”
Under its new classification of ’12A’ – which was granted on the 13th September 2023 – Casper is now deemed suitable for audiences of 12 years and over. Children under the age of 12 can view the movie in cinemas, but “no one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult.”
So, why has the movie been reclassified?
Movies are resubmitted for classification quite regularly, it’s a common occurrence – specifically if they are being re-released at the cinema. Whenever a movie is resubmitted for classification, it is reclassified according to current guidelines, and as these guidelines are updated over time, certificates can change.
In respect to Casper, the BBFC’s current guidelines have determined that in 2023 the movie should be a ’12A’. I know many, many audiences have previously watched the movie as a ‘PG’, but by today’s standards it no longer fits the same criteria.
Interestingly, when Casper was reclassified, a small cut was made to the film, trimming 27 seconds off the previous run time. The notes for the cut (via the BBFC) state: “This work had a compulsory cut made. A cut was required to remove a misleading category symbol. Cut made in accordance with BBFC policy.”
No further details about the small cut have been released. It’s also worth noting that at present, the reclassification of Casper only relates to the theatrical version of the movie – the existing home video release remains a ‘PG’.
So, what does this all mean in the grand scheme of things? Honestly? Not a great deal.
If you grew up with Casper, then you’re now (sadly) beyond the age where age certificates will impact you all that much. Sorry, but you’re an adult and you’re getting old – it’s awful, isn’t it?
However, if you’re now a parent (or even a grandparent) you simply need to be mindful that all future screenings of Casper at your local cinema will carry the ‘12A’ certificate rather than a ‘PG’. This means you’ll need to accompany your children or grandchildren to a screening if they are lucky enough to be under the age of 12.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about Casper on It’s A Stampede! – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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