M15-rating horror for Harry -
Too much Horror for Harry Summary:
THE third Harry Potter wizard tale was yesterday given a surprise M15 plus rating by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
Article:
M15-rating horror for Harry
Jason Gregory
03jun04
THE third Harry Potter wizard tale was yesterday given a surprise M15 plus rating by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
The OFLC said the rating for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was because of its "horror element".
JK Rowling's much-hyped Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, released in 2001, and The Chamber of Secrets, 2002, both received the lower PG (parental guidance recommended) rating and were box office blockbusters.
According to the OFLC's ratings system, films receiving an M15 plus rating are not recommended for persons under 15 years of age – although the movie received considerable praise by fans younger than 15 at its world premiere in New York last month.
The rating does not require adults to accompany children seeing the film.
Australian distributor Road-show Film Distributors could not be contacted last night but it was expected they would appeal against the decision.
The only available date for the objection to be heard is next Wednesday, a day before the movie's Australian release.
Prisoner of Azkaban deals with more sophisticated themes than the first two films, reflecting the growing maturity of the teen wizards, and is the dark tale of a wizard who has escaped prison and is believed to be hunting Potter.
A computer game based on the film was given a G rating.
Last year the book was expelled from the library of Melbourne's Maranatha's Christian School because it fell outside of the boundaries of the school's "fantasy policy".
u know what that makes the HP movies look like? it makes them look ike they are evil and gorry. i am very angry. i really dissapprove of a m15 rating for that movie!
