Academy Award-nominated film 127 HOURS given rare rating on appeal.
127 HOURS, nominated for six Academy Awards, has been rated RP16 - “graphic content may disturb” by the Film Board of
Review in response to an appeal by distributor 20th Century Fox.
RP16 – meaning that people under 16 can attend if accompanied by a parent or guardian - is rarely used in New Zealand.
The original rating by the film censors, the Office of Film and Literature Classification, was the more restrictive R16.
20th Century Fox appealed on the grounds that 127 HOURS is a quality film, telling an inspirational true story, which
also contains a powerful public service message about risk and consequences. The film tells the survival story of Aron
Ralston, a climber who amputated his own arm after it was trapped under a boulder for 5 days when he was canyoneering in
Utah.
The decision of the Film Board of Review says the scene in which Aron amputates his own arm has “plainly not been
included simply to shock viewers without context or connection to the storyline or theme of the film.”
The Board also noted that “the duration of the objectionable scene is only 3 minutes which ought to be considered in the
context of a total running time of 93 minutes.” And: “The choice as to which young persons ought to see the film should
be made by a parent or guardian.”
Fox’s submission to the Film Board of Review reads in part:
The film carries with it a strong public service message which the original rating decision does not take into account.
The film’s main character embarks on a journey without telling anyone where he is going and without all of the necessary
equipment necessary to support his safety.. When he becomes hopelessly trapped, those decisions virtually zero his
chances of rescue and therefore survival. The significant lengths he ultimately goes to, to free himself and his loss
are strong consequential messages that should be seen by a wider audience.
The film, directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco, opens in New Zealand cinemas this Thursday, February 10. It
has earned six Academy Award Nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.
ENDS