Distressed Daleks
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Let’s not be beastly to Daleks
CENSORS have banned young children from buying the new series of Doctor Who on video or DVD on the grounds of “excessive cruelty” towards a Dalek.
The British Board of Film Classification has refused a PG certificate to the series because of torture techniques applied to the Time Lord’s mortal enemy. Censors ruled that the sequence sets a bad example to children because it implies that the only way to resolve disputes is through force allied with cruelty. A spokesman for the board said: “However cross one might be with a Dalek, being cruel is not the way to deal with the issue. Some children might take it into the playground.”
Shops cannot sell the DVD to children under the age of 12. The same restriction applies to an episode featuring Victorian killer zombies, which attracted complaints from 100 parents after it was screened on BBC One. The BBC expects the Doctor Who DVDs to become an international hit and a wave of merchandise will hit stores before Christmas. The first DVD, which includes another controversial episode, The Unquiet Dead, is to be released today. Fans will pay about £100 for the complete collection, including a Tardis-packaged boxed set.
Dalek will be released in June but the BBC will not cut the episode for children. It depicts the last Dalek in the universe imprisoned and chained by a billionaire, who tortures the creature with drills. The Doctor taunts the impotent Dalek, boasting that he has wiped out its race. But he is also terrified and demands that the weakened Dalek be killed in his lust for revenge. The Dalek eventually kills itself after acquiring human traits. These scenes set a bad example, censors ruled. A spokesman said: “We were concerned at the use of violence to resolve problems. The Doctor is a role model for young children but he takes out his anger on the Dalek. A good role model should not use torture to satisfy his desire for revenge. It is not an acceptable way to deal with problems of power. The DVD must not be supplied to anyone under the age of 12.”
Let’s not be beastly to Daleks
CENSORS have banned young children from buying the new series of Doctor Who on video or DVD on the grounds of “excessive cruelty” towards a Dalek.
The British Board of Film Classification has refused a PG certificate to the series because of torture techniques applied to the Time Lord’s mortal enemy. Censors ruled that the sequence sets a bad example to children because it implies that the only way to resolve disputes is through force allied with cruelty. A spokesman for the board said: “However cross one might be with a Dalek, being cruel is not the way to deal with the issue. Some children might take it into the playground.”
Shops cannot sell the DVD to children under the age of 12. The same restriction applies to an episode featuring Victorian killer zombies, which attracted complaints from 100 parents after it was screened on BBC One. The BBC expects the Doctor Who DVDs to become an international hit and a wave of merchandise will hit stores before Christmas. The first DVD, which includes another controversial episode, The Unquiet Dead, is to be released today. Fans will pay about £100 for the complete collection, including a Tardis-packaged boxed set.
Dalek will be released in June but the BBC will not cut the episode for children. It depicts the last Dalek in the universe imprisoned and chained by a billionaire, who tortures the creature with drills. The Doctor taunts the impotent Dalek, boasting that he has wiped out its race. But he is also terrified and demands that the weakened Dalek be killed in his lust for revenge. The Dalek eventually kills itself after acquiring human traits. These scenes set a bad example, censors ruled. A spokesman said: “We were concerned at the use of violence to resolve problems. The Doctor is a role model for young children but he takes out his anger on the Dalek. A good role model should not use torture to satisfy his desire for revenge. It is not an acceptable way to deal with problems of power. The DVD must not be supplied to anyone under the age of 12.”
posted by phylos @ 11:56
2 Comments:
what are they worried that children will start beating up trashcans in the playground?!?!?!?
i will own that box set - one way or another...
Amazon are selling both DVDs (unboxed set) for £20, though the second one isn't released till 13th June. If you can't get them in the states i'm sure i could get one over to you.
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