Australian Classification Review Board
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The Australian Classification Review Board is a
statutory A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs the legal entities of a city, state, or country by way of consent. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. Statutes are rules made by le ...
censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
and classification body overseen by the
Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...
. The corporate body is responsible for reviewing classification decisions made by the
Australian Classification Board The Australian Classification Board (ACB or CB) is an Australian government statutory body responsible for the classification and censorship of films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia. The ACB was establis ...
concerning
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
s,
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s and
publication To publish is to make content available to the general public.Berne Conve ...
s for exhibition, sale or hire in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. Review decisions need to be initiated by an appeal from a previous applicant, most commonly referred to as "aggrieved party", or a Federal or State Attorney-General. , the board comprises a convenor, deputy convenor and five other board members. The current convenor is former senator Sue Knowles, who was appointed in January 2019 to a two-year term.


Organizations

The Classification Review Board is a statutory body established by th
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth)
This Act also provides a basis for th
National Classification Code
which guides their decision making. As the State and Territory governments retain responsibility for enforcing censorship and could withdraw from, or ignore the national classification scheme if they so wished, any changes to the national classification scheme must be agreed to by all the State and Territory Censorship Ministers (usually Attorneys-General). South Australia is the only state to maintain a separat
Classification Council
which can override national classification decisions applicable within the state. The Classification Review Board does not censor material by ordering cuts or changes. However, they are able to effectively censor media by refusing classification and making the media illegal for hire, exhibit and import to Australia.


Classification decisions

Below is a list of films reviewed by the Classification Review Board after having their initial ratings appealed. Each film includes a summary of its decision, with detailed reports of the reviews from 2001 to 2020 available at th
Australian Classification website


2021

* ''Ascendant'' – The film was appealed to drop the MA15+ rating to an unrestricted M and succeeded as a result of the film's fantasy context appropriately justifying the themes and violence. * '' Spiral: From the Book of Saw'' –
StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...
failed to appeal the film's R18+ rating as a result of the violence having a high impact with no mitigation, despite most of the previous ''
Saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mo ...
'' films being rated MA15+; in addition, the consumer advice was upgraded from 'High impact violence' to 'High impact violence, blood and gore'. *'' Disco Elysium: The Final Cut'' – Studio ZA/UM successfully appealed the game's ban and received an R18+ rating on the basis of the in-game drug use having negative effects on the player. *'' The Suicide Squad'' – The review board unanimously determined that the film's classification should be downgraded from R18+ to MA15+. They noted that both the comedic and fantasy context mitigated the impact of the violence. *''The Children in the Pictures'' – Downgraded from an MA15+ to an unrestricted M rating due to the documentary's purpose of educating audiences about the dangers of child exploitation. *'' Ghostbusters: Afterlife'' –
Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio Conglomerate (company), conglom ...
successfully appealed to lower the film to a PG rating due to the focus on science and humour mitigating the supernatural threat.


2020

* '' Cuties'' – The
Australian Christian Lobby The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) is a conservative right-wing Christian Advocacy group, advocacy organisation based in Canberra. It is similar to the other international Christian lobby groups, and seeks to represent Christian citizens and v ...
appealed the film's rating in order to ban it for pedophilia concerns. The claim was deemed invalid by the Review Board and the film kept its MA15+ rating.


2019

* ''
Hellboy Hellboy is a fictional superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in ''San Diego Comic-Con Comics'' #2 (August 1993), and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossover ...
'' –
Roadshow Entertainment Roadshow Entertainment (formerly known as Roadshow Home Video from 1982–1993) is an Australian home video, production and distribution company that is a division of Village Roadshow (formerly Roadshow Home Video and Roadshow Entertainment) t ...
failed to appeal the film's R18+ rating for an MA15+, because the cumulative impact of the violence was not mitigated enough by the fantasy context. * ''
Rocketman ''RocketMan'' (also written as ''Rocket Man'') is a 1997 American comic science fiction film directed by Stuart Gillard and starring Harland Williams, Jessica Lundy, William Sadler, and Jeffrey DeMunn. A partial remake of the 1967 film, '' The ...
'' – Successfully appealed from MA15+ to an M rating due to the film's lone use of '
cunt ''Cunt'' () is a vulgar word for the vulva or vagina. It is used in a variety of ways, including as a term of disparagement. Reflecting national variations, ''cunt'' can be used as a disparaging and obscene term for a woman in the United Stat ...
' being used as an act of self-reflection rather than as an aggressive insult directed at another.


2018

* ''
Bumblebee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gener ...
'' – The film's original version received an M rating for 'Action violence'. A cut version was sent and received the same M rating.
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
appealed the cut version's rating and won a PG rating because the themes, violence and language were deemed to be mild in impact. * ''
We Happy Few ''We Happy Few'' is an action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Compulsion Games and published by Gearbox Publishing. In 2016, an early access version was released for Microsoft Windows, with the full game seeing wide release ...
–''
Gearbox Publishing Gearbox Software is an American video game development company based in Frisco, Texas. It was established as a limited liability company in February 1999 by five developers formerly of Rebel Boat Rocker. Randy Pitchford, one of the founders, se ...
appealed the game's refusal of classification on behalf of
Compulsion Games Compulsion Games Inc. is a Canadian video game developer and a studio of Xbox Game Studios based in Montreal. Established in 2009 by ex-Arkane Studios developer Guillaume Provost, the studio developed the 2013 puzzle-platform game '' Contrast'' ...
and won, obtaining an R18+. The board found that the use of drugs in the game do not relate to incentives or rewards. The game's Lightbearer DLC was banned in August 2019 via the automated
IARC IARC may refer to: * International Aerial Robotics Competition * International Age Rating Coalition * International Agency for Research on Cancer * International Arctic Research Center * Israel Amateur Radio Club The Israel Amateur Radio Club (IA ...
system for drug use relating to incentives and rewards; Gearbox has yet to appeal the DLC's ban.


2017

*'' The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature'' – Successfully lowered to a G rating due to its slapstick humor and positive message. *''
Jigsaw Jigsaw may refer to: * Jigsaw (tool), a tool used for cutting arbitrary curves * Jigsaw puzzle, a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of interlocking pieces Arts and media Comics * Jigsaw (Marvel Comics), a supervillain and arch-enemy of ...
'' –
StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...
successfully lowered the film's rating from R18+ to MA15+. The main reason being that the most graphic images were dimly lit and only fleetingly seen. *''
Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...
'' – ''Consumers of Mental Health WA'' failed to appeal the film's M rating for an MA15+ because the content and complex mental illness theme was judged to be only moderate in impact and justified by context.


2016

*''
Embrace Embrace may refer to: * A hug, a form of physical intimacy * Acceptance Music Bands * Embrace (American band), a post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C. * Embrace (English band), a post-Britpop band from West Yorkshire * Embrace (duo), a Dan ...
'' - Dropped from MA15+ to M as the detailed depictions of nudity had an educational context. *''
Blair Witch ''Blair Witch'' is an American horror media franchise created by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, distributed by Artisan Entertainment (now Lionsgate) and produced by Haxan Films that consists of three feature films and various additional ...
'' - Failed to lower its MA15+ rating due a strong sense of menace throughout. *'' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows'' - Dropped from M to PG as the violence lacked blood, injury or depictions of dead bodies. *'' X-Men: Apocalypse'' - Dropped from MA15+ to M due to the lack of depiction involving serious bodily harm.


2015

*''
Blinky Bill the Movie ''Blinky Bill the Movie'' is a 2015 Australian computer-animated adventure comedy film based on the Blinky Bill character, an anthropomorphic koala created by Dorothy Wall for a children's book series in 1933. The film was produced by Flyin ...
'' - Dropped from PG to G to due to the themes being of a very low threat of menace. *'' Boychoir'' - Dropped from M to PG due to the car crash scene lacking injury detail.


2014

*'' Blended'' - Dropped from M to PG due to the sexual references being discreetly implied.


2013

*Australian Attorney-General George Brandis tried to appeal the MA15+ rating of 12 video games, believing they should be raised to R18+ due to being given adult ratings in other countries. The appeal failed and all of the games kept their MA15+ ratings. *'' American Hustle'' - Dropped from MA15+ to M as the elements of aggressive coarse language were infrequent. *''
Behind the Candelabra ''Behind the Candelabra'' is a 2013 American biographical drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh. It dramatizes the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace and the relationship that he had with Scott Thorson. It is based on Thorson's ...
'' - Dropped from MA15+ to M as the film's depiction of drug use dealt with the consequences of addiction and the sex scenes were discreet. *''
Children's Island Children's Island, formerly known as "Cat Island" is an island off Marblehead, Massachusetts, and is part of the City of Salem, Massachusetts. The YMCA of the North Shore has owned and operated a children's day camp on it since 1955. The first w ...
'' - The Australian Federal Police successfully appealed the film's R18+ rating, banning it due to child pornography concerns. *'' Inside Llewyn Davis'' - Dropped from MA15+ to M as the elements of aggressive coarse language were infrequent. *'' Rampage (2009)'' - Australian Attorney-General George Brandis tried to appeal the film's MA15+ rating but failed as despite the frequent scenes of strong violence, the film never glorified its depiction of violent content. *''
Saints Row IV ''Saints Row IV'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Volition and published by Deep Silver. It is the sequel to 2011's '' Saints Row: The Third'', the fourth installment of the ''Saints Row'' series, and the final main installment i ...
'' - Appeal of refusal of classification was unsuccessful due to interactive drug use related to incentives and rewards. The game was passed at MA15+ a few years later when it was re-released alongside the Gat Out of Hell expansion.


2012

*''
Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning " forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, kn ...
'' – Originally classified MA15+ for strong sci-fi violence specifically the birth scene, it was later downgraded to an M classification due to said scene being mitigated by a medical context.


2011

*'' The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)'' - Federal Attorney-General Brendan O'Connor successfully appealed the R18+ rating, banning the film for its relentless and continuous sequences of degradation. *''
Happy Feet Two ''Happy Feet Two'' is a 2011 computer-animated jukebox musical comedy film directed, produced and co-written by George Miller. It is the sequel to the 2006 film ''Happy Feet'', it stars Ava Acres, Elijah Wood, Robin Williams (in his final anima ...
'' - Successfully dropped to a G rating due to its very low sense of threat. *'' The House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut'' – Sega successfully appealed its ban for an MA15+ on the basis that the over-the-top violence mitigated the impact. *''
We Dare ''We Dare'' is an adult-oriented party video game developed by Ubisoft Milan, for the Wii and PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming systems. It is marketed as a "sexy, quirky, party game" and involves kissing, striptease and spanking. However, reviewers in c ...
'' – Federal Attorney-General Brendan O'Connor failed to appeal the game's rating and thus stuck with its PG rating on the basis that the sexual references were only mild in impact. *''
Mortal Kombat ''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a v ...
'' – Warner Bros. failed its appeal to attain an MA15+ rating due to violence being of a high degree; this was due to the lack of an R18+ for video games at the time, hence the game was subsequently refused classification for a second time. Has since been re-rated R18+ uncut after said rating's introduction. *'' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1'' – Originally received an MA15+ classification due to the strong themes involving an intense birth scene. It was later downgraded to an M rating due to the fantasy nature of the themes. *'' A Serbian Film'' - An already censored version of the film had its R18+ overturned, banning it for explicit depiction of sexual violence.


2010

*''
The Karate Kid ''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the ''Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue an ...
'' – Lowered its M rating to a PG due to the consensus being that the violence was not detailed and was relatively infrequent within the narrative. *''
Salo Salo or Salò may refer to: Places Finland *Salo, Finland, a town in Western Finland ** Salo sub-region, a subdivision of Finland Proper and one of the Sub-regions of Finland since 2009 *An old name of Saloinen, a former municipality in Ostrobot ...
'' – Federal Attorney-General Brendan O'Conner tried to appeal its R18+ rating. It was originally banned since 1997 but was recently re-rated by the classification board. The film was again awarded an R18+ rating due to the additional three hours of extras which give context to the film, the same reason as the classification board.


2009

*'' Alien vs Predator'' – Appealed its refusal of classification and won, receiving an MA15+ rating. The reason they deemed it as suitable for 15-year-olds is its science fiction context and how the mutilations were randomly generated and the player had no control over it. *'' Charlie Wilson's War'' – Bob Debus, the Minister for Home Affairs at the time, appealed the M rating of the film as he thought the nudity should have given the film a higher and restricted MA15+. He failed and the film retained the same rating of M, though with the added consumer advice of 'partial nudity'. *'' Friday the 13th (2009 remake)'' – Appealed its R18+ rating but lost due to how the violence frequently dwells on detail. *Hydrolord the Game (board game) – Bob Debus, the Minister for Home Affairs at the time, tried to appeal the M rating of this board game to cause it to receive a restricted rating of 'Category 1 18+' due to drug references, the board found that the drug references were very discreet thus awarding it the same rating of M. *''
Julie & Julia ''Julie & Julia'' is a 2009 American biographical comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Messina. The film contrasts the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her ...
'' – Appealed its M rating and won in which it was re-rated PG for 'Infrequent coarse language'. It won the appeal as the word "fuck" was used briefly and can easily be missed and is used in context to calm another character down. *''
Left 4 Dead 2 ''Left 4 Dead 2'' is a 2009 first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve. The sequel to Turtle Rock Studios's ''Left 4 Dead'' (2008) and the second game in the ''Left 4 Dead'' series, it was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox ...
'' – Appealed its refusal of classification but lost. This was due to the relentlessly graphic and detailed depictions of violence and gore throughout the game and thus could not be accommodated at the MA15+ rating. The game later received an R18+ uncut after said rating was introduced for video games. *'' The Loved Ones'' – Appealed its R18+ and won, it was then re-rated MA15+. This was due to that the most violent scenes generally had a dark comedic overtone to it thus reducing the impact. *''
Stone Bros. ''Stone Bros.'' (alternatively titled ''Stoned Bros'') is a 2009 Aboriginal Australian stoner comedy film directed by Richard Frankland. It was theatrically released in Australia on 24 September 2009. Plot Eddie (Carroll) is working as a cleane ...
'' – Appealed its MA15+ but failed. This was due to how, despite the film showing negative effects on drugs, there are certain scenes explicitly detailing how to actually form them.


2008

*'' F.E.A.R. 2'' – Appealed its refusal of classification and was awarded with a MA15+. The board found that the violence was expected in its genre and the most violent events occurred without player control. *''
Open Season 2 ''Open Season 2'' is a 2008 American computer animation, computer-animated comedy film and the sequel to the 2006 film ''Open Season (2006 film), Open Season'', produced by Sony Pictures Animation. It was directed by Matthew O'Callaghan, co-dire ...
'' – Appealed its PG rating but failed as the violence was a bit too intense for younger viewers. *''
Space Chimps ''Space Chimps'' is a 2008 computer-animated science fiction comedy film directed by Kirk DeMicco in his directional debut, and written by DeMicco and Rob Moreland. It features the voices of Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Daniels, Patrick W ...
'' – Successfully appealed its PG rating and won its G rating as the comedic overtone lessened the impact to young children.


2007

*'' 300'' – Won its appeal and its R18+ was downgraded to a MA15+ due to how unrealistic the CGI effects were causing all the violence to be highly stylized. *'' 30 Days of Night'' – Won its appeal and was awarded an MA15+ rating over its previous R18+. The reason was that it took place in a clear fantasy environment and that the vampires bled black blood lessening the impact. *''
Notes on a Scandal ''Notes on a Scandal'' (''What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal'' in the U.S.) is a 2003 novel by Zoë Heller. It is about a female teacher at a London comprehensive school who begins an affair with an underage pupil. Heller said to ''The Ob ...
'' – Lost its appeal and stayed with its MA15+ rating due to how sensitive the public is to sex with a minor even with the film's implied sex scenes. *''
Sleuth Sleuth may refer to: * Detective *Sleuth, collective noun for a group of bears Computing * The Sleuth Kit, a collection of forensic analysis software *SLEUTH assembler language for the UNIVAC 1107 Entertainment and media *Cloo Cloo (stylized ...
'' (remake) – Successfully appealed its MA15+ rating for an M rating. The board found that the two uses of 'cunt' was, while aggressive, still infrequent. *''
Saw IV ''Saw IV'' is a 2007 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and a story by Melton, Dunstan, and Thomas Fenton. It is the fourth installment in the ''Saw'' film series and sequel to ...
'' – Was originally rated R18+ due to the violent/sadistic content and graphic bloodshed. It was decreased to MA15+ based on the content being similar to the previous installments, which were rated MA15+. The notable scenes were the eye gouging, autopsy scene, hair scalping scene and hammer bashing scenes. * ''Sea Patrol'' (season 1) – Lost its appeal and stayed with its M rating due to certain scenes dwelling on detail of blood.


2006

*'' Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure'' – Federal Attorney-General Phil Ruddock applied to appeal the MA15+ of the rating to force into the RC (banned) territory. He succeeded and banned the game as the board noted that while all the violence, coarse language and drug references may be accommodated within the MA15+ category, the theme proved to be high impact due to the glorification of graffiti. *''
Eragon ''Eragon'' is the first book in ''The Inheritance Cycle'' by American fantasy writer Christopher Paolini. Paolini, born in 1983, began writing the novel after graduating from home school at the age of fifteen. After writing the first draft for a ...
'' – Lost its appeal of the M rating due to violence being too frequent to fit within the PG classification. *''
Stormbreaker ''Stormbreaker'' is a young adult action-adventure book written by British author Anthony Horowitz, and is the first novel in the ''Alex Rider'' series. The book was released in the United Kingdom on the 4th of September 2000, and in United S ...
'' – As with ''Eragon'', lost its appeal of the M rating due to the frequency of the violence. *''
River Queen ''River Queen'' is a 2005 New Zealand-British war drama film directed by Vincent Ward and starring Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland, Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison and Stephen Rea. The film opened to mixed reviews but performed well at t ...
'' – Won its appeal for lowering its MA15+ rating for an M rating. This was due to the historical context of the film mitigating the impact. *'' Ice Age: The Meltdown'' – Failed to lower its PG rating due its cumulative impact of menace. *'' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' – Lost its appeal due to the dark nature of the film being deemed too impactful to fit into the PG category. *''
Big Momma's House 2 ''Big Momma's House 2'' is a 2006 American crime comedy film, the sequel to 2000's ''Big Momma's House'' and the second installment of the ''Big Momma'' film series. The film was directed by John Whitesell and starring Martin Lawrence reprising h ...
'' – Won its appeal to lower its M rating into a PG rating. This was due to the overall comedic tone lessening the impact of the violence. All appeals before 2006 were done when the review board was not owned by the Attorney-general's department but instead when it was overlooked by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC).


2005

*'' 50 Cent Bulletproof'' – Lost its appeal against refusal of classification due to the frequent detailed violence. *''
A History of Violence ''A History of Violence'' is a 2005 action thriller film directed by David Cronenberg and written by Josh Olson. It is an adaptation of the 1997 graphic novel of the same title by John Wagner and Vince Locke. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, ...
'' – Won its appeal for a MA15+ rating as while the violence was very detailed and realistic, it was infrequent within the film. *''
Mysterious Skin ''Mysterious Skin'' is a 2004 coming-of-age film written and directed by Gregg Araki, adapted from Scott Heim's 1995 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of two pre-adolescent boys who both experienced sexual abuse as children, and h ...
'' – Attorney-general Phil Ruddock appealed the R18+ rating in order to ban the film. He failed due to how the film does not glorify sexual abuse of children. *''
Kingdom of Heaven Kingdom of Heaven may refer to: Religious * Kingdom of Heaven (Gospel of Matthew) **Kingship and kingdom of God, or simply Kingdom of God, the phrase used in the other gospels * Kingdom of Heaven (Daviesite), a schismatic sect, founded by Will ...
'' – Won its appeal for an M rating due to the historical context of the film mitigating the impact. *''
Palindromes A palindrome is a word, number, phrase, or other sequence of symbols that reads the same backwards as forwards, such as the words ''madam'' or ''racecar'', the date and time ''11/11/11 11:11,'' and the sentence: "A man, a plan, a canal – Panam ...
'' - Failed to lower its R18+ due to themes of pedophilia. *'' Wolf Creek'' – Lost its appeal and stayed as an R18+ due to how realistic and frequent the violence is. *''
Wedding Crashers ''Wedding Crashers'' is a 2005 American comedy film directed by David Dobkin, written by Steve Faber and Bob Fisher, starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Christopher Walken with Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Bradley Cooper and Jane Seymou ...
'' – Was awarded a downgrade to an M rating due to the sexual references being while frequent, only moderate in impact. *''
The Gore Gore Girls ''The Gore Gore Girls'' is a 1972 comedy horror splatter film directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis. In the film, a reporter and a private investigator start investigating the brutal murder of a stripper. Soon enough, there is an entire series o ...
'' – Failed to appeal its refusal of classification due to prolonged and graphic depictions of dismemberment. *''
Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I *Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine given name ...
'' – Was awarded an M rating, down from its MA15+ due to how the violence was generally undetailed and stylised. *''
Guess Who Guess Who may refer to: *Guess Who (B.B. King album), ''Guess Who'' (B.B. King album), 1972 *Guess Who (Slim Whitman album), 1971 *Guess Who (EP), ''Guess Who'' (EP), a 2021 EP by South Korean girl group Itzy *Guess Who (film), ''Guess Who'' (film) ...
'' – Lost its appeal and stayed with its M rating due to how frequent the sexual references are. *''
9 Songs ''9 Songs'' is a 2004 British art romantic drama film written and directed by Michael Winterbottom. The film stars Kieran O'Brien and Margo Stilley. The title refers to the nine songs played by eight different rock bands that complement the s ...
'' – Won its appeal for an R18+, it was originally given an X18+ but due to a technicality in the guidelines of how even fetishes are not allowed in the X18+ category, something which the classification board overlooked, they awarded it an R18+ based upon artistic merit. *''
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
'' – Won its appeal for a PG rating due to how highly stylised the violence was.


2004

*''
Sideways ''Sideways'' is a 2004 American comedy-drama road film directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, ''Sideways'' follows two men in their forties, Miles Raymo ...
'' - Won its appeal for an unrestricted M rating due to the compassionate treatment of depression and alcoholism. *''
A Very Long Engagement ''A Very Long Engagement'' (french: Un long dimanche de fiançailles, italic=yes, "A long Sunday of engagement") is a 2004 French-American romantic war drama film, co-written and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tautou, Gaspard ...
'' - Failed to lower its MA15+ rating due to injury detail and the strong sense of threat. *''
Collateral Collateral may refer to: Business and finance * Collateral (finance), a borrower's pledge of specific property to a lender, to secure repayment of a loan * Marketing collateral, in marketing and sales Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Collate ...
'' - Failed to lower its MA15+ rating due to the strong depictions of violence. *''Shadow Theatre'' - The art house
short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
lowered its pornographic X18+ rating to a commercial R18+ due to its use of silhouettes and distorted imagery giving reasonable doubt to the potentially unsimulated sex scenes. *''
Manhunt Manhunt may refer to: Search processes * Manhunt (law enforcement), a search for a dangerous fugitive * Manhunt (military), a search for a high-value target by special operations forces or intelligence agencies Social organisations * Manhun ...
'' - Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock appealed the game's MA15+ rating resulting in the Review Board finding the violence to be high in impact. Due to the lack of a R18+ rating for video games at the time, Manhunt was refused classification as a result. *''
Anatomy of Hell ''Anatomy of Hell'' (french: Anatomie de l'enfer) is a 2004 erotic drama film written and directed by Catherine Breillat, based on her 2001 novel ''Pornocratie''. According to Breillat, ''Anatomy of Hell'' is a "sequel" to ''Romance''. Plot Tee ...
'' - The
Australian Family Association The Australian Family Association (AFA) is a conservative Christian political organisation. It was founded in 1980 by the National Civic Council's then president, B. A. Santamaria. Beliefs and lobbying The AFA states they were formed to "provide ...
attempted to appeal the rating in an attempt to ban the film. The Review Board disagreed and the film kept the R18+ rating due serious artistic merit. *'' Bratz: Starrin' & Stylin''' - Failed to lower its PG rating due to themes of
peer pressure Peer pressure is the direct or indirect influence on peers, i.e., members of social groups with similar interests, experiences, or social statuses. Members of a peer group are more likely to influence a person's beliefs, values, and behavior. A g ...
. *''
Irréversible ''Irréversible'' () is a 2002 French experimental psychological thriller film written and directed by Gaspar Noé. Starring Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel and Albert Dupontel, the plot depicts the events of a tragic night in Paris as two men ...
'' - Attorney-general Phil Ruddock appealed the R18+ rating in order to ban the film. He failed and the film kept the rating for serious artistic merit. *''
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the '' Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of ...
'' - Won its appeal for a PG rating due to its stylized nature lowering the impact of threat. *''
Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...
'' - Won its appeal for an unrestricted M rating as the violence was mitigated by the film's historical context. *''
Haunted Mansion The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride attraction located at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland. The haunted house attraction features a ride-through tour in Omnimover vehicles called "Doom Buggies", and a walk-through show is displa ...
'' - Won its appeal for a PG rating due to the stylized fantasy elements mitigating the sequences of horror.


2003

*'' One Perfect Day'' - Won its appeal for an unrestricted M rating due its strong anti-drug message. *''Silverball Product Version 8'' - Originally banned by the Classification Board due to sexuality and nudity in relation to incentives and rewards. The rating was successfully appealed and downgraded to an unrestricted M rating on the basis that the nude static images were incidental to gameplay rather than as a reward. *''
Thirteen Thirteen or 13 may refer to: * 13 (number), the natural number following 12 and preceding 14 * One of the years 13 BC, AD 13, 1913, 2013 Music * 13AD (band), an Indian classic and hard rock band Albums * ''13'' (Black Sabbath album), 2013 * ...
'' - Won its appeal for a MA15+ due its non-exploitive and compassionate depiction of teenage drug use and self-harm. *''
Ken Park ''Ken Park'' is a 2002 erotic drama which revolves around the abusive and dysfunctional lives of several teenagers, set in the city of Visalia, California. It was written by Harmony Korine, who based it on Larry Clark's journals and stories. Th ...
'' - The
Sydney Film Festival The Sydney Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival held in Sydney, Australia, usually over 12 days in June. A number of awards are given, the top one being the Sydney Film Prize. the festival's director is Nashen Moodley. Histo ...
failed in its appeal against the refusal of classification for the film due to its prolonged and gratuitous depictions of child sex abuse. *''
Basic BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages designed for ease of use. The original version was created by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College ...
'' - Failed to lower its MA15+ rating due to the violence having a strong impact despite the military context. *''
Ned Kelly Edward Kelly (December 1854 – 11 November 1880) was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police-murderer. One of the last bushrangers, he is known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armour during his final shootout wi ...
'' - Won its appeal for an unrestricted M rating due to the historical context lowering the impact of the violence. *''
Legacy of the Silver Shadow ''Legacy of the Silver Shadow'' is an Australian children's television series that first aired on the Ten Network in 2002. The thirteen-part series follows the story of four children who help a dead superhero. ''Legacy of the Silver Shadow'' ...
Volume 1'' - Failed to lower its PG rating as the violence was not mitigated by the educational context. *'' City of God'' - Failed to appeal its R18+ rating due to the film's unflinching and realistic portrayal of violence and drug use *''
Phone Booth A telephone booth, telephone kiosk, telephone call box, telephone box or public call box is a tiny structure furnished with a payphone and designed for a telephone user's convenience; usually the user steps into the booth and closes the booth ...
'' - Won its appeal for an unrestricted M rating due to the non-gratuitous nature of the coarse language.


2002

*'' Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron'' – Won its appeal for a G rating due to there being a low sense of threat for children. *''
Baise-Moi ''Baise-moi'' is a 2000 French crime thriller film written and directed by Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi and starring Karen Lancaume and Raffaëla Anderson. It is based on the novel by Despentes, first published in 1993. The film rece ...
'' – Attorney-General
Daryl Williams Daryl Williams may refer to: * Daryl Williams (politician) (born 1942), Australian politician * Daryl Williams (American football) (born 1992), American football offensive tackle * Daryl Williams (rugby union) (born 1964), New Zealand-born Samoan r ...
succeeded in appealing the film's R18+ rating resulting in a refusal of classification for "very high impact sexual violence throughout". *
Three Ballerinas
' – Awarded a G rating as the themes and language were deemed very mild and discreet in impact. *''
Australian Rules Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
'' – Awarded an M rating due to the drug use, violence, and coarse language being justified by its context and message, thus the film was only moderate in impact. *''
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, d ...
'': ''20th Anniversary Edition'' – Failed to lower its PG rating due to there being certain scenes that may be distressful for young children. *'' Black Hawk Down'' – Was originally rated R18+ due to its graphic, relentless violence and injury detail. It was awarded an MA15+ on appeal as the violence was justified by its strong anti-war message.
''Great Moments in Science''
- Was downgraded from PG to G as the violence was mitigated by the educational context as well as the lack of blood.


2001

* '' Grand Theft Auto III'' - Although originally released with an MA15+, the board banned it after reviewing the classification.
Take-Two Interactive Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an American video game holding company based in New York City and founded by Ryan Brant in September 1993. The company owns two major publishing labels, Rockstar Games and 2K, which operate internal g ...
, on behalf of
Rockstar Games Rockstar Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City. The company was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, using the assets Take-Two had previously acquired from BMG Interactive. Foun ...
, failed to appeal the game's ban as the board found its depiction of sexual violence against prostitutes inappropriate for minors. Due to the lack of an R18+ for video games at the time; the game was banned again. A modified version lacking the ability to pick up prostitutes was released with an MA15+. The game was later rerated R18+ uncut in 2019. * '' Joy Ride'' - The board decided to keep the MA15+ rating only to change the consumer advice to "Violence may disturb". * ''
Captain Corelli's Mandolin ''Captain Corelli's Mandolin'', released simultaneously in the United States as ''Corelli's Mandolin'', is a 1994 novel by the British writer Louis de Bernières, set on the Greek island of Cephalonia during the Italian and German occupatio ...
'' - The MA15+ rating was kept, but the consumer advice changed to "Occasional strong violence". *'' Pokémon 3: The Movie'' - Failed to appeal its PG rating as the themes and violence were not discreet enough for a G. The consumer advice was however changed from "Adult themes, low level violence" to "Frequent violence, some themes may upset young children". *'' Series 7: The Contenders'' - Kept its R18+ rating as its satirical tone failed to diminish the realistic violence. *
Dreamquest
' - Failed to appeal its ban as violence is not allowed in the X18+ category. *''
The Mexican ''The Mexican'' is a 2001 American dark comedy adventure crime film directed by Gore Verbinski and stars Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt in lead roles. Its plot is a mixture of different genres. Plot In Los Angeles, a traffic light changes to red a ...
'' - Won its appeal for an unrestricted M rating due to the lack of detail within the violence. *''
Hannibal Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...
'' - Attorney-General
Daryl Williams Daryl Williams may refer to: * Daryl Williams (politician) (born 1942), Australian politician * Daryl Williams (American football) (born 1992), American football offensive tackle * Daryl Williams (rugby union) (born 1964), New Zealand-born Samoan r ...
successfully appealed the film's MA15+ to upgrade it to a R18+ for high impact violence. The film would later revert to its MA15+ rating for its
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
release.


2000

*''
The Monkey's Mask ''The Monkey's Mask'' is an international co-production 2000 thriller film directed by Samantha Lang. It stars Susie Porter and Kelly McGillis. Porter plays a lesbian private detective who falls in love with a suspect (McGillis) in the disappeara ...
'' – Lost its appeal to drop the R18+ due to the theme of fetishes not being treated discreetly enough to warrant an MA15+ *''
Almost Famous ''Almost Famous'' is a 2000 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe, and starring Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, and Patrick Fugit. It tells the story of a teenage journalist writing for ''Rolling Stone ...
'' – Dropped its MA15+ to an M due to how the drug use was not exploitatively used in its depiction and shows its negative sides effects. *'' The Color of Paradise'' – Successfully appealed its M to the PG rating. This was due to that the themes depicted are mitigated by their complicities for young children to understand.


1999

*''
The Blair Witch Project ''The Blair Witch Project'' is a 1999 American supernatural horror film written, directed and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. It is a fictional story of three student filmmakers—Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Josh ...
'' – Won its appeal to lower its MA15+ to M as while there were instances of aggressive strong language, they were limited to only two scenes and thus infrequent within the narrative *''
Eyes Wide Shut ''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's set ...
'' – Lost the appeal and stuck with its R18+, as the sex scenes were too realistic rather than implied/discreet to fit into the MA15+ rating *''
Fight Club ''Fight Club'' is a 1999 American film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. It is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. Norton plays the unnamed narrator, who is d ...
'' – Lost appeal for the MA15+ rating as it had adult themes of a high degree of intensity that were not discreet *'' The General's Daughter'' – Won its appeal and lowered rating to MA15+ as the theme of rape was not high impact and the rape scene was more suggestive then graphic. *''
The Iron Giant ''The Iron Giant'' is a 1999 American animated science fiction film produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation and directed by Brad Bird in his directorial debut. It is based on the 1968 novel '' The Iron Man'' by Ted Hughes (which was publis ...
'' – Lost the appeal and stayed a PG due to several scenes being too intense for young children *''
Human Traffic ''Human Traffic'' is a 1999 British-Irish-Welsh independent coming of age comedy drama film written and directed by Justin Kerrigan. It is a cult film of the Cool Cymru era of arts in Wales. The film explores themes of coming of age, drug and ...
'' – Lost appeal for MA15+ due to its promotion of drugs as an escapism *''
Romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...
'' – Won its appeal to unban the film and rerated R18+ due to its serious intent and artistic merit despite explicit sex *''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' – Lost appeal to lower PG rating due to several menacing themes that could not be accommodated at the G rating *'' Madness'' – Lost its appeal to lowers its RC rating due to explicit sexual violence


1998

*''
Analyze This ''Analyze This'' is a 1999 American mafia comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwright Kenneth Lonergan, and Peter Tolan. The plot follows a crisis-stricken mafioso (Robert De Niro) who solicits the assi ...
'' – Lost its appeal to lower its MA15+ as it contained constant coarse language that were too aggressive to be in fit into the M rating. It was later re-rated M in 2003, and again in 2006. *''
Saving Private Ryan ''Saving Private Ryan'' is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, the film is known for its graphic portrayal of war, especially its depictio ...
'' – Won appeal to be rated MA15+ as despite having intense, prolonged graphic scenes of violence, they were non-gratuitous, infrequent and contained a strong anti-war message *'' Passion'' – Appeal failed as the pervasive theme of sado-masochistic behaviour could not fit into the MA15+ category *'' Hurrah'' – Won the MA15+ rating as the noted sex scene was while somewhat graphic, was shown in a series of shots mitigating its impact


1997

*''
Anastasia Anastasia (from el, Ἀναστασία, translit=Anastasía) is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word (), meaning "resurrection". It is a popular name in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, where it was the most ...
'' – Appeal for a G rating failed due to the various scenes that were found to upset small children *''
Men in Black In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are purported men dressed in black suits who claim to be quasi- government agents, who harass, threaten, or sometimes even assassinate unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesse ...
'' – Appeal failed as the violence was too frequent to be accommodated within the PG rating *'' FairyTale: A True Story'' – Won its appeal for a G rating as the themes were discreetly used to avoid distressing younger children *'' The Devil's Advocate'' – Lost its appeal for a MA15+ as the board noted that the sex and violence were gratuitously detailed and/or prolonged. In 2012 the film was re-rated MA15+ on Blu-ray. *''
Primary Colors A set of primary colors or primary colours (see spelling differences) consists of colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a br ...
'' – Won its appeal to lower its MA15+ to an M rating as the frequent use of "fuck" was not gratuitous and contextually justified *''
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom ''Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom'' ( it, Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma, billed on-screen ''Pasolini's 120 Days of Sodom'' on English-language prints and commonly referred to as simply ''Salò'' []) is a 1975 horror film, horror art film dir ...
'' – The Attorney general at the time appealed to ban the film (originally R18+) and was successful, the board noted the film depicted sexual violence as highly cruel and portrayed the characters in a demeaning manner. (It was rerated R18+ again in 2010)


Members

, the current members of the Classification Review Board are: * Sue Knowles (convenor) – appointed January 2019 (term expires 2021) *Peter Price (deputy convenor) – appointed December 2014 (term expires 2021) *Rechelle Leahy – appointed December 2018 (term expires 2020) *Susan Bush – appointed December 2018 (term expires 2020) *Margaret Clancy – appointed December 2018 (term expires 2020) *Adam Davy – appointed December 2018 (term expires 2020) *Christopher Allen – appointed December 2018 (term expires 2020)


See also

*
Advertising Standards Bureau (Australia) Ad Standards manages the complaint resolution process of the advertising self-regulation system in Australia. It functions as secretariat for the Ad Standards Community Panel and the Ad Standards Industry Jury – the two independent bodies were ...
*
Australian Classification Board The Australian Classification Board (ACB or CB) is an Australian government statutory body responsible for the classification and censorship of films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia. The ACB was establis ...
– A statutory censorship and classification body for Australia *
Banned films For nearly the entire history of film production, certain films have been banned by film censorship or review organizations for political or moral reasons or for controversial content, such as homosexuality. Censorship standards vary widely by ...
– includes an extensive list of films banned in Australia * Banned video games *
Censorship in Australia Although Australia is considered to have, in general, both freedom of speech and a Freedom of the press, free and independent media, certain subject-matter is subject to various forms of government censorship. These include matters of national s ...
*
Internet censorship in Australia Internet censorship in Australia is enforced by both the country's criminal law as well as voluntarily enacted by internet service providers. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has the power to enforce content restrictions ...
* List of pornography laws by region – Australian hardcore pornography laws *
Video game controversy Video game controversies refers to a wide range of debates on the social effects of video games on players and video game culture, broader society, as well as debates within the video game industry. Since the early 2000s, advocates of video gam ...
– includes the history of games censorship in Australia


References

{{Reflist Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia Australian classification system Censorship in Australia 1970 establishments in Australia Organizations established in 1970 Entertainment rating organizations Video game content ratings systems