From Commanderbond.net
The UK rating of 12A was revealed for Casino Royale by the BBFC earlier this month, but there was one question many Bond fans were asking: will the brutal torture sequence between 007 and Le Chiffre remain intact?
The answer has been revealed today. According to the BBFC website, the UK cut of the film, specifically the torture sequence, has been edited to secure the 12A rating. The full message:
This film was originally seen by the BBFC in an unfinished version, for advice as to the film’s suitability at ‘12A’. The BBFC advised the company that the torture scene placed too much emphasis on both the infliction of pain and the sadism of the villain for the requested ‘12A’ category. When the completed version of the film was submitted for classification, reductions to the torture sequence had been made, including the removal of lingering shots of the rope, close shots of Bond’s facial reaction and the substitution of a more distant shot of the beating compared to the original version. This re-edited version of the scene was considered acceptable at ‘12A’, where the Guidelines permit violence provided there is no dwelling on detail or emphasis on injuries.
The US release of Casino Royale, which is rated PG-13, contains the entire torture sequence uncut.
Bond fans may remember that in the case of 2002’s Die Another Day, it was the US version that contained edits, specifically the sex scene between Halle Berry’s Jinx and Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond.
This sucks!