Media Studies A2 Genre Study

Media Studies A2 Genre Study SESSION 4 Violence and the “Video Nasties” phenomenon

What was the “Video Nasty” phenomenon?    

In 1980, when home video was emerging, there was no censorship of video material. In 1984, after a campaign by MP David Alton, the Video Recordings Act was passed. This law gave the BBFC the power to censor video material in the same way as cinema releases. The result was that 75 films were banned in the U.K. and put on a list held by the D.P.P. (Director of Public Prosecutions).

What caused the “Video Nasty” moral panic? 



Video was a new experience; minors viewing material alone & in the dark could be seen as “harmful”. Parents and adults were concerned about the easy availability of “sensitive” material.

How many genre titles were on the D.P.P. list? You are going to be given a list of the 75 film titles that were placed on the D.P.P. list in 1984. Working in pairs, look at the list and HIGHLIGHT those that you think are horror genre titles. Then, consider the following questions, and write out your answers in full.  Why do you think the titles you have chosen are horror films?  Based on your findings, how many of the 75 titles are horror movies? Why do you think this is?

How many genre titles were on the D.P.P. list?  Out

of the 75 banned titles, 62 of them are horror films.  As a genre, horror makes up 83% of the D.P.P. list.  As of 2003, only 13 of the 75 titles are still banned in the UK (17% of the D.P.P. list). The rest are now available, with many released in their uncut form.

What are the most infamous horror genre films on the D.P.P. list? 

“The Last House On The Left” (1972)

On the D.P.P. list due to the subject content, where two young girls are raped and murdered, only to have the girl's parents exact revenge on the murderers in an explicit fashion.

What are the most infamous genre films on the D.P.P. list? 

“The Burning” (1980)

What are the most infamous genre films on the D.P.P. list? 

“Inferno” (1980)

What are the most infamous genre films on the D.P.P. list? 

“The Evil Dead” (1982)

What was the media reaction to “Video Nasties”?

Daily Mail – May 1982

Sunday Times – May 1982 Daily Mail – June 1983 Daily Star – July 1984

Do you think this is a real “Video Nasty”?

Watch the following clip (5 minutes long), and consider the following points: 1. Why do you think that this film was put onto the D.P.P. list?

2. Why do you think the movie is now allowed to be seen on video? 3. What does this tell you about British society now? Has anything changed?

“The Exorcist”, the B.B.F.C., and the D.P.P. Read the sheets you have been given on “The Exorcist”, and discuss the following in pairs :

 Do

you think the BBFC was right to put the film on the D.P.P. list?  Why do you agree or disagree with their decision?

What conclusions can we draw about British society today?  



Society is more secular, therefore religious themes are less taboo. Desensitisation means that audiences are harder to shock, and explicit violence is now more acceptable. The advent of technology such as DVD and the Internet means that censorship is harder to enforce, as films can be easily imported from overseas.

“Video Nasties” – the debate… You are going to complete this section, by having a debate about audience, censorship and “Video Nasties”. You are going to be given a sheet with the instructions, and the class will stage either a “Newsnight” or “Trisha” style programme to debate the topic. GOOD LUCK!