France bans sadism for minors

French politicians have upped the rating of 'Saw III' from 16 to 18.

Nov 22 2006

France's minister for culture has barred minors from seeing the horror film 'Saw III' because of its 'incessant and unbearable sadism'.

In an unusual step, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres insisted on seeing 'Saw III' himself, and then upped the film's rating from the usual 16 to 18.

He explained 'the violence and incessant and unbearable sadism of scenes explicitly linked to physical and moral torture fully justified the decision to ban the film [for minors]'.

The makers of 'Saw III' are unlikely to be worried by the ruling however. The film has already grossed more than $100 million worldwide and the publicity generated by this new certification is bound to increase interest and boost the box office of the film.

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