BBFC explains decision to lower A Nightmare on Elm Street’s age rating after 40 years

Classic 1984 horror had previously been given an ‘18’ rating

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has issued a statement after lowering the age rating of horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The organisation, which handles the censorship and classification of films released in the UK, had previously given the 1984 movie an “18” rating, forbidding anyone under the age of 18 from seeing it in cinemas or purchasing it on DVD.

However, on 1 August, the film was reclassified with the more lenient age rating of “15”, ahead of a re-issue of the film this September.

Speaking to The Guardian, a BBFC spokesperson said that there was “strong support” among audiences for older films to be re-classified to better reflect modern sensibilities.

Released in the UK in 1985, A Nightmare on Elm Street follows a group of teenagers who are stalked and murdered by supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger in their dreams.

The spokesperson said: “At the BBFC, we review the classification of older films when they are submitted to us by the distributor, typically ahead of an upcoming rerelease. When doing so, we apply our current standards as set out in our published Classification Guidelines. These guidelines evolve over time, informed by large-scale research, most recently involving 12,000 people, to ensure they continue to reflect the expectations of UK audiences. As a result, films may require a higher or lower age rating than they received in the past.

“In the case of A Nightmare on Elm Street, although the film features various bloody moments, it is relatively discreet in terms of gore and stronger injury detail. The kills often leave more to the imagination than visceral detail, and largely occur within a fantasy context.

“Compared to more recent precedents for violence and horror [classified] at 18 – such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Immaculate or Saw X – the film is now containable at 15 and we reclassified it accordingly.”

The BBFC most recently updated its ratings guidelines in March 2024.

According to the organisation, issues are particularly prevalent about the classification of violence, with “distressing and disturbing forms of intense or realistic violence” being a particular concern.

“Modern audiences tend to be more accepting of violent scenes which are more fantastical in nature,” they added, explaining that the harshest age ratings tended to be reserved for films which contained realistic, real-world violence.