Brad Pitt's fist-fighting movie is censored

SCENES OF "sustained" violence have been cut from Fight Club, the bare-knuckle film starring Brad Pitt, to allow it to be shown to British audiences.

The British Board of Film Classification gave the film an "18" rating after insisting on cuts to two scenes. "In both scenes there was an indulgence in the excitement of beating a defenceless man's face into a pulp," said a board director, Robin Duval. But, he added, the violent content of Fight Club was less than that of many other films that had passed by without any public concern. "Audiences who expect a large quantity of fist fighting and graphic violence are likely to be disappointed."

The film, which also stars the British actress Helena Bonham Carter, is due for release on Friday. It revolves around a group of disillusioned men who want to reassert their masculinity by getting involved in the bare-knuckle contests.

It has been criticised in the United States for being irre-sponsible. Some critics said it could provoke copycat violence.