Audience Theory and Debates

Fight Club (1999)

The Hypodermic Needle Theory or model maintains that the audience of any given media

text passively consume the messages in the text and act upon them. So in other words

certain films can influence the audience to do similar things in films. This theory obviously is

slightly true in a matter of speaking. That’s why films are legally certified to protect those

who may be vulnerable and not really think about what it is their doing, just copy basically.

The David Fincher film released in 1999, Fight Club was a massive hit starring stars like Brad

Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. When this film was first requested for

certification by the BBFC there were a few problems for the certificate being a 15 as

requested. As the film is a fairly gory and brutal film anyway there were a few scenes which

did over step the mark. Even though Fight Club is a funny and not always serious film it does

show a lot of dark and evil scenes.

There were a couple of statements made by a couple of people stating that Fight Club was

unacceptable. And that the film definitely did not fall within the legal requirements not only

of a 15 certified film but of an 18 as well. There were obviously some changes that needed

to be done. There were numerous reasons why Fight Club was a specific film known for the

Hypodermic Needle Theory. As there were a lot of Explicit Violence scenes, Romanticized

Suicide Attempts and Self Harm Scenes. The BBFC felt as though these scenes could

influence the audience for this film. Alexander Walker, at the time of Fight Clubs near

release was a veteran critic of the London Evening Standard. He saw the film himself for the

first time in Venice and was not impressed with the general theme of the film. He saw the

film as “a toxic experience, an inadmissible assault on the personal decency and society

itself.” He also referred to the film to being a similar influence than those of the Nazis as “It

resurrects the Fuhrer principle. It promotes pain and suffering as the virtues of the

strongest. It tramples every democratic decency underfoot.” He saw the violence in the film

as Propaganda. This in his eyes mirrored the Nazi reference. He had similar views to that of

the BBFC However they didn’t think of it as that bad and generally thought the film had

potential. So therefore suggested the film should have cuts made.

After many debates they concluded that in order for the film to be leaglly published it had

to have two scenes cut. Around six to seven seconds taken from either scene because the

violence was too glamorized, it focused too much on the pleasure of the violence. When

these two scenes were cut the film then qualified at an 18 certificate. It was thought that

these two scenes focused too much on explicit punches to the head and face area, that it

made the audience feel uneasy. But also with a sudden rush of adrenaline as well as being

promotional for anarchy and revolutionary thinking.

Bearing in mind that this film is 15 years old the BBFC guidelines will have slightly changed

over the years. New BBFC guidelines state that adults should be free to choose their own

entertainment within the law and that there was nothing in fight Club that was in breach of

UK law that was felt harmful as the same level of violence could be seen anywhere else.

There were also later allegations about the film showing terrorist like acts. These include the

creation of ‘Soap Bombs’. This was a big influence in the Hypodermic Needle Theory as the

film basically shows and tells you a step to step guide on creating the bombs. Then the other

aspect was the blowing up of corporate buildings at the end of the movie. There were

statements that the scenes were a little similar to 9/11. Even though the film was before the

attack on the World Trade Centre. It maybe could’ve influenced it.

There were also a few sex scenes within the movie. They weren’t too explicit that’s why

there was no trauma over them. As most films these days include sexual references there

isn’t a huge deal made over them. The main scene was in the bedroom, when Marla and

Tyler Durden are wrapped up in the bed sheets. All you can see is their faces. This film

doesn’t really specify on relationships or love. I think that’s why the scenes weren’t as bad

as what they could’ve been. The film is more about rebelling against the corporate world.

Audience Theory and Debates

Juno (2008)

In 2008 the movie Juno directed by Jason Reitman staring Ellen Page as a troubled pregnant

16 year old in a typical American High School fled to our screens. Originally Jason Reitman

requested the film to be legally certificated at a PG rating. However there were debates on

that the film did not fall into this rating. The BBFC said that the film fell into a 12a cinematic

certification and the film release was a 15 certification. The BBFC Said that the issues with

Juno were infrequent strong language, moderate sex references and brief sightings of a gory

scene from an old horror movie The Wizard of Gore (rated 18). There was also discussion

about the films tone; it sort of glamorized teenage pregnancy. Considering the Hypodermic

Needle Theory this could influence the audience into Teenage Pregnancy allegedly.

The two uses of strong language are not aggressive or particularly directed at anyone. They

occur firstly when Mark (the adoptive father for Juno’s baby) is trying to appear 'cool' in a

conversation about horror movies, and secondly when Juno realises she is going into labour.

Though strong language is not permitted at PG, the BBFC Guidelines do allow for infrequent

uses of strong language at 12A. Two uses in a feature length work were considered

‘infrequent’.

Then the sex references are fairly frequent in Juno but they are moderate in tone and

strength. Most sex references are comic. They include references to ‘boners’, condoms that

‘make his balls smell like pie’ a ‘vag’, getting ‘snatch'. Some take place in a sexual health

clinic where Juno goes when she is considering a termination. Though not educational in a

strict sense, the context discussions between teenagers, including one who is pregnant as a

result of unprotected sex. This was seen as to influence it and almost joke a little about it,

nobody should be in the slightest bit influenced or told that unprotected sex is right. The sex

references were also considered to ‘reflect what is likely to be familiar to most adolescents’.

The one sex scene in the film is very brief and discreet. There is a pair of knickers that fall to

the floor when Juno and Paulie are about to make love, but to the BBFC’s guidelines said

that acts such as this should only be allowed at 12A, even though technically you couldn’t

see anything.

Then the gory horror movie scene wasn’t too explicit either. It was just scenes that have

sights of blood and guts, but it is presented in a cod or hammy style and without the briefing

of what the actual film is about. It becomes a brief and comic horror scene which could be

passed at a 12a. However the Horror work itself would definitely be passed at a higher

certification.