Fox Catalog Titles on Blu

[MichaelB]

The UK UHD of The Abyss has been cancelled because Lightstorm vetoed releasing it with the BBFC mandated cut (the rat breathing liquid scene.)

Legally mandated cut, to be strictly correct - the BBFC’s hands were tied.

(The relevant legislation is the 1937 Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act.)

[dwk]

The UK UHD of The Abyss has been cancelled because Lightstorm vetoed releasing it with the BBFC mandated cut (the rat breathing liquid scene.)

Legally mandated cut, to be strictly correct - the BBFC’s hands were tied.

(The relevant legislation is the 1937 Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act.)

I know, but it is still ridiculous that the scene in question, in which the rat is not harmed, is cut but things like a mouse getting fed to a cat in Inferno pass uncut because someone claimed (most likely lied) that they just happened to catch the cat eating a mouse.

[MichaelB]

But the rat clearly was harmed, as it was visibly absolutely terrified, and no wonder - it legitimately thought it was drowning.

And terrifying an animal is explicitly proscribed by the Animals Act. Cruelty doesn’t have to leave a physical mark.

[tenia]

Weren't any previous release and showing of the movie with this cut cut anyway ? Or is it something the BBFC didn't know before and is requesting now to be cut as per the law ?

[Dr Amicus]

I think it's always been cut. Funnily enough, the scene in question was shown on tv years ago back in one of those America's Top Ten shows that ITV or Channel 4 showed at 2am over a weekend - it was the clip chosen when the film either had opened or was about to.

[Mr Sausage]

The trouble with that scene is it’s not extraneous. It’s adding crucial plot information.

[flyonthewall2983]

In a more abstract way such a stumbling block is more then a bit indicative what a pain in the ass it was to make, since by most accounts it was a grueling shoot.