Beyond the Bbfc - by Sian Barber (Paperback)

About the Book

This work explores the censorship of film at local level and charts the chronological development of local film censorship systems, mechanisms and apparatus. Using archival material from a range of different locations across the UK, a more nuanced and complex picture of local film censorship activity is drawn.

Book Synopsis

This work scrutinises British film censorship from a local perspective. Examining different regions and areas, the work of individual councils and their relations with one another and with the BBFC, it offers a broad historical exploration of the intricacies of film censorship in action. Drawing on local archival material and considering the activities of local government in enforcing Cinematograph legislation, this work considers the significance of film censorship apparatus and processes in shaping and informing responses to and control of film culture in different locations across the twentieth century.

From the Back Cover

Beyond the BBFC explores local film censorship activity across Britain and Northern Ireland, from the earliest days of cinema to the rise of home video in the 1980s. This study delves into the diverse and often idiosyncratic systems used to regulate film at the local level, highlighting the motivations and mechanisms behind these efforts.

Drawing on archival material from regions including Aberdeen, Bexhill, Belfast, Wakefield and Cheltenham as well as across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Cornwall, Glamorgan and Berkshire, the book uncovers the wide variation in censorship practices. Local approaches ranged from independently appointed censors to committees who provided stringent scrutiny of all contentious titles. It charts how thesedifferent interventions operated, the reasons they endured or why they came to an abrupt end. Placing local censorship within the broader context of national bodies like the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the Home Office, the Greater London Council, and The Public Morality Council, the book reveals how place and context uniquely shaped censorship practices.

This detailed, historical exploration provides new insights into British local film censorship and how it contributed to debates about film and cinema taking place across the 20th century.

Review Quotes

Shortlisted for the 2026 BAFTSS Award for best monograph

About the Author

Sian Barber is Reader in Film in the School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen's University Belfast