With the passing of the Video Recordings Act , the films on the list could be prosecuted for both obscenity and not being classified . As well as not passing any film liable to be found obscene , the BBFC imposed additional bans and cuts on films such as '' The Texas Chain Saw Massacre '' . Claims , since proven at best to be speculative , at worst outright media fabrication , relating to the Hungerford massacre and the murder of James Bulger ( where the 1991 film '' Child 's Play 3 '' was erroneously held up as influencing the perpetrators , possibly prompting the 1992 film '' Mikey '' to be prohibited in the UK ) , provided an additional impetus to restrict films and as late as December 1997 , the board claimed it " has never relaxed its guidelines on video violence , which remain the strictest in the world " . However , the board did loosen its standards , especially at the 18 level , in response to public consultation in 2000 . The departure of James Ferman from the BBFC may also have allowed some long-proscribed films to be re-appraised around this time . '' The Exorcist '' was granted an uncut 18 video certificate on 25 February 1999 , followed by '' The Texas Chain Saw Massacre '' in August , and several official ' nasties ' were passed in the early 2000s either uncut or with cuts restricted to sexual violence or actual animals being harmed . A list of these is given below . Among modern films , many , such as the '' Hostel '' and '' Saw '' series , contain brutal , graphic violence but have passed through uncut
Hungerford massacre
Hungerford massacre
Video nasty