‘From the Manger to the Cross’: how British cinema’s first controversy magnet changed everything

Posted On December 21, 2024December 21, 2024

Should films be censored for the general public? This is a question that has caused significant debate over the years, not just because censorship often feels incredibly dystopian, but also due to the fact that art is a medium in which we should be able to express ourselves and communicate with others. Who is to decide what is suppressed and what is allowed to be viewed?

Of course, the censorship of certain images that would surely traumatise the most strong-willed of people are more understandably debated, and the censorship of images considered unethical and potentially illegal – such as child nudity – are also taken care of by film censors. However, there have been many instances where films have been banned when, in reality, they really didn’t need to be.

Take movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Pink Flamingos, for example. You can easily pick up copies of these films in your local HMV, and they are regarded as rather mainstream examples of controversial movies. Still, that hasn’t stopped them from being banned in various countries throughout the years, with film censors worried that people would be offended or disgusted by their content.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was placed on the list of ‘video nasties’ that were once banned in the United Kingdom. These movies were seen as outrageous, possessing the potential to seriously upset viewers or perpetuate violence and blasphemy, according to the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association (NVALA).

Censorship has a long history in the United Kingdom, with the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in charge of passing or rejecting titles for screenings and home video releases. Many movies have faced the wrath of the BBFC, while others have later been cut and released, or passed without any further amendments. The Video Recordings Act 1984 allowed the BBFC to make decisions on age ratings for video releases, allowing movies to circulate while keeping the safety of viewers, especially young people, in mind.

The BBFC was founded as far back as 1912, and it was a certain religious movie that caused its inception. From the Manger to the Cross, a story about Jesus’ life, caused outrage among certain journalists upon its release in 1912. At the time, cinema was a relatively new idea, and many people found the idea of depicting images of Christ offensive. Regardless of what the film showed Jesus doing, certain viewers couldn’t comprehend why filmmakers should be allowed to have an actor play their sacred figure.

Additionally, the movie didn’t include the Resurrection, which many religious audience members were shocked by. While we now have many movies that depict Jesus’ life, from The Last Temptation of Christ to the hugely controversial The Passion of the Christ, in the early days of feature films, there was a lot more outcry surrounding the idea.

The shock that the film caused led to the establishment of the BBFC so that movies could be assessed, censored, and regulated properly. Since then, we’ve experienced the censorship of movies that really didn’t need to be banned, resulting in their obscurity or cult status, as well as the protection of young people through the necessary cutting of certain images that push the limits of what is art and what is pure obscenity.

The BBFC changed the way cinema is consumed in the United Kingdom, and we can credit From The Manger to the Cross for inspiring its creation.

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