The following is a list of works submitted for certification to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) that were not immediately or, in some cases, ever granted a certificate due to them being unsuitable for classification.
Since its inception in 1912, the BBFC's duty has been to classify films, television programmes, video games, advertisements and other visual media according to their content. If a work is deemed unacceptable by the BBFC according to their guidelines or potentially illegal under British law, they can choose to refuse a certificate for that work. Although these works can be shown in cinemas with the permission of local councils, they cannot legally be sold on home video. Online streaming platforms are not required to have their content certified by the BBFC, though many do.
Over the years, several works have been refused a certificate, in effect banning them. Some of these works were later classified uncut, some were cut to meet the BBFC's guidelines, and some have never been granted a certificate.
Works rejected, later classified uncut Work Date rejected Date certificate granted Current certificate Details SourcesA Woman8 January 191510 September 1915UNosferatu 11 December 1922 10 October 1973 PG Battleship Potemkin 30 September 1926 11 January 1954 12 Rejected for "inflammatory subtitles and Bolshevist Proaganda [sic]." Unbanned as the now niche status of silent films and the death of Joseph Stalin were seen as diminishing the film's likelihood of causing political unrest. Outside the Law25 March 192715 January 193112You Can't Beat the Law9 May 192811 January 1944UThe Racketeer19 December 192920 May 1930UParty Girl7 February 19304 June 2003PGStorm over Asia 25 February 19302 March 1989PGThis Soviet film about a fictitious British occupation of Mongolia was rejected "on the ground that the film is provocative of or likely to cause a breach of the peace" as well as due to its portrayal of the British Army.The New Babylon 9 March 193023 June 1982ULiliom29 September 193022 January 2010PGThe film's depiction of the afterlife was deemed "irreverent, if not actually blasphemous."An American Tragedy15 September 193111 December 2023PGThe Miracle Woman26 October 193114 October 202412Morals for Women31 December 19319 April 1935AFreaks 1 July 1932 9 May 1963 12 Rejected twice, the second time on 12 March 1952, due to the perceived exploitation of physically disabled people. L'Opéra de quat'sous23 August 193226 August 1998PGThe Monster Walks24 August 19329 November 2010PGThe Face on the Barroom Floor 3 February 1933 11 December 1933 A Island of Lost Souls 13 March 1933 9 July 1958 PG The Deserter 21 November 1933 29 December 1941 A Court Waltzes 26 January 1934 23 June 1937 U Elysia 24 April 1934 10 July 1958 A (obsolete) This docudrama about nudist camps was subsequently rejected on 31 January 1949 and 7 January 1958 before finally being granted an A certificate. Black Moon2 September 193421 October 202412Le Grand Jeu4 September 19345 May 2010PG6 February 193527 April 1939AClub de Femmes3 July 193625 October 200012I Was a Captive of Nazi Germany26 May 193912 September 1939AThe Mad Monster29 July 194210 January 1952X (obsolete)The Miracle7 May 194915 January 1951PGManon 29 September 194915 January 195112The Hitch-Hiker2 February 195330 April 195312The Wild One 18 January 1954 21 November 1967 PG Rejected a second time on 20 December 1955. According to the BBFC, "The initial ban was prompted mostly by a fear that the very real problem of burgeoning juvenile delinquency, and a seemingly increasing lack of respect for authority, could only be aggravated by young people seeing this film." Riot in Cell Block 11 5 March 1954 3 September 1954 15 Black Tuesday 28 October 1954 7 August 1955 12 Garden of Eden 4 January 1955 10 July 1958 A Blackboard Jungle 15 March 1955 15 August 1955 12 Regarding the rejections of this film and The Wild One, the BBFC stated "Having regard to the present widespread concern about the increase in juvenile crime, the board is not prepared to pass any film dealing with the subject unless the compensating moral values are so firmly presented as to justify exhibition to audiences likely to contain (even with an "X" certificate) a large percentage of young and immature persons." Wrestling Knights 13 September 1957 21 December 1960 U Glen or Glenda 26 February 1958 18 January 1995 15 Goodnight With Sabrina20 August 195914 March 201615Horrors of Spider Island1 September 19609 November 201012Naked Youth5 September 196030 January 200815West End Jungle1 February 196110 November 200815Black Sunday10 February 196115 May 196815Mr. Sardonicus22 August 196113 December 196112The Immoral Mr. Teas3 July 19629 October 198718Shock Corridor 2 October 1963 31 December 1990 15 Rejected two more times in 1966 and 1968. Promises! Promises! 22 October 1963 16 August 2011 15 Rejected a second time on 4 September 1967. The Naked Kiss 13 March 1964 31 December 1990 18 The BBFC rejected this film twice, but it was passed by the Berkshire County Council and the Greater London Council. Lady in a Cage8 April 196417 November 200015The Sadist15 May 196419 May 199915The Horror of Party Beach20 May 196427 August 196412Carousella 28 January 1965 30 April 2009 15 Lorna2 February 196518 February 199818Onibaba 26 August 1965 15 June 1968 15 Who Killed Teddy Bear11 October 19659 July 200815Trans-Europ-Express 1966 17 January 1977 15 The distributor held a private screening for then-Secretary of the BBFC John Trevelyan, who stated that the film's depictions of sexual sadism would have to be cut, and that "This kind of sexual perversion is a dangerous one and I am sure we would not pass anything that might stimulate a pervert of that kind." The film was reportedly rejected upon its subsequent formal submission, though no record of this exists in the BBFC's database. The Wild Angels 6 December 1966 28 September 1972 15 Django 23 May 1967 16 February 1993 15Rejected due to excessive violence that could not be cut for an X rating.Common-Law Cabin1 August 19679 October 198718The Trip 5 September 1967 21 November 2002 18This film depicting a young man's first LSD trip was rejected four more times in 1971, 1980, 1983 and 1988 due to its perceived glamorisation of drug use.Mermaids of Tiburon12 September 196720 December 196815Alternate version of a 1962 film, featuring newly-shot nude footage.Hells Angels on Wheels28 September 196711 May 197715The Incident 19 January 1968 14 March 2014 12 Gate of Flesh29 January 19682 October 200018Weekend 26 March 1969 10 June 1969 18 Love Variations 13 April 1970 4 November 1970 18 Bloody Mama 28 April 1970 19 February 1971 18 Top Sensation 13 April 1970 11 May 2016 18 Quiet Days in Clichy 15 October 1970 18 December 2002 18 Language of Love 26 October 1970 27 July 1973 18Between its rejection and certification by the BBFC, the film was passed by the Greater London Council.Daddy, Darling 20 November 1970 10 July 1973 X (obsolete) A Girl Called Jules 10 March 1971 12 May 1975 X (obsolete) Virgin Witch 22 April 1971 7 January 1972 18 Kiss Me Quick!17 May 19712 March 201218The Panic in Needle Park 16 June 1971 21 November 1974 18 The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh 14 July 1971 8 February 2011 18 Trash 4 August 1971 9 November 1972 18 The Big Doll House 1 September 1971 15 May 1997 18 The Demons 23 March 1972 25 July 2008 18 The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire 24 March 1972 25 January 2019 15 A Bay of Blood 6 April 1972 23 January 1980 18 The Abductors 16 May 1972 6 February 1974 18 Sinderella 9 June 1972 13 April 1973 X (obsolete) 22 June 197225 November 202415Oh! Calcutta! 19 October 1972 18 April 1978 18 Mera ur kärlekens språk27 October 19728 February 198318Mantis in Lace4 December 197214 March 201218Requiem for a Vampire 6 December 1972 9 June 1993 18 What Have You Done to Solange? 23 March 1973 18 January 1996 18 30 August 1973 12 February 1975 X (obsolete) The Bloody Fists 30 August 1973 31 August 1976 18 Coffy 5 October 1973 4 April 1974 18 La Grande Bouffe 11 November 1973 27 January 1994 18 Four Riders 2 January 1974 15 February 1974 15 Ain't Misbehavin'''|| 19 June 1974 || 24 March 1976 || X (obsolete) || || |- |The Last House on the Left|| 4 July 1974 || 17 July 2002 ||18||Rejected two more times on 15 March 1999 and 1 February 2002.|| |- |Gambling for Head|9 July 1974 |10 October 2005 |15
|Little Miss Innocence|24 July 1974 |9 June 1986 |18
|Immoral Tales| 1974 |8 June 1995 |18 |While no record of the film being rejected could be found on the BBFC's website, their case study for the director's later film The Beast mentions Immoral Tales was "turned away by the BBFC."
|Les Valseuses|24 September 1974 |14 January 1992 |18
|The Texas Chain Saw Massacre|| 12 March 1975 || 16 March 1999 ||18|| || |- |Story of O|| 27 November 1975 || 11 February 2000 ||18|| || |- |Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom|| 13 January 1976 || 16 November 2000 ||18|| || |- ||| 20 September 1976 || 24 March 1977 ||18|| || |- |The Opening of Misty Beethoven|| 21 February 1977 || 25 July 1983 || R18 || || |- |Desperate Living|| 17 August 1977 || 7 September 1990 || 18 || || |- |The Big Racket|| 21 March 1977 || 5 December 2002 ||18|| || |- |Jack 'n Jill 2|| 6 September 1985 || 26 September 1988 ||R18|| || |- |Island of Death|| 15 April 1987 || 1 July 2002 || 18 || Prior to being rejected for home video release, the film was passed X with cuts for cinema release on 13 April 1976, under the titles Devils in Mykonos and A Craving for Lust. || |- |Late Night Trains|26 July 1976 |14 January 2008 |18
|Je t'aime moi non plus|13 September 1976 |8 July 1993 |18
|Maîtresse|| 14 October 1976 || 5 February 1981 ||18|| || |- |Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks|26 August 1977 |14 August 2013 |18
|La Bête|25 February 1978 |6 June 1988 |18 |The BBFC's issues with this film about the relationship between a human woman and a monster included the perceived theme of bestiality.
|Derek and Clive Get the Horn|| 21 October 1980 || 13 August 1993 ||18|| || |- |Mother's Day|| 10 December 1980 || 26 January 2015 ||18|| || |- |The House on the Edge of the Park|| 16 March 1981 || 1 July 2002 ||18|| || |- |Maniac|| 23 July 1981 || 29 May 2002 || 18||Rejected a second time on 8 January 1998.|| |- |Savage Streets|| 14 November 1984 || 26 June 1987 ||18||Rejected a second time on 20 May 1986. A trailer for the film was also rejected in 1987.|| |- |Tenement|| 16 April 1987 || 26 August 2005 || 18 || || |- |Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker||24 April 1987||26 March 2024||18||Prior to being rejected under the title The Evil Protege, the film was passed 18 uncut on 19 April 1983.|| |- |Class of 1984|| 22 September 1987 || 27 May 2005 || 18 || Prior to being rejected for home video release, the film was passed 18 with cuts for cinema release on 22 January 1983. || |- |Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2|| 22 December 1987 || 25 September 2020 ||18|| || |- |Slumber Party Massacre II|| 8 December 1988 || 5 July 2024 ||15|| || |- |Curfew|| 31 December 1988 || 13 September 2002 ||18|| || |- |Visions of Ecstasy|| 18 September 1989 || 31 January 2012 ||18||This 19-minute short film featuring sexualised scenes between Teresa of Ávila and the crucified body of Jesus was rejected on the grounds of blasphemy, as cuts would shorten the film by half. Its eventual classification came four years after blasphemy laws in the United Kingdom were repealed.|| |- |Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III|| 22 May 1990 || 5 April 2004 ||18|| || |- |International Guerillas|| 1990 || 29 August 1990 ||18||This Pakistani action film was rejected as its antagonistic depiction of writer Salman Rushdie was deemed criminal libel. Rushdie himself opposed the ban, stating "As a writer, I am opposed in principle to the use of the archaic criminal laws of blasphemy, sedition and criminal libel against creative works, even in the case of a film which quite plainly vilifies me", and the film was unbanned following an appeal.|| |-