Overlay: Persona (1966) Film Rating and Content Analysis

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
0	0	0	8

How were these counts calculated?

Counts based on original analysis categories (not yet classified).

Errors = Critical Errors + Imprecisions

Missing = Critical Omissions + Notable Gaps

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Persona (1966), what was the film rated (e.g. R, PG, G), and what elements of the film contributed to that rating?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

Regarding the 1966 film Persona, directed by Ingmar Bergman, its rating varies by country and era. Because the film was released before many modern rating systems were standardized, it has a complex classification history.

Official Ratings

United States (MPAA): The film is Not Rated. At the time of its U.S. theatrical release in 1967, the MPAA’s letter-grade system (G, PG, R, X) did not yet exist (it launched in late 1968). Even in later re-releases and home media versions (such as The Criterion Collection), the film has generally remained "Unrated," though it is widely considered to contain "R-rated" or "NC-17" level content by modern standards.
United Kingdom (BBFC): The film was originally given an 'X' certificate in 1967 (suitable for ages 16 and over). In modern re-classifications (2002, 2018), it has been rated 15 for strong sex references, nudity, and violence.
Sweden: It was originally rated 15 (suitable only for those 15 and older) by the Swedish Media Council (Statens biografbyrå).

Elements Contributing to the Rating

The film is celebrated for its avant-garde and transgressive nature, which challenged censors in the mid-1960s. Several specific elements contribute to its adult classification:

1. Explicit Sexual Dialogue (The Beach Monologue)

The most famous and controversial sequence is a long, static shot where Sister Alma (Bibi Andersson) describes a sexual encounter on a beach involving herself, another woman, and two young boys.

Detail: While no sexual activity is shown on screen, the description is incredibly vivid and clinical, referencing masturbation, ejaculation, fellatio, and group sex. This monologue was so explicit for the 1960s that it faced heavy censorship and remains one of the most significant reasons for its high age rating today.

2. Graphic and Disturbing Imagery

The film’s prologue and various dream sequences feature jarring, "subliminal" images that contribute to its "15" or "X" ratings:

Nudity: The prologue contains a very brief, nearly subliminal shot of an erect penis, which was cut from many international prints for decades.
Violence and Gore: There are close-up shots of a nail being driven into a human palm, a sheep being slaughtered (throat slit), and newsreel footage of a Buddhist monk’s self-immolation (the famous 1963 footage of Thích Quảng Đức).
Body Horror: In one scene, a character scrapes her fingernails up her own arm until she draws blood, which she then offers to the other character to drink (metaphorical vampirism).

3. Psychological Maturity and Themes

The film deals with deeply disturbing psychological themes that make it unsuitable for younger audiences:

Identity Dissolution: The film explores the "merging" of two women's personalities, featuring distressing shots where their faces are superimposed or combined into a single, haunting composite.
Abortion and Motherhood: The characters discuss abortion and a mother’s intense, visceral hatred for her child, themes that were considered highly taboo and "emotionally violent" at the time of release.
Existential Dread: The overall atmosphere is one of profound mental breakdown and silence, which the BBFC classifies as "moderate horror images" due to its unsettling nature.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The film was released in the US in 1967; the MPAA rating system was introduced in November 1968. It remains largely Unrated in US releases.

[2] BBFC records confirm the 1967 'X' certificate and the current '15' rating for 'strong sex references, nudity, violence'.

[3] The Swedish Film Institute (Svenska Filminstitutet) lists the age limit as 15 years (15 år).

[4] The monologue explicitly describes Katarina performing fellatio on one boy and the other boy ejaculating inside Alma.

[5] The prologue includes a 3-frame shot of an erect penis, which was famously censored in the US and UK for many years.

[6] The film features these specific images: a nail driven into a hand, a sheep's throat being slit, and the self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức.

[7] Alma scratches her arm, and Elisabet drinks the blood. The scene is often interpreted as vampiric or a dream sequence.

[8] Alma recounts Elisabet's attempt to abort her son and her subsequent rejection of him.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

No oversights detected.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 What specific lines were censored from the Persona beach monologue in the US?

#02 How does the 1967 US version of Persona differ from the restored version?

#S SOURCES

rogerebert.com seeingthingssecondhand.com bbfc.co.uk medium.com wordpress.com rogerebert.com imanefares.com bbfc.co.uk reddit.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

▼

Regarding the 1966 film *Persona*, directed by Ingmar Bergman, its rating varies by country and era. Because the film was released before many modern rating systems were standardized, it has a complex classification history. ### **Official Ratings** * **United States (MPAA):** The film is **Not Rated**. At the time of its U.S. theatrical release in 1967, the MPAA’s letter-grade system (G, PG, R, X) did not yet exist (it launched in late 1968). Even in later re-releases and home media versions (such as The Criterion Collection), the film has generally remained "Unrated," though it is widely considered to contain "R-rated" or "NC-17" level content by modern standards. * **United Kingdom (BBFC):** The film was originally given an **'X' certificate** in 1967 (suitable for ages 16 and over). In modern re-classifications (2002, 2018), it has been rated **15** for strong sex references, nudity, and violence. * **Sweden:** It was originally rated **15** (suitable only for those 15 and older) by the Swedish Media Council (*Statens biografbyrå*). --- ### **Elements Contributing to the Rating** The film is celebrated for its avant-garde and transgressive nature, which challenged censors in the mid-1960s. Several specific elements contribute to its adult classification: #### **1. Explicit Sexual Dialogue (The Beach Monologue)** The most famous and controversial sequence is a long, static shot where Sister Alma (Bibi Andersson) describes a sexual encounter on a beach involving herself, another woman, and two young boys. * **Detail:** While no sexual activity is shown on screen, the description is incredibly vivid and clinical, referencing **masturbation, ejaculation, fellatio, and group sex.** This monologue was so explicit for the 1960s that it faced heavy censorship and remains one of the most significant reasons for its high age rating today. #### **2. Graphic and Disturbing Imagery** The film’s prologue and various dream sequences feature jarring, "subliminal" images that contribute to its "15" or "X" ratings: * **Nudity:** The prologue contains a very brief, nearly subliminal shot of an **erect penis**, which was cut from many international prints for decades. * **Violence and Gore:** There are close-up shots of a **nail being driven into a human palm**, a **sheep being slaughtered** (throat slit), and newsreel footage of a **Buddhist monk’s self-immolation** (the famous 1963 footage of Thích Quảng Đức). * **Body Horror:** In one scene, a character scrapes her fingernails up her own arm until she **draws blood**, which she then offers to the other character to drink (metaphorical vampirism). #### **3. Psychological Maturity and Themes** The film deals with deeply disturbing psychological themes that make it unsuitable for younger audiences: * **Identity Dissolution:** The film explores the "merging" of two women's personalities, featuring distressing shots where their faces are superimposed or combined into a single, haunting composite. * **Abortion and Motherhood:** The characters discuss **abortion** and a mother’s intense, visceral hatred for her child, themes that were considered highly taboo and "emotionally violent" at the time of release. * **Existential Dread:** The overall atmosphere is one of profound mental breakdown and silence, which the BBFC classifies as "moderate horror images" due to its unsettling nature.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

▼

In the United States, Persona (1966) is Not Rated (Unrated) because it was released prior to the implementation of the MPAA rating system in 1968. In the United Kingdom, it is currently rated 15 (originally 'X') by the BBFC. In Sweden, it was rated 15. The rating is primarily due to a sexually explicit monologue describing an orgy with two boys (referencing fellatio and ejaculation), as well as graphic imagery in the prologue (an erect penis, a nail driven into a hand, a sheep slaughter) and disturbing psychological themes.

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