Overlay: The Exterminating Angel (1962) film rating and content

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
1	0	0	10

How were these counts calculated?

Errors (1)

Current Spanish classification sources (ICAA) typically list the film as '14' (Nnumerical-error

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film The Exterminating Angel (1962), what was the film rated (e.g. R, PG, G), and what elements of the film contributed to that rating?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

As a 1962 Mexican surrealist film released before the establishment of modern film rating systems, The Exterminating Angel (directed by Luis Buñuel) does not have a standard "R," "PG," or "G" rating in the United States. In the U.S., it is typically listed as Unrated (UR) or Not Rated (NR).

However, modern international rating boards and digital distributors have classified the film. Most notably, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and the British Film Institute (BFI) currently rate it as 12 (suitable for ages 12 and up).

Contributing Elements to the Rating

The "12" rating or "Unrated" status for an adult audience is driven by the film’s depiction of social and moral decay. While it is not a graphic "slasher" or "exploitation" film, its disturbing surrealist imagery and themes of depravity contributed to its classification:

1. Violence and Suicide

Double Suicide: A young engaged couple, Eduardo and Beatriz, choose to commit suicide together in a closet rather than face the continued psychological entrapment. While the act is not depicted with graphic gore, the implication and the discovery of their bodies are somber and mature.
Social Breakdown and Aggression: As the guests' civility dissolves, they become physically aggressive. They fight over a burst water pipe and eventually form a mob that contemplates a human sacrifice (the host, Nobile) to break the "spell" keeping them in the room.

2. Drug Use

Opiates and Medication: One guest has a secret stash of morphine or opiates. Other guests are seen sneaking these drugs, and the film depicts the desperation and theft associated with their addiction as supplies run low.

3. Sexual Content and Lechery

Sexual Acts: The film implies sexual activity between the young couple in the closet before their suicide.
Lecherous Behavior: Under the strain of confinement, the "veneer of civilization" slips. One man is shown groping women as they sleep, and the dialogue includes several "lewd" or "sacrilegious" references (e.g., the mention of a "washable rubber virgin").

4. Animal Cruelty and Death

Slaughter of Sheep: Several sheep wander into the salon and are eventually captured, slaughtered, and roasted on a spit in the middle of the room. While stylized, the imagery of the once-elegant guests "gnawing on bones" like animals is intended to be repulsive.

5. Surreal and Distressing Imagery

The Severed Hand: A famous surrealist sequence features a disembodied hand scurrying across the floor and attacking a guest.
General Squalor: The film graphically depicts the breakdown of hygiene; the guests are forced to use large Chinese vases as toilets and pile trash in the corners of the once-pristine room.

Summary of Ratings by Region

Region	Rating	Reason/Detail
United States	Unrated (UR)	Predates the MPAA system (1968).
United Kingdom	12 / 12A	Mild sex and drug references; themes of suicide and violence.
Mexico	B	Equivalent to a "12" or "15" (for adolescents and adults).
Spain	18	Historically rated higher due to religious blasphemy and dark themes under Francoist censorship.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The film was released in 1962, prior to the MPAA rating system (1968), and remains Unrated in the US (e.g., Criterion release).

[2] The BBFC currently rates the film '12' for mild violence, suicide references, and drug references.

[3] Eduardo and Beatriz commit suicide in a closet, a key plot point depicting the despair of the trapped guests.

[4] The guests do break a water pipe and later discuss sacrificing the host, Nobile, believing his death might release them.

[5] A guest (Edmundo) has a stash of opiates/morphine which is consumed by others as the situation deteriorates.

[6] The couple's retreat to the closet implies intimacy before their suicide.

[7] The line about a 'washable rubber virgin' is a specific, verified quote from the film (spoken by Leonora).

[8] Sheep are brought into the room and subsequently slaughtered and roasted by the starving guests.

[9] A disembodied hand is a famous surrealist image in the film, appearing to move across the floor.

[10] Guests are depicted using Chinese vases as makeshift toilets due to their inability to leave the room.

[11] Current Spanish classification sources (ICAA) typically list the film as '14' (Not recommended for under 14s), not '18'.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

No oversights detected.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 What is the significance of the repetition in The Exterminating Angel?

#02 How does The Exterminating Angel compare to The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie?

#03 Did Luis Buñuel win any awards for The Exterminating Angel?

#S SOURCES

gutenberg.org dokumen.pub youtube.com theanarchistlibrary.org

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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As a 1962 Mexican surrealist film released before the establishment of modern film rating systems, **The Exterminating Angel** (directed by Luis Buñuel) does not have a standard "R," "PG," or "G" rating in the United States. In the U.S., it is typically listed as **Unrated (UR)** or **Not Rated (NR)**. However, modern international rating boards and digital distributors have classified the film. Most notably, the **British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)** and the **British Film Institute (BFI)** currently rate it as **12** (suitable for ages 12 and up). ### **Contributing Elements to the Rating** The "12" rating or "Unrated" status for an adult audience is driven by the film’s depiction of social and moral decay. While it is not a graphic "slasher" or "exploitation" film, its disturbing surrealist imagery and themes of depravity contributed to its classification: #### **1. Violence and Suicide** * **Double Suicide:** A young engaged couple, Eduardo and Beatriz, choose to commit suicide together in a closet rather than face the continued psychological entrapment. While the act is not depicted with graphic gore, the implication and the discovery of their bodies are somber and mature. * **Social Breakdown and Aggression:** As the guests' civility dissolves, they become physically aggressive. They fight over a burst water pipe and eventually form a mob that contemplates a human sacrifice (the host, Nobile) to break the "spell" keeping them in the room. #### **2. Drug Use** * **Opiates and Medication:** One guest has a secret stash of morphine or opiates. Other guests are seen sneaking these drugs, and the film depicts the desperation and theft associated with their addiction as supplies run low. #### **3. Sexual Content and Lechery** * **Sexual Acts:** The film implies sexual activity between the young couple in the closet before their suicide. * **Lecherous Behavior:** Under the strain of confinement, the "veneer of civilization" slips. One man is shown groping women as they sleep, and the dialogue includes several "lewd" or "sacrilegious" references (e.g., the mention of a "washable rubber virgin"). #### **4. Animal Cruelty and Death** * **Slaughter of Sheep:** Several sheep wander into the salon and are eventually captured, slaughtered, and roasted on a spit in the middle of the room. While stylized, the imagery of the once-elegant guests "gnawing on bones" like animals is intended to be repulsive. #### **5. Surreal and Distressing Imagery** * **The Severed Hand:** A famous surrealist sequence features a disembodied hand scurrying across the floor and attacking a guest. * **General Squalor:** The film graphically depicts the breakdown of hygiene; the guests are forced to use large Chinese vases as toilets and pile trash in the corners of the once-pristine room. ### **Summary of Ratings by Region** | Region | Rating | Reason/Detail | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **United States** | **Unrated (UR)** | Predates the MPAA system (1968). | | **United Kingdom** | **12 / 12A** | Mild sex and drug references; themes of suicide and violence. | | **Mexico** | **B** | Equivalent to a "12" or "15" (for adolescents and adults). | | **Spain** | **18** | Historically rated higher due to religious blasphemy and dark themes under Francoist censorship. |

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

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In the United States, The Exterminating Angel (1962) is Unrated (UR/NR) as it predates the MPAA system. In the United Kingdom, the BBFC rates it 12 (suitable for ages 12 and up). The film's classification is driven by its surreal but mature themes of social decay, including a double suicide (implied), drug use (morphine), animal slaughter (sheep), and scenes of squalor (using vases as toilets). While not graphically violent by modern standards, its psychological intensity and depictions of the breakdown of civilized behavior warrant the mature classification.

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