The Daily Grunt Part 2
A SURVEY OF BAD LANGUAGE IN FILMS ON THE FIVE TERRESTRIAL
TELEVISION CHANNELS From July to December 2003
The interest in mediawatch-uk's shocking report 'The Daily Grunt', published in July
2003, was so overwhelming that we are encouraged to publish this companion
report 'The Daily Grunt Part 2' so
providing an analysis for the year 2003 as a whole. The first report analysed bad language in 60 films shown on the
five terrestrial TV channels from January to June 2003. This
new report analyses 86 films shown on the same TV channels from July to
December 2003.
It is not necessary to reproduce again the relevant
extracts from the Independent Television Commission's Programme Code, the
Broadcasting Standards Commission's Code of Guidance or the BBC's Producers'
Guidelines. However, we do repeat our conclusion that little notice is taken
of them or of the widespread and continuing public offence caused by the
inclusion of so much bad language in so many programmes. It is the hope of mediawatch-uk that the
Standards Code envisaged by the Communications Act 2003, to be drawn up by the
Office of Communications, will prove to be a more effective instrument for
stopping gratuitous offensive language in television and radio programming.
I |
n this
report a total of 86 films shown on the five terrestrial channels from July to
December 2003 are analysed for bad language.
28 were shown on BBC1, 8 on BBC2, 9 on ITV1, 10 on Channel 4 and 31 on
five.
With the exception of 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' on ITV1, all of the films have been shown
previously and some up to eight times in ten years. This again indicates that the Code and Guidelines are ignored and
that there is a degree of intransigence that is inappropriate for broadcasting
organisations claiming a 'public service' remit.
We
acknowledge that this is only a small proportion of the total of 1484 films
shown in the period and with the exception of 'Class Action', all were shown at or later that 9.00pm.
In one film, 'The
Blair Witch Project', shown by Channel 4 on 29 October, the volume and
speed of the bad language was such that it defied attempts to record it!
We have
focused, firstly, on two words 'S***' and 'F***', and their derivatives,
because these are by far the most common swear words used in the films in this
survey. Secondly, we have focused on
Holy Names Jesus and/or Christ because the broadcasting Codes and Guidelines
specifically mention them and the offence caused by their use as expletives.
FILM TITLE |
CHANNEL |
DATE |
TIME |
'S***' |
'F***' |
'Jesus' / 'Christ' |
Se7en |
BBC1 |
10.07.03 |
9.00pm |
14 |
|
6 |
First
Blood |
BBC1 |
19.07.03 |
10.25pm |
8 |
3 |
9 |
Listen |
BBC1 |
19.07.03 |
11.55pm |
2 |
3 |
4 |
The
Investigation |
BBC1 |
31.07.03 |
12.05am |
3 |
|
1 |
Raising
Arizona |
BBC1 |
5.08.03 |
11.15pm |
12 |
1 |
1 |
Jailbreakers |
BBC1 |
24.08.03 |
12.50am |
11 |
28 |
1 |
Color
of Night |
BBC1 |
26.08.03 |
11.35pm |
12 |
1 |
11 |
Red
Heat |
BBC1 |
30.08.03 |
10.30pm |
36 |
9 |
11 |
Castaway |
BBC1 |
2.09.03 |
12.05am |
8 |
3 |
2 |
Heat |
BBC1 |
7.09.03 |
9.00pm |
15 |
|
1 |
Cliffhanger |
BBC1 |
14.09.03 |
10.15pm |
8 |
|
5 |
Death
Wish |
BBC1 |
15.09.03 |
11.05pm |
6 |
5 |
5 |
True
Confessions |
BBC1 |
17.09.03 |
11.55pm |
5 |
|
2 |
The
Couch Trip |
BBC1 |
29.09.03 |
11.25pm |
12 |
|
1 |
Blow
Out |
BBC1 |
27.09.03 |
11.40pm |
7 |
12 |
5 |
Narrow
Margin |
BBC1 |
11.10.03 |
11.25pm |
4 |
2 |
5 |
Death
Train |
BBC1 |
12.10.03 |
11.05pm |
4 |
|
|
Falling
Down |
BBC1 |
26.10.03 |
10.55pm |
10 |
|
6 |
North
Dallas Forty |
BBC1 |
7.11.03 |
1.00am |
24 |
24 |
18 |
Three
Fugitives |
BBC1 |
9.11.03 |
11.30pm |
5 |
|
3 |
Perfect
Prey |
BBC1 |
10.11.03 |
11.35pm |
4 |
5 |
|
FILM TITLE |
CHANNEL |
DATE |
TIME |
'S***' |
'F***' |
'Jesus' / 'Christ' |
A
Bronx Tale |
BBC1 |
19.11.03 |
12.00m't |
8 |
48 |
|
L.A
Confidential |
BBC1 |
22.11.03 |
10.35pmm |
8 |
15 |
1 |
The
Last Seduction |
BBC1 |
1.12.03 |
11.15pm |
2 |
20 |
5 |
The Bonfire of the Vanities |
BBC1 |
10.12.03 |
11.15pm |
19 |
12 |
12 |
To
Protect and Serve |
BBC1 |
11.12.03 |
12.20am |
6 |
|
4 |
CopyCat |
BBC1 |
14.12.03 |
10.15pm |
6 |
|
3 |
Footloose |
BBC1 |
29.12.03 |
11.05pm |
10 |
1 |
1 |
The
Fabulous Baker Boys |
BBC2 |
6.07.03 |
11.45pm |
10 |
11 |
11 |
Exotica |
BBC2 |
26.07.03 |
1.00am |
|
3 |
|
Coupe
De Ville |
BBC2 |
12.07.03 |
12.15am |
9 |
1 |
10 |
2
Days In The Valley |
BBC2 |
15.08.03 |
11.35pm |
16 |
40 |
|
The
Cars That Ate Paris |
BBC2 |
22.08.03 |
1.30am |
|
3 |
|
The
Cotton Club |
BBC2 |
29.08.03 |
12.15am |
10 |
|
9 |
The
Fugitive |
BBC2 |
3.11.03 |
1.50pm |
10 |
|
2 |
The
Funeral |
BBC2 |
14.11.03 |
1.20am |
5 |
29 |
1 |
Sleeping
With The Enemy |
ITV1 |
30.07.03 |
12.10am |
4 |
2 |
1 |
Bull
Durham |
ITV1 |
1.08.03 |
12.50am |
20 |
25 |
8 |
Die
Hard |
ITV1 |
6.08.03 |
9.00pm |
21 |
9 |
14 |
The
Color of Money |
ITV1 |
23.08.03 |
11.50pm |
11 |
9 |
7 |
Bad
Company |
ITV1 |
30.08.03 |
1.00am |
3 |
9 |
1 |
The
Krays |
ITV1 |
23.09.03 |
11.05pm |
7 |
18 |
3 |
FILM TITLE |
CHANNEL |
DATE |
TIME |
'S***' |
'F***' |
'Jesus' / 'Christ' |
Gone
In Sixty Seconds |
ITV1 |
24.09.03 |
9.00pm |
13 |
1 |
2 |
Married
To The Mob |
ITV1 |
4.10.03 |
12.00m't |
15 |
|
|
The
Glimmer Man |
ITV1 |
31.10.03 |
12.00m't |
9 |
8 |
2 |
Romeo
Is Bleeding |
C4 |
12.07.03 |
2.35am |
5 |
17 |
|
Fargo |
C4 |
28.07.03 |
10.40pm |
7 |
55 |
4 |
Showgirls |
C4 |
4.08.03 |
10.00pm |
15 |
41 |
4 |
Kalifornia |
C4 |
21.09.03 |
10.55pm |
12 |
9 |
4 |
Risky
Business |
C4 |
18.10.03 |
10.05pm |
13 |
9 |
2 |
Jagged
Edge |
C4 |
29.10.03 |
12.20am |
7 |
|
9 |
The
Hitcher |
C4 |
31.10.03 |
12.45am |
3 |
|
|
The
Exorcist |
C4 |
1.11.03 |
10.00pm |
3 |
7 |
9 |
Rain
Man |
C4 |
15.11.03 |
10.05pm |
10 |
|
2 |
The
Grifters |
C4 |
15.11.03 |
12.20am |
1 |
6 |
3 |
Nowhere
To Run |
five |
25.07.03 |
9.00pm |
2 |
2 |
|
Other
People's Money |
five |
1.08.03 |
11.45pm |
5 |
6 |
|
Quick
Change |
five |
4.08.03 |
10.30pm |
3 |
6 |
5 |
The
Getaway |
five |
8.08.03 |
|
3 |
5 |
1 |
City
Heat |
five |
20.08.03 |
10.00pm |
|
|
2 |
Bone
Daddy |
five |
24.08.03 |
9.00pm |
5 |
11 |
2 |
Dead
Calm |
five |
24.08.03 |
10.15pm |
1 |
|
1 |
FILM TITLE |
CHANNEL |
DATE |
TIME |
'S***' |
'F***' |
'Jesus' / 'Christ' |
No
Mercy |
five |
5.09.03 |
9.00pm |
4 |
|
2 |
Passenger
57 |
five |
22.09.03 |
9.00pm |
6 |
4 |
|
The
Running Man |
five |
26.09.03 |
9.00pm |
2 |
1 |
3 |
In
The Line Of Fire |
five |
29.09.03 |
9.00pm |
13 |
10 |
6 |
Commando |
five |
2.10.03 |
9.00pm |
7 |
5 |
1 |
A
Few Good Men |
five |
3.10.03 |
9.00pm |
13 |
10 |
6 |
Bad
Boys |
five |
5.10.03 |
10.05pm |
60 |
75 |
2 |
The
Silence Of The Lambs |
five |
8.10.03 |
10.00pm |
5 |
5 |
1 |
Lock
Up |
five |
9.10.03 |
9.00pm |
8 |
|
1 |
Unforgiven |
five |
17.10.03 |
9.00pm |
20 |
5 |
16 |
The
Accused |
five |
22.10.03 |
10.00pm |
7 |
|
1 |
Robocop
2 |
five |
29.10.03 |
10.00pm |
13 |
6 |
4 |
The
Rookie |
five |
31.10.03 |
9.00pm |
1 |
8 |
|
Tequila
Sunrise |
five |
3.11.03 |
9.00pm |
15 |
9 |
6 |
Predator
2 |
five |
5.11.03 |
10.00pm |
7 |
14 |
1 |
The
Presidio |
five |
9.11.03 |
9.00pm |
22 |
|
5 |
Unlawful
Entry |
five |
12.11.03 |
9.00pm |
7 |
9 |
7 |
Class
Action |
five |
13.11.03 |
8.00pm |
2 |
3 |
2 |
Betrayed |
five |
17.11.03 |
10.00pm |
12 |
5 |
3 |
The
Bodyguard |
five |
26.11.03 |
9.00pm |
3 |
9 |
2 |
Presumed
Innocent |
five |
28.11.03 |
9.00pm |
9 |
10 |
8 |
Mississippi
Burning |
five |
3.12.03 |
10.00pm |
8 |
7 |
|
True
Love |
five |
5.12.03 |
1.30am |
14 |
63 |
5 |
Miami
Blues |
five |
12.12.03 |
9.00pm |
10 |
13 |
4 |
In the 86 films
analysed the word 'S***', and its derivatives, occurred 795 times. The word
'F***', and its derivatives, occurred 805 times. Holy Names 'Jesus' and/or 'Christ', used as expletives, occurred
328 times.
Derivatives
included:
S*** HEAD, S***TY, BULL S***, HORSE S***, CHICKEN
S***, HOLY S***.
F***ED, F***ER, F***ING, MOTHER F***ER.
Other
swear words used less frequently as terms of abuse or insult were:
ARSE, ARSE HOLE, BASTARD, BUGGER, COCKSUCKER,
PRICK, WANKER.
In
some of the films analysed most of the bad language is used by:
Police officers, detectives, women, youths and,
sometimes, children.
In
the film 'A Bronx Tale', shown on
BBC1, 19/11/2003, the language included appalling terms of racist abuse
("f***ing nigger", "black mother f***er"). The latter phrase was also included in the
film 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'
shown also on BBC1, 10/12/2003.
Four
films, 'Castaway' on BBC1, 2/9/2003, 'Deathwish' on BBC1 15/9/2003, 'The Exorcist' on Channel 4, and 'Unforgiven' on five, 17/10/2003
included the word "C***" or derivatives. 'The Exorcist' also
included the appalling line "stick you cock up her arse, you mother
f***ing cocksucker" spoken by the child to the priest.
In
most films bad language is associated with violent criminal action or in
dramatic scenes or moments of high tension but most is used in conversation. Accordingly, most bad language is entirely
gratuitous and indicates a limited vocabulary, a very poor grasp of the English
language and it sets a very bad example.
Very little can be justified honestly on the grounds of authenticity or
context. We believe that the volume and
nature of the bad language and its constant repetition seriously undermines the
considerable effort and resources expended in the whole field of education.
In the 60 films analysed in 'The Daily Grunt' the word 'S***', and
its derivatives, occurred 827 times, the word 'F***', and its derivatives,
occurred 1429 times and JESUS and/or CHRIST, used as expletives, occurred 221
times.
These
figures, added to the findings of 'The
Daily Grunt Part 2', give a staggering total for the 146 films analysed in
both reports of:
1622 uses of 'S***' and its derivatives
2234 uses of 'F***' and its derivatives
549 uses of Jesus and/or Christ used as
expletives
Following publication of our report 'The Daily Grunt' ITV teletext conducted
a viewers poll, 17/7/2003, asking whether bad language on television was
offensive. 2,723 people voted and a
massive 96 per cent said 'YES' and only 4 per cent said 'NO'.
An
editorial comment in the Daily Express,
16/7/2003, said:
"Foul
language still offends the sensibilities of ordinary people. Movie makers might think they are simply
reflecting real life but they are making entertainment intolerable for
many. It is time to bring back some
movie magic and drop the unnecessary expletives."
The Daily Express, The Daily
Mail and the Mirror, among
others, carried substantive reports and the BBC Local Radio network featured
reports and interviews throughout the day of publication.
The Daily Mail, 17/7/2003, published a most incisive feature
article by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown who expressed gratitude that:
"there
are still people who care enough to monitor and complain about the way our
national language has been so debased in recent years by … the mediawallahs
(and) film makers …" "None of
us is immune", she said, "but too many of us just accept it".
She
went on:
"The
corruption of language in public culture is just one aspect of the general
coarsening of life which is taking us down into the pits. Television in particular has now reached
such depths it is hard to imagine where it can go next … It is time, I believe,
to take an honest look at all television output, not merely programmes with bad
language".
The Daily Mail, 21/7/2003, published a letter from a Mr Gordon
Channer (not a member of mediawatch-uk) who wrote: "The accusation of
totally unnecessary obscenities in films and on TV is absolutely true. And I don't just blame Hollywood or the
scriptwriters." Mr Channer went on
to disclose that he had written a series of five books about a family with
children. He sent them to the BBC
hoping the stories would be adapted for television but were rejected because
"there was not enough violence or swearing in them for today's
audiences".
The
Broadcasting Standards Commission, in its annual report for 2002, published
18/7/2003, stated that complaints about offensive language rose from 11 per
cent to 15 per cent of the total.
In
November 2003 a former mayor of Worcester, Cllr Bob Bullock, launched a bid to
clean up bad language on TV and Radio.
He was reported in the Worcester
Evening News, 15/11/2003, to be "exasperated" by the
proliferation of four-letter words in broadcasting, which he said is having a
poor effect on society. He said he was
planning to take action by writing to the broadcasting companies.
mediawatch-uk
is aware that bad language occurs in many programmes that are not films, such
as '40' screened by Channel 4 in
April 2003, and in programmes where it would not be expected to occur or have
any context. Many viewers took
exception to the obscenities used in 'Return
to Jamie's Kitchen' shown by Channel 4 in September 2003, for example. Viewers tuning in to 'Property People', BBC2 7/1/2004, for an insight into the way
Estate Agents work, would have been assaulted by a stream of obscenities. 'Shattered' on Channel 4, 7/1/2004, also
included "strong language" from the outset.
It
is evident from the findings of 'The
Daily Grunt' and 'The Daily Grunt
Part 2' that the use of verbal obscenity, profanity, swearing and coarse
language has long ago reached unacceptable proportions that seriously conflict
with the Codes and Guidelines. Since the Government has made it clear that it
is unwilling to intervene in programme content issues the viewing public has no
option but to trust the broadcasters to abide by their own rules. mediawatch-uk believes that that trust
continues to be betrayed to the detriment of our culture, educational standards
and wider communication skills.
mediawatch-uk
believes that the way we communicate matters. It is not the role of the
film and broadcasting industries to destroy good communication to such an
extent that the English language is being seriously undermined.
We call upon the Office of
Communications (Ofcom) to take immediate steps to give effect to the existing
Codes and Guidelines and to accelerate the process of drawing up its required
Standards Code. This should provide an
effective means by which harmful and offensive bad language in the media can be
stopped forthwith.
We are aware of steps being taken in
the United States to make swearing on mainstream television illegal. Concern and frustration on this issue has
been heightened because the Federal Communications Commission recently rejected
complaints about the use of the F-word saying it did not violate federal
indecency rules. mediawatch-uk will
certainly be following the progress of these attempts with interest to see how
they might be applied in Britain given that so much obscene and profane
language occurs on mainstream television here.
To illustrate the detailed analysis
of language in films conducted by mediawatch-uk, we reproduce here, simply as a
typical example, our monitoring report for the film 'Die Hard' shown on ITV1 6/8/2003 at 9.00pm. This film, made in
1988, has been shown eight times in the last twelve years.
Man
to himself: Christ, Jesus, Jesus, Son of
a bitch, s***, s***, s***, s***, s***, arse hole, arse hole, turn the f***ing
truck round.
Man
to another man: Drop it, dick head.
Man
to himself: Bet your arse.
Man
to a woman: Christ, bull s***.
Man
on radio: God damn it.
Man
on radio to woman: Come the f*** down
here!
Police
officer to man: S***.
Man
to himself: Oh S***, God damn.
Man
to police officer: Oh s***.
Man
to himself: where's the f***ing cavalry?
Man
to another man: What do these pricks
want?, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Oh S***, We don't know s*** pal, Christ.
Man
to Man: arse holes, arse holes, arse
holes, arse holes.
Man
to himself: Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
holy s***, f*** it, Geronimo, arse hole!
Man
to another man: Who gives a s*** about
glass?, you little arse hole, I just got butt f***ed, You're neither, s***
head, S*** head, Jesus Christ, This arse hole, Go f*** yourself, Hans, Christ,
man! Hunt that little s*** down, You catch that bull s***, You ought to be on
f***ing TV.
Woman
to woman: God, that man looks really
pissed.
Man
to another man: F***ing, we feel like
s*** man, I don't give two s***s, No s***, its my arse, right up the arse,
s***.
Man
to himself: What the f*** are you doing?
Man
to another man: I'll bag this little
bastard, Holy Christ.
Woman
to herself: Jesus.
Man
to another man: Arse hole.
Click here
for The Daily Grunt Part 2 news release
Click here for The Daily Grunt
Click here for Swearing on TV – historical
and regulatory perspectives
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