GROTESQUE is a Japanese-language horror work and focuses, for the majority of its running time, on the sexual assault, humiliation and extreme torture of a man and a woman. The couple are abducted, bound, stripped and sexually violated. They are later subjected to amputation, eye gouging, castration and evisceration resulting in a gory and violent death. The film ends with the killer choosing his next victims. The chief pleasure on offer in viewing GROTESQUE appears to be the spectacle of sadism (including sexual sadism) for its own sake. The work has minimal narrative or character development and presents the viewer with little more than an unrelenting and escalating scenario of humiliation, brutality and sadism. In making a decision as to whether a video work is suitable for classification, the BBFC applies the criteria set out in its Classification Guidelines. These Guidelines are the result of a regular public consultation process and reflect the balance of media effects research, the requirements of UK law and the attitudes of the UK public. The Guidelines set out clearly the BBFC's serious concerns about the portrayal of sexual violence, especially when such depictions might eroticise or endorse sexual assault. The BBFC are also obliged under the Video Recordings Act 1984 (VRA) to have special regard to the likelihood of any harm that may be caused to the viewer or, through their behaviour, to society. This risk of harm includes encouraging a dehumanised view of others, callousness towards victims and taking pleasure in the pain or humiliation of others. After careful consideration, it was judged that to issue a certificate to GROTESQUE, even if statutorily confined to adults, would involve risk of harm within the terms of the VRA, would be inconsistent with our Guidelines and would be unacceptable to the public. The BBFC considered whether cutting the work might address the issues but concluded that as the unacceptable material featured throughout, cutting was not a viable option and the work was therefore refused a classification.