Happy birthday James Cameron! One of the most blockbusting directors in Hollywood celebrates his special day this week and so do we by looking at the file for Terminator 2 Judgment Day.

The film was seen by the BBFC in a rough cut version in June 1991 and, as one of the Examiner reports shows, the film sat on the 15/18 borderline. Guild Film Distributors were advised that scenes in the psychiatric hospital (detailed in the accompanying cuts) would need to be reduced to achieve a 15 certificate. The amendments were made and the film passed at 15.

When the BBFC received T2 for classification on video the following year the film remained in the version as cut for cinema. Further cuts were requested to place the film in the 15 category. An uncut submission later that year was classified 18 for release only on Laserdisc.

In 1997 a special edition of the film, with added footage, was once more cut for 15.Only in 2001 was Terminator 2 passed uncut at 15 for video/DVD release. Read the report and cuts lists here. Hasta la vista baby!

Please note this report contains strong language.

Originally posted August 15th, 2012.