This is a comparison between the censored UK-DVD (BBFC 12) and the uncensored UK-Blu-ray (BBFC 15)


- 11 differences
- Difference in runtime (not including the logo): 19.3 sec [in PAL-speed]



For the last few years, Simon Pegg was pretty active on the Hollywood Market and Absolutely Anything is at least an American co-production. However, thanks to director Terry Jones and several Monty Python members doing voiceovers for aliens (as well as Robin Williams as a dog) the movie does have typical British humor. It is an easy watch, and overall, the movie is rather speaking to a younger audience. Still, there are a few charming and amusing ideas here and there and fans of Pegg or Monty Python should definitively check the flick out. So far, however, the movie has only been released in the UK.

A more interesting thing is to choose the version. The afore-mentioned audience in mind, the studio chose to cut down the movie for a BBFC-12 rating. The main problem were swear words (such as the f-word). This censored version was put on DVD, while at the same time, the uncensored version was exclusively released on blu-ray. It received a BBFC-15 rating. To pin it down to the most obvious difference: While the Blu-ray includes 16 "fuck"s, the theatrical version only includes 6. This might still be too much for a PG-13 rating in the USA - but only time will tell. The most differences happen during a conversation with Kate Beckinsale's character. Instead of just altering the soundtrack, there are also differences regarding the footage.



Runtimes are listed as follows:
BBFC 12 DVD [PAL] / BBFC 15 Blu-ray

Logos

Towards the beginning, the DVD includes the Lionsgate-logo.

DVD 20.8 sec longer

Altered Soundtrack
14:15 / 14:30

When Neil yells after the driver (Terry Jones), he on the DVD screams "Screw you!", while on the Blu-ray he says "Fuck you!"

Altered Soundtrack
31:53 / 32:53

On the DVD, Neil comments (just as during the earlier conversation with his boss) "I can do abso-fecking-lutely anything". On the Blu-ray he says "I can do abso-fucking-lutely anything."

Altered Soundtrack
33:53 / 34:58

Same thing happens again: In front of the mirror, Neil comments the transformation to Albert Einstein on DVD with "What the feck?" On Blu-ray, it is "What the fuck?"

Note: When he takes a bite of the Ray-sausage or walks through the staircase, Neil even on Blu-ray says "feck" when one would expect the more naughty f-word. Therefore, not every passage like this is an example of censorship.



Alternative Scene
39:17-39:21 / 40:36-40:57

This is the first real cut, while the previous alterations were simply redubbed. Catherine is shown earlier. She and her friend Rosie complain about men.

Catherine: "Fuck Grant."
Rosie: "Oh, yeah, fuck Grant."
Catherine: "Fuck Grant. Fuck James Cleverill."
Rosie: "Fuck James Cleverill."
Then they chink glasses.

When she finally says "Fuck all TV producers", the censored version is back in – with a medium long shot. The Blu-ray uses a long shot.

BBFC 12 DVD	BBFC 15 Blu-ray

Blu-ray-version 15.6 sec longer



39:29, respectively 39:32-39:34 / 41:05-41:07, respectively 41:10-41:12

Weird alteration: On the Blu-ray, Rosie immediately takes a sip of her drink. The DVD only shows this after a cut to Catherine.
While Catherine already says "Why do I always..." off-screen, she does this in a shot from further away on the blu-ray (which is the screenshot you can see below).

Blu-ray-version 1,9 sec longer

Alternative Scene
39:46 / 41:24

Another weird alteration: When Rosie soberly comments with "Well, then, fuck him", this can also be heard on the DVD, yet, her shot starts half a second earlier. The blu-ray instead shows the earlier shot of Catherine a little longer.

No difference in runtime.

BBFC 12 DVD	BBFC 15 Blu-ray

39:47 / 41:25-41:26

At the end, the shot of Rosie in return is a little longer on the Blu-ray, maybe to give you some time to process what was just said.

0.4 sec

Altered Soundtrack
39:50 / 41:29

On the Blu-ray, Catherine's off-screen comment is more explicit.

DVD: "No, I don't mean that."
Blu-ray: "No, I don't mean fuck him."

39:54 / 41:33-41:34

After she – on the DVD – whispered "fuck him", the friend is shown a little longer – just as she was on the Blu-ray a little earlier.

1.4 sec

Altered Soundtrack
58:44 / 61:13

When Neil made Grant's Million dissapear again, the latter comments with "Oh, fuck, come on."
For the DVD, they simply took out the F-word.

Altered Soundtrack
79:29 / 82:50

At this point, they used a beep when Robin Williams durin the end credits says "That's enough chewing biscuits for fucking half an hour."