Music DVDs May Get Age Classifications in the UK

Violent and "extreme music videos" could be reclassifed with age ratings, if a proposed law change by London Labour MP Andrew Dismore is accepted in parliament this week.

Dismore, MP for Hendon, wants a loophole in the Video Recordings Act 1984 closed -- currently music, sport and religious DVDs are exempt from age classification.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph on Monday (Jan. 11), Dismore explained why he wants the law to change: "What's happening is that responsible video companies and distributors will get age rating for 15 or 18 releases, but some others will not. Many of these would probably be 15."

Dismore added he thinks the current labelling system is inadequate, saying, "The problem is that many of these are marked on shelves as E for exempt and parents may see the ones that are marked responsibly and then these ones and they may automatically assume that they are OK for kids - but they're not."

He also said that he wasn't seeking stringent classification on all DVDs, justifying by saying: "We don't need to catch everything – if it is just an ordinary football game or pop star it won't apply but if it is a violent martial arts film or extreme music video, it will.''

Bands that would see their music DVDs reclassifed if the Act is amended include Motley Crue's 'Greatest Hits Video' and Slipknot's (pictured) '10th Anniversary DVD.'