Gibsons violence gets G rating

Mel Gibson’s violent new movie Apocalypto hit Italian cinema screens last week amid bitter controversy over a decision by national film authorities to approve it for viewing by children.The film contains scenes showing severed heads, stabbings, throats being cut, rape, torture and the massacre of women and children. Italy is the only country where it can be watched by cinema-goers of all ages. Other countries have put the bar at ages between 15 and 18. The decision by film censors has caused a political uproar, with politicians on both sides of parliament calling for the movie’s rating to be reconsidered.