Director Wes Craven's horror film The Last House on the Left has been denied a video certification after an appeal by the movie's distributor.

On Wednesday, the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) refused to overturn an earlier ruling by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) that at least 16 seconds needed to be cut.

The Last House on the Left, made in 1972, contains scenes of sexual violence. The BBFC rejected it on the grounds that the material was harmful and breached guidelines.

The viewer is asked to relish the violence, the violence is relentless

The BBFC's statement about the film

Distributor Blue Underground however refused to make any changes despite the ruling.

The VAC upheld the BBFC's finding in rejecting the film and wanting four scenes cut to make it acceptable for video release.

It said the board's guidelines were "a sensible and accurate reflection of public concern especially where violence and sexual violence are concerned and we endorse them".

It added: "The viewer is asked to relish the violence, the violence is relentless and the parts to be cut are at the extreme end of that violence and humiliation."

Relaxation

Craven is known for hit horror movies such as Scream and the now cult Nightmare on Elm Street series.

The Last House on the Left tells the story of two teenage girls who are raped and murdered when they go to the city for a rock concert.

The girls' parents then seek revenge on the four men that killed their daughters.

The VAC is independent of the BBFC and any film or video company which disagrees with a classification decision may to go it to appeal.

The VAC has not sat for two years. Its last meeting in 2000 caused the BBFC to relax its rules on porn movies.

As a result, the R18 sex video ratings became more commonly applied.