Beowulf violence 'shocked' Jolie

Beowulf violence 'shocked' Jolie

Actress Angelina Jolie has said she is surprised her latest movie Beowulf has received a 12A certificate in the UK.
"It's remarkable it has the rating it has," she told reporters at its British premiere. "It's quite an extraordinary film, and some of it shocked me."

Based on the Old English poem, Robert Zemeckis's film uses hi-tech computer animation to depict its titular hero's battles against ogres and dragons.

Jolie, though, said it was not "graphic for the sake of being graphic".

"I think it's beautifully done," the 32-year-old added. "It's amazing, and very creative."

The actress, who provides the voice for a shape-shifting demon in the film, arrived at the premiere in London's Leicester Square with partner Brad Pitt.

I knew they were going to try to make my character a little sexy

Angelina Jolie
According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), no one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult.

Jolie, however, said she would not be taking her own children to see the film.

Also in attendance were her fellow voice stars Ray Winstone, Crispin Glover and Sir Anthony Hopkins, who said he had made his King Hrothgar character Welsh "just for the fun of it".

Winstone, who provides Beowulf's voice in the film, had high praise for Jolie, calling her "a lovely kisser and a lovely woman".



Jolie returned the compliment, describing her British colleague as "amazing". "I want to do something else with him soon because he's so much fun," she said.

Wizened hag

Using a similar technique to that used in Zemeckis's 2004 film The Polar Express, Beowulf employs a process dubbed "digitally enhanced live-action".

The actors' performances were filmed on a "black box" sound stage, then used as reference footage for computerised 3-D animation.

Jolie's character was a wizened hag in the original poem, but is here presented as a sultry, slinky temptress.

"I knew they were going to try to make her a little sexy," the actress told the BBC's Emma Jones. "I wasn't going to be just a lizard."

Beowulf opens in the UK and US on Friday.