The Most Unfairly Rated R Movies
September 26th 2007 23:04
10 Most Unfairly R-Rated Movies
This, of course, refers to the ratings in the US, which has a truly draconian rating system, set by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). My biggest grievance with the system is that foul language and brief nudity are punished much more severely than gun violence.
You might ask, 'Why does it matter?'. After all, you're a free, liberated cinema lover. You'll watch whatever the hell you please, right?
Right. But, unfortunately, sheer economics comes into play. Theaters have become consolidated into large multiplexes, which, before they were built, seemed to promise an infinite selection of films, but now are simply 10 screens of The Fantastic Four. As a result, theater owners realize that they've got to show movies that will appeal to the broadest demographic, and an R-rating will not cut it.
Of course, I am talking a little bit of trash.... as I look at the box office numbers from America this week, I notice that most of the top-grossing films, Resident Evil, Good Luck Chuck, Superbad, Eastern Promises, Halloween, are all rated R.
On Tobey's post, he notes that movies such as Stand By Me and Amelie are rated R.
Stand By Me?? The story about four 13-year-old boys who go off on an adventure? Luckily, I watched this when I was quite a bit younger, and I don't remember there being anything offensive, other than the infamous blueberry pie scene.
Amelie is a beautiful French film that invokes magical daydreaming and a timid sense of mysterious romance. It's a wonderful story for kids, I think, but it received an R rating for that one montage of sexual shots.
In Canada, Amelie is rated G, according to the article. Such a huge difference between two countries that share a border?
Is it possible that Amelie received a harsher rating because it was French?
Je ne sais pas!
Check out the rest of the list: Rain Man, Billy Elliot and more!
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Even Chariots of Fire wanted the M rating so it made a few additions to script because the old PG(Nrc) and th G rating were box office poison.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
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I'd definitely say that my favourite movies have all been deemed 'inappropriate' for children.
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Stand By Me? You're kidding.
Didn't realise it had an R rating. Only watched this again a couple of weeks back.
MA15 perhaps.
MNG
Comment by Mydlyk
Just listen or read the reviews for movies that come out nowadays. It seems as though you need at least 50 years experience in watching movies to become a professional "reveiwer". So when you're old and grey you too will be able to tell 18year olds what is a good movie and what is not - let alone rate them.
What ever happened to watching a movie because we enjoyed it?
Forget that ! We should simply sit back and take comfort in the fact that someone 50 years older than ourselves can still tell us what we're going to like.
(... and shame on us for thinking for ourselves...)
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
They hate blood. Which is why movies like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard have a huge body count, but nomimal bloodletting. It allows the movies to get the American equivalent of an M rating.
If a man is decapitated, the blood is only allowed to jet up so far. If it shoots up too high they demand a cut. go figure.
When John Carpenter made The Thing he and Rob Bottin devised a way to get past the MPAA by having a lot of the gore a weird colour. If the movie was made and subjected to the MPAA now, it'd be cut to ribbons.
I hate the MPAA. It's not compulsary to submit your movie, but if you release it unrated most cinemas won't book it and advertising chains won't run ads. They assume it was pornogrpahic content.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Yeah, Lethal Weapon! That's GI Joe violence... lots of killing and violence, but no shock or blood.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
It didn't have any sex or excess violence in it but apparently one scene with a 6 year old stumbling on an online dating site got this movie an R rating.
Something along the lines of 'strong adult themes' :-\
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
D, Whale Rider is rated R? What!?
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Mis
(Great post)
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I find it amusing the attitude to sex and violence is back to front. If its stylised glamour and fantasy its fine yet when its realistic the MPAA has a problem, strange.
Comment by SHIT