|
FILM RATINGS:
|
|
 |
For
information about particular films and their ratings go to:
www.filmratings.com
For other information about the film rating system visit: www.mpaa.org
or www.parentalguide.org
|
| What Ratings Mean: |
|
A G-rated motion picture contains nothing in theme, language, nudity,
sex, violence or other matters that, in the view of the Rating Board,
would offend parents whose younger children view the motion picture. The
G rating is not a “certificate of approval,” nor does it signify a
“children’s” motion picture. Some snippets of language may go beyond
polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No
stronger words are present in G-rated motion pictures. Depictions of
violence are minimal. No nudity, sex scenes or drug use are present in
the motion picture.
A PG-rated motion picture should be investigated by parents before they
let their younger children attend. The PG rating indicates, in the view
of the Rating Board, that parents may consider some material unsuitable
for their children, and parents should make that decision.
The more mature themes in some PG-rated motion pictures may call for
parental guidance. There may be some profanity and some depictions of
violence or brief nudity. But these elements are not deemed so intense
as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion
of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion
picture.
A PG-13 rating is a sterner warning by the Rating Board to parents to
determine whether their children under age 13 should view the motion
picture, as some material might not be suited for them. A PG-13 motion
picture may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity,
sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not
reach the restricted R category. The theme of the motion picture by
itself will not result in a rating greater than PG-13, although
depictions of activities related to a mature theme may result in a
restricted rating for the motion picture. Any drug use will initially
require at least a PG-13 rating. More than brief nudity will require at
least a PG-13 rating, but such nudity in a PG-13 rated motion picture
generally will not be sexually oriented. There may be depictions of
violence in a PG-13 movie, but generally not both realistic and extreme
or persistent violence. A motion picture’s single use of one of the
harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, initially
requires at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive requires
an R rating, as must even one of those words used in a sexual context.
The Rating Board nevertheless may rate such a motion picture PG-13 if,
based on a special vote by a two-thirds majority, the Raters feel that
most American parents would believe that a PG-13 rating is appropriate
because of the context or manner in which the words are used or because
the use of those words in the motion picture is inconspicuous.
An R-rated motion picture, in the view of the Rating Board, contains
some adult material. An R-rated motion picture may include adult themes,
adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence,
sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents
are counseled to take this rating very seriously. Children under 17 are
not allowed to attend R-rated motion pictures unaccompanied by a parent
or adult guardian. Parents are strongly urged to find out more about
R-rated motion pictures in determining their suitability for their
children. Generally, it is not appropriate for parents to bring their
young children with them to R-rated motion pictures.
An NC-17 rated motion picture is one that, in the view of the Rating
Board, most parents would consider patently too adult for their children
17 and under. No children will be admitted. NC-17 does not mean
“obscene” or “pornographic” in the common or legal meaning of those
words, and should not be construed as a negative judgment in any sense.
The rating simply signals that the content is appropriate only for an
adult audience. An NC-17 rating can be based on violence, sex,
aberrational behavior, drug abuse or any other element that most parents
would consider too strong and therefore off-limits for viewing by their
children.
No one under the age of 17 will be admitted to films receiving an NC-17
Rating.
|
| Who Rates the Movies and How Does it Work? |
Parents Rate the Movies:
The ratings are decided by a full-time Rating Board located in Los
Angeles. There are 10-13 members of the Board who serve for periods of
varying length. They work for the Classification and Rating
Administration, which is funded by fees charged to
producers/distributors for the rating of their films. The MPAA Chairman
chooses the Chairman of the Rating Board, thereby insulating the Board
from industry or other group pressure. No one in the movie industry has
the authority or power to push the Board in any direction or otherwise
influence it. One of the highest accolades to be conferred on the rating
system is that from its birth in 1968 to this day, there has never been
even the slightest jot of evidence that the rating system has
deliberately fudged a decision or bowed to pressure. The Rating Board
has always conducted itself at the highest level of integrity. That is a
large, honorable, and valuable asset. There are no special
qualifications for Board membership, except that the members must have a
shared parenthood experience, must be possessed of an intelligent
maturity, and most of all, have the capacity to put themselves in the
role of most American parents so they can view a film and apply a rating
that most parents would find suitable and helpful in aiding their
decisions about their children and what movies they see.
No one is forced to submit a film to the Board for rating, but the vast
majority of producers/distributors opt to do so. Any
producer/distributor who wants no part of any rating system is free to
go to the market without any rating, or with any description or symbol
they choose, as long as it is not confusingly similar to the G, PG,
PG-13, R, and, NC-17. The rating symbols are federally registered
certification marks of the MPAA and may not be self-applied.
The Board Votes on Ratings:
The Board views each film. Each member estimates what most parents would
consider to be that film and appropriate rating. After group discussion,
the Board votes on the rating. Each member completes a rating form
spelling out his or her reason for the rating. The rating is then
decided by majority vote.
Ratings Appraisal:
There are many factors considered by the ratings board when assigning
ratings to a movie including sex, violence, nudity, language, adult
topics and drug use. The ratings board watches the film and as a parent
would and determines in the end which rating the movie should have in
accordance with the depiction of these elements in the content of the
movie.
If a film is assigned a rating that a producer/director does not want,
he or she may edit and re-submit the film for another rating.
The Public Reaction:
We consider it crucial to make regular soundings to find out how the
public perceives the rating program, and to measure the approval and
disapproval of what we are doing.
Nationwide scientific polls, conducted each year by the Opinion Research
Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey, have consistently given the rating
program high marks by parents throughout the land. The latest poll
results show that 78% of parents with children under 13 found the
ratings to be "very useful" to "fairly useful" in helping them make
decisions about what movies their children see. The ratings board will
continue to strive to rate movies in a way that they as parents would
approve of when making choices about films suitable for their families.
Appeal of Ratings:
A producer/distributor who for any reason is displeased with a rating
can appeal the decision to the Rating Appeals Board, which sits as the
final arbiter of ratings. The Appeals Board comprises 14 to 18 members
who serve terms of varying length. They are men and women from the
industry organizations that govern the rating system.
The Appeals Board gathers to view the film and hear the appeal. After
the screening, the producer/distributor whose film is being appealed
explains why he or she believes the rating was wrongly decided. The
chairman of the Rating Board states the reason for the film and rating.
The producer/distributor has an opportunity for rebuttal.
After Appeals Board members question the two opposing representatives,
they are excused from the room. The Board discusses the appeal and then
takes a secret ballot. It requires a two-thirds vote of those present to
overturn a Rating Board decision. By this method of appeal, decisions of
the Rating Board can be examined and any rating deemed a mistake set
right. The decision of the Appeals Board is final and cannot be
appealed.
For more information, visit: www.mpaa.org
|
|
|
