Just so that we’re all on the same page, here are the definitions on the movie rating classifications straight from the MPAA
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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.
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The first thing that I found interesting is that the PG-13 rating contains very absolute and specific standards - right down to “which word” and “how many times.”
None of the other ratings have anything concrete. This means that it’s up to the shifting standards of the “panel of parents” who are assigning the ratings.
Take Cinderella. Rated G. No sex. No foul language. Violence limited to wicked step-sisters ripping sash off dress, and stepmother tripping the Page with the glass slipper. Intense and scary scene - ummm… well, it’s creepy when you first see the stepmother in bed and it’s all dark… Right. No biggie. Very “G”.
Now there’s Ratatoille. Everyone said it was a good movie, and it’s rated G, so surely it will be okay to watch as a family.
Ummmm, no.
It starts with a woman with a shotgun blowing up her house in an attempt to kill the rats - who are already established as our cute, furry “good guys.” Then our hero is separated from his family, goes through a dark and frightening almost-drowning rapids experience in the sewer… And that’s all in the first ten minutes.
Jewel cried, and pretty much the whole rest of the movie was spent either watching bad things happen or worrying about bad things happening. <sigh>
A “G” rating from today is not the same as a “G” rating from the days of yore… The standards of society have changed, and the ratings board reflects that.
But how accurate a measure of even society’s standards are they? Who are these “parents” on the ratings board? Who chooses them, and how?
I found it very interesting when my Blockbuster Online membership asked me for a rating, what the other user reviews said. I found MANY other parents that felt the movie amply warranted a PG rating for the violence. So apparently we are not as far out of the mainstream as we thought, and perhaps it is the ratings board that missed the boat.
Hmmmm….
March 2nd, 2008
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Christianity, Kids, Life, Reviews |
A full-time RV family shares their adventures - homeschooling two kids, running a home business on the road, life in an RV, interesting travel and dining experiences, you name it...
(MUST have the Extended Edition and Widescreen!)
(fried hot dogs! Mmmm)
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:11 am
I have heard the same things about Ratatoille. We stopped going to movies because of the expense and the lack of a fast forward button, but there are several websites that I peruse when deciding what we are going to watch, and I have found the same kind of surprise at the ratings of kids’ movies in those reviews.
I am very curious, though, as to why the PG rating is so picky about drug use, but how many times characters in cartoons and G-rated movies get completely sloshed? It’s like there is a mandatory saloon scene or alcoholic character in every children’s flick, - why is that acceptable? Makes no sense to me. My kids have even asked why getting drunk is supposed to be funny, when they know how dangerous it is IRL.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Well let’s face it, there is really no rating system that can make everyone happy. So any rating system can only be a guide. But the very reasons everyone has listed here are the reason I find websites like much more helpful than a “letter grade” from the ratings board — there are actual reviews which include specifics on what others liked or found problematic, information I can use to make a decision for my family. But we still usually preview new films before letting our kids watch them. And our standards are probably very different than the rating board. Our 7 and 8 year old are allowed LOTR, but Lion King has never crossed our threshold. The violence in LOTR serves to support the theme of the struggle against and ultimate victory over evil, whereas the feel-good themes of LK do little to outweigh the scary scene in which the young Simba watches his evil uncle murder his father. I doubt any rating system could ever convey that.