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Director Kirby Dick has made a doc called THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED about the MPAA (the people who rate films in the US) in which he exposes the secretive ratings board practices.

What is your opinion of the MPAA?

You can learn more about the MPAA and Kirby Dick's movie here:
http://moviesbawgawk.blogspot.com/2006/09/cool-interview-film-director-kirby.html

I think the guy is wasting his time, personally. The MPAA doesn't have any agenda outside of their job, which is to rate movies. It doesn't take a genius to rate movies to begin with. It's taking the elements, the nature of said elements, and applying a proper rating systems.

The MPAA is the reason so many good films don't get wide releases, because the filmmaker doesn't want to compromise their work in order to get an "acceptable" rating, which is R or below, so they just put the film out independantly since companies are generally to shitty to back a good film that isn't going to get a big release. Basically, they're the bane of autuers and everything artistic about filmmaking, plus they just make it really hard to find good, brave horror movies that aren't all pussified for a mainstream audience.

Originally posted by BackFire
The MPAA is the reason so many good films don't get wide releases, because the filmmaker doesn't want to compromise their work in order to get an "acceptable" rating, which is R or below, so they just put the film out independantly since companies are generally to shitty to back a good film that isn't going to get a big release. Basically, they're the bane of autuers and everything artistic about filmmaking, plus they just make it really hard to find good, brave horror movies that aren't all pussified for a mainstream audience.

..i agree..couldn't have said it better myself

my problem is not with the MPAA ratings.......it's with the theatrical business which places restrictions upon audiences based on the ratings. I have no problem with the MPAA telling people, "this movie has cursing and nudity"........my problem is with the theater saying, "you can't see this movie because it has cursing or nudity unless you're ____ years of age".

Originally posted by C-Dic
I think the guy is wasting his time, personally. The MPAA doesn't have any agenda outside of their job, which is to rate movies. It doesn't take a genius to rate movies to begin with. It's taking the elements, the nature of said elements, and applying a proper rating systems.

I agree... The ratings only annoyed me when I was younger and couldn't go to watch a movie that I really wanted to..

But now I couldn't care less about what rating a movie gets..

But I think that the ratings are good as a guideline.. a 12 year old can always go watch a 15 rated movie with an adult, for example.. I wouldn't want my children (if I have children in the future) going to watch a R/18 rated movie.. without permission or without an adult with them..

As you say the rating are commen sense really.. This movie is pointless imo.

I think they're too small minded (the ratings themselves) and narrow. I know to do it properly they'd need a dozen new ratings but sometimes i see a movie and think "This M15+ movie has more violence than i've seen in some MA or R movies that got the rating for the same reason." But i dont think they're some secretive agenda behind the MPAA, they're just doing their jobs (even if they could do with updating the system)

there has to be something wrong with the ratn=ing system when movies like wedding crashers and schindler's list get the same rating

I dunno If they don't give it a certain rating people will be upset....I mean i guess they got to go what they got to do If they don't rate it a certain way the people will get mad...if they don't try to keep people from downloading movies the industry will be mad....It can go either way...but I think they are just doing there job the best way they can.

Originally posted by Evil Dead
my problem is not with the MPAA ratings.......it's with the theatrical business which places restrictions upon audiences based on the ratings. I have no problem with the MPAA telling people, "this movie has cursing and nudity"........my problem is with the theater saying, "you can't see this movie because it has cursing or nudity unless you're ____ years of age". Agreed

Originally posted by BackFire
The MPAA is the reason so many good films don't get wide releases, because the filmmaker doesn't want to compromise their work in order to get an "acceptable" rating, which is R or below, so they just put the film out independantly since companies are generally to shitty to back a good film that isn't going to get a big release. Basically, they're the bane of autuers and everything artistic about filmmaking, plus they just make it really hard to find good, brave horror movies that aren't all pussified for a mainstream audience.

And what do you find artistic about filmaking? Lots and lots of gore, blood and torture? I mean come on.... how much more blood could you possibly need in a movie... I think R ratings are fine. But out of curiosity what movies are you talking about that got the NC 17 ratings... that you say are so good?

I have no problem with the MPAA system. It's a good system. The MPAA's purpose is to tell us the nature of the film, if it's excessive in violence, language, or nudity, and give it a rating which is a general guideline of what age groups the film is appropriate for.

I have a problem with the way the cinemas work. Most theaters won't show NC-17 movies. The studios (who want to make money of course) have no choice but to cut their movies to get that R rating so they can get a large release. Or they cut their movies back even further to get the PG-13 rating so no one will be restricted to see it. It's all about making the most money, that's what's compromising directors' works. The MPAA isn't the problem. Don't shoot the messenger, as the saying goes.

Wolfie said it all.

having strict guidelines like saying F*ck more than once is instant "R" maybe isnt the best strategy. I would let a small kid watch plenty of R movies before I would some PG-13 ones.

Originally posted by forumcrew
having strict guidelines like saying F*ck more than once is instant "R" maybe isnt the best strategy. I would let a small kid watch plenty of R movies before I would some PG-13 ones.

Umm... like what?

Yeah I don't know what to tell you about that. I agree Movie theatres should not tell us what we can and can not see, Which has nothing to do with the MPAA...they are just doing what they have to do! I live in a place where most movies are available to me so this is not a big problem for me...but I understand what you are saying!

I think that overall, the MPAA does its job well, but I also feel that it needs some reform. In particular, the amount of crass humor that PG-13 films get away with.

The idea that someone else (besides my parents) should decide what is ok for me to watch is ridiculous.

Originally posted by Spartan005
Umm... like what?

um like have you seen garden state? take that vs so many of the violent pg-13 movies out there and tell me garden state is worse.

Nope, never saw it. But anyway the only movie that I still to this day have no idea why it was rated R was The Matrix. There was absolutely no cursing, sex, or blood in that movie but it got rated R for "violence" ????

well garden state is basicly a love story that says **** twice, and once you say it twice its rated R. Its like one time a kid can understand but if you say it twice they need adult supervision to explain it.

Originally posted by The Core
I think the guy is wasting his time, personally. The MPAA doesn't have any agenda outside of their job, which is to rate movies. It doesn't take a genius to rate movies to begin with. It's taking the elements, the nature of said elements, and applying a proper rating systems.
Huh? The MPAA does a LOT more than rate films.

Originally posted by offtheset
Huh? The MPAA does a LOT more than rate films.

Yeah they really do! like trying to keep people from pirating movies!.....

Mpaa is a group that rulez by fear. So well, not my most favouritist of peoples.

I don't know if I agree with you there I do not think they try to enforce fear I only think someone might feel that way if they know what they are doing is wrong. I mean I can understand how some people get annoyed but the bottom line is MPAA is just trying to help the film industry.

Originally posted by forumcrew
well garden state is basicly a love story that says **** twice, and once you say it twice its rated R. Its like one time a kid can understand but if you say it twice they need adult supervision to explain it.

Yeah its weird how they do that... I saw this film last year named Gatika... or something like that and they said **** twice but it was PG-13

Garden State wasn't rated R for language. Drug use almost always automatically gets you an R rating.

I think the MPAA does a good job with ratings I mean you are right about garden state and the drug use. I mean I am sure it is really difficult trying to figure out how to rate something I mean if they don't make it R then some parent will be upset at the rating not being high enough so I think they are just making sure they cover themselfs....I mean with all the other work they have to do with Pirating I think the rating system is okay.