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Do Movie Ratings Work?
posted by
Patrick Crowley
on
April 2, 2004 at 7:51 am
ANCHORAGE, AK — Today, the Anchorage Daily News takes a look at the effectiveness of the MPAA rating system.
Designed in 1968 by MPAA head Jack Valenti, the system has been used by Hollywood for decades to help parents have more informed choices about the movies they’re children are watching. But, in today’s media environment, is the system still an effective tool for reducing childrens' exposure to sex and violence?
With lax enforcement policies at theaters, video chains that don’t check for age, and cable television channels that serve up popular (and violent) content like the “Sopranos”, are we really protecting children from things they haven’t seen?
Comments (5)
Valenti says the ratings system is imperfect but if he had a speck of integrity he would admit it’s a joke. The only reason for PG-13 is to allow blockbuster grosses for extremely violent comic book movies that should in reality receive R ratings.
Also how do these people think? Full frontal nudity gets you a NC-17 rating and loathsome slasher pics get R’s. Valenti has been an industry toadie since the flood.
one theatre i knew of told there employees not ask for id.
in fact it was encouraged that anyone can see any movie they want.
As long as thay can reach the counter and put the money out there we are to sell to everyone any movie they want including r rated movies.
In my years in the Business 1974-1980 and then 1982-84 I always thought the ratings were a joke.Thankgoodness in my days Moms would call and ask about a PG movie,which i my day could be for Adults,{watch Billy Jack with a PG rating and tell me you want a 10 year old to watch it}.Of Course,Today one can’t get ahold of a manager to even talk about a rating.And having seen some these new managers I don’t think they could carry on an Adult conversation.I think I got out before the PG-13 rating came out.VINCENT is right on the money.Surprized more old theatre managers have not commented on this very good topic.
I also think that they are a joke,In my theatre days we did try to enforce the age limits,of course we only showed one movie most of the time on one screen which made it easy to enforce.In the day of the muti-plex and screen jumpers and the staff in these theatres do not care,I have never heard of any theatre getting fined or in trouble anyway for selling tickets to under age patrons,that is just the Government protecting the people,B.S.!!!!!
The whole rating system was a Volunteer rating system.It meant nothing in the law books from what i was told.Tlsloews,I think most of the guys from our days would agree totally with your statement.