Sex in movies is one thing.We can see Kate Winslet’s breasts in “Titanic,” and it's okay, still PG-13, which I believe is appropriate - Italy airs nudity on TV and less murders than the U.S. As for violence, however, territory seems heavily traveled on R ratings. You, Professor Bock, brought up “Saw,” which is surprising it didn’t get an NC-17 rating because it’s practically a snuff film. How movie ratings are decided is curious. I don’t know if “tastefully done” is at all relevant.
I’d like to talk about one of my favorite movies: “Natural Born Killers.” It was very artistically done. Take that great horrifying scene with Rodney Dangerfield, playing the role of Mallory’s, one of the main characters, abusive father. It changes from the sitcom format with lush, saturated colors and rich with background laughter and applause from the televised audience to a 35mm black and white scene of her decadent and depraved father squeezing her ass. The main word slipping the lips of many critics about the film was “controversial,” because many thought the violence was done too over the top. Although controversial, this crime-drama is packed with cultural satire – media being at its center. It’s not just the story of husband and wife tearing across the American heartland on a murder spree. Well, it is that, but it’s not violence for the sake of violence. There is so much to it.
I don’t know if any of this matters. Who am I to say “Saw” isn’t well done, but tastefully done, I personally don’t think so. I do know, however, that movies are not, say, cigarettes; they won’t harm you. I don’t believe ratings should be handled with more care; in fact, I think there should be less intervention. Warning labels, as we’ve learned from cigarettes, are almost meaningless. Why not go as far as to put ratings on books? I nearly passed out reading Chuck Palahnik’s short story “Guts.” It’s people’s work that’s being judged, which I think can be more troubling than seeing a little gore or an ass or breasts. Time is also a factor. What’s considered on the margins one day, Hanson says, might shift to the middle where it’s accepted the next, which, once again, makes ratings meaningless.
Well, Jacob, what might make them more meaningful? Keep in mind the MPAA isn't worried about taste or art -- only what is depicted. Please think also a bit about the ratings system, its history, and who runs it. What influence to these factors have on how the decisions are made?
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