JackValenti Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Happy 25th Birthday, PG-13 Rating!
Filed under: Exhibition », Steven Spielberg »
For elderly people like me, in our 30s, it's sobering to realize that on any given Friday night, the majority of people in an average American movie theater do not remember a time when the PG-13 rating did not exist. Yes, it was 25 years ago this summer that the Motion Picture Association of America added PG-13 to its roster of ratings, joining G, PG, R, and X (which in 1990 was replaced by NC-17). Perhaps you already know some of the trivia involved. 'Tis no urban legend: Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom really were the catalysts that brought about the new rating, and Steven Spielberg -- who produced one and directed the other -- was the mastermind."I created the problem and I also supplied the solution," Spielberg told the Associated Press in 2004. "I invented the rating." Temple of Doom was released May 23, 1984, and horrified parents immediately began complaining that the PG rating was too lax, citing the heart-ripping-out scene in particular. (I'd have cited Kate Capshaw's performance, but I guess that's more "irritating" than "horrifying.") Gremlins, with its microwaved monsters and general bloody mayhem, opened two weeks later, and the uproar grew louder. I remember my aunt, who took my cousin and me to see it (we were 9), saying she thought Stripe's melting at the end was too gross for a PG movie. We just thought it was awesome.
To parents, both films seemed too graphic to be rated PG. Logically, that meant they should have been rated R instead, as that was the only other choice. But they'd be kind of tame compared to other R-rated movies, especially considering the content was aimed at teenagers. Somehow neither rating seemed right.
10 of the Silliest MPAA Ratings Reasons
Filed under: Exhibition », Home Entertainment », Lists »
Over at Offsprung.com (who snagged the list from allmovie.com), there's a humorous collection of ten of the most ridiculous reasons the MPAA has ever given for film ratings. You know, the list of offenses they put underneath a "PG" or an "R," to give parents a better idea of what exactly their child will be subjected to. (And then the parent can say, "Hmm, 'extreme pervasive graphic violence, including shootings, stabbings, beheadings, disembowlings, and castrations?' Oh well, as long as my son won't see a boob!"). I personally love it when the MPAA has to go all out with their rating descriptions, when it's clear that they just find a movie wrong on every level. When I see a full paragraph under that "R" rating, I know that it's probably a film I need to see. Take Grindhouse, for example. Rated R for "strong graphic bloody violence and gore, pervasive language, some sexuality, nudity and drug use." A grand slam!
My favorite MPAA reason on the allmovie list is probably the one for Twister, which was Rated PG-13 back in 1996 for "intense depiction of very bad weather!" The 1994 Jamie Lee Curtis thriller Mother's Boys was Rated R for "language and a mother's sociopathic behavior." Number one on their list is the Nick Nolte snoozer Jefferson in Paris, which was rated PG-13 in 1995 for "mature themes, some images of violence, and" -- get this -- "a bawdy puppet show!" That's fine and good, but while we're on the subject of hardcore marionette action, I prefer the reason given for Team America: World Police's R Rating -- "graphic crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language - all involving puppets." The allmovie list is a solid one, although I'm fairly certain I've seen even funnier rating descriptions elsewhere. If you guys know of any, please share in the comments.
RIP: Reel Important People -- April 30, 2007
Filed under: Obits »
- Svatopluk Benes (1918-2007) - Czech actor who appears in Zelary, Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea and I Killed Einstein, Gentlemen. He died April 30. (Radio Praha)
- Erica Cassetti (1971-2007) - Computer animator who worked on Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules and Tarzan and Dreamworks' Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. She also worked on the original Coca Cola polar bear commercial. She died April 21, in Chandler, Arizona. (AZ Central)
- Yanis Chimaras (1955-2007) - Venezuelan soap actor who appears in Amaneció de Golpe and El Caracazo. He was stabbed to death by a robber April 25, in Caracas. (Backstage)
- Paul Erdman (c.1933-2007) - Economist and author whose book The Silver Bears was adapted as Silver Bears (aka Fool's Gold) with Michael Caine starring. He died April 24 in Sonoma County, California. (CBS)
- David Halberstam (1934-2007) - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author whose book The Amateurs was adapted as Rowing Through. He also appears in the Oscar-nominated documentary In the Year of the Pig. He was killed in a car crash April 23, in Menlo Park, California. (Variety)
- Kirill Lavrov (1925-2007) - Russian actor who appears in Tchaikovsky, Taming of the Fire and The Brothers Karamazov, which he co-directed. He died April 27, in St. Petersburg. (RIA Novosti)
The Geek Beat: Rated M For Mature
'Clash of the Titans' Trailer Now Online!
'Twilight' Fans: Do You Really Want to See 'Breaking Dawn'?
Finally! All Those Ambiguous Movie Endings Resolved!
Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 11/10
