Rated PG-13: Parents are strongly cautioned to give special guidance for attendance of children under 13 - Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The PG-13 rating
Up until 1984, films usually had three different ratings. The ratings were G, PG, and R. There was a big gap between PG and R rated films. Some PG films were as violent as R rated films but they did not include the F word or nudity. The film "Jaws" was released in 1975 with a PG rating but if anyone have ever seen that movie, its pretty violent and very bloody. Another example of a very violent PG rated film is "Gremlins." Steven Spielberg released "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in 1984 and the violence in that and "Gremlins" outraged a lot of parents because of how violent those films were. Steven Spielberg suggested to the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) that there should a PG-13 or PG-14 rating introduced. The MPAA took Spielbergs advise and the PG-13 rating was introduced on July 1, 1984. The first PG-13 film was "Red Dawn."
Rated PG-13: Parents are strongly cautioned to give special guidance for attendance of children under 13 - Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
Rated PG-13: Parents are strongly cautioned to give special guidance for attendance of children under 13 - Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
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This actually explains a lot about the ratings of movies. I can imagine the R and G rated movies are quite clear to rate, however the line that PG movies back then had to face must have been quite ambiguous. The Gremlins example is almost perfect. Many children and their parents were probably drawn to the fuzzy and cuteness of the gremlins in their "nice form", however were probably very shocked (and scared) by the eviler dark sides of the gremlins.
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting how the MPAA determines how a film will be rated - according to how many times certain 4 letter words are used, if any nudity is viewed and not necessarily a naked body but even a drawing of naked flesh. Violence plays a big part also, not just showing of blood but the actual violence to cause the blood, guts, etc. I agree that it is very necessary to apply ratings for the protection of young children and others. Nice post with lots of valuable information.
ReplyDeleteThe rating system really goes by how society is comfortable with vulgarly and other mature content. I remember growing up, a pg 13 movie didn’t really consists of vulgar language, but in today’s pg 13 movies, the “F” word is used multiple times. With the growth of technology, I believe people become accustom to other things such as mature content and society is slowly accepting them. Eventually, there will be no such thing as censorship. Possibly.
ReplyDeletei would have to say that some movies and their ratings go together but some just don't make scene. also with the world changing the ratings are kind of getting pushed away and are given more leeway on how much can be put in a movie. its just a way to see how the world and people are changing
ReplyDeleteCraig, I think the rating of movies is very important. It gives parents an idea as to the content in the movie. Spielberg has made some wonderful movies and it was very wise of him to work with the MPAA and update the ratings scale. Action and horror films do have quite a bit of violence in them and because of that I think it has desensitized people. The appeal to me with the movie Jaws, was it built up suspense with regards to actually seeing the shark which you didn't really get to see fully until well into the flick. That suspense kept you on the edge of your seat.
ReplyDeleteEven thought ratings have changed, sometimes i dont think parents even look at the ratings when they bring their children to the local cinema. When i did work at the movie theatre, people would bring toddlers to a rated R movie. I do not get people!
ReplyDeleteEven though there rating like PG-13 and R-rated, kids don't care about that. If they want to see the movie, they will definately find a way to watch it. Other times, some parents don't pay attention to the rating for movies. I know when I was little, my mom was strict about what I can and can't watch. That didn't stop me though from watching what I wanted when she wasn't around or sleep.
ReplyDeleteRatings now aren't what they used to be. Movies now aren't what they used to be. Movies that I personally think should be R are now PG-13. Like another post said, kids don't really care anymore. It's so easy to sneak into movies that they can just do that if they aren't of age. I've also seen parents taking young children to rated R movies, just because they can do that. With rated R movies, 17 year olds can get in, and children can get in with parents.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! Definitely something to think about.
That was interesting reading about pg13. I just thought when the ratings system was established that what we have today is what the ratings always were. But what a bunch of idiots not thinking of the huge gap between pg and r. That's like at least 8 years in age. I still think the rating system is dumb. There are some movies I want to see that are coming out and are rated r, and they look funny and nothing wrong with them. But I think if you say the F word more then twice it has to be r rated or something like that. Those are pretty dumb standards if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteI think that the gradation of movies is a rather controversial thing. On the one hand, today kids have an access to the Internet today, and I highly doubt that any parental guidance is possible in this regard. Technically, parents should certainly guide and monitor their kids. For example, it is culturally unaccepted for underage kids to see the scenes that involve sex. However, the only shield that prevents kids from going to an adult porn site is the pop-up that requires one to state that he is 18 or older. However, in practice, it does not take a lot from a child to confirm that he or she is older than in reality. By the same token, online access to Netflix, makes kids exposed to a variety of movies that “require guidance.” From scientific perspective, some sort of shield that protects children from movies that involve violence, bad language, or sexual content because these components can be detrimental for a child’s psychics. But it is up to the society (the majority) to decide what is “right” and allowed, and what should be let “unseen.”
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, I was glad to see PG-13 added to movie ratings. I felt it opened up another opportunity to gauge the maturity or lack of maturity in one's child and if they would be able to handle viewing, and another aid to help the parent decide to allow them to see the movie
ReplyDeletePG-13 has helped all adults control viewing movies without having to watch them all before their children could. Before 1984 - The F word might have been more bad then being naked. Gald movies are now rated to assure parents that younger generations will not be exposed to early to the real world.
ReplyDeleteI think the ratings system should be better applied. I work at a movie theater and have seen things rated R that SHOULD have been rated NC-17 such as Zack and Miri Make a Porno and the atrocity that was Bruno. I also noticed lots of PG-13 movies should be rated R, but because of some idiot up top saying that it's PG-13 (most likely because of being bribed) it was listed at PG-13. If there is cursing more then 1 time in a film it should be R, no flexibility, no wiggle room, no bribing to get it to PG-13 to market it to an audience it shouldn't be marketed to.
ReplyDeleteThis brings a changing view on what is violent and what is not. Society is become more acceptable to violence and language. Movies back in the day were too sensitive and tried to hide violence from kids. I agree some too violent movies should be limited to the adult societies, but hiding violence just made it more interesting for kids because it was restricted from them.
ReplyDeleteI was only four when Gremlins came out and I remember my Dad renting it as soon as it came out on video. It didn’t scare me; I have always liked scary movies. I was watching R rated movies then too. My favorite movie when I was younger was A Nightmare on Elm Street. My Dad would come home almost every day with a new movie and as long as there wasn’t any nudity he would let me and my brother watch it. But today it’s different; I watch two 6 year old girls that still love to watch shows on sprout and if someone says stupid on tv they say, “someone said a bad word.” I think we might be overprotecting children today.
ReplyDeleteCraig, this is a very interesting post about PG-13 ratings. However, back in the day when Jaws came out we did not know any better. There are video games out today that have a lot worse violence than either one of these movies did. Also, I do not think parents really listen to these ratings. If they want to take their child to a movie they will decide whether or not it is to violent or not. I also think there is to much overprotection for our children today. They see much worse on cable. Very good post. Mary Ann Reday.
ReplyDeleteThe PG-13 ratings are important now since we have so many sexual references in movies and on TV shows. At least parents can get an idea whether they want their kid to see or watch a particular program. I know parents that pay strict attention to these ratings and won't let their kids see the PG-13 movies unless they know exactly what's in it.
ReplyDeleteI think that a PG-13 rating is an in the middle type of movie. Depending on how mature a child is, a parent should decide if that movie is right for their child. I do not agree with letting my child see a certain thing, but according to someone else they may disagree.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with the rating system of movies of our day and age. Some movies of today are violent with a lot of action and it is only rated PG-13? Then people wonder why parents get mad when they take their kids to a PG-13 movie that should of been rated R. There needs to be a better solution to the rating system of movies.
ReplyDeleteRatings seem to have lost some of their vigor. Maybe in 1984 people paid more attention to them, but not anymore. I think kids today will see any movie they want, the rating means nothing. If they want to see the movie they will find a way. Also most parents also do not care and will buy the tickets for them and not even worry about the ratings. Movie theaters are also hurting for business and will look the other way just to make the sale. The only people that seem to care about the ratings are the companies that give the rattings.
ReplyDeleteThe ratings today cannot be compared to the ratings of ten or fifteen years ago. There are movies today that should be rated R and aren't. Ratings mean nothing anymore to some people. It's so easy to buy a ticket for one movie and go see another. Ratings should get re-evaluated every couple of years just to make sure we are trying to keep the morals set.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. I read that in 1990, X was changed to NC-17. NC-17 is considered a death sentence for movies. Producers want assurance their film will be PG-13 or R. This is odd, because to buy a ticket for a rated R movie, one is supposed to be seventeen. Movie theater ushers do check identification, but I am not sure how important it is for them to enforce this rule. Whereas bars and restaurants will receive stiff penalties and fines for serving underage drinkers, I have never heard of sanctions being brought down on theaters accused of allowing minors into R rated features.
ReplyDelete