Buzz
Today, it's nearly impossible to avoid hearing a movie preview that starts with the iconic phrase 'In a world…' followed by a rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). This combo has become so embedded in pop culture that it’s ripe for parody, frequently mocked by comedians and immediately recognizable by film buffs throughout the United States. For many, the crushing moment arrives when a movie they’ve longed to see as a child gets an R-rating, dashing any hopes for a weekend theater experience.
While most Americans are familiar with the general feeling behind the five MPAA ratings—G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17—fewer know how these classifications came about, who assigns them, or what specific factors influence the decision to move a film up or down between the ratings.
The entity responsible for assigning movie ratings is the secretive group known as the Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA), a division within the MPAA. Originally established in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America by Will Hays, the organization now known as the MPAA was created to serve the film industry by avoiding government censorship. Prior to 1968, the MPAA enforced a self-censorship code, the Hays Code, to regulate content deemed offensive, but it was Jack Valenti, a former LBJ advisor, who introduced the current rating system.
CARA consists of a Chairperson, administrative staff, senior voters, and raters, all serving terms of up to seven years. Voters must be parents of children between five and 15 years old when they start, must have no ties to the film industry, and are removed from their positions once their children reach 21 or after their term expires. The identities of the raters are kept entirely confidential, with only two publicly discussing their experiences, and getting access to the MPAA offices is as challenging as a tour of Guantanamo Bay's detention center.
CARA receives its funding from fees that producers and production companies pay to have their films rated. Despite facing scrutiny from both industry professionals and movie enthusiasts, particularly highlighted in the 2006 documentary *This Film Is Not Yet Rated*, the influence of MPAA ratings continues to be a dominant force in American cinema.
Below are the current MPAA rating guidelines:
G—“Suitable for all audiences. A G-rated film contains no themes, language, nudity, sexual content, violence, or other elements that would upset parents of younger viewers... Language used may exceed basic pleasantries but is limited to common everyday expressions. There is no strong language... Depictions of violence are minimal. The film contains no nudity, sexual scenes, or drug use.”
PG (formerly M, then GP)—“Parental guidance suggested. Some content may not be suitable for children... PG-rated films may contain mature themes that require parental oversight. There could be mild profanity, some violence, or brief nudity... There is no content related to drug use.”
PG-13—“Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13... Films rated PG-13 may exceed the PG rating in terms of themes, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities, or other elements... Any drug use will necessitate a PG-13 rating. Nudity beyond a brief moment will demand at least a PG-13, though it will generally not be sexually explicit. There may be some violence depicted, but it is generally not persistent or extreme... A single use of a harsher, sexually derived word (author’s note: the ‘f-word’) used solely as an expletive requires a PG-13 rating. Multiple uses of such words or any sexual context requires an R rating.” (emphasis added; author’s note: i.e., “Let’s ‘f-word’”).
R—“Children under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian... This rating may include adult themes, mature content (author’s note: things illegal for kids), explicit language, intense or ongoing violence, sexually explicit nudity, drug use, or other mature elements... Generally, R-rated films are not suitable for young children.”
NC-17 (formerly X)—“No one 17 or under admitted... This rating applies to films that the Rating Board deems too adult for anyone under 17... NC-17 does not imply 'obscenity' or 'pornography' in the common or legal sense, and should not be seen as a negative judgment of the film... The rating is given based on elements like violence, sexual content, deviant behavior, drug use, or other material deemed inappropriate for younger viewers.”
Typically, there is a notable link between a film’s rating and its box office performance—lower ratings tend to attract a wider audience. In fact, many theaters and distributors refuse to handle NC-17 films. Jack Valenti, however, famously stated that “Valenti’s Law” applies: “If you make a movie that a lot of people want to see, no rating will hurt you. If you make a movie that few people want to see, no rating will help you.”
Tell that to the 13-year-olds of the world.
Other fascinating facts about film ratings:
The initial movie rating system featured the categories G, M (for 'Mature'), R, and X. The PG rating was introduced in 1972, followed by NC-17 in 1990.
The PG-13 rating was introduced on July 1, 1984, following the release of Steven Spielberg's films that year—*Gremlins* and *Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom*.
The first film to be given a PG-13 rating was *The Flamingo Kid*, though it wasn't the first to be released under that rating—that honor goes to *Red Dawn*.
In 2007, smoking was officially factored into the decision-making process for assigning movie ratings.
Not every film rated NC-17 is due to sexual content—take Quentin Tarantino’s *Kill Bill* films, for example. To avoid an NC-17 rating, the bloodiest scenes were altered to black and white.
Further Reading: History of the Film Rating System [PDF]; Rating Guidelines [PDF]
