Why Does NC-17 Exist?

[Carjosse]

Seriously, why? Why do you need to go to lengths of NC-17 when you have an R rating, is it acceptable in the United States to force certain films underground or change the movie because of their content? The U.S. film rating system seems to be run by Nazis. Films that get NC-17 in the U.S. might get R here and in Quebec will get PG-16 or 14.

I don't know whether this should be in the forums used for movies or political discussion so move it accordingly.

 

[Harshaw]

Seriously, why? Why do you need to go to lengths of NC-17 when you have an R rating, is it acceptable in the United States to force certain films underground or change the movie because of their content? The U.S. film rating system seems to be run by Nazis. Films that get NC-17 in the U.S. might get R here and in Quebec will get PG-16 or 14.

I don't know whether this should be in the forums used for movies or political discussion so move it accordingly.

Why do you freak out about all kinds of things you don't need to worry about (or, most of the time, actually understand)? This doesn't affect you in the slightest.

But to answer your question, those under 17 can get into an R-rated movie if accompanied by an adult. They can't in an NC-17 movie. That's why it exists -- for content too mature for an R-rating. Nothing goes "underground" because of an NC-17 rating.

It's called "NC-17" because the previous, similar rating, benignly called "X," was exploited by the porn industry (who used the unofficial "XXX rating"), and the X rating was so stigmatized that it was done away with. "Midnight Cowboy," Oscar-winning Best Picture for 1969 releases, was rated X.

 

[paris]

Nothing goes "underground" because of an NC-17 rating.

Huh. Aren't such movies legally deprived of many venues for advertisement?

 

[Harshaw]

Huh. Aren't such movies legally deprived of many venues for advertisement?

No. The entire ratings system is voluntary and there's no legal import to it, or legal enforcement of it. There is no government "board of censors" as there is many other countries. The films are rated by the industry, not the government.

Theaters will not run red-band trailers with just any movie, but that doesn't matter because you can make a green-band trailer for any movie.

Unless, of course, you want to capitalize on the adult material.

 

[Harshaw]

I will also point out:

Films that get NC-17 in the U.S. might get R here and in Quebec will get PG-16 or 14.

Films which get an NC-17 rating in the US may be required to have content removed in order to get those ratings up there in Canada. Happens frequently.

 

[paris]

No.

Huh.

Movie Pictures | Movie Posters - Yahoo Movies

"Typically, the NC-17 severely restricts the number of theaters that will show a film, and the venues in which it can be advertised" ....

 

[Carjosse]

I will also point out:



Films which get an NC-17 rating in the US may be required to have content removed in order to get those ratings up there in Canada. Happens frequently.

Well no Quebec never does because PG-18 is reserved extreme gore and violence or porn. You can't edit an R-rated movie down to a PG film only a difference in how they are reviewed is the difference. Most of the films are unedited as our standards are just more lax. The unedited Clockwork Orange got R in Ontario and PG-16 in Quebec but it had to be edited for Americans.

 

[Harshaw]

Huh.

Movie Pictures | Movie Posters - Yahoo Movies

"Typically, the NC-17 severely restricts the number of theaters that will show a film, and the venues in which it can be advertised" ....

That's because NC-17 films are less commercially viable than those with lower ratings and theaters don't want to take the hit. There's no legal requirement.

As for the advertising, I already told you -- red-band trailers, which show adult content, are only run in front of certain films. Green-band trailers, which don't, can be run in front of any film. But this, again, is not legally-enforced.

 

[Harshaw]

Well no Quebec never does because PG-18 is reserved extreme gore and violence or porn. You can't edit an R-rated movie down to a PG film only a difference in how they are reviewed is the difference. Most of the films are unedited as our standards are just more lax. The unedited Clockwork Orange got R in Ontario and PG-16 in Quebec but it had to be edited for Americans.

No, A Clockwork Orange received an initial X rating in the US and was shown unedited. When it was re-released, it was edited to receive an R rating so more theaters would carry it. But that wasn't anything legally required.

I didn't say anything about editing an R-rated movie down to a PG.

 

[Carjosse]

No, A Clockwork Orange received an initial X rating in the US and was shown unedited. When it was re-released, it was edited to receive an R rating so more theaters would carry it. But that wasn't anything legally required.

I didn't say anything about editing an R-rated movie down to a PG.

Well that is sometimes the discrepancy between American ratings and foreign ones.

 

[Harshaw]

Well that is sometimes the discrepancy between American ratings and foreign ones.

I don't know exactly what you're referring to, but . . . so what?

There are many countries whose government censor boards require edits to American films. Why does it matter?

 

[Carjosse]

I don't know exactly what you're referring to, but . . . so what?

Americans are way too strict in their ratings and it is causing movies to have to be altered to meet marketable ratings in the U.S.. Why are Americans so afraid of the content people see?

 

[Harshaw]

Americans are way too strict in their ratings and it is causing movies to have to be altered to meet marketable ratings in the U.S.. Why are Americans so afraid of the content people see?

Um, the US rating system -- which is again totally voluntary and not in any way legally enforced -- is just about the laxest in the world, most of which IS legally-enforced. The ratings system in the US has more to do with MARKETING than anything else. It's not about being "afraid of content" in the slightest, as it actually IS in many other countries.

And again, this doesn't affect YOU in the slightest, so what difference does it make? I think Canadian speed limits should be higher and their sales taxes lower, but I don't bitch about it, because it's really none of my business.

 

[PeteEU]

TBH it is a bit warped.

Movies like Saving Private Ryan, full of death, blood and guts... not NC-17,... show a tit or a penis in a movie.. NC-17 if not X.

 

[vasuderatorrent]

This thread caught my attention. I live in North Carolina and have a highway 17. I assumed someone was criticizing Highway 17 or NC-17. You may not all find this funny but I think it's funny. I was very surprised when I started reading the thread and a little disappointed.

vasuderatorrent

 

[Oftencold]

Because the Enterprise need a new paint job, otherwise it would still say "NCC-1701." The Shutdown is affecting Starfleet maintenance.

 

[paris]

That's because NC-17 films are less commercially viable than those with lower ratings and theaters don't want to take the hit. There's no legal requirement.

As for the advertising, I already told you -- red-band trailers, which show adult content, are only run in front of certain films. Green-band trailers, which don't, can be run in front of any film. But this, again, is not legally-enforced.

Okay. So it's not legally enforced. I suppose we could say it's customary then...not that big of a difference in practice.

 

[Harshaw]

TBH it is a bit warped.

Movies like Saving Private Ryan, full of death, blood and guts... not NC-17,... show a tit or a penis in a movie.. NC-17 if not X.

It takes a LOT more than that to get an NC-17, and there is no X. No idea what you're talking about, as usual.

 

[Harshaw]

Okay. So it's not legally enforced. I suppose we could say it's customary then...not that big of a difference in practice.

No, it's a huge difference, but if you're determined to be critical, I can see why you'd insist there isn't much.

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

Why do you freak out about all kinds of things you don't need to worry about (or, most of the time, actually understand)? This doesn't affect you in the slightest.

But to answer your question, those under 17 can get into an R-rated movie if accompanied by an adult. They can't in an NC-17 movie. That's why it exists -- for content too mature for an R-rating. Nothing goes "underground" because of an NC-17 rating.

It's called "NC-17" because the previous, similar rating, benignly called "X," was exploited by the porn industry (who used the unofficial "XXX rating"), and the X rating was so stigmatized that it was done away with. "Midnight Cowboy," Oscar-winning Best Picture for 1969 releases, was rated X.

I agree with most of what you wrote here, but remember recently reading that an nc-17 rating is considered a no man's land by the studious (though the same can be said about an R rating now) and so film makers have argued that to get the movie made they need to self censor. But that seems more a function of commercial forces and the studios looking to get the most bang for their buck in an age where anyone can just download the film online. Especially when we consider that the R rating is the one now stigmatized

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

TBH it is a bit warped.

Movies like Saving Private Ryan, full of death, blood and guts... not NC-17,... show a tit or a penis in a movie.. NC-17 if not X.

What? All kinds of movies show tits without an nc-17 rating

 

[Harshaw]

I agree with most of what you wrote here, but remember recently reading that an nc-17 rating is considered a no man's land by the studious (though the same can be said about an R rating now) and so film makers have argued that to get the movie made they need to self censor. But that seems more a function of commercial forces and the studios looking to get the most bang for their buck in an age where anyone can just download the film online. Especially when we consider that the R rating is the one now stigmatized

As I said above, it's a marketing concern, whereas in most countries it's an actual government action. Why would you say R is stigmatized?

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

As I said above, it's a marketing concern, whereas in most countries it's an actual government action. Why would you say R is stigmatized?

A specific example would have been the recent Conan film, where the studios were pushing hard for a pg-13 release, due to fears it would restrict an audience. And from my understanding, this is very common these days. Makes sense as studios become more adverse to all risks as profit margins continue to shrink, due to pirating

 

[Harshaw]

A specific example would have been the recent Conan film, where the studios were pushing hard for a pg-13 release, due to fears it would restrict an audience. And from my understanding, this is very common these days. Makes sense as studios become more adverse to all risks as profit margins continue to shrink, due to pirating

I wouldn't call that a "stigma," at least in the same sense as "X" was stigmatized. It IS risk-aversion, though.

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

I wouldn't call that a "stigma," at least in the same sense as "X" was stigmatized. It IS risk-aversion, though.

If you read my post, I compare it to the commercial stigma faced by NC-17 a few years ago ...