This Blog is Not Yet Rated
Early last year, the MPAA discovered something that troubled them. For some time, they had been making “red band” trailers - trailers for R-rated movies with some of the racy material still intact - more available on the internet. On official film sites, an age verification tool uses the DMV’s database to make sure the under-17s can’t get to the precious promotional material. Users wishing to view the trailers must enter their full name, date of birth, and zip code. If it doesn’t match with someone who is known to be of age…too bad.
But somehow, suddenly, the MPAA realized that one of the top hits for googling “red band trailer” was a popular blog called /Film, which was providing unrestricted access to red band trailers. The MPAA cracked down. /Film removed all of their red band trailers, but soon reported on the faulty database that official film sites were using. Adults without driver’s licenses were routinely denied, and some were denied for no apparent reason. /Film devised a devious technique for getting around the block, but that doesn’t solve the bigger problem.
Censorship is running rampant. Strange, legalistic rules restrict filmmakers in ways that often stifle their creativity. The documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, which earned a standing ovation at Sundance, exposes some of the hypocrisy and corruption of the MPAA and its rating system, only to sink into relative obscurity a few years later.
Certainly, there is material that should be restricted from children’s eyes. But how much of that task needs to fall on the shoulders of a massive agency that is ill-equipped to make moral judgments on behalf of parents? I’m curious to know everyone’s thoughts on this, so please add a comment if you have an opinion. Something needs to change - but what?
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The problem is that parents often are unable to view films in advance–they have to wait like most people do for the film to hit theatres. And even if they do wait, then they have to see everything before their kids can, and in an era of two-earner families that is tough to do. What’s the alternative–don’t let the kids see anything not personally approved by the parent? Or worse, let the government get involved? Oof. Bad on both counts. An independent and decentralized ratings system is really about the best and only way to go.