What do the ratings
mean?
This is
a film which contains nothing in
theme, language, nudity and sex,
violence, etc. that would, in the
view of the Rating Board, be
offensive to parents whose younger
children view the film. The G rating
is not a certificate of approval nor
does it signify a children's
film. Some snippets of language may
go beyond polite conversation but
they are common everyday
expressions. No stronger words are
present in G-rated films. The
violence is at a minimum. Nudity and
sex scenes are not present, nor is
there any drug use content.
This is
a film which clearly needs to be
examined by parents before they let
their children attend. The label PG
plainly states parents may consider
some material unsuitable for their
children, but leaves the parent to
make the decision. Parents are
warned against sending their
children, unseen and without
inquiry, to PG-rated movies. The
theme of a PG-rated film may itself
call for parental guidance. There
may be some profanity in these
films. There may be some violence or
brief nudity. However, these
elements are not considered so
intense as to require that parents
be strongly cautioned beyond the
suggestion of parental guidance.
There is no drug use content in a
PG-rated film. The PG rating,
suggesting parental guidance, is
thus an alert for examination of a
film by parents before deciding on
its viewing by their children.
Obviously such a line is difficult
to draw. In our pluralistic society
it is not easy to make judgments
without incurring some disagreement.
As long as parents know they must
exercise parental responsibility,
the rating serves as a meaningful
guide and as a warning.
PG-13 is
thus a sterner warning to parents,
particularly when deciding which
movies are not suitable for younger
children. Parents, by the rating,
are alerted to be very careful about
the attendance of their
under-teenage children. A PG-13 film
is one which, in the view of the
Rating Board, leaps beyond the
boundaries of the PG rating in
theme, violence, nudity, sensuality,
language, or other contents, but
does not quite fit within the
restricted R category. Any drug use
content will initially require at
least a PG-13 rating. In effect, the
PG-13 cautions parents with more
stringency than usual to give
special attention to this film
before they allow their 12-year-olds
and younger to attend. If nudity is
sexually oriented, the film will
generally not be found in the PG-13
category. If violence is too rough
or persistent, the film goes into
the R (restricted) rating. A film's
single use of one of the harsher
sexually derived words, though only
as an expletive, shall initially
require the Rating Board to issue
that film at least a PG-13 rating.
More than one such expletive must
lead the Rating Board to issue a
film an R rating, as must even one
of these words used in a sexual
context. These films can be rated
less severely, however, if by a
special vote, the Rating Board feels
that a lesser rating would more
responsibly reflect the opinion of
American parents.
PG-13 places larger responsibilities
on parents for their children and
moviegoing. The voluntary rating
system is not a surrogate parent,
nor should it be. It cannot, and
should not, insert itself in family
decisions that only parents can
make. Its purpose is to give
pre-screened informational warnings,
so that parents can form their own
judgments. PG-13 is designed to make
parental decisions easier for films
between PG and R.
In the
opinion of the Rating Board, this
film definitely contains some adult
material. Parents are strongly urged
to find out more about this film
before they allow their children to
accompany them. An R-rated film may
include strong language, violence,
nudity, drug abuse, other elements,
or a combination of the above, so
parents are counseled in advance to
take this advisory rating very
seriously.
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