MPAA, NC-17, & the major studios

Following the recent posts on Dianyingshijie, here's more information on MPAA myth, the death verdict nature of NC-17 and the big names in the movie studio business.

Endless reading shall ensue.

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New Statesman - Classified Material

Keywords: NC-17 the kiss of commercial death, preferential & capricious MPAA rating, studio effect, star effect

Excerpts: The American system runs along lines broadly similar to the UK's until the upper categories. The US equivalents of the UK's 15 and 18 ratings are either an R rating - meaning that all under-17s must be accompanied by an adult - or an NC-17, which bars anyone aged 16 or below from screenings of the film. An NC-17 certification, which excludes a large part of the lucrative teenage demographic, is seen in Hollywood as the kiss of commercial death.

"The major studios have set up a system that works for their own benefit," says Dick. "Ratings have a real effect on a film's box-office performance, and films with edgier material and which feature more adult sexuality are treated more harshly."

But it is not only Spielberg who receives pref erential treatment, Dick says. "If a major star shows up to a ratings appeal hearing, that film has a much better chance of winning the appeal than an independent film."

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MPAA @Wiki
Current President: Dan Glickman
VP: Kori Bernards

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Further reading

Motion Picture Industry

MPAA Film Rating System

	G - General Audiences All ages admitted
	PG - Parental guidance suggested Some material may not be suitable for children
	PG-13 - Parents strongly cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
	R - Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
	NC-17 No one 17 and under admitted.

Movie Studio
Major Film Studio: The "Big Six" majors, whose movie operations are based in or around Hollywood, are all centered in film studios active during Hollywood's Golden Age of the 1930s and 1940s. In three cases—20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount—the studios were one of the "Big Five" majors during that era as well. In two cases—Columbia and Universal—the studios were also considered majors, but in the next tier down, part of the "Little Three." In the sixth case, Walt Disney Studios was an independent production company during the Golden Age; it was an important Hollywood entity, but not a major.

So bloody tired, gotta sleep, more updates tomorrow.

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