If you love to see bad guys get their comeuppance, then you'll really enjoy This Film Is Not Yet Rated.
It's a documentary about the lack of transparency, numerous conflict of interests, and "extensions of the truth" that the MPAA has in the way that it assigns ratings (NC-17, R, PG-13, and PG) to films.
The ironic twist about 2/3rd of the way through the film had me saying "NO WAY!"
The film made me truly think about the questions of ratings.
Obviously, as parents, we need someone of knowing whether a film would be appropriate for a child. No question.
The question, however, is HOW can we best get that information.
The producers of This Film Is Not Yet Rated make a pretty good point that sex and violence are not treated equally, that the MPAA doesn't really have the interests of the public at heart, and that the current system amounts to censorship.
But, I think there's a light at the end of the tunnel that will break the "command and control" structure and force transparency on the filmmaking industry. Namely, the internet.
If you are a filmmaker looking for distribution, why not put your film online and let the "wisdom of the crowds" takeover. Individuals can watch it, rate it as appropriate and then we'd all probably have a better sense of what is in a film than a closed door process of 8 people in Hollywood.
I'm not sure the form that it will take, but the Internet will break the stranglehold on film, just like it did on Music. No doubt here.
There was one part where an expert is asked:
"So, do you know of any organization that is as closed-mouth and lacks transparency, promoting censorship the way the MPAA ratings board does?"
He answers: No.
I thought: these guys don't know how the Kosher-certification organizations work :-)
Subscribe to RSS Feed