Nc-17

[CharleyH]

Well said.

He looked it up, I know he did LOL, and I said raped in a context so very apropos. I could have use ripped or rammed, I chose my word.

What exactly do you agree with AB, or maybe disagree with?

 

[Colleen Thomas]

The point is not the existence of the rating system, Colly. The point is that there is no criteria. These ratings are given by the a conglomerate of the greatest studios in US. They'll always give their own movies PG or - at the most - R-ratings no matter what, while at the same time giving NC-17 (=X) ratings to independent and foreign movies that are much more tame in their approaches to sex and violence.

Mom & Dad won't let Junior see Almodovar's Bad Education, or Larry Clark's Kids, but will have no problem sending him to gore and violence fests like Event Horizon (which is happily curse-words and nudity-free, and produced by Paramount)

Who would you have giving the ratings then Lauren? If not the movie industry themselves, then you are looking at a political face on it. And that means a face that is ictated by who is in power. I shudder to think what the nimrods we have up there today would do. What a great sop to the far religious right it would be to put one of there's in control of it.

A set of printed standards sounds good, until you realize that allows no lee way for making decisions. If that were in place, film makers would have to become formulamatic. I want to show a sex scene, two guys kissing and a gun fight, but according to my handy dandy ratings book, that's an NC-17. I can cut the gay kiss or the gunfight and leave the girl's tits covered with her bra and squeeze out an R. So lets cut the gay kiss, we'll just have them holding hands, only waste ten people in the climactic car chase gunfight, and leave Meg Ryan's bra on and we are in like flint?

Where exactly would you like the power to be in deciding? Considering what Iknow of our government and its penchant for regulating out of existance anything you admit it can regulate, i prefer the film makers doing it themselves.

 

[Boxlicker101]

America has rarely an imprint on other cultures other than us sorry saps in Canada. The Greeks? The Brits? The French? Colonization has an effect ... Americans just ... go to war and hope for the best. LOL :| P.S. No art and culture springs ex nihilo, I have always said. And Japanese and Chinese culture don't force their culture on the Western world, so the rest matters on insofar as we appreciate.

I have to take some exception to that. Certainly McDonald's and Disney and American movies and Levis have had some impact.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Sure I get this, but Junior can see more of it than he can see sensual and sexual, so ... what is the benefit of NC-17 if it refers mainly to sex, but not Freddy Krugar or the everyday news?

What is a lessor of 2 evils? Violence is acceptable? Sex is not? I am not sure I get that. Can you as an erotic writer, be bound to write "not" a background of your sexual experience, but only those that are over 18? Can you in all truth say you agree with any law that prevents your free opinion?

What is the coin?

Sex and violence are both held to be detrimental to kids by pop culture and pop pschycobabble. Are they? Beats me. Really depends on who is paying for the study I suspect.

Which is more detrimental?

As long as teen pregnancies outstrip teen murders, I suspect the answer is going to be bumping nasties. Does itmake any sense? No, not really. If they are detrimental kids shouldn't see either.

this country was founded by religious dissenters. And like it or no, the puritans put their stamp on the pschye of the nation. Maybe one day, we will shed that legacy, but I am not holding my breath waiting on it.

 

[Boxlicker101]

There aren't any. You can say fuck twice, but if you say it three times, it's NC-17. I know that one. But beyond that, it's all random politics. The Wild Bunch was originally rated R, but when it was resubmitted before a rerelease in 1993 - the same exact movie, frame by frame - was rated NC-17. You have movies like Saving Private Ryan and Scary Movie, from big studios, with R-ratings, and independent spoofs like Orgazmo and Team America: World Police rated NC-17. It's a joke!

I remember one movie I saw quite a while ago, 10, with Dudley Moore and Bo Derek. There was all kinds of nudity and the movie was basically about sex and I think "Fuck" was said every other word. It was still rated R.

 

[CharleyH]

I have to take some exception to that. Certainly McDonald's and Disney and American movies and Levis have had some impact.

I doubt the farmer in China would agree lol Not that I don't, as I said. (What, you forgot Jerry Lewis? Which was the crux of my post ... The french would be disappointed in you!) (Ya, ya it means something to anyone who is in culture or knew the film )

 

[Slowlane]

I doubt the farmer in China would agree lol Not that I don't, as I said. (What, you forgot Jerry Lewis? Which was the crux of my post ... The french would be disappointed in you!) (Ya, ya it means something to anyone who is in culture or knew the film )

There has been an “x” rating as far back as the 1970s that I know of. In those days it was as often used for violence as it was sex. As porn became more popular they had to go through the same rating system as every other movie. (everything was shown in theaters then) T porn industry started using the xx and finally xxx rating, at first for shock value, and later to differentiate themselves from the legitimate film business. The MPAA later changed to the NC-17 to further limit confusion.

The MPAA was formed sometime after WWII to make it easier to export films to other countries, and has little or nothing to do with the government. It is, in fact, owned and operated by the film industry, for the (theoretical) betterment of the film industry.

The MPAA has many flexible criteria, and some ridged ones, in use for rating a film, and are sometimes bent quite a lot in the name of “social significance” and at other times stepped down on pretty hard. There is sometimes a great deal of inconsistency in the process because it was designed that way, and has worked well for nearly sixty years.

Since it is a self regulating system put in place by the film industry, it seems unreasonable to claim it is hurting the industry. If it was doing a lot of damage the industry would change it.

The original point of the thread was a Canadian making fun of a US system. (that wasn’t meant as a put down.) The Canadian system (and systems world wide) have many similarities with ours. If ours is screwed up so is the rest of the world.

Feel free to look any of that up.

Is it censorship? Not unless a book review is censorship.

 

[CharleyH]

The MPAA was formed sometime after WWII to make it easier to export films to other countries, and has little or nothing to do with the government. It is, in fact, owned and operated by the film industry, for the (theoretical) betterment of the film industry.

I never said my opinion was with exports? And you are wrong on other points as well, specifically about government having nothing to do with the MPAA, but that is another issue all together, and you can talk about it (cliche) until your heart is content, love.

 

[Slowlane]

I never said imy opinion was with exports? And you are wrong on other points as well, specifically about government having nothing to do with the MPAA, but that is another issue all together, and you can talk about it (cliche) until your heart is content, love.

Sorry I didn’t intend to quote you in my post. I must have clicked the wrong thing. It was a general reply and not necessarily directed at you. My apologies for making it appear as if I was singling you out.

For the rest of it you might try the MPAA website it’s probably all there. If not try IMDB.com or filmrateings.com. If I get the time I might look it up and post it, but it is what it is.

Again I would like to apologize for my miss-post. I honesty did not intend to take a shot at you. Or anyone else for that matter. As much as it looked like that was my intent, it wasn’t.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I doubt the farmer in China would agree lol Not that I don't, as I said. (What, you forgot Jerry Lewis? Which was the crux of my post ... The french would be disappointed in you!) (Ya, ya it means something to anyone who is in culture or knew the film )

The farmer in China may not agree but the office clerk in Shangai might. I didn't specifically include Jerry Lewis but I did mention movies.

 

[CharleyH]

Sorry I didn’t intend to quote you in my post. I must have clicked the wrong thing. It was a general reply and not necessarily directed at you. My apologies for making it appear as if I was singling you out.

For the rest of it you might try the MPAA website it’s probably all there. If not try IMDB.com or filmrateings.com. If I get the time I might look it up and post it, but it is what it is.

Again I would like to apologize for my miss-post. I honesty did not intend to take a shot at you. Or anyone else for that matter. As much as it looked like that was my intent, it wasn’t.

No worries even if you did. Thank you for posting.

 

[CharleyH]

The farmer in China may not agree but the office clerk in Shangai might. I didn't specifically include Jerry Lewis but I did mention movies.

I know you mentioned "The Wild Bunch" but how was that an NC-17 rating, when NC-17 did not exist then? And how does it relate to rated R?

 

[Boxlicker101]

I know you mentioned "The Wild Bunch" but how was that an NC-17 rating, when NC-17 did not exist then? And how does it relate to rated R?

I didn't mention "The Wild bunch". Lauren did. The only movies I mentioned by name were "10", which was rated R when I saw it, and "Midnight Cowboy" which used to be X rated.

 

[CharleyH]

I didn't mention "The Wild bunch". Lauren did. The only movies I mentioned by name were "10", which was rated R when I saw it, and "Midnight Cowboy" which used to be X rated.

apologies, then.

 

[Slowlane]

No worries even if you did. Thank you for posting.

Thank you for understanding.

I think all the information needed is here. There seems to be a lot of onformation on the rating system. Thre's a great looking Q&aA section. I'm going to look closer myself later. Film Rateing

 

[AppleBiter]

He looked it up, I know he did LOL, and I said raped in a context so very apropos. I could have use ripped or rammed, I chose my word.

What exactly do you agree with AB, or maybe disagree with?

From post #44:

Shang makes a good point -- the movie sucked, that's why it didn't do well. Whatever the rating, if a movie sucks, it can't be expected to do well.

 

[Liar]

America has rarely an imprint on other cultures other than us sorry saps in Canada.

Eh? On what planet is that?

This is a global community now, and the US is tha mayah globah playah superextraordinaire. In cultural influence none the least. There is a Coke machine in every other hut in the midst of the Serengeti. School kids in Dehli take sides with the characters in OC. More people recognize 50 Cent than the Pope.

Watcha mean, Charley?

 

[gauchecritic]

More people recognize 50 Cent than the Pope.

And the Beatles were bigger than Jesus right?

 

[Liar]

And the Beatles were bigger than Jesus right?

Well, there was four of them after all.

Sans the funny hat, would you pick out Ratz a crowded room?

 

[Boxlicker101]

Eh? On what planet is that?

This is a global community now, and the US is tha mayah globah playah superextraordinaire. In cultural influence none the least. There is a Coke machine in every other hut in the midst of the Serengeti. School kids in Dehli take sides with the characters in OC. More people recognize 50 Cent than the Pope.

I tend to agree with what you are saying, and it adds to what I said earlier, but who is 50 Cent? Outside of being a half of a dollar, that is. I recognize the attire of the pope but I wouldn't recognize the man without it.

 

[Liar]

...but who is 50 Cent?.

Some rapper. I guess you're not his target audience.

Come think of it, niether am I. Or ok, demographically I could be, but I couldn't take gangsta rap seriously even at gunpoint.

 

[Kassiana]

'NC-17,' however, is widely recognized as meaning "nudity/sex of a high level, but with artistic merit of some sort."
--Um, in which country? Not the United States, at least according to the figures I have. Blockbuster (or as I prefer to call it, Bust Blocker) refuses to carry NC-17s. So do most mass market sellers of movies. Most movie theaters treat them precisely as if they were rated X. Showgirls is the ONLY NC-17 that appeared at any major movie theater in my town since 1990 (when I moved there), and there have been none since.

Giving an NC-17 rating to a movie is a boon
--No. Giving an R rating to a movie is a boon. A G or an NC-17 are the kiss of death. Name one NC-17 film released in the past 5 years to major movie theaters in the United States. I'll bet you can't.

 

[AppleBiter]

I tend to agree with what you are saying, and it adds to what I said earlier, but who is 50 Cent?

He's a motherfuckin' P.I.M.P. !!

http://photo.sing365.com/music/Image.nsf/50-Cent-image/4B87242BF3812EE548256DC8000B22E7/$file/50-cent-12.jpg

P.I.M.P. Lyrics



[Chorus]
I don't know what you heard about me
But a bitch can't get a dollar out of me
No Cadillac, no perms, you can't see
That I'm a motherfucking P-I-M-P
[Repeat]

[Verse 1]
Now shorty, she in the club, she dancing for dollars
She got a thing for that Gucci, that Fendi, that Prada
That BCBG, Burberry, Dolce and Gabana
She feed them foolish fantasies, they pay her cause they wanna
I spit a little G man, and my game got her
A hour later, have that ass up in the Ramada
Them trick niggas in her ear saying they think about her
I got the bitch by the bar trying to get a drink up out her
She like my style, she like my smile, she like the way I talk
She from the country, think she like me cause I'm from New York
I ain't that nigga trying to holla cause I want some head
I'm that nigga trying to holla cause I want some bread
I could care less how she perform when she in the bed
Bitch hit that track, catch a date, and come and pay the kid
Look baby this is simple, you can't see
You fucking with me, you fucking with a P-I-M-P

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
I'm bout my money you see, girl you can holla at me
If you fucking with me, I'm a P-I-M-P
Not what you see on TV, no Cadillac, no greasy
Head full of hair, bitch I'm a P-I-M-P
Come get money with me, if you curious to see
how it feels to be with a P-I-M-P
Roll in the Benz with me, you could watch TV
From the backseat of my V, I'm a P-I-M-P
Girl we could pop some champagne and we could have a ball
We could toast to the good life, girl we could have it all
We could really splurge girl, and tear up the mall
If ever you needed someone, I'm the one you should call
I'll be there to pick you up, if ever you should fall
If you got problems, I can solve'em, they big or they small
That other nigga you be with ain't bout shit
I'm your friend, your father, and confidant, BITCH

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
I told you fools before, I stay with the tools
I keep a Benz, some rims, and some jewels
I holla at a hoe til I got a bitch confused
She got on Payless, me I got on gator shoes
I'm shopping for chinchillas, in the summer they cheaper
Man this hoe you can have her, when I'm done I ain't gon keep her
Man, bitches come and go, every nigga pimpin know
You saying it's secret, but you ain't gotta keep it on the low
Bitch choose with me, I'll have you stripping in the street
Put my other hoes down, you get your ass beat
Now Nik my bottom bitch, she always come up with my bread
The last nigga she was with put stitches in her head
Get your hoe out of pocket, I'll put a charge on a bitch
Cause I need 4 TVs and AMGs for the six
Hoe make a pimp rich, I ain't paying bitch
Catch a date, suck a dick, shiiit, TRICK

[Chorus]

Yeah, in Hollywoood they say there's no b'ness like show b'ness
In the hood they say, there's no b'ness like hoe b'ness ya know
They say I talk a lil fast, but if you listen a lil faster
I ain't got to slow down for you to catch up, BITCH​

 

[thebullet]

Coincidentally, one of the Encore channels carried an NC-17 film in the middle of the night last night.

It was Henry and June, starring Fred Ward. It featured lots of incidental nudity, a little female full frontal (but shot from the side), and sex that is as explicit as it gets in a mainstream flick made in America, including (blush) girl-girl!

Not a bad effort, but I suspect it bombed at the boxoffice.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Not a bad effort, but I suspect it bombed at the boxoffice.

It was the first NC-17 movie ever. And yes, it bombed at the box office. Unlike Showgirls, not for sucking.