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MPAA Ratings Information

This information has been transcribed from a brochure distributed in theaters by the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. and the National Association of Theatre Owners in association with local theaters.


Common Questions
What is the purpose of the rating system?
Do the ratings indicate if a movie is good or bad?
Who gives movies their ratings?
What criteria do they use?
What do the rating symbols mean?
Is the rating system a law?
Can a rating be changed?
Do all movies have to be rated?
Who enforces the ratings?
How do you get more information about a rating?
What else can parents do?



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What is the purpose of the rating system?

The movie rating system is a voluntary system sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Association of Theatre Owners to provide parents with advance information on films, enabling the parent to make judgements on movies they want or don't want their children to see.

Do the ratings indicate if a movie is good or bad?

No, the system is not designed to serve the function of "critic." The ratings do not determine or reflect whether a film is "good" or "bad." The system is not intended to approve, disapprove or censor any film; it merely assigns a rating for guidance--leaving the decision-making responsibilities to the parents.

Who gives movies their ratings?

Parents give the movies their ratings--men and women just like you. They are part of a specially designed committee called the film rating board of the Classification and Rating Administration. As a group they view each film and, after a group discussion, vote on its rating, making an educated estimate as to which rating most American parents will consider the most appropriate.

What criteria do they use?

The rating board uses the criteria you as a parent use when deciding what is suitable viewing for your child. Theme, language, violence, nudity, sex and drug use are among those content areas considered in the decision-making process. Also assessed is how each of these elements is employed in the context of each individual film. The rating board places no special emphasis on any of these elements; all are considered and examined before a rating is given.

What do the rating symbols mean?

[G]
GENERAL AUDIENCES
All ages admitted
Signifies that the film rated contains nothing most parents will consider offensive for even their youngest children to see or hear. Nudity, sex scenes, and scenes of drug use are absent; violence is minimal; snippets of dialogue may go beyond polite conversation but do not go beyond common everyday expressions.
[PG]
PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED
Some material may not be suitable for children
Signifies that the film rated may contain some material parents might not like to expose to their young children-material that will clearly need to be examined or inquired about before children are allowed to attend the film. Explicit sex scenes and scenes of drug use are absent; nudity, if present, is seen only briefly, horror and violence do not exceed moderate levels.
[PG-13]
PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED
Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13
Signifies that the film rated may be inappropriate for pre-teens. Parents should be especially careful about letting their younger children attend. Rough or persistent violence is absent; sexually-oriented nudity is generally absent; some scenes of drug use may be seen; some use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words may be heard.
[R]
RESTRICTED
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
(Age varies in some jurisdictions)
Signifies that the rating board has concluded that the film rated may contain some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their children to see it. A R may be assigned due to, among other things, a film's use of language, theme, violence, sex or its portrayal of drug use.
[NC-17]
NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED
Signifies that the rating board believes that most American parents would feel that the film is patently adult and that children age 17 and under should not be admitted to it. The film may contain explicit sex scenes, an accumulation of sexually-oriented language, and/or scenes of excessive violence. The NC-17 designation does not, however, signify that the rated film is obscene or pornographic in terms of sex, language or violence.

Is the rating system a law?

No, the rating system is strictly voluntary and carries no force of law.

Can a rating be changed?

Yes, the rules permit movie producers to re-edit their films and re-submit them in hopes of receiving another rating. Producers may also appeal a rating decision to the Rating Appeals Board, which is composed of men and women from the industry organizations that sponsor the rating system. A two-thirds secret ballot vote of those present on the Appeals Board may overturn a rating board decision.

Do all movies have to be rated?

No. Submitting a film is purely a voluntary decision made my the filmmakers. However, the overwhelming majority of the producers creating entertaining, responsible films do in fact submit their films for ratings. All five Classification and Rating Administration rating symbols have been trademarked and may not be self-applied.

Who enforces the ratings?

While the decision to enforce the rating system is purely voluntary, the overwhelming majority of theaters follow the Classification and Rating Administration's guidelines and diligently enforce its provisions.

How do you get more information about a rating?

For additional information about the voluntary movie rating system and ratings for new releases, visit the Motion Picture Association of America's home page on the World Wide Web. Our address is http://www.mpaa.org. Or, in select cities, you may use the interactive phone guide, MovieFone.

What else can parents do?

Parents are urged to learn as much about a film as possible before they permit their children to attend. Reading reviews and feature articles or speaking with your theater manager and friends are good ways to gather information in addition to the ratings.

We are interested in your views. Please let your theater manager know if you attend a movie theater and have any questions with regard to how the rating system is being implemented.


If you want further information about the rating system please write:

The Classification and Rating Administration
15503 Ventura Boulevard
Encino, CA 91436

The National Association of Theatre Owners
4605 Lankershim Boulevard, Suite 340
North Hollywood, CA 91602

This brochure is brought to you by the Motion Picture Association America, Inc. and the National Association of Theatre Owners in association with your local theater.

This information has been reprinted without the permission of the above-mentioned sponsors. It is provided here for your information. As with any information, you are recommended to verify its source before accepting it as absolute fact. If you have any questions regarding the ratings system, we recommend that you follow the advice given in this text.



The BigScreen Cinema Guide believes that the more information that the movie-goer has before attending a film, the better prepared they are to make a good choice about what to see and where to see it. We support the use of the MPAA ratings system, and we implement it extensively throughout this site. We also group the movies by their rating, giving you the ultimate in flexibility when choosing a movie.



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