A Plausible Alternative to Censorship?

[GanShi]

It seems that there are two questions pervading this disucssion:
1. Should movies be rated in some way
2. Are any of the rating systems currently in place capable of meaningful categorization

While the question of whether movies should be rated seems, for most intents ane purposes, to be nested within the debate over whether this rating should have some kind of inherent authority (rather than simply being additional, editorial information to be taken or left), perhaps the more poignant query is the second question: Is this system valid? If it is not, than all subsequent notions are moot.

It seems to me that the inherent problem with all extant rating systems is that they are not fixed; their structure is subjective. A monitoring agent in assigneed a movie (or book or game, etc.) and that person decides its rating. This decision is based on some objective standards; but for the most part, it is particular to that person.

It's like a study with a flawed operational definition: All the quantitative rendering of data is worthless if the terms used to define the subject matter are unsuitable to the issue.

In this case, there seems to be no falsifiable standards. As such, the system (and, subsequently anything deived from or based upon that system) is useless.

 

[Badbird]

I think movies should be review by critics of telling them what bad in the movie.Movie ratings are getting to be very shit as of lately.

 

[monoxide_child]

Movie ratings are getting to be very shit as of lately.

they regulations for what is and isn't shown in a movie were always done badly, it's just becoming more and more visible that they're done badly

http://www.google.com/search?q=hays...ine_result&ct=title&resnum=11&ved=0CCsQ5wIwCg

 

[Badbird]

I know the Hay Code and why it happen. Movies like Bonnie and Clyde,Night Of The Living Dead, and The Wild Bunch were very violent for the 60's so that why stuff like R,PG, and G started.

 

[razoredge]

I thought it started much earlier mostly due to sexual references used in maybe the 30's.

Regardless it would just be easier to make violent movies illegal and see that all those writting and acting in them meet the exact horrible death they glorify. I'd personally be up for the job.

 

[Badbird]

It also started because of that as well.


If we get rid of violent movies, we may as well get rid of death metal, gangsta rap, and nu-metal because of the violence in that music as well. Also get rid of the news, video games, and all other stuff.

 

[razoredge]

No arguement from me

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

The problem with censorship of any kind is that it is never your standards that are going to be adhered to or enforced. Rating and labeling systems are equally fallible and absurd.

Take what Frank Zappa said in regards to the PMRC's Parental Advisory labels:

C'mon. We know how this works. They put labels on the albums they don't like. Wal-Mart refuses to sell albums with labels. Until pretty soon, there ARE no albums they do not like.

Not to mention it also lets state and local governments(with morals out of whack) to target said artistic works and send them packing.

Movie ratings systems are an equal monstrosity of legislators laying the groundwork for evermore mischief which decrease creative output. Having the PGs and the PG-13s in place for so long has allowed the politicians to gradually decrease the amount of "offensive subject matter" as to what determines a PG or a PG-13.

I remember in the 80's you had PG movies like Airplane where a lady in a seat refuses a drink off of somebody to snort a line of coke off of a compact mirror. Or someone screaming "FUCK!" in Spaceballs which was PG. Not to mention the amount of violence, profanity, and nudity in PGs was much more pervasive 25-30 years ago(Gremlins, Jaws, Doc Hollywood) and it has slowly dilapidated ever since(and people say we were more conservative back then. Please).
Now you have a very restricted death count in PG-13 and PG films, a limited amount of blood(or none at all), no more "fucks" allowed in either category, heavily scrutinized depictions of minorities dying on-screen(they often have to die in some sort of martyrdom so as not to offend), almost no nudity, and now a heavily scaled back portrayal of anybody smoking cigarettes(especially young people).

Where will it end? At hiccups?

I say we go back to the way films were made back in the 70's with no ratings system and the option for the theater owners to let folks know if a certain movie is for mature audiences only. And not even that. Everything is available online now as to what a certain movie contains. And why should we pay for a dumb parent's irresponsibility in not investigating what their kid wants to go see. Fuck that shit.

Many movies make most of their profits from Netflix and DVD sales anyhow so that makes the ratings system even more moot.

But if we continue the way we are going, the quality of movies at the multiplex will continue to deteriorate(as if they haven't enough already).

In short, RATINGS/LABELS = CENSORSHIP

and

CENSORSHIP = uke:

 

[razoredge]

Nothings changed since the 70's for ratings, what has changed is writters need to be "shocking", "extreme".

These media sources have a key into the front door of everyones house. Censorship places some easy restrictions to that free open door, they can pay for it, theres no lack of money in hollywood, nor any lack of the newest sickest thing.

Such issues as these... to allowing or not... writters full rights to impose what ever the latest sickest shit they can spew out thier mind is trivial happy horse shit. The media industry can fuck off and deal with it. We have much more important things to turn around and in fact many of them are standing in the way with their liberal promotionism. Fuck off Hollywood, go cry in yout latte.

 

[monoxide_child]

The problem with censorship of any kind is that it is never your standards that are going to be adhered to or enforced. Rating and labeling systems are equally fallible and absurd.

Take what Frank Zappa said in regards to the PMRC's Parental Advisory labels:

C'mon. We know how this works. They put labels on the albums they don't like. Wal-Mart refuses to sell albums with labels. Until pretty soon, there ARE no albums they do not like.

Not to mention it also lets state and local governments(with morals out of whack) to target said artistic works and send them packing.

Movie ratings systems are an equal monstrosity of legislators laying the groundwork for evermore mischief which decrease creative output. Having the PGs and the PG-13s in place for so long has allowed the politicians to gradually decrease the amount of "offensive subject matter" as to what determines a PG or a PG-13.

I remember in the 80's you had PG movies like Airplane where a lady in a seat refuses a drink off of somebody to snort a line of coke off of a compact mirror. Or someone screaming "FUCK!" in Spaceballs which was PG. Not to mention the amount of violence, profanity, and nudity in PGs was much more pervasive 25-30 years ago(Gremlins, Jaws, Doc Hollywood) and it has slowly dilapidated ever since(and people say we were more conservative back then. Please).
Now you have a very restricted death count in PG-13 and PG films, a limited amount of blood(or none at all), no more "fucks" allowed in either category, heavily scrutinized depictions of minorities dying on-screen(they often have to die in some sort of martyrdom so as not to offend), almost no nudity, and now a heavily scaled back portrayal of anybody smoking cigarettes(especially young people).

Where will it end? At hiccups?

I say we go back to the way films were made back in the 70's with no ratings system and the option for the theater owners to let folks know if a certain movie is for mature audiences only. And not even that. Everything is available online now as to what a certain movie contains. And why should we pay for a dumb parent's irresponsibility in not investigating what their kid wants to go see. Fuck that shit.

Many movies make most of their profits from Netflix and DVD sales anyhow so that makes the ratings system even more moot.

But if we continue the way we are going, the quality of movies at the multiplex will continue to deteriorate(as if they haven't enough already).

In short, RATINGS/LABELS = CENSORSHIP

and

CENSORSHIP = uke:

QFT

 

[razoredge]

QFT

So what, pray tell was quite fucking true ?

That there were no ratings in the 70's, because I must have missed something being a teenager in the 70's and a kid in the 60's, everything was rated then.

Or that parents should work 40-60 hours a week plus travel time, plus keep up with the kids school work and extra activities, take care of the house, chores, cooking, cleaning, cars and research fucking movies ?

Get a life, or better yet... mature, get a car, get married, get a job, buy a house, have some kids and then get back to me.

 

[Unholy Sodomizer]

For every film that is released, critics should be made to write reviews of the film concerning its subject matter and possible images or dialogue that parents might want restricted from their children. The films would not be rated, therefore would receive the same marketing budget and opportunities as any other film. However, parents and guardians would still be able to make informed, intelligent decisions regarding their children.

Most people are sheep and won't even pay attention to this. That means that their maladjusted kids are the ones raping your daughter. That's why we have censorship.

 

[Badbird]

And most people hate critics so they wouldn't read anyway.

 

[monoxide_child]

I personally think that the ratings system should be abolished. However, I don't advocate total secrecy surrounding the contents of a film. For every film that is released, critics should be made to write reviews of the film concerning its subject matter and possible images or dialogue that parents might want restricted from their children. The films would not be rated, therefore would receive the same marketing budget and opportunities as any other film. However, parents and guardians would still be able to make informed, intelligent decisions regarding their children.

this sounds reasonable, sounds like a good idea, sounds like it would work in most of the countries on the planet, but it just really won't work in USA

 

[Badbird]

Nothings changed since the 70's for ratings, what has changed is writters need to be "shocking", "extreme".

These media sources have a key into the front door of everyones house. Censorship places some easy restrictions to that free open door, they can pay for it, theres no lack of money in hollywood, nor any lack of the newest sickest thing.

Such issues as these... to allowing or not... writters full rights to impose what ever the latest sickest shit they can spew out thier mind is trivial happy horse shit. The media industry can fuck off and deal with it. We have much more important things to turn around and in fact many of them are standing in the way with their liberal promotionism. Fuck off Hollywood, go cry in yout latte.

Hollywood isn't liberal promotion. Is Fox News and 95% of talk radio Republican promotion?

 

[monoxide_child]

Hollywood isn't liberal promotion. Is Fox News and 95% of talk radio Republican promotion?

yes fox news and talk radio are republican, but "hollywood" is liberal