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Originally Posted by SD_Brian
AFAIK the NC-17 ban is still in effect but, when I have been in their store, I HAVE seen unrated versions of pretty much everything. The reason you see so few NC-17 movies is because it's a commercial kiss-of-death to release a movie that way. Most movies that would qualify for an NC-17 are now being released as Unrated. I believe it IS up to the local stores to arbitrarily pick and choose which unrated movies they will stock and which they will only carry the R or PG-13 version. What it all boils down to is that filmmakers who play by the rules and actually DO submit their movies to the ratings board and accept the NC-17 verdict get the shaft and have to prepare an R-Rated cut for Blockbuster.
Actually, it's unfair to single out Blockbuster since Wal-Mart, Target and Hollywood Video have the same asinine policies.
The real head-scratcher is that, as long as the unrated version only includes more gore and violence, it seems to be okay. If the unrated version is more sexually explicit, that's a no-no.
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Blockbuster was the first to ban NC-17 (and I don't shop at the others either). NC-17 was to allow people to see the "unrated" versions AT THE CINEMA. They can't, because of Blockbuster and the others who jumped on board. The bolded part of your post is what burns me the most about the policy.
Here in Quebec, we have ratings as well (age, rather than letters, except G--G, 13+, 16+, 18+). Films with higher violence, with or without sexual content, often get a 16 or even 18 ratings. Films with nudity that automatically get an R in the US, if not accompanied by explicit sex and/or violence, get a 13. I know I'd rather my 13 year old accidently see a bare breast than watch someone's head explode in slow motion, but maybe that's just me.