CNN article about R rated films (1 Viewer)

[Nicholas Vargo]

"The Matrix" would have been rated R anyway. Why? Because the "F" word is heard more than once. The violence is another factor into it as well. But most people I know think it is insane that this movie got an R rating, including myself.

I love their logo, but the MPAA needs help in rating films. The stupid guidelines are going way too far. Back when "Brazil" was released, it was rated R for stupid reasons. It is such a PG-13 movie all around (and yes that rating existed when the movie was released in 1985). At that time, you could use the "F" word more than once and you could have quite a lot of violence to obtain a rating like that. "Brazil" is one of the best examples of the MPAA rating a movie so wrongheadidly. Who cares if teenagers don't understand it? The actual content is not that bad and that is what they don't understand.

Once again, movies that are rated R are not just rated for content, but for substance and how confusing and puzzling the movie might be. It IS stupid, and they have to stop at some point.

 

[Brian_J]

I dont remember any F-bombs at all in Matrix. Where do you remember them? In fact, I dont remember a lot (relatively speaking) of "bad words" at all. Brian

 

[Malcolm R]

Allegedly that's how Matt and Trey got an "R" for "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" instead of "NC-17." They didn't change much, just recut things and resubmitted again and again until the ratings board was sick of them.

 

[Andy Olivera]

Chalk me up as another who thinks The Matrix should've been PG-13. There's some swearing, but no f-bombs and the shootouts are bloodless. The Wachowskis were obviously aiming for a younger audience, because The Matrix is a perfect example of restraint(compare it to Bound; the exact opposite).


Actually, I believe they went one further and made the film worse before each submission. I can't remember if it's in the credits or not, but Matt & Trey credit the MPAA for helping them to make the film funnier.

 

[DaveGR]

If you think a F word or two would get a R,thats not true,,I have seen films where the "F Bomb" blast 3 times. Up Close and Personal, As Good as It Gets are two examples, and if you go a little farther back to the 70s,check out All The Presidents Men,where it blast around 20 times or so,and got a PG rating! sure no PG 13 then,,but theres no way it would get a PG 13 still,So the MPAA is a farce to me. Like I said they get it right most of the time,but you cannot gauge a movie by the MPAAs rating.

OH BTW, in Conspiracy Theory,,he doesnt get his nose bitten off ,I think its just been bitten,and yes there is blood in the movie,,Im not saying that,but compared to some other Pg13 movies it is tame.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Jeff, male rear nudity isn't an automatic R. See Young Einstein, for instance. Frontal is is an automatic R either way unless there's PG-13 with bush I'm forgetting.

Anywway, i agree with those who think The Matrix was a borderlien R. The violence mostly fell into the PG-13 level, but there was a gunshot to the head, which I believe is an automatic R.

Reloaded on the other hand, is a sold R. Very minor spoilers to explain why.

It's not really any more violent than the first, but it has some sexuality. A couple is shown having sex. We don't see any nipples or groins, but there is quite a bit of thrusting. Also, there's a big party where some female dancers are wearign transparent shirts and you do see plenty of nipples there.

 

[derek]

The Wachowskis were obviously aiming for a younger audience, because The Matrix is a perfect example of restraint(compare it to Bound; the exact opposite).

This seems to be contradicted by the movie's the R rating. The consensus here seems to be that with a few simple edits...both the Matrix and Matrix Reloaded could have easily been PG-13...without detracting from the plot, impact, enjoyability (plus higher profitability) of the films. $$$ don't always run Hollywood (see Medved's book 'Hollywood vs. America.'

 

[TheLongshot]

This thread reminds me what a joke the current ratings system is. It is so arbitrary as to be useless to judge what is actually in a film before seeing it.

It is why I'd like to see seperate ratings for Violence, Sexual Situations, Language, etc. Far more useful than the current ratings system, which I don't even pay attention to, since it tells me nothing.

Jason

 

[Greg_C_T]

Matrix was a PG-13 movie. No swearing, very little blood...

Jeff, it's a fine line between what makes a movie R, or PG-13... even a few frames can make a difference. Many times it's more the imagery and themes that earn the R rather than blood, cursing, or nudity.

If I recall correctly (and it may have been touched on in the Matrix DVD commentary), the scene that had the "baby" hooked up to all the cables in the human power plant was one that helped the movie earn an R.

I'm glad the Wachowski's are making the movies R-rated and not cutting their vision to make a watered-down PG-13 for higher box-office (ala Fast and the Furious).

 

[Malcolm R]

Medved's agenda is just as blatant as any he assigns to Hollywood.

If you don't like what Hollywood's serving, don't consume it. But don't start crusading to limit the choices of others.

 

[DaveGR]

actually there are a few films in which male frontal nudity was there in a PG 13,,even Oh so fast as it was, I know Cider House Rules was one of them,,while there outside showering,and its from a distance,but I noticed it,and wasnt trying to notice,I was just watching the film.
But there are thousands of PG13 films with male rear nudity.Thats definitely not a automatic R.

 

[Chris Lockwood]

> male rear nudity isn't an automatic R.

It couldn't be, since it sometimes makes network TV, like NYPD Blue.

 

[Colin Dunn]

I just saw "The Matrix: Reloaded," and it was an even softer "R" than the original "Matrix." The violence was less bloody/graphic, and the fight scenes were in much more of a choreographed/ballet style.

I have seen equally graphic sex scenes in PG-13 movies. No breasts, butts, or genitals were visible in "Matrix: Reloaded's" sex scene. The nudity during the "rave" scene was also brief, but the sexual connotation of that scene may have assured the "R" rating...

 

[Andy Olivera]

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I'd like to know where you've seen more graphic sex scenes in a PG-13. While there was no real nudity, you can't show anything between the nex and thighs during a sex scene in a PG-13. All the thrusting would have made it an R anyway.

 

[DaveGR]

There are alot of movies where there is quite a bit of thrusting with a PG 13. They do gauge it,but if theres no nudity with it, a PG 13 is very possible. I havent seen it yet so cant say anything. the MPAA will take into acount how many thrust and how fast,its nuts. There seems to be quite a bit of slower thrusting in PG 13 films,such as Meet Joe Black,Titanic,ect.
But really, should the speed or 1 extra thrust turn a PG 13 into a R? Or in the same note,should 1 less thrust make it a Pg 13 when it could be R? Borderline films I know are hard to rate sometimes,but the problem is the MPAA are so pathetic with the fact they are all over the place, no time its this,next time its that. they need to figure some things out I think,,just MHO.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

But really, should the speed or 1 extra thrust turn a PG 13 into a R? Or in the same note,should 1 less thrust make it a Pg 13 when it could be R?

It has happened. I can't cite specific examples off the top of my head but I know it has

 

[DaveGR]

I know it has,hince the reason I said that. Im saying should that happen. I dont think it should,but what to do. I dont know,unless a better rating system,or at least a more consistant system came along.
I cant seem to remember any off the top of my head,but remember listening to a Comentary track on something stating that. I keep wanting to say Brad Pitt was saying it,but could be totally wrong,,also Im not sure if it was because it was a PG13 which was going to recieve an R. Or a R that was going to get a NC17.
anyone knows let me know,im drawing a blank.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I know Spike Lee has said the MPAA was counting thrusts in Summer of Sam and he had to cut a few to get an R.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

unless there's PG-13 with bush I'm forgetting.

I do recall a shot of a nude woman modeling for some artists in Altman's Vincent and Theo. Perhaps the unerotic context allowed Altman to escape an R.

--Jefferson Morris