The current situation of American movie grading system

The current situation of American movie grading system

Valenti J

Since l968 in November issued so far, American film rating system after several modifications, to l990 years to finalize the design for today is still in the use of a five level system. The classification system just issued soon, many parents have misunderstandings about the M class label, it is more strict than the R class. In order to avoid differences, the American Film Institute GP class (suitable for all audiences, but suggested that parents be guided) in place of the m class; a year later, GP label was again PG (suggested that parents accompany guidance) to replace. In July 1st of PG, the l984 class was subdivided into two classes, PG and PG-l3, which were more restrictive than the PG class in the latter. L990 in September, the American Film Institute introduced the last two reform: one is to R film grading, combined with five to eight words of explanatory text, to illustrate the film why be rated R, the statement may be by telephone to theaters or ask the ticket staff to acquire, its purpose is to allow parents to accompany young children watch before. The film has basic knowledge, to determine the suitability of. Two is registered by the American Film Association NC-17 (17 years old the following audience is prohibited to watch) to replace a lot of criticism of the X class label, which completely declared the end of the film censorship.

Specifically, this is the final set of the five film classification system in 1990 is as follows:

G level: the popular film, suitable for all ages of the audience to watch, does not contain nude, sex, drug use and other lenses, in the language may be the dialogue with the jump, but can not be rude. G class does not refer to children's films.

PG level: it is recommended to watch under the guidance of parents, some of the content may not be suitable for children. There may be occasional terrorist and violent scenes in the film, but not over a moderate range; there is no obvious sex scene, but there is a short naked; no use of drugs.

L3 - PG: parents need to be treated with special care, some of the content may not be suitable for children under the age of 3 L watch. Between the film almost PG and R can be occasional use of drugs, violence, nudity scene, also

occasionally use abusive language; but the violent scenes may not be sustainable and must be controlled to some extent, generally not appear sex for the purpose of nudity, sex related rough words generally not more than one, any relates to drug film should be at least as PG - 1 grade 3.

R: restricted, L7 years of age the audience must have parents or adults can watch. The absolute film contains adult contents, including obscenity or bloody violence, sensational nudity, sex and drug abuse; parents or adults in accompany Under-17 audience watch should be first obtain a basic introduction about the film.

L7 - NC level: L7 year old audience is strictly prohibited to watch. This type of film is an adult film, with strong violence, sex, drug abuse or abnormal content. The L7 - NC film is not necessarily equivalent to "obscene" or pornography, because the film classification system of self - discipline, does not have the legal effect, and determine whether or not the legal category.

Easy to be ignored by the audience, but it is associated with the above five levels of the so-called NR (not grading) label, meaning those who did not have the American Film Association classification institutions, but can be classified in part of the theater release of the film. In view of the members of the American Film Association is mainly composed of the Hollywood film company, but also involved in the film classification is purely voluntary, some Independent Motion Picture Company or independent Producers can not through the organization directly to the film toward the market (of course, due to the "National Association of theater owners" that NATO is grading system of the treaty, so the association subordinate accounted for American theater more than 85% of the size of the theater will be banned from Unrated movies and make many independent film company or independent filmmakers would not easily use classification system of NR label). The label also are often used in foreign films released in the United States, generally speaking, most foreign films such as Zhang Yimou's "Ju", "not one less" and Chen Kaige's the emperor and the Assassin "," and you together ", the NR class labels marketed. This is because the participation grade not only time-consuming, and must also pay a single application fee, of the original market share limited foreign films, made a little significance to the rating label is undoubtedly costly; on the other hand, even if the grading of the American Film Institute. The film in the NATO subordinate movie theaters showing the opportunity