This Film is Not Yet Rated

I LOVE documentaries.  They are typically very telling, or in this case, not so telling about very specific topics.  I found myself wondering how would I feel if I were in the shoes of making movies, worrying about the ratings, and would those feelings be comparative to the other directors who have had the MPAA rate their movies with NC-17 ratings, which appears to be such a taboo within the industry.  On one hand, from the parental perspective, I think having the ratings are vital to let me know what may or may not be appropropriate conduct for my child to see.  However, I do realize that in this day and age of society, that children are exposed to heavy doses of violence, sexual themes, adult situations just by watching TV shows, or possibly even in their own households.  I think in this situation, we have the MPAA being / playing Devil's Advocate within the industry, creating a "game" of politics or sides.  I can completely understand some of the directors' points, but also have to wonder why their guidelines seem to change depending on the film, or who made the film.  It completely needs an overhaul, in my opinion, just like our own government.  Until the two sides come together, not much may ever be changed, or achieved.

This Film is Not Yet Rated

This film was an interesting indictment against the Motion Picture Association of America's rating and appeals system. I did like how the director, Kirby Dick, tried to get this film rated by the MPAA. It showed tenacity. But clearly, he recognized he was not going to win this fight. After seeing Jack Valente around the film scene for so many years, I had no idea what a secret society the MPAA actually was. It was fascinating to see what passes as rated R versus rated NC-17. Sex over violence is still very much a hot button issue.

Easy Rider

Now I know why my parents said to never take drugs; I'm so glad I listened to them. Of all the movies I have ever seen, I consider only a few as being a total waste of time. Easy Rider is now on that list. However, it was a great opportunity for me to see what potheads did back in the 60's. It was a strange film, and I was quite disappointed at the ending. What a way to die.

Easy Rider

I never really cared for this movie, and after watching it again I am not sure I truly get the point of the movie.  But I believe it transitioned us away from the “hippie” movement.  Ireally found the cemetery and acid part of the movie disturbing (probably cause I knew some people who partook in that type of activity).  I did like the acting and the scenery.

This Film is Not Yet Rated

I found this movie to be very interesting.  They made a lot of really good points.  One good point was the rating on violence in contrast to the rating on sex.  I also was extremely surprised to discover how the rating system worked and how we are unable to see this secret society.  I am astounded.  I really wish I watched this movie before I wrote my paper!!!!  But is this propaganda???

Stepford America. . .Easy Rider

Stepford America. . .

I know some of my classmates didn’t like the movie for multiple reasons, one being “lack of story line”. 

Try to realize that this movie was not meant to have a story line; rather it was meant to be an overall implication of the times.    It was basically a representation of kids that had grown up in the ‘Stepford America' of the 50’s (think Father Knows Best or My three Sons -Peter and Denis could just have well been  Robby and Skip – or was it Chip –later on in their lives), that had now reneged on its promise of the American Dream.  Nixon was serving up the Vietnam War on a bloody platter from a safe position inside their TV set.  We lost almost 60,000 young men, and all of their children and grandchildren etc.

Anyway, I cannot say that I enjoyed the movie for its story line either – and some parts were especially hard to sit through.  However, I appreciate being reminded of that era and how the ‘youth’ of America stood up to, and challenged authority and the conventional norms.

And, I loved the bikes!

Chinatown

Classic film noir with Jack Nicholson in the role of Detective JJ Gittes, who has a reputation for investigating cheating spouses.  The movie is filled with webs of deceit and JJ Gittes who will try to uncover the mystery surrounding the Mulwrays.  This is one of Roman Polanski's most notable films achieving eleven academy award nominations as well as box office success earning almost $30 million dollars.

The chemistry between Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway was intense.
It definately kept me drawn into the film. Additionally, the film is basically seen through the eyes of JJ Gittes, and viewers are putting two and two together while Gittes does too.

Great film.  Again, another pleasant surprise, as sometimes I have a pre-conceived notion that if the movie was made around the time I was born, then I was too young to watch it during the time it was released, and likely it would not be of interest to me.  However, with a world renowned international director like Polanski, and extremely huge stars - Nicholson and Dunaway (in her day), it was hard not to NOT be interested in the story of this film.

Easy Rider

Well, I wish I could say I enjoyed this film, but that is not the case.
This film lacked substance for me.  There was barely a script, much less a story line to follow, so I'm left wondering, without these elecments, how can we truly judge the actors' performances?  I was not impressed with Peter Fonda or Dennis Hopper in their roles as Wyatt and Billy, respectively. 
Regardless, the film is notable for its contribution to New Hollywood styles and it's box office earnings.  Maybe that is telling of the number of hippies that forged an era leaving some sort of an impact on society.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated

The basis for the film, censorship or freedom of speech, as expressed by film makers. Kirby Dick hiring a Private Investigator to find out who the individuals are that are rating the movies, I can't help but be curious on his choice. Did he chose the best, or chose based on sexual orientation? Her explaining how she got married because of pressure and realizing that she was a lesbian had what to do with the MPAA? She did not even have surveillance equipment and needed to go to the "Spy Shop" to buy cameras.

Since the members are supposed to be the average parent and be anonymous to avoid be pressured, then it was interesting that most had grown children and that the senior level movie raters dealt with the studio executives.

However, the filmmakers wanting a more lenient rating system does what to hold up standards and protect the children from seeing things that children should not see? This is part of the problem with the downfall of our society as it is; tv has Jersey Shore and teen moms glorifying horrific behavior, why not have kids watching drug use, excessive drinking, violence, and graphic sex scenes? Probably because kids should not be exposed to these things at a young age and should be allowed to be innocent kids.

Easy Rider

This was the second time that I have seen this movie,  and I did not like It either time. The hippie drug scene was never for me, and I felt like I needed a shower after watching all of the much in need of a shower actors.

Interesting that the drugs were actually being done by the actors,  and disturbing that Peter Fonda had his two young children (Bridget 5 & Justin 3) in the hippie commune scene.

The only thing that I found enjoyable about this movie was the scenery.

China Town

One of the best movies of all time. The part that I found most compelling was:

Jack Nicholson's nose was slashed by Roman Polanski.


Roman Polanski was the director, this was his last film in the U.S. before fleeing the United States for Child Rape charges. In 1977, he was eventually arrested for having sex with a 13 year old girl, which was considered statutory rape. Polanski was also the Husband of Sharon Tate (famous from the Tate-Bionco murders by the Manson Family). She was disemboweld while pregnant with Polanski's child in1969. Polanski continued making movies overseas and is reveled as one of the best directors by the Hollywood elite.

This Film is Not Yet Rated

I feel sorry for the whiners in this film that complain about minimum standards. All of the directors that want to show what would be considered 'X" rated in the past and piss and moan about being censored. They don't have to take the rating, but then they would lose the millions from the studios in marketing, Boo, Hoo, Hoo! How dare anyone put a label on their art. I believe the board came to be to prevent government censorship (which is the only legal way to limit free speech or expression).

Too Much Violence! Not Enough Graphic Sex! for our children. Seriously, I still believe two wrongs don't make a right. The theme is anti-studio, and maybe there is a point there. But if you don't like it, produce a movie like this one, and they did.

Maybe we would all be better off if there were no standards at all. Killing in movies wouldn't be simulated, let's embrace snuff films. Rape scened would be real rapes, maybe gang rapes would then become popular and embraced by society. Keep in mind while you discard the two previous sentences, they do exist today. People make them, and people buy them, but it is not accepted in the culture, yet.

My wife doesn't like this comment either.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated

Censorship in America, the film industry and the MPAA has a monopoly when it comes to rating films. The MPAA claims to be an independent agency from the major film studios, but in reality they are very much connected. Why is there so much secrecy when it comes to the MPAA members, and particularly the appeal board members?  however in reality the appeal board members are all high ranking members of major film studios of theater chains.  If there are independent films submitted to the MPAA, those films and film-makers are put under a lot of scrutiny. There does seem to be more of a difference when it comes to the American version and the European version of the MPAA, the American version does seem to focus on sexuality, especially sexuality that in its members minds are not the so called "norm" including homosexual relationships or multiple partner relationships. The European version of the MPAA, focuses on the violence in films and the impact it may have on society. Does the violence in films have a direct link to the violence in today's society? There are some who do think that movie and television violence does have a direct link to violence. There was one aspect with this film that most bothered me. The representative from the church that supposedly did not have a voice with the MPAA, what does the religious community have to do with the making and ratings of films? NOTHING!!!!!! The MPAA is an organization developed by an individual who have an agenda.  There does need to be a real oversight and review of the MPAA.

Not yet rated

Wow. This was a tough film to get through. As a mother/parent I am thankful there is a rating agency.  Quite honestly, I don't buy Hollywood's view of what 8th graders are doing?  I guess I was concern about a few things, however:  8 members and if there is a tie, one member votes twice; some members seem far removed from the child rearing age; one viewer had no children and in fact was a budding Hollywood director or writer; I was bothered there were I unclear guidelines; I was bothered that there appeared to be less favorable ratings if made by an independent artist.  I've seen the content of movies get more and more risqué and violent over the years and seems like our acceptance or tolerance is more lax giving way to a blurred line between the rating codes.  May not be perfect but better than nothing and better than the government