Mew rating won't solve problem
h
So it appears that the intrepid "Indiana Jones"
has built a Temple of Doom for the old Hollywood
rating code. "Jones" was the last straw, or should I
say the last steaming monkey's brain or the last
fresh heart, that broke the back of support for the
single PG rating.
Ellen
Goodman
Here was a movie that not even the director
thought little kids should see. Stephen Spielberg's
PG kids should see. Steven Spielberg's PG (Producer
Guidance) cautioned parents to cover the eyes of
any child 10 years old or under during the most
violent 20 minutes.
Now even the movie moguls feel compelled to
react to the incipient parental rebellion. The in
dustry heavies are now being polled and it appears
that they will be adding a new label to the quartet on
the marquees of America. PG-13 is a warning that
the movie may be too "intense" for children under
13. ,
You will forgive me if I managed to stifle my wild
enthusiasm for this movie. Frankly, I am under
whelmed by Hollywood's attempt to modify its code
instead of its behavior.
Rather than limiting sex and violence, they are
increasing the ratings. Rather than improving the
product, they ai? improving the warnings. It's
rather like getting a broken car back from the auto
mechanic with a new improved description of its
problems.
. Ratings were originally introduced in 1968 to
stave off censorship. Films were given a G, PG, R, or
X according to four criteria: the movie's theme,
language, violence, nudity and sex. The distinctions
got into the theological realm: How many swear
words can dance on the head of a PG? Do two
frontal nudities, six murders and a partridge in a
pear tree rate an R?
In the past 16 years the four ratings have been
effectively reduced to two. G has gone the way of all
flesh ... and all violence. Hack in 1973, 87 of the 584
films rated were given a G. Last year, only 1 1 of 342
films got the same letter. Even Disney movies throw
in enough swear words to be awarded the coveted
PG.
X has also disappeared from its spot on marquees.
Once such emotional rough stuff as "A Clockwork
Orange" or "Midnight Cowboy" were X-rated. Today
the X is virtually reserved for the "Debby Docs
Dallas" porno flicks. Only two movies got an X from
the Motion Picture Association of America last year.
That leaves Rs and PGs. Today, two-thirds of all
the movies submitted in the voluntary rating system
get what they want an R. They are thereby
restricted to those who are over 17, have a friend
over 17, or can pass for 17.
The PG category is the most controversial rating
of all, not to mention the most spurious. Richard
Heffner, a head of the industry rating group, has
said sanctimoniously, "The movie's PG rating doesn't
mean 'Pretty Good' ... It means parental guidance is
needed."
But he doesn't say how you provide parental
guidance without screening every movie and stand
ing guard at the box office. A child doesn't need a
permission slip to see a PG, just the price of
admission. The industry doesn't give the Ps much
help in forming their Gs. How do we know if PG
means "Probably Gratuitous" violence of "Presumably
Gratuitous" sex? . -
Continued on Page 6
EDITOR
GENERAL MANAGER
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Lou Ann Zacek
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The Daily Nebraskan (USPS 144-080) is published by
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ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1934 DAILY NEBRASKAN
0
WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE
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Editorial
oncy
Unsigned editorials
represent official policy
of the summer 1984 Daily
Nebraskan. They are
written by this summer s
editor in chief, Lauri
Hopple.
Other staff members
will write editorials
throughout the summer.
They will carry the
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final sentence.
Editorials do not neces
sarily reflect the views of
the university, its em
ployees, the students or
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7
Friday, June 29, 1984
Daily Nebrcskan
Page 5
