[HPFGU-Movie] MPAA Ratings (was Back to the age limits)

[Sherry Garfio]

--- Pernille <bolle17 at frisurf.no> wrote:
> --- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, artsylynda at a... wrote:
> > I think, given the tone of books 4 and beyond, WB is going to have  
> > to go for a PG-13 to R rating to capture the story.

I would just like to point out that a PG rating (or even a G rating) does not
mean that a movie is for kids, it just means that the movie doesn't contain
certain elements that the MPAA looks for.  Their web site lists "theme,
violence, language, nudity, sensuality, drug abuse, and other elements" as
their criteria.  If a movie is meant for adults and has absolutely no appeal
for children, but doesn't show these things, it will still get a PG rating. 
The only thing on this list that is presented in the HP books so far is
violence.  The level of violence does increase quite a bit between books 3 and
4, but not nearly to an R-rated level.

The MPAA's site also states, "The Rating Board can make its decisions only by
what is seen on the screen, not by what is imagined or thought."  Even in GoF,
the kind of violence that will probably be included in the film is not likely
to be very graphic.  Things like Cedric getting killed in a flash of green
light, or Harry getting Crucio'd repeatedly, are not going to affect the
rating, because this is "imagined" violence, not on-screen violence.  Pettigrew
cutting off his hand could be handled in many ways, but I think in context it
would make sense for it to be more symbolic than graphic.  The spider attack in
the maze doesn't need to be gory either, and will probably be similar to the
Basilisk fight in CoS.  (I don't have my books with me, so if there is an
extremely violent scene that I'm missing, please point it out.)

I can see GoF stepping up to a PG-13 rating if the director chooses the most
graphic possible representations of the violent scenes.  OotP is about the same
- no goriness is necessary, and there's no sex or drugs and precious little
language (we've already heard Ron say "Bloody hell" numerous times in PG-rated
films).  A scary atmosphere does not affect the MPAA rating beyond PG either -
I think one of the criteria listed for PoA's PG rating was "some scary
moments".

If they do decide to have Draco streaking across the grounds in GoF (I think
this was actually Tom Felton's idea of a joke, as somebody else suggested), I
doubt they'll do this scene in such a way that would affect the rating,
especially since it wasn't in the book and therefore isn't needed.  Remember,
in MASH they had Hawkeye walk casually all the way across the camp in the nude
- and that was on US broadcast prime-time television in the 70s!

Okay, that got much longer than I intended.  I guess my point is, the themes of
these films can mature along with the books without requiring a PG-13 or R
rating.  Just because a film is rated PG doesn't mean it's immature, it just
means there's less chance of a little kid being scarred for life because of the
film.  I agree wholeheartedly with Pernille about parents needing to decide for
their kids.  The MPAA's web site says that "The basic mission of the rating
system is a simple one: to offer to parents some advance information about
movies so that parents can decide what movies they want their children to see
or not to see. <SNIP> Indeed, if you are 18 or over, or if you have no
children, the rating system has no meaning for you.  Ratings are meant for
parents, no one else."  For my part, I find a time to go see a movie by myself
first if I have any doubt that my kids can handle it - and that includes HP. 
At the very least, I ask other parents whose judgement I trust.

http://www.mpaa.org/movieratings/about/index.htm

Sherry


=====
"Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open."
    -- Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire





	
		
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