Article Review (Sharmeen Mahmood)
In Movie Ratings-Do They Serve Hollywood or The Public?, Moira Hodgson argues that regulations on films serve as a form of censorship. She begins by bringing light to how movies were first rated and the reasons behind ratings. She makes a very interesting point when she talks about how a movie on homosexuality (“Cruising”) received an automatic X while another film (“The Postman Always Rings Twice”) with “steamy sexual gropings” did not earn an X. This is a clear example of when a rating may go behind what’s simply pictured on screen. Rather than assessing the film solely on its content, the film was also judged based on the ideas it brings forth. I definitely don’t think this is how it should be. We have seen throughout this class the effect of media on popular culture. By restricting producers in this way, we are limiting what gets out to the public. It’s interesting however that producers use this very system to sell more copies of their films. This is also discussed by Hodgson. She sums up the stance of many producers when she says that they “actually manipulate the system to gain the ratings which they believe will be most helpful in the marketing of their films.” She discusses how sometimes a movie maker will add just one harsh word in their film which will give their film a higher rating. For example, among the 154 films that were rated R in 1980, 38 contained “one single element, such as a word, that netted this rating.” She goes on to talk about censorship and how gives quotes from the CARA chair who says that “There has to be some respect for the people who live between Beverly Hills and New York. We don't have to accept their tyranny, but we must try and satisfy their will without turning to the ultimate tyranny - censorship.”
I think this article was very interesting and I agree with Hodgson in that the rules and regulations of MPAA serve as a form of censorship. I especially like when she says that “the ratings system devised in 1968 by the motion picture industry in an effort to forestall an outbreak of community censorship has reflected a general loosening of community standards.” Its interesting to note that the ratings are based on the “contemporary opinion of parents.” By asserting this, the chairman of CARA is really expanding the limitations of the ratings. It doesn’t seem that there’s a set of rules, rather everything seems very subjective, which can lead to obvious problems. Overall, I really enjoyed this article and thought that the author had many valid points.