Censorship (Jeff Batts)
I think it was a really interesting debate at the end of class regarding the issue of censorship. The question asked was, 'Do you think the current rating system is censorship?' Many people in the class thought it was, and that surprised me. While the system certainly limits the audiences that the movie can reach, it doesn't change any part of the movie. The MPAA doesn't filter inappropriate language or images. They don't change any part of the movie, only offer suggestions.
The people who thought it was censorship said so because a film rating essentially determines how mainstream it will be. Films rated NC-17 have a huge portion of viewing audiences banned from viewing them. Theaters will most likely not carry the film, nor will there be much advertising for it. Profits for the film will likely suffer as a result. While censoring certainly occurs in the MPAA, it's a necessary evil. I don't even feel that it's extreme censorship, as the MPAA doesn't physically change the film in the process. There need to be guidelines, and if someone can come up with a better system, best of luck to them.
Jeff Batts