Christina Johnston
Christina Johnston –Blog popular culture Not Yet Rated
This film is not yet rated was a very sneaky-type of documentary highlighted by the INF. It exposed the corruption and hypocrisy that occurs within the Hollywood rating system and the in consistent rating criteria standing being held against preferred films and conglomerates. Kirby Dick essentially stalked filmmakers of large films, to find out the ins and outs of the filmmaking and subsequent film rating industries. I found in interesting when the interviewed the makers of “Boys Don’t Cry“to find that homosexuality in film was increasingly scrutinized against in terms of ratings strictness and obtaining an NC-17 , R, Pg-13, etc. this film shows the exploitation of independent films as they become even pickier with independent films in order to be more lenient on larger, less controversial, bigger box office films.
I think that it is interesting as we study different aspects of popular culture in the cinema, we see the recurring use of the drive for profit in the production of what actually ends up being manufactured and shown to the public. This brings up the question of why keep looking for “something new, and different, and forward” in thinking, when we will be inevitably fed an image that will appeal to most people instead of provoke the thought and growth of many people. It is for this reason that very few small, independent films succeed in an industry where the main goal in the entire production process, from ratings, to funding, to advertising, to establishing a target market audience is based on producing movies that perform in the box office. It is not to say that no one is interested in these small films and the new concepts that they predict, but when the people in charge of making these small films succeed (ratings, etc) are heavily motivated by the industries’ pocket strings.