This Film is Not Yet Rated/ Kyle Cross
In response to Franklin’s statement, “At least in the current environment, creative, thoughtful and even subversive films can get made,� I would have to say I agree to a certain extent. The reason I say to a certain extent is because even though sex and violence sell, some sex and violence doesn’t sell. The market itself determines this by excluding unpopular ideas (Franklin 145). Things that involve graphic depictions of rape and homosexuality normally wouldn’t sell, but then how do you explain the success of American History X which includes a combination of the two? This is where the MPAA comes in. Franklin states that, “A movie executive with an agenda beyond making money is cruising for a financial loss (144).� This leads me to the conclusion that the MPAA is in charge of determining what sells, since the leading Hollywood studios are actually members themselves. I find it hard to believe that the members of the MPPA wouldn’t have their own financial interests as their number one priority. So, in this environment, it would be very difficult for subversive films, from an independent film studio to receive a rating less than an NC-17. So, sex obviously sells but where does the MPAA draw the line? In This Film is Not Yet Rated one interviewee, the director of But I’m a Cheerleader, points out that her film received an NC-17 due to a female masturbation scene, but American Pie was rated as an R and had a more graphic masturbation clip. Some might say that the line drawn must include some sort of gray area to allow this, but besides blaming preferential treatment for the decision by the MPAA, the line is very clear. This apparent contradiction has its origins connected to women’s historical role in society. Just as adults tried to suppress the sexual protest of young women everywhere during “Beatle mania,� adult still try to oppress young women’s sexuality to this very day. Sexuality among young females is something that society detests and the MPAA’s decision about giving an initial NC-17 rating to But I’m a Cheerleader reflects that.