This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Kirby Dick's expose about the American movie ratings board. A critical look at how films are rated by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The film discusses disparities the filmmaker sees in ratings and feedback: between Hollywood and independent films, between gay and straight sexual situations, and between violence and sexual content. Hilarity ensues.

Trivia: According to the official MPAA website the movie ratings system is a voluntary system operated by the MPAA and the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO). The ratings are given by a board of parents who comprise the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA). CARA's Board members view each film and, after a group discussion, vote on its rating. The ratings are intended to provide parents with advance information so they can decide for themselves which films are appropriate for viewing by their own children. The Board uses the same criteria as any parent making a judgment: theme, language, violence, nudity, sex and drug use are among content areas considered in the decision-making process. On January 24, 2006, the MPAA admitted to making duplicates of a digital copy of the film that was provided to them for the purpose of obtaining an MPAA rating. According to the film's director, Kirby Dick, he sought assurances that no copies would be made or distributed for any other purpose.

This film was pretty eye opening. I'm sure most American take movie ratings for granted. But have you ever really thought of how a movie gets it's rating. The answer is probably "no." The board is made up of 10 to 13 people. Their identities are kept secret. They don't have to explain why they rate a movie a certain way. This documentary uses private detectives to find out the identities of the raters. It also uses examples of films that have been previously rated (something the MPAA will not allow in it's appeal process) The documentary focuses on the NC-17 rating and the consequences for a movie if it "gets slapped" with an NC-17 rating, a virtual death blow for a movie, very few have survived and NC-17 rating and most decide to edit and resubmit their movies. The problem is that the MPAA will not tell them what to cut to get the R, so the directors and editors could end up cutting things they may not need to do. It is a pretty fascinating look at the motion picture industry. If you like movies you need to see this film. And even though the name of the film is This Film Is Not Yet Rated, it was...NC-17, but when it added the after rating and appeals section to the movie it gave up it's rating to it technically is unrated, but it does contain very adult elements, or as the MPAA said "some graphic sexual content."