We will discuss the Motion Picture Association (MPA) film ratings system, previously known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
Why? Because although it doesn’t always seem like movie ratings matter, they do. Movie ratings decide how big of an audience a movie gets. Anyone can see a PG-13, while an NC-17 movie can’t even run ads for their film; most theaters won’t show it.
We talk about the double standards when it comes to straight sex vs. queer sex, male nudity vs. female nudity, and sex and violence.
Sources for this episode:
- “Breaking the Code” by Nat Segaloff
- Collider
- Film Ratings
- Forbes
- Gizmodo
- Indie Wire
- Motion Pictures Association
- Motion Pictures Association
- Roger Ebert
- Slash Film
- Vanity Fair
- Wikipedia (Motion Picture Association film rating system)
- Wired
Trigger warning: Foul language and sexual situations