Motion Picture Association of America

The Motion Picture Association of America is an American organization that rates movies.

Rating System History

Initially, the Production Code, passed in 1934, controlled what content could be shown on movies. However, the Supreme Court in 1965 ruled that the MPAA had no right to ban a film. At the same time, they had to accept the fact that the films The Pawnbroker, Blow-Up, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? contained large amounts of nudity and profanity.

At first, they used a stopgap "Suggested for Mature Audiences" bumper for adult content, but on November 1, 1968, the MPAA introduced its rating system. The ratings were:

G: Suggested for General Audiences-All Ages

M: Suggested for Mature Audiences-Parental Discretion Advised

R: Restricted-Persons Under 16 Not Admitted Unless Accompanied by Parent or Adult Guardian

X: Persons Under 16 Not Admitted

In 1969, the G rating was changed to read "General Audiences-All Ages Admitted.

In 1970, the M rating was changed to GP, over concerns by parents as to whether M-rated films or R-rated films had more intense content. Now the ratings were:

G: All Ages Admitted-General Audiences

GP: All Ages Admitted-Parental Guidance Suggested

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

X: No One Under 17 Admitted

In 1971, the ages of viewers admitted to R and X films were changed from 16 to 17. X was later changed from 17 to 18 to stop underage children from seeing pornography. The age varied, however, upon the jurisdiction.

In 1972, parents conceived the GP rating as not indicative of a film's true content. Some movies included the text "May not be suitable for pre-teenagers". In 1972, the GP rating was changed to PG. Now the ratings were:

G: General Audiences-All Ages Admitted

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested-Some Material May Not be Suitable for Pre-Teenagers

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

X: No One Under 17 Admitted

In 1978, PG was slightly changed; the word "pre-teenagers" was changed to "children". This came as a result of confusion from parents over whether their children could watch PG films under the age of 13. Now the ratings were:

G: General Audiences-All Ages Admitted

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested-Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

X: No One Under 17 Admitted

Until 1984, parents complained about the explicit violence and gore found in the films Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Gremlins, Poltergeist, and Clash of the Titans and their PG ratings. This lead the MPAA to introduce the PG-13 rating that year. Initially a PG-14 was suggested, but it fell into the wayside. Now the ratings were:

G: General Audiences-All Ages Admitted

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested-Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children

PG-13: Parents Are Strongly Cautioned to Give Special Guidance for Admission of Children Under 13-Some Material May be Inappropriate for Young Children

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

X: No One Under 17 Admitted

In 1986, the PG-13 rating was shortened. Now the ratings were:

G: General Audiences-All Ages Admitted

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested-Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children

PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned-Some Material May be Inappropriate for Children Under 13

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

X: No One Under 17 Admitted

From 1968 until 1990, the MPAA included a non-copyrighted X rating to signify films with adult content. However, as this rating was never copyrighted, anyone could use it. In 1989, two critically aclaimed art films, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer were released, neither was approved for an R rating, restricting their appearance in theaters.

In 1990, the MPAA introduced its trademark NC-17 rating, replacing the X rating. Henry and June was the first film to receive it. Now the ratings were:

G: General Audiences-All Ages Admitted

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested-Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children

PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned-Some Material May be Inappropriate for Children Under 13

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

NC-17: No Children Under 17 Admitted

In the mid-1990s, the NC-17 description was modified slightly. Now the ratings are:

G: General Audiences-All Ages Admitted

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested-Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children

PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned-Some Material May be Inappropriate for Children Under 13

R: Restricted-Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

NC-17: No One 17 and Under Admitted

A more recent feature is "content descriptors", which supply why a particular film was rated as such. The film "Twister" was rated PG-13 for intense depiction of very bad weather. This system is also highly controversial, with films earning higher ratings than they deserve.