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As a worker at a movie theatre, I have always been fascinated with the movie ratings system. With the release of The Hunger Games so near, reviews are coming in quick and fast.
One thing that has had fans up in arms recently has been the BBFC’s decision to cut out 7 seconds of blood and gore to get the movie’s rating down to a 12A.
Many fans believe that a faithful adaptation of the books requires an R rating, but let’s look at what the ratings system really means in Canada [where I’m from] and the US [where most movies are made]. It is my job to be well-acquainted with these movie ratings as, legally, my job is on the line if I let someone into the wrong movie.
In Canada, movie ratings vary between provinces, but the standard is usually:
– G: General Audience – Suitable for all ages; The Muppets
– PG: Parental Guidance – Parental guidance advised. There is no age restriction but some material may not be suitable for all children. Legally, anyone can see this movie with or without parental supervision so essentially it is not that different from G; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2, The Hunger Games
– 14A: 14 Accompaniment – Persons under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. This is the first rating in which, legally, people of a certain age can be restricted; The Woman in Black
– 18A: 18 Accompaniment – Persons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. In the Maritimes & Manitoba, children under the age of 14 are prohibited from viewing the film. This rating is rare, with maybe a dozen wide release movies a year getting it; The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
– R: Restricted – Admittance restricted to people 18 years of age or older. This rating is rarer yet. In my three years of working at a movie theatre, I have only encountered one film with this rating and it didn’t even have a wide release.
The US ratings system looks similar on the surface, but can actually greatly impact the way a movie is made and viewed.
Their ratings are G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17. 5 movie rating levels to equate with Canada’s 5. However, the categories have a few key distinct features.
In Canada, most movies are rated PG or 14A. As established before, PG has no legal restriction and for a 14A movie, once you’re 14, you’re allowed to see it by yourself. Since high school is the age you start going to films as part of a regular social experience, you’re fine to go see 95% of movies in Canada.
However in the US, a lot of 14A movies are actually rated R, meaning US high school students miss out on a lot of movies their Canadian counterparts get to see. A few recent examples that come to mind are The King’s Speech, 21 Jump Street, and Immortals.
The US is much more critical of profanity and nudity and sex. One use of the f-word gets a movie a PG-13 [like X-Men: First Class], whereas multiple uses gets a movie an R rating [like that one scene from The King’s Speech]. Usually action and violence tends to get a softer rating of PG-13, such as Chronicle, which was rated 14A in Canada [can’t have the kidlets getting ideas!].
Once sex and drugs get brought up in a movie, such as The Change-Up and 21 Jump Street [both rated 14A in Canada], the rating automatically gets bumped to R in the US.
And lastly, to bring my article full circle, I noticed the other day at work that The Hunger Games was rated PG. Although I might look on strangely at the 8 year old coming unaccompanied to see it, legally they are allowed. No fuss, no muss, no cuts, no buts, no asking for ID, or seeking parental approval. A far cry from the BBFC’s editing to get a 12A.
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