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Forty Years Later, the MPAA Ratings Sham Continues

By Dr. Ted Baehr, Publisher, and David Outten, Production Editor

The ratings system by the Motion Picture Association of America just celebrated its 40th Anniversary, but the system remains a horrible enticement to teenagers and young children. It’s also still full of holes.

The movie ratings applied by the Motion Picture Association of America (G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17), a cartel owned by the six major movie studios in Hollywood, are designed to attract children and teenagers to adult content. Such content includes softcore pornography like SEX AND THE CITY or MISS MARCH and images of disturbing violence like WATCHMEN or the SAW movies. Consequently, some studio executives in Hollywood, especially the sleazier ones, use the ratings to make as much money as they can with such fare.

For years, MOVIEGUIDE® has led the battle against this terrible state of affairs, and our efforts are really starting to pay off in a big way.

For example, in 1999, MOVIEGUIDE® led the fight to stop movie theaters from letting children and teenagers into R-rated movies. As a result, the number of R-rated movies has declined dramatically from about 80% before MOVIEGUIDE® began in 1985 to about 40% each year.

Also, every year, G and PG movies earn much more money on average than R-rated movies, two to four times as much.

To get around the restrictions regarding R-rated movies, Hollywood has tried a sneak attack on the world’s children. The sneak attack works the following way:

They open a hotly anticipated movie rated R quickly in as many theaters as possible. Then, the film company can get a really huge opening weekend take, well before the children and their parents can find out by word of mouth what an awful stinker they’ve made. The PR generated by this really huge opening weekend box office can then be used to generate enough money so that your movie is bound to make more than $150 million at the domestic box office and $100 million or more overseas.

The best way to get around this dastardly scheme is to know before your children go. And, you can do that best by checking the latest reviews on our newly re-designed website, www.movieguide.org, and by subscribing to MOVIEGUIDE® magazine through our toll-free numbers in North America, 1-800-599-6684 or 1-888-248-6689.

The Entertainment Industry will reduce the level of disgusting, immoral content only if you stop purchasing tickets to movies with such content. And you can only do that if you know what’s in a movie before you purchase your ticket!

Each MOVIEGUIDE® review on our website and in our magazine gives you a heads up about that content to help you and your family make a wise, informed decision.

We need your help to keep you and your family informed.


Please read MOVIEGUIDE reviews regularly and encourage friends and family not to patronize movies that contain excessive violence, sex, nudity, and foul language.

  

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.