Monday, June 14, 2004
"Fahrenheit 911" To Get Same Rating as "Passion of the Christ"
(via Reuters)
Purely for informational purposes we note how other countries have dealt with another controversial film, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Although described by many as "a three-hour snuff film" the movie, originally rated NC-17 (the rating formerly known as "X" which forbids attendance by those under 17 even with a parent) it was later up-rated to R, permitting young people accompanied by an adult.
Via WorldPressNews:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Filmmaker Michael Moore and distributors of his anti-Iraq War documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" are contesting the restrictive rating it received from the Motion Picture Association of America because of its strong language and violence.
The MPAA, which represents major studios and administers its classification system, gave the film an R rating due to "violent and disturbing images and for language," a spokesman for the Washington-based organization said on Monday.
"I think that the R rating is wrong and inappropriate, and we're going to do everything we can do to get it overturned and make it a PG-13 rating so we can bring 'Fahrenheit 9/11' to the widest possible audience," Lions Gate Films Releasing president Tom Ortenberg told Reuters.
"It is sadly very possible that many 15- and 16-year-olds will be asked and recruited to serve in Iraq in the next couple of years," Moore said in a weekend statement. "If they are old enough to be recruited and capable of being in combat and risking their lives, they certainly deserve the right to see what is going on in Iraq."
IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring speculated that the R rating stemmed in part from graphic images of war causalities in the film. But Ortenberg added: "There's nothing in this film that is any more disturbing than what people see on the nightly news."
An appeal review has been set for June 22 in Los Angeles. Ortenberg said Moore alone would to decide whether to edit the film to achieve a PG-13 rating if the appeal fails. Otherwise, the movie will be released with an R rating, he said.
Although documentaries are routinely shown without ratings, and neither Lions Gate nor IFC Films belongs to the MPAA, Ortenberg said "Fahrenheit 9/11" is going through the ratings process because of its wide release.
"We certainly don't want to give theaters any reason not to play this picture," he said, noting that (back) a newly formed organization opposed to the film was lobbying exhibitors to boycott it.
Purely for informational purposes we note how other countries have dealt with another controversial film, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Although described by many as "a three-hour snuff film" the movie, originally rated NC-17 (the rating formerly known as "X" which forbids attendance by those under 17 even with a parent) it was later up-rated to R, permitting young people accompanied by an adult.
Via WorldPressNews:
Mexico: The government slapped an adults-only C rating on the film, which restricts anyone under 18 from viewing it.
China: The government has reportedly banned the film due to its spiritual nature. But an avalanche of English-language pirated copies of the film is spreading across China.
Israel: BBC News reported that Israeli distributors turned down the film because of the controversy and concern that they would not recoup their investment.
Italy: With a thumbs-up from a Catholic Church association, the Pope’s endorsement of Jim Caviezel, a G rating, and high demand, the film opened on 650 screens, roughly one-third of Italy’s 2,000. Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica criticized the film for its violence. Parents’ groups were outraged when The Passion received a G rating. The film was rated R in the U.S.
