THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED
**** out of *****
Reviewed by Finger_Of_DOOM

Screening in the 2006 New Zealand International Film Festival
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Genres
Documentary
Movie & TV Making

2006
Directed by
Kirby Dick
Written by
Kirby Dick
Eddie Schmidt

This Films Is Not Yet Rated is the filmmaker Kirby Dick’s latest documentary film. In a career that has spanned 30 years Kirby Dick has produced some insightful and thought provoking films such as Twist of Faith, which uncovers abuse among the Catholic Church and its effects on a youth traumatized by his past experiences. This film follows the almost as offensive stance of the MPAA, the Motion Picture Association of America and their ratings policy. For years filmmakers have known the hypocrisy and secrecy that shrouds this organization and now the general public is given the chance to learn about this organization, what they stand for and the underhanded manner in which they treat certain content in film. For example, you’ll be shocked to find that sexual behavior is considered more offensive than on-screen realistic violence. I’m sure many people will argue over what is right and what is wrong regarding this issue, however the basic right of any person to show what they want and say what they want is granted by the 1st amendment of the United States Constitution. The MPAA has taken the role more as a censor than a ratings board; that is a concept more offensive than anything a filmmaker can possibly show in a film.

This film follows Kirby as he tries to uncover the practices and people behind this organisation as well as attempt to learn what is considered offensive and what is not by the board as they rate films. He also looks at the influence that major studios have with the MPAA as compared to independents who seem to be largely and unfairly affected by the decisions made by the MPAA. Comparisons are made between independent films and those released by major studios to help shed light on the blatant one-sidedness towards the majors.

Frustrated filmmakers share their thoughts on their films and the experience with the MPAA and in the meantime Kirby hires a private investigator to help find out who exactly the secret raters are. According to former head of the MPAA Jack Valenti they are ordinary American families, people with children between the ages of 5-17 who are selected the represent the average cinema goer. But who is to say these people are an accurate representation of the American public? The MPAA of course, who appear to refuse to acknowledge the fact that the American public is as diverse and mixed as a bag of mixed vegetables. Kirby discovers that according to the MPAA their view of the average American is a religious republican with good moral standards, yet these are the same people openly giving R-ratings to films with intense violence yet slamming films with realistic depictions of sex with an NC-17 rating; films that especially seem to display gay relationships, threesomes and other “abnormal” depictions of sexual encounter. Is this wrong? Certainly some graphic sex should be considered offensive (rape?) but condemning a film that has a loving sexual relationship as part of the narrative, that doesn’t sound right. The American constitution grants the people to freedom of expression and of speech, it’s quite apparent that the MPAA feels that these basic rights do not transfer to filmmakers, or at least filmmakers that don’t have a major studio backing them or influence. One of my favorite quotes from this film comes from a Clergyman who is part of the appeals panel at the MPAA, he states “We want to give the artist the freedom to make the film they want to make, but we don’t want to make it totally free.” This statement sums up the MPAA in a nutshell.

This documentary will challenge your thoughts on censorship and ratings, ultimately it should be the parent or person of age that makes the decision what films they want to see, and they should have these films available to them to see. The ratings board limits this, Valenti comments that ratings have nothing to do with the marketability of the film, this is not true, a rating severely limits the marketing, a PG-13 film can certainly attract a larger demographic of viewers than an R-rated film. This fact is as black and white as that concept allows. There is also the matter of theaters and how many a film will play in, a vast majority of theaters outright refuse to screen NC-17 rated films. Tell me then how ratings don’t affect marketing?

In a deeply cheeky move, Kirby submits this film to the MPAA for rating, not surprisingly the film receives an NC-17 rating. A final blow that hopefully will not impair this film’s availability to the viewing public, This Film is Not Yet Rated is a scathing look at the MPAA that should not be missed and makes a welcomed addition to this year’s International Film Festival.

This film will screen in Wellington on July the 21st and 22nd at the Paramount Theatre. Refer to the Film Fest homepage for more information.

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