Can anyone use the MPAA ratings?

[Frank Cox]

If anyone is interested here is my submission to the Saskatchewan Consumer Protection Division.

http://melvilletheatre.com/MelvilleT...nsultation.pdf

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Common sense tells me that the MPAA would need to review your content before they would apply "THEIR" rating tags. However, you using them is probably fine as long as you don't get caught. This could turn into a property rights issue more than anything else if you did get caught. Keep in mind that there is never a copyright mark on them, but you could also write them and get permission, which is what I'd do....

[Frank Cox]

The question was in regard to content that the MPAA has already rated.

Other content not rated by them doesn't have a MPAA rating so that obviously wouldn't be a source for rating information for that content.

I haven't got a call-back or any kind of an answer from anyone yet, either.

[Harold Hallikainen]

I was surprised to read in your letter that a sticker is put over the MPAA rating on the one-sheet. Why? Is there a restriction on their use outside the US? Or do Canadian regulations say they don't apply, so you can't use them.

[Frank Cox]

I really have no idea. Some one-sheets don't have the MPAA rating box at all, some have it, and some have it with a sticker over it. And some have a box that says "This film has not yet been rated".

Since those ratings don't apply in Canada, it does confuse people if it's there and uncovered. Sometimes I just put a piece of tape over it myself.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I did find this, but you probably already know, others may be interested though...

"In Canada, ratings for theatrically released films are a matter of provincial and territorial responsibility. While there are four provincial film classification boards and authorities in Canada, some provinces adopt the ratings of other provinces or have delegated classification responsibility to other provinces."

And this...

https://www.mpa-canada.org/film-rati...er%20provinces.

[Frank Cox]

Saskatchewan had its own film classification board up to 1997.

There was a sort-of scandal over the Saskatchewan classification of Exit to Eden (which ultimately worked to the benefit of the theatres that ended up showing that movie) and the end result was that the Saskatchewan Film Classification Board ceased to exist as anything other than a name and the province just adopted the film classifications from the British Columbia Film Classification Board.

The new idea currently under deliberation is to do away with a formal film classification system and have theatres provide "information respecting a film and its content that the person exhibiting the film reasonably determines would be relevant to persons who may intend to view the film" instead.

The province of Ontario does it this way already.

[Randy Stankey]

I like the system they use for TV shows and video games, etc.

L, S, N, V, D, etc. to stand for "Language," "Sex," "Nudity," "Violence," "Drugs" and what-have-you.

I don't like ratings based on age because no two people of the same age are guaranteed to have the same sensitivities. When I was a teenager, language, nudity and sex were no big deal but my father was dead-set against drug use. It's not that we weren't allowed to see movies with drugs in them but it always set off a string of negativity when a movie showed drugs. "Cheech and Chong" movies were at the top of that list. It was just better to avoid movies like that.

Personally, I saw Cheech and Chong's style of humor, regarding drugs, as a cautionary tale. (i.e. This is how stupid you'll look if you do drugs.) My father didn't see it that way. We got our asses whipped a couple of times for sneaking a Cheech and Chong movie.

[Ryan K Georgieff]

Why is the responsibility on the theater? that should be on the studios plate? but i work at an indie theater and we play films so folks have never heard of and new local directors. should they have to also rate their movies? can you guys just all say NRed and have a good day what if you have a pg rating and the theater across town has the movie as a pg-13? does anyone get in trouble?

[Martin McCaffery]

Why is the responsibility on the theater?

It's not (in this country anyway). Frank's in Canada, so different rules. If your theatre wants to cover up the ratings on the posters, feel free. As an art theatre, we run plenty of indie and foreign movies that do not have ratings. The MPA ratings are strictly a "voluntary" and it is up to the studio/distributor to get the film rated.