Arrowman

Just an idle thought.... last night I rented "The Mummy Returns" on video. I noted that the censor rating was "Mature Audiences - Supernatural Themes and Medium Level Violence".

Now, I'm thinking that "The Ten Commandments" or similar movies would probably have about the same "medium level" of violence as "The Mummy..." and of course, supernatural themes.

I'm going to check a few Xian-type movies next time I'm at the video store. I'm prepared to bet that no Xian movie is labelled "Supernatural Themes" as part of the censor rating.

(OK, "Stigmata" etc - but I'm talking your mainstream Bible stories.)

And yes, I chose "Church-State Separation" for this because it is a government-regulated thing. What would happen if atheists tried to lobby for appropriate "supernatural themes" warnings on Xian movies?

freemonkey

That would be cool, but my guess is that you'd get blank stares and head scratching.

Mageth

Is it government or industry regulated? I thought the latter.

Mageth

<this is the second time this has happened to me - I post, and it doesn't show up. I post again, and the original post magically appears!>

[ January 10, 2002: Message edited by: Mageth ]</p>

Arrowman

I don't know about the US, but it's government regulated in Australia.

(BTW the US rating for "The Mummy..." appears to be "Rated PG-13 for adventure action and violence.")

I don't know all the details but we have a federal classficiations board which decides on the rating for a movie, and the distributor is then required to display that rating, and where necessary enforce age restrictions, TV stations are restricted on the time of day they can show it, etc.

(Trailers for brand new movies often first appear with an intro saying "This Film Has Not Yet Been Classified".)

The ratings themselves are decided on a movie by movie basis by the board, and the overall rules and regulations they have to apply are decided by the government. So in Australia at least it's a church-state thing.

Mageth

I'm pretty sure in the U.S. it's industry regulated.

Toto

The movie rating system is done by an industry board. Its purpose is to avoid government regulation or censorship. You hear various noises from politicians, usually around election time, about the problems of sex and violence in the media. It's a way of "jaw-boning" the industry to try to clean up its act without getting into difficult First Amendment issues.

Prince Ashitaka

I don't every remember seeing "supernatural themes" as a reason for a movie rating (or any media rating for that matter). I looked on "The Mummy Returns" and I see: Rated: PG13 (Violence, Adult Situations, Profanity.)

And movies with supernatural themes shouldn't influence the movie rating scale anyway. Supernatural themes do not seem to affect how appropriate it would be for different age categories. I've seen kiddie tv shows with slightly supernatural themes that are fine for kids. Some examples are Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, and Pokemon. The only reasons supernatural movies wouldn't be fine for children is if they include violence, sex, horror, etc.

The rating you saw was probably made by some Christian organization too stupid to realize that their own beliefs are composed of "supernatural themes." They probably think supernatural is a word to describe other religions myths, but not theirs. Because when supernatural is said, it conjures to the mind images of Loch ness, Big foot, and fairies. Or in this case, living mummmies. Basically, anything stupid (save what is in their religion.) So don't be too offended, at least it wasn't a breach in church/state.

Also, I think the action you're taking would be an extreme, just because Christians act like wackos, it doesn't mean atheists have to do likewise. We became atheists to escape their stupidity, not to make another variation of it. I think a better plan of action (if your premise was true) would be to just get the industries that make ratings to realize that supernatural themes, in and of themselves, don't make them less suitable for a younger audience.

- Prince Ashitaka -

[ January 11, 2002: Message edited by: Prince Ashitaka ]</p>

Arrowman

Ashitaka - a quick response - please read my location, and second post above!

1. I am referring to the Australian classification system, which does include reference to "supernatural themes".
2. You make a valid point about Sleeping Beauty, Pokemon etc. I am not sure if or how strongly "supernatural themes" is used as the basis for the rating itself, as opposed to the consumer advice on the jacket. I am researching - more info later, I hope.

3. No, the rating was not from "some stupid Christian organisation" - it was from the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification.

4. Look, I don't take this too seriously as a church-state issue, and I wouldn't march in the streets over it. I just find it to be an interesting little inconsistency in the way our society recognises "supernatural themes" in Egyptian mythology but not in our own predominant mythology. (Not to mention, not recognising it in "Sleeping Beauty"!)

PS for the record I can find two Australian classifications for Pokemon 3:
- PG (FREQUENT VIOLENCE, SOME THEMES MAY UPSET YOUNG CHILDREN)
- PG (ADULT THEMES, LOW LEVEL VIOLENCE)
***Sleeping Beauty is, to my horror: "R (COMPLETELY CONCERNED WITH SEX)"!!! Oh - wait - that's "Sleeping Beauty Aroused". The other one is G.

Prince Ashitaka

I am sorry, I didn't realize you were from Australia. With you talking about church/state, I just immediately thought "America." I did not even know that church/state was part of Australian laws. Please forgive my ignorance.

- Prince Ashitaka -

[ January 11, 2002: Message edited by: Ashitaka ]</p>