THIS BLOG IS NOT YET RATED

My car just broke down in the snow. I walked the rest of the way home in the bitter cold and the first thing I did was sign on to blog. That should tell you how dedicated I am to getting this DONE as a priority.

Okay, so first I need to discuss the screening of Salt of the Earth. It was not really what I expected. It was very melodramatic and, to be honest, a little bit cheesy. But charming and inspiring, nonetheless. From reading the articles before watching the movie, I expected the film to be about worker’s rights and equality in the workplace. Yes, it is about this, but something else stood out more to me. I found the theme to be more about the balance between men and women. It was interesting to watch the struggle between couples as the man and woman both dealt with different issues. The men dealing with workplace issues primarily, the women dealing with issues at home. However, by the end, boundaries are removed and roles are reversed. It was quite interesting, entertaining, and often humorous to see the characters taking on new responsibilities.

The social impact of this film was not as great as it should have been. It was hard for the population to view it because theaters refused to show it. In fact, it is the only blacklisted film ever in American film history. Who knows how many people would see it even if it were readily available because of the Communist taboo that was attached to it. The film came out in 1954, but was not shown in American theaters until 1965. By this time, people had time to calm down about the subject matter, but there were still many people that refused to show it. It may have Communist content, as I read in an article that the blacklisted filmmakers who made the movie felt they, “might as well make a film as pro-Communist as possible to fit the crime of which they had been accused.”

Now, on to This Film Is Not Yet Rated. I watched this film for the first time over the holiday break, and was completely enthralled by it. It was so interesting to get an inside look at the ratings system in Hollywood, which after seeing the film and reading the articles, seems self-contradictory and full of double standards. I won’t say too much more on the film before the class has seen it, only that I believe everyone will thoroughly enjoy it.

The readings on the film pointed out that the controversy over ratings generally boils down to sex and sexuality. The MPAA, or Motion Picture Association of America, ultimately decides what rating a movie will receive, and the standards for each rating are very strict. If any film has “very explicit sex”, it may receive an NC-17 rating. This film tries to explain the contradictions that arise when some sexually explicit movies receive R ratings, while another tamer film might receive NC-17. Then that is where the articles each take a different spin on it, claiming that what is considered to be explicit is all a matter of opinion. I know some parents may not find sexual content to be appropriate for their children to watch, but I am grateful that I grew up with parents who took a more laid-back approach. Of course, my dad being French probably has something to do with it. He does not see the big deal when it comes people being offended by nudity. In Europe, there is a much lighter approach. This only makes sense to me, because why would a natural thing be considered so shocking?

In the article Whimpers and Whines, director Kirby Dick is criticized for resorting to the classic argument of sex vs. violence. The article points out that Dick never consults filmmakers who desire the freedom to depict violence. Why should this be any different than sex? Yet another issue this article points out is the mocking tone Dick uses during the movie to make his point. He even brings political opinions to it, which really did not seem to have a good reason for being part of the argument. I will save examples for after everyone has seen the film.

Overall, I enjoyed this film simply because I am fascinated by how filmmakers work and think. The artist interviews are what drew me in and made me want to learn more. It was great to hear from people whose work I admire, such as Kevin Smith, John Waters, and Matt Stone. These people seem to have a realistic view of the world, and one that I can relate to myself in a modern world. I am anxious to see how the rest of the class feels about the film, and I myself am excited to see it again.

And before I forget... New Terminology:

Foment: to promote the growth or development of

Prurient: marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire