Unrated and Unsurprised

In the film This Film is Not Yet Rated, Director Kirby Dick reveals the inner workings of the mysterious world of film rating. This world is filled with anonymity. This world is filled with censorship. A dirty word, I know, but one that must be addressed. Through the eyes of a Lesbian PI named Becky, we learn all of the details of the board that rates movies for our viewing pleasure: Their names, their license plates, their families. They're supposedly kept anonymous to keep them from being corrupted by the views of others, but the choosers of said board went a bit, well, overboard. The literacy rates of the people who make decisions for us is dangerously low. This Film is Not Yet Rated strikes a chord for everyone. The chord maybe somewhat discordant, but it is struck. The reactions ranged from a standing ovation (Sundance) to scathing critiques (James Bowman, Crockumentaries). Mostly, however, it seemed to get thought. The dreaded NC-17 rating, known for it's sales stopping power, was brought into the light of day. Before now, I'd never even heard of NC-17 as a rating. I suppose it's thought of as a "Porn rating", but anything over the smallest amount of intercourse between people will get you there. In fact, before it's completion, This Film is Not Yet Rated was submitted for rating. Guess what it got... That's right. NC-17. That was the point of submitting it, we found out in the finished version, to show just what it took to make that rating.

I look rather forward to seeing the movie. I'm not surprised at the amount of censorship in films, nor the amount of violence you can slip through. We are a country of people who prefer violence to love. That's what it seems to me, anyway. I hope to see just how they managed a narrative documentary. I've always been curious as to what it took, and now is my chance.

What angles did he use: Inside the car, outside the car, backseat or shotgun? Really, I'd like to know. I'm also curious to see if it's really so one-sided as the critics say. They act like it's purely Kirby's side, the independent side, and none of the studio or raters' sides.

Now for some vocabulary.

censorship:

1. suppression of published or broadcast material: the suppression of all or part of a play, movie, letter, or publication considered offensive or a threat to security
2. suppression of something objectionable: the suppression or attempted suppression of something regarded as objectionable
3. ancient Roman office: the office, authority, or term of an ancient Roman censor

distortion:

1. misleading alteration: the describing or reporting of something in a way that is inaccurate or misleading
2. reconfiguration from correct shape: the bending, twisting, stretching, or forcing of something out of its usual or natural shape
3. misshapen part: a part of something that has been bent, twisted, stretched, or forced out of its usual or natural shape

PS. Salt of the Earth was great. The cinematography was amazing, especially for the time and the hardships faced in the making. Even past that, though, shown the amazing impact of the women as they marched, holding their own against all that befell them and driving the Sheriff mad in the process. Truly, Salt of the Earth is a movie that should be more widely shown in any venue possible. It deserves it.

PSS. "Rated R for Raves" XD