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Motion picture rating system |
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008) |
A motion picture rating system categorizes films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content. A particular issued rating is called a certification.
This helps parents decide whether a movie is suitable for their children. Also, in some jurisdictions a rating may impose on movie theaters the legal obligation of refusing the entrance of children or minors to the movie. Furthermore, where movie theaters do not have this legal obligation, they may enforce restrictions on their own. Ratings are often given in lieu of censorship.
There are often debates as to the usefulness, strictness and enforcement of such systems. People may like content with a high rating. This includes children who may like to see content considered unsuitable for them (forbidden fruit phenomenon). "Unrated", "uncut", "uncensored", etc. versions, released on DVD have become increasingly common.
In countries such as Australia, an official government body decides on ratings; in other countries, such as the United States, it is done by industry committees with no official government status. In most countries, however, films that are considered morally offensive have been censored, restricted, or banned. Even if the film rating system has no legal consequences, and a film has not explicitly been restricted or banned, there are usually laws forbidding certain films, or forbidding minors to view them.
The influence of specific factors in deciding a rating varies from country to country. For example, in countries such as the US, films with mild sexual content are often restricted to adult viewers, whereas in countries such as France and Germany, sexual content is viewed much more leniently. On the other hand, films with violent content are often subject in countries such as Germany and Finland to high ratings and even censorship, whereas countries such as the US offer more lenient ratings to violent movies.
A film may be produced with a particular rating in mind. It may be re-edited if the desired rating is not obtained, especially to avoid a higher rating than intended. A film may also be re-edited to produce an alternate version for other countries.
What are the justifications for or against rating system?
The Institute of Film and Audiovisual Arts (Instituto de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales, INCAA) through the Advisory Commission of Cinematographic Exhibition (Comisión Asesora de Exhibición Cinematográfica) uses the following system:
The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a government funded organization which classifies all films that are released for public exhibition.
The classification board is comprised primarily of liberal members, therefore the OFLC has a strong influence on "Informing your Choices". Theatrical advertising is accompanied by a colour-coded symbol for each classification category. This is accompanied by consumer advice such as mild, moderate, strong or high level coarse language, nudity, sexual references, themes etc. Only the MA15+, R18+ and X18+ classifications are legally restricted. Up until recently, the PG and M classifications were given a guide line age barrier with a recommended age of 15 for PG so that people under 15 should have parental guidance and that people under 15 shouldn't watch M rated movies. Now it is just PG for parental guidance and M for mature audiences.
The E rating is used in films which do not have a need to be classified, such as educational documentaries. However, documentaries or concerts that may exceed the guidelines of the PG classification must be submitted for classification.
Motion pictures are rated in Austria by a commission of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture (Bundesministerium für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur). This commission issues an age recommendation for each title from the following list:
The ratings are published on the ministries website and can be either accepted or changed by the nine federal states.
Storage media, such as DVDs, are not rated in Austria. Usually the german FSK-ratings are printed on the cases, although they don't have any legal meaning. For this reason many films which are banned in Germany can be bought on DVD in Austria.
For DVD releases, Belgium uses the same system as the Netherlands.
Movies are rated in Brazil by the DJCTQ, or Department of Justice, Rating, Titles and Qualification (Departamento de Justiça, Classificação, Títulos e Qualificação in Portuguese). No "parental guidance" ratings are used. It's interesting to notice that this rating system is also used for television.
The DJCTQ uses the following system:
People under the minimum age indicated by the rating can watch the movie accompanied by their parents, except for pornographic films. The films are rated by trained raters and more recently, the DJCTQ makes surveys to see if the people agree or not with the rating indicated for a specific film. No "parental guidance" ratings are used.
The Bulgarian film rating system is defined in the Film Industry Law (or Act) of 2003. The National Film Rating Committee examines every film that is going to be distributed in the country and gives it a rating. In practice, the ratings are rarely displayed on posters and in film advertisements, but almost all DVDs have them on the back cover.
| Rating | Accompanying inscription | When is it given |
|---|---|---|
| A | Recommended to children | "When the film is for children and has an educational nature." |
| B | No age restrictions | "When the film confirms the ideals of humanism, promotes national and world culture or by no means contradicts to the universally accepted moral norms in the country and there are no restrictive recommendations by the Committee." |
| C | Not recommended to children under the age of 12. | "When the film contains certain erotic scenes or scenes with drinking, taking drugs or stimulants or a few scenes of violence." |
| D | No people under the age of 16 are admitted. | "When the film contains quite a number of erotic scenes or scenes with drinking, taking drugs or stimulants or a considerable number of scenes showing violence." |
| X | No people under the age of 18 are admitted. | "When the film is naturally erotic." |
| E | "Films the contents of which is contrary to the universal rules of morality, that laud or exculpate atrocity, violence or taking drugs, that incite to racial, sexual, religious or national hatred, are not rated."
Note: unrated films can not be distributed, as no visa is given. |
Before 2003 there was another rating system which was very similar to the current one (the same letter ratings were used, but the meaning of most letters was different; for example "B" stood for "not recommended for persons under the age of 12").
In practice, the rating "B" is given to most popular American films, even if they receive a more restrictive one in other countries.
In 2007, a few changes to the law were made, the effect of which will probably not be big for the rating system, though a film's rating could change. These changes are in effect from January 1, 2008.
Note: parts of the table above uses quotes from the English translation of the Bulgarian Film Industry Act published on the website of the Union of Bulgarian Film Makers.
Movie ratings in Canada are mostly a provincial responsibility, and each province will have its own legislation regarding exhibition and admission. This is the only country in the world with provincial ratings.
In the past there were a wide range of rating categories and practices in the various provinces. However, the five rating systems outside Quebec now all use categories and logos derived from the Canadian Home Video Rating System. In general, the categories are:
In Quebec the Régie du Cinéma rates films and videos.
The Council of Cinematographic Classification (Consejo de Calificación Cinematográfica) uses the following system:
The first film rating system of the People's Republic of China was expected to come out in 2005 as a part of the Motion Picture Industry Promotion Law (simplified Chinese: 电影促进法).1 However, the National People's Congress has not passed such a law.
As of June 22, 2005, the Ministry of Culture issued its new rating system. The classifications are:
The Media Council for Children and Young People uses the following classifications.
Children who have turned 7 are allowed admission to all films if accompanied by an adult (a person turned 18). Consequently it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children do not watch violent and hard-core pornographic films.
Films accessible to the public do not have to be classified by the Media Council but consequently must be labeled as 15 -Approval of the film for admittance of children from the age of 15 – no matter the content of the film.
The Egyptian government has only three movie classifications:
Usually excessive violence, nudity, and sexuality is cut from motion pictures in order to release with a General audience certificate.
The Finnish Board of Film Classification has a film classification system under which films are classified into one of the following categories:
A person two years younger than the given rating is permitted to see a film in a movie theater when accompanied by an adult. This rule does not apply to the 18 rating.
Only material intended to be accessible to minors (those below 18 years of age) is subject to mandatory inspection. A proper notification is sufficient for adult material. However, the board has the right to inspect material suspected of violating laws or material which was not properly notified.
Prior to showing in theaters, a license (visa d'exploitation) must be obtained from the Ministry of Culture. Upon the advice of the commission pertaining to cinema movies, the minister decides either not to grant the license (a very rare occurrence), or to grant a license among the 4 following:
Each rating can be accompanied by a special "warning". In practice, the ministry always follows the decision of the commission.
In addition, the movie may be considered "pornographic or inciting to violence" (colloquially referred to as "X-rated"). In this case, it bears high taxation and may be showed only in specific theatres, which are now few in France. This classification is not used for merely violent movies, or movies containing mere erotic scenes.
Classifications, as all administrative decisions, may be appealed before the courts (Conseil d'État at litigation).
Related link: [2] (in French)
The Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft (Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry, FSK) has a film classification system under which films are classified into one of the following categories:
All the above ratings also contain the phrase "gemäß §14 JuSchG" (in accordance with §14 of the Youth Protection Law), signifying that they are legally binding, rather than being mere recommendations.
Furthermore, while a rating by the FSK is not legally required for a film to be sold, "unrated" films may be sold only to adults, and since most retail chains and virtually all cinemas will sell/show only films with an FSK rating, all films are normally submitted to the FSK for classification, with the exception of films that will most likely be refused a certificate (pornography or films containing extremely strong violence, for example).
After a title has received a rating for a cinematic release, the FSK must approve this rating again for a home entertainment release. Some titles therefore have different FSK certificates for the cinematic release and for the DVD release.
After 10 years, films may be resubmitted to the FSK for re-rating. Older films which have gained a FSK 18 certificate during the '50s or '60s often gain a much lower certificate now, due to a more liberal approach the FSK now takes in issuing ratings. However, due to the cost involved in resubmitting a film, it is common practice to keep the old certificate for the cinematic release and only submit bonus materials or extended scenes for classification. This leads to the seemingly paradoxical result of extended, and more violent versions of previously-rated films gaining a lower certificate than the "tamer" version.
Further to the above restrictions, it is also illegal to supply a film with an FSK 18, Keine Jugendfreigabe or SPIO/JK certificate, including those not on the index, without definitive means to supply proof of age. This severely limits distribution of films with these certificates, and thus it is extremely common for distributors to supply a cut version with a lower certificate so that the film can be distributed by mail order or Internet.
Almost all major online distributors have declined to distribute FSK 18 or Keine Jugendfreigabe films due to the legal difficulties in the past. Shopping Centres, Malls and Amazon Germany have started selling films with this certificate since 2002. Amazon Germany started selling films with this certification in November 2006. Many smaller online retailers provide an FSK 18 section which may be accessed only by sending a scanned copy of the buyer's identification card or providing the ID card's number (which includes the date of birth encrypted). The legality of this practice, however, is as yet untested. In September 2006, Amazon.de became the first major retailer to provide FSK 18 rated films, by making use of an ID checking service offered by the German postal service.
An official government agency issues ratings for any movie that will be shown in Hong Kong movie theatres, instead of a private institution. They are:
Kvikmyndaeftirlit Ríkisins was started in 1932 and ran until 1997. That year the name changed into Kvikmyndaskoðun and ran until 2006. Since 1997 the board does not edit movies. The old rating system from Kvikmyndaeftirlit Ríkisins and Kvikmyndaskoðun is still valid and is as follows:
From July 1, 2006 Kvikmyndaskoðun was closed and Smáís has taken over the responsibility of rating systems in Iceland. Simultaneously, a new rating system started and is as following:
Just like Kvikmyndaskoðun, Smáís doesn't ban movies or edit them.
In India, the Indian Film Censor Board classifies films into four categories:
Motion pictures shown in Indonesia must undergo reviewing by the Indonesian Film Censor Board (Lembaga Sensor Film). Other than issuing certificates, the LSF also reviews and issues permits for film-related advertising, such as movie trailers and posters. LSF has the authority to cut scenes from films. Certificates are issued based on the following categories:
The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) under which theatrical films are placed into one of the following categories:
Films without certification are not ipso facto banned and have been shown at film festivals and arthouse clubs such as the Irish Film Institute.
For video releases (VHS and DVD), categories G, PG and 18 share the same meanings as above, however, there is no 16, and categories 12 and 15 are mandatory, not advisory.
In addition, televisions in Italy have adopted a common "Self-Reglementation Code" that requires them to mark contents not suitable for all audiences: generally movies, prime-time broadcasts and TV shows are labeled with a green mark if them are suitable for all audiences; with a yellow mark if parent supervision is suggested for children view; and with a red mark if their content is not suitable for children. Generally broadcasts featuring the red mark have strong graphic contents, ranging from violence to nudity and mild-to-medium sexual contents (pornographic broadcasts are forbidden on open-channel TVs and allowed only on satellite, DTT or otherwise pay-per-view channels, and only after 23:00 hours). TV channels also respect a "Protected Time Schedule" (14:00 to 19:00) similar to the old Family Viewing Hour used in the United States, when children or otherwise underage audience is more likely to be watching, when non-suitable contents are not to be broadcast. Film that are rated VM14 can only be broadcast after prime time
Eirin has a film classification system under which films are classified into one of the following categories:
In Latvia, the film presenters added classification is the same as the one applied by the producers of the film. However, this could change from 2008, because in July 2007 the government of Latvia made a law that indicates a more strict classification policy. The classifications are approved by the National Cinema Center(Latvian: Nacionālais Kino Centrs). There is a new 'refreshed' rating system from July 2007. (The following classifications will operate as of September 2007)
Note: 'N' states for 'not recommended'.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, all films in Malaysia are scrutinised and then categorised by the Film Censorship Board Film Control Division before being distributed and screened to the public.3 The board was established under the Film Censorship Act 1952 and was later replaced by the Film Censorship Act 2002. In accordance to this act, the Film Censorship Board is appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs. A panel is then appointed by the chairman of the board to view each film.
The decisions made by the board on any film are categorised as follows:
Approved films are classified as follows:
Since 2008 a new category which mirrors the US PG-13 rating was introduced as a subset of the Umum rating. The rating advises parents to view the flim with their pre-teen children and is known as U - PG-13.
With the formation of National Bureau of Classification on December 29, 2005, a new classification regulation and a new rating system for movies were introduced. A classification certificate must be obtained first, before a movie or a movie-related production is released for commercial use including its trailers. NBC has the authority to cut scenes from movies. Classification certificates issued are based on the following categories:
Graphic sex scenes are not permitted.
In Malta, All motion pictures are classified by the Government appointed Board of Film and Stage Cassification. The renting and selling of videos and DVDs is unrestricted.
The General Directorate of Radio, Television and Cinematography (in Spanish, Dirección General de Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía, or RTC[3]) is the issuer of ratings for television programs (although only one channel in Mexico explicitly shows the classification on each program, XEIMT-TV in Mexico City) and motion pictures. The RTC is a dependency of the Department of State (Secretaría de Gobernación). It has its own classification system, as follows:
In the Netherlands, the Kijkwijzer system is used, which is executed by the NICAM.
Unrestricted:
Restricted:
Mostly, these icons are used along with other symbols, displaying if a movie contains violence, sexual content, frightening scenes, drug or alcohol abuse, discrimination, or coarse language.
The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 Act gives the Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand) the power to classify publications into three categories: unrestricted, restricted, and "objectionable" or banned. Unrestricted films are assigned a green or yellow rating label. Restricted films are assigned a red classification label. The common labels in each category are as follows:
Unrestricted films:
Restricted films:
Apart from the R rating, patron movies are not allowed to view restricted movies - even with parental consent.
All films, videos, DVDs, and computer games with restricted content, must carry a label before being offered for supply or exhibited to the public.
Some films like Irréversible are banned on video but not banned for cinema or film festivals.
The Office of Film and Literature Classification's homepage: http://www.censorship.govt.nz/
The National Film and Video Censors Board classifies films, videos, DVDs, and VCDs. The categories are:
In Norway all movies have to be registered by the Norwegian Media Authority (Medietilsynet, formerly Filmtilsynet), a government agency, to be exhibited commercially. Though if distributors wish, they can just register the movie with the agency without any need for approval, but the distributor is then obligated not to admit anyone under the age of 18. The distributor is also responsible that the movie does not violate Norwegian law (only applies to movies with "degrading hardcore sexual content").
Movies are rated using the following classifications:
Films rated 7, 11 or 15 may also be seen by children accompanied by a parent or adult guardian if the child has turned 4, 8 or 11 years, respectively. In addition to the ratings, the board indicates if a movie is suitable for children, families, youths or adults. A film may be given a rating even though it is intended for an older age group, e.g. an "A" film might be intended for adults if it does not contain material unsuitable for young children.
The board also indicates if a rating is "hard". A "hard" 11/15 rating is usually indicated by the text "not advised for children/youths under 11/15" ("frarådes barn/ungdom under 11/15 år"), however this does not affect if children under the given age are allowed to see the film if accompanied. In 2000 a Board of Appeal was established. Prior to this the ratings board could choose to reclassify a film.
Movie ratings database: http://www.filmtilsynet.no/Filmdatabase List of Norwegian ratings: http://film.medietilsynet.no/Film/Om_aldersgrenser
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (May 2008) |
In the Philippines, motion pictures are rated by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, a special agency of the Office of the President. Television programs are also subject to the same ratings classification system.
There are five ratings currently in use:
Ratings in Poland are not set by any board or advisory body, but it rather depends on distribution company, cinema or television station. In case of television, the supervisory body - Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji (KRRiT, The National Council of Radio Broadcasting and Television) can impose fines upon those responsible for improper rating of a broadcast, or lack of it.
Movies are rated in Portugal by the Comissão de Classificação de Espectáculos of the Ministry of Culture. This organization also rates theater, video games, other types of shows like circus, music concerts, opera and dance shows. It is also responsible for the rating of video releases.
Movies are rated using the following classifications:
These classifications can be added to the previous ones:
National Audiovisual Council of Romania rating system:
In Serbia, TV stations are obliged to mark all programs that could endanger children and youth. TV programs that could endanger minors in any way must be clearly marked, and the custodians warned. Each program displayed before midnight, has to be marked with a clearly visible age limit (eg. 12, 14, 16, 18) which warns the parents and other audience if it program is not suitable for all minors. It is displayed at the beginning (usually in a big red circle across the screen) and each 15 minutes (on a visible location, usually in a corner) of the show. On radio, this warning is presented by the speaker.
All broadcasters have the right to classify programs on their own, but the Serbian Republic Broadcasting Agency (RBA) reserves its right to punish or warn the stations if they don't mark the programs at all, don't mark it as described or systematically estimate age categories wrongly. The broadcasters have the right to ask the agency's opinion in certain show if they are not capable of recognizing its category. They are also advised to take care of the usual children schedule and to avoid problematic material in time when it could be easily expected that minors are watching or listening the program.
The Media Development Authority revised the film ratings in Singapore on March 29, 2004:
G and PG generally has no restrictions on age and most audiences are admitted. Regulation on the presence of adults for PG rated shows are advised but not strictly enforced.
NC16, M18 and R21 groups are restricted to only persons of the specified age or above of the particular group. No persons under the specified age would be admitted as identity cards have to be checked before the person is allowed to enter the cinema.
Note: If a movie is rated R21, it is banned from DVD or VCD sales.
South African ratings are issued, certified and regulated by the Film and Publication Board. All broadcasters, cinemas and distributors of DVD/video and computer games must comply with the following:
Additional symbols indicate the reasons for ratings:
Films rated 16 and 18 may be showed only in cinemas between 21:00 - 23:59, or 0:00.citation needed
If a member of the public or a Film and Publication Board Official finds that a Cinema or a Film Distributor is allowing under-aged children to view prohibited material, the accused may be liable for a hefty fine and/or closure of that specific establishment. Proof of age is required of anybody who wants to buy/rent R18 material.
The Film and Publication Board has the discretion and right to ban any film it deems unworthy of public exhibition.
Attitudes toward film censorship in Spain are unusual due to the adverse affect of dictatorship and heavy censorship until 1975 under General Francisco Franco. Therefore, most Spanish citizens are against censorship of any kind and prefer personal responsibility and liberalism, thus very few people show serious respect for certification of films. For example, cinemas in Spain never ask for identification.citation needed
Statens biografbyrå (SBB) (the Swedish National Board of Film Censors) reviews the content of all films or pre-recorded video recordings (videograms) prior to showing at a public gathering or entertainment (subject to some exceptions), in accordance with law SFS 1990:886. This means that films not intended for public viewing do not have to be screened; however, this is the practice: when a film is let through, is rated and not prohibited, it can not be considered to violate any laws regarding its content. It is a criminal offense to hire or sell videos containing unlawful depictions of violence, thus meaning that the distributor could be held responsible for the content of a film if unrated or prohibited. It is illegal also to rent or sell videos depicting realistic violence to children below the age of 14.
The censors, scientific professionals in the field of behavioural sciences, are contracted for a term of two years (so that they do not become habitated) and rate films so that they are not harmful in any psychological or behavioral sense for a certain age group - and not if the film is suitable for the age group. Sexual activity, nudity, and strong language are generally seen far more liberally than violence, in accordance with the rating policies. Combined, this can have the effect that some PG or PG-13 rated films in USA are being rated "15 years" in Sweden for violence, while some films getting an R in USA for containing profanity or depictions of sexuality are rated at 7 or 11 years, or even for all audiences.
The following categories are used by the SBB:
Switzerland is composed of 26 cantons, each having their own rating system. The entries below are examples for the cantons of Vaud and Geneva.
The Government Information OfficeinTaiwan divides licensed films into one of the following four categories pursuant to its issued Regulations Governing the Classification of Motion Pictures of the Republic of China (電影片分級處理辦法 in traditional Chinese):
Film advertisements use a single Chinese character surrounded by a square to show the film's category. Television stations must clearly show a film's rating before the start, and after each commercial break.
Related and official link: Classifications of movies (in traditional Chinese)
As of 2007, Thailand had no ratings system. Instead, films are subject to the 1930 Film Act, under which films must viewed by the Board of Censors, which can then impose cuts on the films prior to release. The board is composed of members of the Royal Thai Police and the Ministry of Culture, with advisory roles for the Buddhist religion, educators and the medical community. Most cuts are made for sexual content, while acts of violence are typically left untouched.
A motion picture rating system was proposed in the Film and Video Act of 2007, and was passed on December 20, 2007 by the Thai military-appointed National Legislative Assembly. Under the law, the ratings are:
The draft law had been met with resistance from the film industry and independent filmmakers under the Free Thai Cinema Movement. Activists had hoped for a less-restrictive approach than the 1930 Film Act, but under the Film and Video Act, films are still be subject to censorship, or can be banned from release altogether if the film is deemed to "undermine or disrupt social order and moral decency, or might impact national security or the pride of the nation".
As of 2007, a supplementary law or ministerial regulation to implement the rating system was yet to be drafted, and the 1930 Film Act remained in place.6789
The British colony of Turks and Caicos Islands has its own motion picture rating system.... Since its installation in 1934, its rules have not changed.
| Symbol | Name | Definition/Notes |
|---|---|---|
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Universal | Available to anyone who wishes to view the film |
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Universal with caution'' | Similar to the "PG" rating, may contain some scenes that will upset children. |
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Seven or over | The person must be over seven to view the film |
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Eleven or over | ''The person must be over eleven to view the film |
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Thirteen or over | ''The person must be over thirteen to view the film |
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Sixteen or over | ''The person must be over sixteen to view the film |
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Sixteen with privilege | ''The person must be over sixteen to view the film, and must be accompanied by a person over the age of 18 |
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Eighteen | The person must be over eighteen to view the film |
The Ministry of Information and Culture of the United Arab Emirates rates all movies according to a set standard.
Unused Movie Ratings
Ministry of Information and Culture Didn't Use These Rates Because Of The Modern Ratings(G, PG-15, 15+, 18+) They Can Only Use Sometimes Only
Note: These ratings only apply to theaters, for the rating of DVD movies and video games, the Ministry of Information and Culture adopted a system incorporating elements from the rating systems of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rates both motion pictures and videos (and an increasing number of video games). Local authorities are responsible for accepting and enforcing the BBFC's recommended ratings for cinema showings, whereas those for videos are legally binding.
The current BBFC system is:
Films may receive a different rating when released on DVD/video to that at the cinema. It is not unusual for certain films to be refused classification, effectively banning them from sale or exhibition in the UK. Any media which has been banned receives an 'R' certificate (Rejected).
Videos deemed by their distributors to be exempt under the Video Recordings Act 1984 (typically non-fiction content such as sporting highlights, fitness videos, nature films, etc.) may bear the mark E (for exempt), though this is not a rating and the BBFC does not maintain a symbol. The BBFC also provides ratings for video games which may be unsuitable for sale to young people or children (such as Grand Theft Auto). However, the majority of games are merely rated by the voluntary PEGI rating system, that replaced the ELSPA rating system. It is very rare for a video game to be banned in the United Kingdom, as many controversial games have been released under more recent and more lenient directorship at the organisation.
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This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (November 2007) |
Prior to 1968, some large cities and states had public rating boards which determined whether films were suitable for display to the public in theatres. The United States Supreme Court in the case of Freedman v. Maryland 380 U.S. 51 (1965) effectively ended government operated rating boards when it decided that a rating board could only approve a film; it had no power to ban a film. A rating board must either approve a film within a reasonable time, or it would have to go to court to stop a film from being shown in theatres. Other court cases decided that since television stations are federally licensed, local rating boards have no jurisdiction over films shown on television. When the movie industry set up its own rating system, most state and local boards ceased operating.
In the United States, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), through the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA) issues ratings for movies. The system was instituted in November 1968 and is voluntary; however, most movie theater chains will not show unrated domestic films and most major studios have agreed to submit all titles for rating prior to theatrical release. Most films will have the MPAA insignia at the end of the closing credits. Earlier films that had full opening credits such as The Poseidon Adventure would bear the insignia in the opening.
The ratings as they exist in 2008 are: