The Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) film-rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a film's suitability for certain audiences, based on its content. The MPAA rating system is a voluntary scheme that is not enforced by law; films can be exhibited without a rating, though many theaters refuse to exhibit non-rated or NC-17 rated films. Non-members of MPAA may also submit films for rating. Other media (such as television programs and video games) may be rated by other entities. The MPAA rating system is one of various motion picture rating systems that are used to help parents decide what films are appropriate for their children.

The MPAA's rating system is administered by the Classification & Ratings Administration (CARA), an independent agency.

Ratings

MPAA film ratings

Since the late 1990s, the MPAA film ratings have been as follows:

Other labels

If a film has not been submitted for a rating or is an uncut version of a film that was submitted, the labels Not Rated (NR) or Unrated (UR) are often used. Uncut/extended versions of films that are labeled "Unrated" also contain warnings saying that the uncut version of the film contains content that differs from the theatrical release and may not be suitable for minors.

R. Rated is an American comedy variety TV show consisting of five, half-hour episodes which aired in August 1999, Fridays at midnight on WFLD Fox 32, and featured film and video shorts from sketch comedy troupes, theater companies, musicians, stand-up comics and other independent film and video makers.

History

R. Rated was created, executive produced and hosted by stand-up comic Richard O'Donnell, billed simply as "R." (hence the title of the show). O'Donnell co-directed it with Edward Seaton. Short form video works from the ID, Ectomorph (Darren Bodeker, Bart Heird and Jim Kopsian), and the Annoyance Theater Productions featured Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live), Mick Napier (The Second City), and Stephnie Weir (MADtv). Former Second City and Saturday Night Live alumni Tim Kazurinsky offered a Willy Laszlo directed short about the most unusual home invader while O'Donnell appeared in an array of impromptu "man on the street interviews" and monologues amidst spectacular bumpers and teasers created by Steve Wood and Peter Neville. Wood used graphics while Neville used live subjects such as New Age Vaudeville member Bobby McGuire. Musical acts included The Swinging Love Hammers, Kleen Ex-Girl Wonder, and The Gathering Field.

The R18 certificate represents a film or video classification given by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). It is intended to provide a classification for works that are within British obscenity laws, but exceed what the BBFC considers acceptable for its 18 certificate. In practice, this means hardcore pornography.

Under the terms of the 1984 Video Recordings Act all non-exempt videos sold or distributed within the UK must be given a certificate by the BBFC. The distibutor must decide whether a video is exempt. Uncertificated recordings are not illegal, regardless of content (except where the content is actually illegal itself), but supply (i.e. sale, rental, loan or gift) of them is. The R18 certificate is the most restrictive of the certificates.

Background

The R18 classification was created in 1982 in response to the recommendations in 1979 of the Home Office Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship chaired by Sir Bernard Williams. Originally it was only used for films featuring simulated sex only, but the BBFC found itself forced to award R18 certificates to hardcore films in 2000 after a series of legal appeals and a judicial review of those appeals.