Rating System

It was 22 years ago that the motion picture industry adopted a rating system to set standards for films shown in mainstream theaters. The ratings -- "G," "PG," "R" and "X" -- were intended to guide viewers in their selection of films and represented a kind of voluntary self-censorship on the part of an industry alarmed by calls for government restrictions on the portrayal of sex and violence in the movies.The system generally has worked well -- except in regard to the "X" rating, originally intended to designate material suitable for adults only.

NEW YORK -- Religious leaders yesterday condemned a new movie rating system as pandering to "sexually exploitative material."The church officials urged the Motion Picture Association of America to reconsider its action replacing the "X" rating with the new "No Children" or "NC-17" rating."

The Motion Picture Association of America announced Wednesday the creation of a new rating category -- "NC-17" (No Children Under 17 Admitted) -- to replace the "X" rating. The MPAA also said it would begin providing a brief explanation of why films get "R" ratings. Yesterday, Jack Valenti, MPAA president, talked with Sun reporter Eric Siegel about the changes.Question: What does "NC-17" stand for?Answer: It stands for an adult only picture. It has the same criteria that populated the "X" rating.

HOLLYWOOD -- Responding to complaints of undue censorship from filmmakers and film critics, the Motion Picture Association of America abolished its X movie rating yesterday and replaced it with a new adults-only classification.The MPAA, in a joint announcement with the powerful National Association of Theater Owners, said that the X rating would be replaced immediately with a designation of NC-17, which indicates that no children under 17 can be admitted.The groups also said that they would add explanations to R ratings, telling parents whether films contain violence, explicit language or sex. Only adults or children accompanied by adults can see R-rated movies.