So the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) — the UK equivalent of the US ratings org MPAA — has reclassified the 1964 film Mary Poppins from a U rating, meaning “Universal – suitable for all,” to a PG, due to “discriminatory language.” According to BBC News, this is down to multiple uses of the term “hottentot,” now considered an offensive reference to an indigenous African people.
Feel free to discuss whether this reclassification is appropriate, or if it will have any actual impact (does anyone today even use the word “hottentot”?). But I think the more interesting question is:
What movies beyond Mary Poppins deserve a rethink of their official ratings?
Ratings clearly have always reflected the current thinking about what is appropriate or inappropriate, so what older movies might warrant a rethink, either to acknowledge their suitability to audiences of all ages or to restrict them to more discerning adults?
(You can also discuss this at Substack or Patreon, if you prefer. You don’t need to be a paying subscriber to comment, but you will need to register with either site to do so.)
In 1968, when the MPAA rating system was in its infancy, both 2001: A Space Odyssey and the original Planet of the Apes got G ratings, which is unbelievable. They would undoubtedly get no lighter than a PG-13 today. Both movies feature fairly dark material and violence, such as HAL trying to kill the astronauts in the former film, and the latter features a fair amount of nudity, including a shot of Charlton Heston’s naked butt. Not to mention that 2001 is a very slow-moving and cerebral movie and would probably bore most small children to tears.
I agree with you about modern ratings for these films. But not about this:
Yes, small kids might be bored, but that’s not a factor in ratings. What might earn the film a PG or PG13 today would be the ape murder in the opening sequence and the intensity of HAL trying to kill the astronauts.
I loved Sixteen Candles when it came out, but even as a callow youth I recognized that there were… not good bits about it.
Honestly, most movies targeted at teens that came out in the 80s should be considered guilty until proven innocent.