Vintage Quote of the Day — Roger Ebert on the MPAA’s Hypocrisy

“The MPAA’s R rating is definitive proof that the organization either will never give the NC-17 rating for violence alone, or was intimidated by the subject matter. If it had been anyone other than Jesus up on that cross, I have a feeling that NC-17 would have been automatic.” The late, great Roger Ebert, addressing an issue while reviewing Passion of the Christ that’s now gaining even more momentum. The man was always ahead of his time.

Today’s Question: Will a Movie Ever Get a NC-17 Rating Because of Violence?

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams’ new film, The Blue Valentine, was slapped with the much dreaded NC-17 rating by the MPAA, because of its graphic sex scenes.  If the movie manages to get an Oscar nomination (which is likely), it will be in the company of only two movies — Henry and June and Midnight CowboyMidnight Cowboy was actually rated X, which has now been turned into an NC-17 rating, because the porn industry has a stronghold on the letter “X.”  Here’s what I will never understand about this rating.  The puritanical folks over at the MPAA can give an NC-17 rating based on sex, but never on violence?  Remember Passion of the Christ?  Which movie do you guess is more disturbing for a young child — Passion of the Christ or Showgirls?  I’m guessing a young teen might loose sleep over Showgirls, but not for the same reasons that he might loose sleep after watching Jesus get tortured for hours on end.