The Curse
of NC -17
Filmmakers avoid it. I heaters fear it,
moviegoers rarely see it
Madonna'* latest film,
Itoth n/ /' i 'uinu r, Is 1.11A —
no sin prise (here Hut
when i<ini'll i uts ol the
movie Ih-k.ii! i ii< ul.itiiin
and the Motion I'litine
\ssih i.ition ol Alltelii a slapped it with an
N( I 7 lalinj*. I lollvwood 1mi>,ui to hu//
I he N< 17 i.iting. the out e -heralded,
now metlei Use laliel lot adult (Ulema, had
ip own rusts liom disuse films st^mati/ed
with the label were taboo, shunned hs
those in "the business’ as a commercial
kiss ol death I’ei haps, insiders ho|X"d. with
Madonna s name, this lilm would sursise
the* label, make* hig buck* and establish
\( 17 ax a viable outlet lor nutuir
moviemaking
Hut when Madonna and bn m \ found
ihr < tilting room floor. ti was hai k to reab
tv in 1 i live 11 own \nd a sate K i a ting,
instead of the dreaded N( I 7
In the taw* of Hails oftxsAnue, the MPA \
objet ted to "the extreme nature of the sex
uality." says Stephen Deutw It, exei tune
pioduiei of the movie “All the scenes
remain intact," he saw " \ levs frames had
to Ik* removed here and there that were
too explu it “
Hut just what is too explu it \nd diK*s
Mat! Carson, The Ttijfc Daily, I ufts U.
\( 17 irails vilse (In problems |x>srd In
(In \ laling- l>i ulv li sass no "Must <il (In
.milirm i s iluu i know what N( 17 means,
111* VISA
1 lu nti-.i lielund a V 17 rating seemed
rrlalivrls simple II films were given this
rating. dies might avoid die fatal mark of
Isring an \ laled lilni. with no i hatur of
making it to (he Iih al theaters
Ifni an St 17 maik has tieiome |iist as
deadls for fdmmakris And movies like
Ikinuigr. a Ness I me < menia < realion. are
left to walk the murks line iK iween K and
X
Ihimagr stars |etemv Irons as a Bluish
memliei ol I’ailiamelll who heroines
ohsessed with Ins son’s girlfriend, played
In Juliette lltiior he When New I me sub
untied the film to the MI’AA. it ssas hand
ed an X(7-17 rating
I he rating did not sit well with the stu
dm. sshn It satil (he film lioni I leiu h direr
lot l.ouis Malle, ssas getting a hum rap
Ihimugr has ninth less lea), phssual nudr
ts than Ham Imlincl.' sass Ness l ine s
Piesident ot Maikedng and Distribution
Mils hell t .olilllun
While ads am e publicity lot tin* film ssas
eiotu most of (lie lovemaking si cues
between it oris and Binoehe aren t as
stun king as mans of those between other
on s< leeil couples l Inmalels. the studio
dei tiled to i ut a less of the mote gl.tphn
v cues and the film rei etseil an K rating
Nt 17 Ixe.in ssell enotigh. when the tat
mg wan i iratrd in 1'1‘MI and Iiim null In
l.ihrl ihi* 111 in llrtif) a mi Ju fir. to unlit air
lli.it mi i liililii ll lllldri 17 welt' .tillidl'd In
m i ihr film 1 In- MI’AA, undri prevmir
limn I imi iul Studnii, (ninth IrlrdMil
//mu andJune) and do/rn« id olhri
mi]>i >t i.ml film indmln nanm, i trail'd ihr
rating in lake lhr plan' nl dir \ tanking
whit h nit'ails ilu- same tiling but i ai i ir>
■ mi n n naiiiins nt | mi nogt all In
I hr MI* \ \\niliinian idling nMnii ((•.
K \l u.n drawn up in IdiiK l mil
iht n. all lilms had 10 ddhrrr In "1 hr
1*11 id in lion ( iiilr." w hit h ilu laird w hat
kind nl inmrni wa> nntahlr in movie'
Ml* \ \ I’lrMilriil |at k Valrnti al ihr limr
dei nlrd ihr twrm wa> nothing It* Vi ihan
ihinh M'llcil irlivnvhip So ihr MI’AA. in
tiinjuntlion wuh mam liguir> in ihr film
inihiMn, irhgnnis oigani/aliom and Irad
ri> nl ihr National \\sm i.iiion of Hirdtri
( Iwtii iv i u aird ihr voluntary rating m
inn
Bill ihr \ idling nrvri wan iiipvrightrd
like (hr (., IX. and R (.tillin' Maker*o! low
u ni skin I1i< ks were free to t apitah/e on
ihr \ 't onnoi.itions of adult-oi iemeil
ni.ileii.il anil In-nan pastinn as mam Vs as
lln-s pleased on tlieii lilins Soon die X rat
inn Ih'i ante assm ialed with pornonraphs.
and 111am tlieatcis, newspapers and IX 'ta
nuns lelused todisplas X-rated films in ads
fm them
I hat s where the industrs remained
iiniil X< 17 was i lealed Hut the solution
has proven almost as diHu ult as die piotv
lem
Mans tilmmakeis are slartinn to sus[m i l
there is a douhle standard in the MI’AA
rations ol then films limn Instinct is a lie
■ pietiih i lied example It is a mainstream
(hi illei. leaiiumg numerous si enes depu i
inn violent vs Bui in Total Recall. anothei
blood lesi with an enormous InkIv lount. a
man’s aims aie severed on si reen. Basil
Instinct not die si issois total Recall not tin
Ml1 V Vs hlessmn'
\nd even if a film i ompam is willmn to
nsk an N< 17 r.iLmn mam movie theaters
have lesiiu lions written into then leases
an-iinsi showinn M 17 lilins Man \nn
< *t asso, exeeuuse direi tot ol die National
\ss< w i.ilion of I heatei Owners, savs often
miu‘s si lerniruis ot Nt 17 mosies musl lie
held lor theater landlords, who "in many
cases will relent and show ihr film.” li
depends on dw |>u Uur, she- savs
Selling up w teenings h>i landlords is a
i umbelsome and Irdious process and is
ui il alwass frasible, I iuldman savs
Resii ii tioiis against N< I 7 films at < a
I oi in ol < i mi nil'll la I i rnsm ship, wilhoui
am mu' pel jretialni, he s.ns I hough die
films aie mil iensured, dies aie inhibited
liom reai lung hroad amliein rs.
"II it is a pu uur ol ipialits and is appro
pi late Ini then t oniniunits," landloids
iimi.iIIs aie willing to show N( 17 films \s
thealets negotiate new leases, testrietions
against \( 17 films likelv will lie lifted,
(.l asso savs
Because \C.-I7 is voung. the film tom
imuiits hasn't det ided whethei the rating
will survive as an alternative to the X late
gotv But as long as theateis ate wary ol
showing Nt',-17 rated films, major films
giossi-s will Ik- thi rate lied and i lining films
down to K ratings will remain the most
viable option
Had'\ of Evtdrtur'i IVulst h saw, "II we had
gone out with an N'(7-I7, the entile lot us of
everyone’s attention would lie on the tat
mg rather than on the ronient.* Q
An affair with your son’s lover
could cause serious Damage
Damage is a complex, eloquent and melancholy (Mm that
team you with a Mtor aftertaste. It Ms a psychological honor
story so unseMng I dterady drains the amotions, devastates
the mind and depresses 8m soul
Produced and directed by Louis Made. Damage makes no
anempt to heighten 8m drama by using stylized camera angles
or sharp editing cuts. As a rest*. Made dedvers a harrowing
film about sen-destruction and obsession that reaches the
depths ol tragedy.
The focus at Damage is the licit afWr of SMphen Renting
(Jeremy irons), a British podheian, with his son's girttnend,
Anna Barton (Judetts Binoche). Renting Mis his weaknesses
break through the cracks of his charming facade an# tail
uncontrollable hist get the better of him. In tact, 8m lusty
In tub ttcfc akrat «mad ft an NC*17 nuns.