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,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 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.