In a brief essay, discuss why we have the movie rating system we have today, and where it came from. What are the major complaints about the system? How does Hollywood defend itself against these complaints?

What will be an ideal response?

Today’s movie rating system came out of the decline of the production code in the 1960s. As movies started having edgier content, the movie industry, under the leadership of Jack Valenti, saw the need for a set of rules that would allow adult content while keeping local censors at bay. They developed an age-based system that has been revised several times to guarantee that most movies are allowed to be shown in most communities. The biggest criticisms of the system are that it is sometimes hard for parents to tell why a movie has a given rating and that the rating system is designed to bring in the largest possible audiences. As of now, there is not a viable rating for adult-only movies, with most theaters declining to show NC-17 movies. The MPAA defends the rating system by pointing out that most parents find it helpful.