Dear Editor,
I am writing about an experience I had several years ago and have recently wondered about.
During my first visit to Utah several years ago I could not understand why my friends would not go see an action/adventure movie with me. I was told something to the effect that a prophet had admonished the youth against watching movies rated R. I had never heard of R-ratings.
This baffled me because back in England (and probably most countries) we do not have the same ratings system.
I recently found that the U.S. ratings for movies consider such things as levels of violence, amount of profanity, amount of exposed body parts, use of drugs, and so on. There are also commercial and political considerations.
The subjective question that those who rate the movies face is usually whether three uses of profanity in a movie is better than 12 times. Or is this kind of profanity or drug use more tolerable than others? Is this amount of exposed body parts more tasteful than other parts? Is the mild use of profanity or sexual innuendoes in a PG-13 movie more tolerable than if it was in a R-rated movie?
When it comes to most action adventure movies, the choices we face is not usually between what is right and wrong, tasteful and tasteless, or sensitive and insensitive. Considering our LDS standards the choice is between what is less wrong, tasteless or insensitive. With the growth of church membership worldwide and realizing there is a larger movie making world outside the U.S., it is time we hear about applying certain principles to govern our movie choices where ever we are.
In the meantime I suggest reading or watching movie previews. Finding out who directs or produces or appears. Find out the story line or theme. Search Internet sites like screenit.com, film.com or mrshowbiz.go.com.
Use wise judgement.
With its graphic description of wars and violence, murder, nudity, swearing, powerful story lines and inspiring characters, I envision the day when Hollywood makes our historical account of ancient America into a Braveheart-type movie. I will go the green mile to see it.
Ben Te'Jere
London, England