Christian Group Demands Hollywood Ratings Board Give Quentin Tarantino's New Western an NC-17 Rating
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 21, 2012 /
Christian Newswire/ -- The Christian Film & Television Commission®, an advocacy group in Hollywood, is petitioning the Motion Picture Association of America to change the rating of the ultra-violent new western from Quentin Tarantino, DJANGO UNCHAINED, from R to NC-17.
"This movie ends with two of the most violent scenes we've ever seen in more than 27 years of reviewing movies," said founder and spokesman Dr. Ted Baehr. "As countless research studies and recent events in Connecticut have shown, some young boys and men like to imitate the violence they see in movies, TV, and video games."
The movie shows blood erupting like lava from bodies when people are shot. Also in the movie, a slave is eaten by dogs and a man hanging upside down is threatened with castration.
"Rating DJANGO NC-17 would be the right thing to do," Dr. Baehr concluded.
Even the star of the movie, actor Jamie Foxx, realizes the connection between movie violence and violence in the real world.
"We cannot turn our back and say that violence in films or anything that we do doesn't have a sort of influence," Foxx said. "It does."
An NC-17 ensures that no under 17 can see the movie, but an R rating means that a child can see the movie if accompanied by parent or another adult.
"There are many confused parents out there," Dr. Baehr noted. "Public safety demands that ignorant or irresponsible filmmakers not be allowed to corrupt children with graphic violence or explicit sexual images and content."
He noted that state, local, and federal governments spend billions of dollars each year to help take care of the criminal violence and unwed pregnancies created by children and teenagers emulating the graphic sex and violence they see in the mass media.
To sign the Commission's petition to the MPAA, citizens can follow this link:
www.cftvc.org/django-unchained.
Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) ministry and director of its family guide to movies and entertainment, Movieguide® (
www.movieguide.org). CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international non-profit ministry, advocacy group, and watchdog dedicated to "redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media."
Dr. Baehr is an expert on the influence of the mass media on society, especially teenagers and young children. He is the author of "How To Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul)," "Media-Wise Family," and co-author of "The Culture-Wise Family," and "Frodo vs. Harry: Understanding Visual Media and Its Impact on Our Lives."
