What is Movie Censorship?
Movie Censorship is the legal process that regulates the permissibility of a movie, film, video, or cinema to undergo broadcast and distribution; while certain movies are permitted to undergo public disbursement and release, other types of movies will be limited to their presentation within private sectors – in certain cases, and movies will be prohibited and banned in their entirety. Movie Censorship regulation will take length, content, and subject matter into consideration with regard to enacting any or all alteration of banning. Furthermore, the respective classification of a movie – comprising the innate nature of the movies’ content and subject matter – will typically determine whether or not those videos will be subject to censorship:
Movie Banning vs. Movie Censorship
Films subject to both movie censorship and movie banning are classified in accordance with the presumption that their respective content is perceived to be objectionable, incendiary, illicit, or immoral by the presiding authority. Both banned and censored items are classified in accordance to the circumstantial ideology and methodology subject to variance on a locational basis:
Movie Banning is considered to be a prohibition that is definitive and unwavering in the entirety of the ban, which includes disbursement, viewing, sale, purchase, production, advertising, marketing, distribution, and screening
Movie censorship involves the alteration, adjustment, or editing of film or cinema in the event that the subject matter or content is deemed to be objectionable in nature with regard to the code of decency within the public sector of a specific location
Movie Censorship and Film Ratings
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is a non-profit, independent association that is responsible for the oversight of the ratings system attributed to films and movies; these ratings are determined with regard to the content and subject matter of the movies themselves in addition to the presupposition of the intended audience. In lieu of movie censorship, the MPAA rating system allows for the movies to remain intact as a result of regulations placed on the permissible viewing audience – the following are the classifications within the MPAA rating system:
A rating of ‘G’, which is an acronym for ‘General Audiences’ is given to motion pictures that are presumed to be appropriate for all viewing audiences
A rating of ‘PG’, which is an acronym for ‘Parental Guidance Suggested’ is given to motion pictures that are presumed to contain material, content, and subject matter ranging in suitability with regard to child – or minor – viewers
A rating of ‘PG-13’, which is an acronym for ‘Parents Strongly Cautioned’ is given to motion pictures that are presumed to be inappropriate for children under the age(s) of 13
A rating of ‘R’, which is an acronym for ‘Restricted’ is given to motion pictures that are presumed to be appropriate for children under the age(s) of 17; in the event that a child under the age of 17 wishes to view the movie, parental accompaniment will be required
A rating of ‘NC-17’, which is an acronym for ‘No One Under 17 Admitted’ is given to motion pictures that are presumed to contain objectionable subject matter intended for adult audiences