The MPAA and the Hangover 2 Mishap

The Motion Picture Association of America has come under some scrutiny recently with the pulling of the trailer for "The Hangover 2" from theaters.   The MPAA originally allowed the trailer, but after its short time playing in front of "The Source Code" which is rated PG-13 there were supposedly many complaints from parents about its profanity and suggestive images.  Warner Bros has said that another version of the trailer will be included during screenings of "Scream 4" which is rated R, when its released next week.


As surprising as it is that the people who would take their kids to see a thrilling movie such as "The Source Code" would be shocked by the images in the trailer, the MPAA was right to pull it.  To see the trailer and get more specifics on it being pulled click here.  The reason the MPAA was right to pull it, is because "The Hangover 2" is a rated R movie and it shouldn't have been playing in front of a PG-13 film in the first place.


The MPAA is crucial to the film industry because before a film or trailer is shown it has to be screened by members of the MPAA, who then use various categories to determine what type of rating that a film has to attach to it.  These ratings are in place mostly for parents to use as a guideline before taking their kids to inappropriate movies.  The three main categories that help classify the film are the rating (ie PG), rating descriptors which aims to describe what exactly the film has in it to get the rating (ie intense sequences of adventure), and rating definition which provides a more detailed explanation to parents of what the specific rating means.  Since each rating is considered progressively more frightening or intense for children, then rated R films have no business showing their trailers in lessor categories like in the "Hangover 2" case.  If you look at what makes a film PG-13, then you can clearly see that even from the trailer there was enough suggestive material to remove it from theaters.  The fact that the MPAA originally allowed it in the first place is surprising.


The MPAA does a lot more than just hand out ratings though, they are also essential to the film industry because it not only protects the audience from going to a film without knowing it's classification it also protects those who make the films.  The MPAA website explains that "The MPAA is a founding member of the Copyright Alliance, a broad coalition dedicated to the value of copyright as an agent for creativity, jobs and growth. Please explore these additional resources regarding copyright.  They have been crucial from the beginning to help stop people from stealing their work via camcorder recordings, streaming, and other p2p resources.  With the advancement of technology it is clear that copyright laws and the MPAA are more crucial than ever.


Picture retrieved from http://www.comewatchme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/HAngover-2-Trailer-Tease-230x170.png