If you look at a UK DVD, the age rating (which is also a straightforward NUMBER, people under that age are not supposed to watch that film, not some coded combination of letters and some vague numbers) is very clearly displayed on the front, back and side, with a description of any potentially offensive content on the back. This seems pretty sensible to me, you can immediately identify a more adult film from the prominent red “18” on the front. It seems that American ratings are a lot more hidden on DVD cases, and as an arguably more puritanical, “protect the poor children” kinda place, that seems odd to me.
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Who is looking at DVD cases?
Its not that hard to tell if a movie is appropriate for children and the rating system is not complicated.
Question: What do you view as the point of ratings? Streaming has kinda negated its entire purpose. It’s an outdated system.
No one buys DVDs anymore. And the ratings that are said in commercials always say ‘not suitable for children under xx age.’ Why update something that doesn’t need jt
You should watch [This Film In Not Yet Rated](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493459/). The MPAA (the “organization” that creates the ratings) is very small, not of any official capacity, and has seemingly totally random rules that they don’t even follow with any manner of consistency. A rated “R” movie is basically 17+, anything not “R” is totally ambiguous.
We had a pretty big squabble over censorship in media back in the late 80s with [PMRC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parents_Music_Resource_Center) controversy. Ultimately, we like free speech in media and don’t want lots of labeling. We want parents to make decisions on what is and what is not appropriate. When we started slapping advisory stickers on albums, it was the best sales tool those albums could have ever gotten.
Kids find ways to get things they’re not supposed to have.
They’ve never seemed hidden to me because I’ve always known where to look.
The film rating are not government mandated, it’s entirely an industry driven thing (largely to avoid being regulated in the first place).
There is no law preventing a 5 year old from buying an R-rated movie.
Why do you ask a question in such a smug stuck up way?
You still buy physical DVDs?
lol
But no seriously, even a decade ago when buying DVDs was more common that’s just how it’s always been. There’s no law saying it has to be prominently displayed on the cover so marketing isn’t going to put that on the cover if they don’t have to.
Generally it’s assumed that parents will vet a movie before showing it to their kids. A parent who isn’t willing to do that probably won’t be deterred by a big red number on the DVD box.
> and as an arguably more puritanical, “protect the poor children” kinda place, that seems odd to me.
Yes, that’s exactly why it exists.
[The Hayes Code](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Production_Code) was developed by Hollywood, for Hollywood, for self-regulation, because they were worried that if they didn’t self-regulate, then the government would step in and be even more harsh
Maybe they just seem hidden and confusing to you because you don’t live here? I’ve never had trouble understanding the reading system.
not to show off or anything, but I’ve never had an issue finding the ratings on a DVD case.
I really don’t understand this comparison. It’s fairly straight forward, there’s a rating and reasons for said rating.
In general film ratings are on the back of the case, not the front. This isn’t true for all media. Video game ratings tend to be on the front of the case, for example.
In theatrical previews, the ratings are very prominently displayed before a trailer is shown.
At movie theater box offices, the ratings are also generally displayed along with the movie title.
Home releases also often have unrated content such as deleted scenes, small documentaries, or interviews with the actor, director, etc… which often are unrated.
Most Americans have a general understanding of what G, PG, PG-13, R, and so on are.
> It seems that American ratings are a lot more hidden on DVD cases, and as an arguably more puritanical, “protect the poor children” kinda place, that seems odd to me.
Man those stupid americans amirite?
What do you honestly expect from us when you act like this? Serious question.
Physics DVDs are becoming rare. They are labeled in the exact way you are talking about.
Maybe not as prominently as in the UK but they are labeled.
Nowadays streaming is the most common form of consuming media and movies are labeled with the exact potentially age inappropriate details.
Fire up a movie on Netflix and it will be labeled “violence, sexual content” that kind of thing.
Nobody here is involved with that and I don’t think anyone here has an actual answer for that.
The ratings give you a broad idea of what sort of content is present in the media. Giving an exact age that’s “allowed” directly on the product for something so subjective feels extra “nanny state” like to me.
I like that ours are more of a loose suggestion. I mean, we do have PG-13 which I always felt seemed out of place, but otherwise it is less about an age that can view the media and more about what sort of things the media contains.
Your issue is with the marketing imagery on the DVD Ted, not “americans.” Go write a letter to the distribution company. I’m sure they’re eager to hear your feedback.
Man, people from the UK love telling is how puritan we are as a society, then I see this shit
Are you going to complain about our ESRB game ratings next? We have our system and it works.
But nobody is going to the store and randomly buying [Leprechaun](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTVhY2JhNzgtYzQxZS00YmEzLTk3ODQtZjlkYzVkN2E5MGU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_.jpg) because they think it looks like a great movie for the kids on St. Patrick’s day.
Cover art exists for a reason, as well as details on the back. Nobody is shopping in a void.