Frank Oz: "New Muppets Too Cute"

[Hubert]

So basically, ratings are given to movies based on underhanded dealings by a bunch of people who make the Mafia look honest. It is virtually impossible to get a G rating now, and not that any studio would want it. PG is the new G.

Y'know, it just makes ya wonder, right now, many kids these days feel that G movies are baby movies and that PG and up is good entertainment for them. So if PG ratings are basically replacing G, what's that gonna do to that? Are kids gonna suddenly think that PG movies are for babies and only watch PG-13 and up? Cause that will give the movie industry one heck of a problem...

 

[Drtooth]

Y'know, it just makes ya wonder, right now, many kids these days feel that G movies are baby movies and that PG and up is good entertainment for them. So if PG ratings are basically replacing G, what's that gonna do to that? Are kids gonna suddenly think that PG movies are for babies and only watch PG-13 and up? Cause that will give the movie industry one heck of a problem...

Yeah, but by then, PG-13 movies will be made for 7 year olds.

There's a sneaky reason why indie films are judged in a different light. Remember the movie "Bully" that they gave an R rating to (or was it NC 17) because of cuss filled insults that every schoolchild is the victim of? A film that every kid should see? A film that would, if it was the pet project of some celebrity, would get a PG-13 rating for the same language? The ratings system is broken. I've seen G rated PG rated films one time too many. That's what the heavily required fart joke in a kid's film was. Took me forever to get it. To put "Crude Humor" on the rating so a cussless, violence free, kiddy film can get a souped up, completely fake PG rated G movie. Even Pixar doesn't do G rated anymore.

Look at Hunchback of Notre Dame... G. It uses a lot of biblical terms that, even when used as biblical terms, are considered cuss words. Not to mention Frolo's fiery villain song wouldn't be appropriate for a G movie, since it's all about him not wanting to be seduced sexually and trying to blame her for it, as he's the infallible Holy guy.

Yet, I will say Rango IS what a PG movie should be. Even that Pirate claymation thing. Cussing, violence, actual crude humor... stuff that the littlest of the family wouldn't appreciate.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Remember the movie "Bully" that they gave an R rating to (or was it NC 17) because of cuss filled insults that every schoolchild is the victim of? A film that every kid should see?

Yeah that's ridiculous; they clearly should have made an exception and if absolutely necessary just put a disclaimer at the beginning. Ratings are useless if they're just mindlessly implemented.

 

[Drtooth]

Our good friends at the MPAA, right?

They absolutely hate independent film. It takes people away from bad Adam Sandler comedies and in name only live action versions of cartoons. But that's not even the strangest case.

A certain Matt and Trey movie I can't mention got an NC-17 rating while South Park (which had arguably more offensive material) got an R, JUST because of studio association. And even in the case of the South Park film, the MPAA wouldn't let them use the original title [heck] Breaks Loose, because they couldn't attach trailers of movies with less than an R rating to it.

They ruin our movies with an iron fist. Someone once told me they're the jerks behind region coding.

 

[DarthGonzo]

The MPAA planned to give South Park an NC-17 rating and Parker and Stone had to fight pretty hard to get that rating down to an R.

 

[Drtooth]

The MPAA planned to give South Park an NC-17 rating and Parker and Stone had to fight pretty hard to get that rating down to an R.

I wonder if the case of the other film which can't be mentioned was a fight they couldn't win.

Still, they HATE indie films. In a "Hey! Get off our turf' sort of way.

 

[CensoredAlso]

They ruin our movies with an iron fist. Someone once told me they're the jerks behind region coding.

Ugh that makes me even more resentful, lol.

 

[Drtooth]

Ugh that makes me even more resentful, lol.

Hey! They tried to stomp out home video at one point too... but I could go on and on about that.

Suffice to say, I don't see why The Muppets was PG. Heck, darkest Muppet Movie that was theatrically released was MTI, and that's cuz they shot a guy in the opening number.

 

[dwmckim]

: Personally, *moi* thinks a good Muppet movie should be rated PiG!!!

 

[newsmanfan]

-------------
At the Rifftrax Live show last week, in the slide show of quips and jokes before the actual live feed/movie riffing, one of the slides made reference to Frank's quote...and then obliquely slammed him for having performed in the Star Wars prequels.

Now, I love Frank...but yeah. I laughed.
-------------------