Crystal Skull was scarier than Raiders?

[Rocket Surgeon]

Crystal Skull was Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images, but how did merit a PG-13?

The Russians were flame broiled by the rocket sled and the ants were creepy, but Raiders had the Ratty Nepalese slow roasted and forehead ventilated...Raiders seemed FAR more graphic and adult themed.

Sure if there was a PG-13 it would have got it, but I'm just puzzled about Crystal Skull's merits.

Seems to me the cursing was the same, the dead bodies/skeletons were close enough number wise...

What put it up over the PG mark?

 

[clintonmills]

Crystal Skull was Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images, but how did merit a PG-13?

The Russians were flame broiled by the rocket sled and the ants were creepy, but Raiders had the Ratty Nepalese slow roasted and forehead ventilated...Raiders seemed FAR more graphic and adult themed.

Sure if there was a PG-13 it would have got it, but I'm just puzzled about Crystal Skull's merits.

Seems to me the cursing was the same, the dead bodies/skeletons were close enough number wise...

What put it up over the PG mark?

I think it was mainly due to the gross mutilation of the Indiana Jones franchise. Sorry I couldn't resist.

 

[Montana Smith]

Crystal Skull was Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images, but how did merit a PG-13?

The Russians were flame broiled by the rocket sled and the ants were creepy, but Raiders had the Ratty Nepalese slow roasted and forehead ventilated...Raiders seemed FAR more graphic and adult themed.

Sure if there was a PG-13 it would have got it, but I'm just puzzled about Crystal Skull's merits.

Seems to me the cursing was the same, the dead bodies/skeletons were close enough number wise...

What put it up over the PG mark?

I think that the censors are more sensitive now, when a film appears to be aimed at a young audience. Even Scooby-Doo DVDs carry warnings about 'scary' scenes!

The censors would have taken one look at KOTCS, immediately locked onto the child-oriented cartoon moments, and then scratched their heads when it came to scenes such as the Russians gunning down the US guards, or Spalko's death.

The conflict resembles TOD's cartoon humour/bloody horror. The decision must have been: this is aimed at children, but we'll leave it up to the parents to decide.

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

I know it doesn't make sense. But do you know who gives the films their ratings? Who the MPAA hires? A group of non film oriented civilians. A very small group of non film oriented civilians. In my opinion they really have no right giving a film its rating, if you wanna learn more and have netflix or can even rent this film this will inform you a little more...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493459/

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[TheMutt92]

The PG-13 rating wasn't established until after TOD. Had KOTCS (or LC for that matter) been released before, they would've gotten PG's as well.

 

[Forbidden Eye]

If I were to rate Kingdom, I'd rate it a PG, considering the most violent scenes I can recall were off-camera. I also would've rated Last Crusade a PG. Raiders and Temple today would easily be PG-13.

Frankly though, who cares? I pay no attention to ratings anymore and really put zero emphasis on them. People should read plot synopsis, reviews, go by word of mouth etc. rather than relying on the MPAA.

 

[Stoo]

Crystal Skull was Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images, but how did merit a PG-13?

Censorship varies according to geographical location. In Canada, "Skull" had a G rating in Quebec and PG for all the other provinces. (Same for "Crusade").

I think that the censors are more sensitive now, when a film appears to be aimed at a young audience.

It depends on the censors. When "Raiders" and "Doom" were released, they both rated 14* in Quebec and were later reduced to G when the DVDs came out in 2003 (putting them on par with the local ratings of Indy III and IV). My question is, how did "Raiders" and "Doom" merit a G in 2003? Answer = LESS sensitive cenorship.

*The 14 rating has been defunct since the late '80s.

The PG-13 rating wasn't established until after TOD.

I think you mean to say, "established with TOD" (not "after").

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Punching and kicking, bloodless knife and gun-play, skeletons "instant" decomposing.

The Russians kill American soldiers....all of it is off-screen, but you see bodies dragged away.

Crispy alien digits.

Russian is shot in the foot.

Blow dart blow back.

Russian Soldiers kill Ugahs off-screen, with a quick pan past a body.

Swarming ants were pretty PG.

So is it volume? All of this stuff pretty weak.

Planet of the apes was G and there was just as much blood or more and nudity!

Raiders is much more raw...blood everywhere, nudity, just not the kind I personally enjoy, Belloq's letchery, drinking smoking, cursing, impalings, decomposed bodies, flaming corpses and flaming fistights...the list goes on and this is just the first hour, (primarily).

I think it was mainly due to the gross mutilation of the Indiana Jones franchise.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

I know it doesn't make sense. But do you know who gives the films their ratings? Who the MPAA hires? A group of non film oriented civilians. A very small group of non film oriented civilians. In my opinion they really have no right giving a film its rating, if you wanna learn more and have netflix or can even rent this film this will inform you a little more...

Just saw the film and I really am surprised that I see no objection to what they "exposed!"

It was entertaining, but artists want to say what they want how they want, and the hosts decide how best to serve their business.

Some of the artists arguments came off less like artisans and more like capitalists.

 

[Udvarnoky]

The explanation for Indy4's rating is something of a head-scratcher, but then, that's pretty much par for the course with the MPAA.

I don't think the movie deserved a PG-13 rating, and if it did, it should have been for Shia's two completely unnecessary "****s" and the two occasions of "son of a *****." And yet, language isn't cited at all in the MPAA's description. Maybe if Spalko's death had been depicted as originally conceived instead of having her bloodlessly turn into aerosol we'd have something to talk about.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

The explanation for Indy4's rating is something of a head-scratcher, but then, that's pretty much par for the course with the MPAA.

I don't think the movie deserved a PG-13 rating, and if it did, it should have been for Shia's two completely unnecessary "****s" and the two occasions of "son of a *****." And yet, language isn't cited at all in the MPAA's description. Maybe if Spalko's death had been depicted as originally conceived instead of having her bloodlessly turn into aerosol we'd have something to talk about.

This seems like it suffices for Crystal Skull:

Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested ? Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children.

Intense? OK, maybe the skull frying Indy's brain was too vague to make sense of...but Spalko's death was as jarring as Wile E Coyote turning to ash.