Today Steve McQueen‘s Shame officially received its NC-17 rating from the MPAA for “some explicit sexual content,” which is to say I guess all they saw was the sex because that isn’t all that should be mentioned in that rating. Nevertheless, a few days ago The Hollywood Reporter ran a fascinating article regarding Fox Searchlight’s decision to distribute the film with an NC-17 rating, a decision that will result in some theaters not showing it, some newspapers not advertising it, etc. So how does Searchlight plan on getting beyond the film’s rating? By embracing it…
Fox Searchlight president Steve Gilula told the Hollywood Reporter the following:
I think NC-17 is a badge of honor, not a scarlet letter. We believe it is time for the rating to become usable in a serious manner. The sheer talent of the actors and the vision of the filmmaker are extraordinary. It’s not a film that everyone will take easily, but it certainly breaks through the clutter and is distinctive and original. It’s a game changer… I think Shame’s profile will pique people’s curiosity. I’m optimistic this will be a significant film and change the attitude of people toward this kind of subject matter.
The film is certainly up for awards consideration and will hit theaters on December 2 and it will be interesting to see it all play out.
And with that said, here are the new MPAA ratings from BULLETIN NO: 2195.
You can always stay up-to-date on all the latest updates to our database right here.
