The legacy of the NC-17 stigma

...I don't know which scenes in 'Blue Valentine' that the board -- paid parent volunteers -- feel are too dangerous for the eyes of children, but today I find myself on the side of the Weinsteins again. The arguments against an adults-only rating are the same whether the designation is X or NC-17.

There is [a] perfectly good rating built into the system to allow for serious adult movies to be made and distributed. It's the R, which restricts the audience to adults and children under 17 who are accompanied by their parents or guardians. It is only because the MPAA doesn't trust theater operators to enforce the R or parents to take responsibility for what their children see that the MPAA assumed the role of babysitter.

Related:
- Why does the MPAA specify male nudity in their ratings but not female nudity? (Spangle)

Also:
- The Billy Joel concert film Last Play at Shea screens in NYC and several other cities beginning this Thursday! (Thompson on Hollywood)
- The real Eduardo Saverin talks about The Social Network. (CNBC)
- A ranking of the most influential documentaries in history. (USA Today)
- Hilary Swank has two Oscars. So why can't she get any respect? (Vulture)
- Brigitte Bardot for president of France? (CBC News)