MovieChat Forums > Moana (2016) Discussion > Why is this "PG"

Why is this "PG"

posted 8 years ago by catholiccontriversy
22 replies | jump to latest

Seriously? What do I need "parental guidance" for in this movie?
Maui, a secondary character, runs around in a loin cloth? Big deal, G-rated Tarzan had a far more sexy man MAIN character running around in a loin cloth the entire movie. G-rated Hercules had Meg, who was basically walking sex.
Things get a LITTLE tense with the crab and lava goddess? How about the tense scenes in G-rated Tarzan, Hercules, The Little Mermaid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and even the Frog Princess had far more tense scenes.
This movie really should have been rated G, but I guess because it isn't completely tame that means it isn't appropriate for General audiences and requires the Parental Guidance.

[–] number1212 8 years ago

For the same reason movies like Tangled and Frozen are PG.

[–] OhNooos 8 years ago

It's a good question. It feels like all the animated movies are rated PG these days. I wonder if it's just to cover the studios legally, so parents won't be able to sue over language or any innuendo they read into the stories.

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

I don't recall any suits back in the day when Hunchback and the like were G.

Besides, the MPAA is the governing body deciding these ratings so it would be them that would be liable (which in itself is utterly ridiculous).

[–] OhNooos 8 years ago

There's always fear of lawsuits, whether they've happened or not. How else to explain a PG rating when the stories are clearly meant for children. In the case of Trolls, the market demographic is likely under the age of eight, yet the rating is PG.

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

I'm just saying because it's not the studios deciding the ratings, they wouldn't be the ones to sue.

[–] OhNooos 8 years ago

Oh, ok - fair point. Why be so cautious, then? Is this parental/religious pressure? I saw one parent request a warning that a character says, "Oh my God!" in Trolls.

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

Not sure who is being cautious.

The MPAA is just on a power trip with how they rate movies and it's simply arbitrary.

I suppose could argue that "PG" is being used as a way to show parents there might be thematic elememts they may need to help them understand (I.e. be under their "parental guidance"). But aside from that, I really don't see a case being made for the majority of western animation being rated PG.

[–] number1212 8 years ago

One theory I have is that with a PG rating teenagers and adults without young children are more likely to give it a chance.

[–] OhNooos 8 years ago

I guess. That makes some sense.

[–] Doyalikedags 8 years ago

You don't recall it because that wonderful time was a time when not nearly as many people would get offended over every little thing ever.

[–] derekforce 8 years ago

There were a couple of pee jokes! I mean Maui totally golden showered Moana's hand.. right?

In all honesty, maybe because of the darker moments, like Tala's death, the fight with Te Ka.. Although Tarzan also had death and fighting scenes, so who knows.

[–] catholiccontriversy 8 years ago

There were a couple of pee jokes! I mean Maui totally golden showered Moana's hand.. right?

Personally, I'd hardly call "making a warm spot" a "golden shower." I've seen it in TV-Y7 Rocket Power and Spongebob (and other cartoons I can't remember off the top of my head), and wouldn't consider it requiring "parental guidance". But to each his own I guess.

There was also only the one from my memory.

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

Because of Shrek.

Back in the day, PG was considered a death sentence for animated movies. Black Cauldron was largely blamed for this (ignoring that it's kind of a bad movie) and it being rated PG. So subsequent movies were rated G, even ones like Hunchback.

Then Shrek came along and with its PG rating and showed animated movies could succeed. Despite Shrek earning its rating, that hasn't stopped MPAA from ticking every box in which they think parents mind find something objectionable.

Here's an article on it:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/11/26/disneys-frozen-proves-worthlessness-of-pg-rating/#1f3c5ee86abe

[–] OhNooos 8 years ago

Thanks for sharing that - it's interesting!

[–] Zaphenzo 8 years ago

Who knows? Seems like there's no such thing as G anymore. I must, say, though:

G-rated Hercules had Meg, who was basically walking sex.

This made me literally LOL

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

Born in China is rated G, but that's a cutes DisneyNature documentary.

[–] Doyalikedags 8 years ago

I believe Toy Story 3 was rated G and didn't have anything that should suggest otherwise. Besides a very flamboyant Ken Doll I guess.

Oh and the fact they scarred everyone that watched it by making us think every main character was going to burn to death

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Shychick52 8 years ago

By today's standards, most of the kid's and family films of the 80s would be rated R.

[–] FieryMaid 8 years ago

You know how movies get their ratings, right? The studio submits their movie to the MPAA with a specific rating they'd like and the MPAA votes to approve it or not. If it's not approved, the studio has to submit the movie again -- and again it's with a specific rating the studio wants for the film. Many times to avoid the back and forth the studio often picks the rating they absolutely know they will get. That's why many foreign films get R rated even though they'd easily get a PG 13 -- they don't want to waste the time and they know R will be approved unless it's really unusual and needs the NC 17.

Personally I agree with you that the MPAA was smoking something that was illegal back then when they approved the G rating for Hunchback of Notre Dame. First with the threat of throwing a baby down the well and then the "scary" hellfire song...WOW.

~ I keep my expectations low -- then I can be pleasantly surprised.~