# How can they make a movie out of "Where the Wild Things Are" and it's rated PG?!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-make-a-movie-out-of-where-the-wild-things-are-and-its-rated-pg/513154>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 9, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-make-a-movie-out-of-where-the-wild-things-are-and-its-rated-pg/513154 "2009-10-09T03:30:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-make-a-movie-out-of-where-the-wild-things-are-and-its-rated-pg/513154/41 "2009-10-10T01:15:57Z")

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> [@SmellMyWort](#):
>
> The other original rating was M, which is **not** automatically equivalent to PG, seeing as movies originally rated M were rerated to either GP or R.

The MPAA’s official [history of the ratings system](http://www.mpaa.org/Ratings_hstry_Rvsns.asp), written by the late Jack Valenti, states that M was the predecessor to today’s PG rating:

> [@Jack Valenti](#):
>
> After the creation of the rating system, the board found that the M category (mature) was regarded by most parents as a sterner rating than the R (restricted) category. To remedy this misconception, the rating was changed from M to GP (general audiences, parental guidance suggested). A year later the name was revised the name to its current label, PG: (parental guidance suggested).

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**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-make-a-movie-out-of-where-the-wild-things-are-and-its-rated-pg/513154/42 "2009-10-10T09:59:10Z")

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The book was menacing but not outright scary. There’s been plenty of other kid’s movies with friendly monsters. I too wonder what would happen with a live action Night Kitchen since the boy is stark naked for most of it. Has that one ever been animated?

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-make-a-movie-out-of-where-the-wild-things-are-and-its-rated-pg/513154/43 "2009-10-10T18:48:22Z")

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> [@jackdavinci](#):
>
> I too wonder what would happen with a live action Night Kitchen since the boy is stark naked for most of it. Has that one ever been animated?

[Yes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyNa198Ri8c). Animated in Prague for Scholastic/Weston Woods and narrated by Peter Schickle (P.D.Q. Bach).

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