# (SPITTAKE) \*That\* was rated G??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 2, 2015, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778 "2015-08-02T04:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/21 "2015-08-03T17:31:32Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Implied guys giving blowjobs. Used to be it’d get you everytime. > > Honestly, as often as that’s beginning to crop up onscreen (Brown Bunny, In the Cut and so forth) I’d be interested in knowing if there’d be a ratings difference if a guy did the sucking instead of a woman. Airplane II gets away with blowjob innuendo and brief nudity with a PG rating. Brown Bunny isn’t rated, In the cut is pretty graphic but gets an R. Implied guys giving blowjobs probably wouldn’t make it through the committee for PG now, but give it time. If the movie is mild enough it could get through. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/22 "2015-08-03T17:38:53Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I don’t remember, what is surprising about that? This was in reference to _Jesus Christ Superstar_. _JCS_ was incredibly controversial at the time, for reasons ranging from the use of rock music to tell the Gospel story, to implying a romantic relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, to depicting Jesus as a mostly human figure with doubts and uncertainties (remember Mary’s line “He’s just a man”?), to portraying Judas too sympathetically. It was widely regarded as blasphemous by many religious groups. True, there’s nothing violent or overtly sexual in the film, but I can see being surprised that such touchy topics wouldn’t have earned it a more restrictive rating. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/23 "2015-08-03T17:45:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Airplane II gets away with blowjob innuendo and brief nudity with a PG rating. Wasn’t that _Airplane!_, i.e. not its lesser sequel? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/24 "2015-08-03T17:45:48Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > The baby crying is unnerving (Parent here)…the bodies cut open and their blood being dust is also unnerving…the guy being groggy from being hit with a laser kind of freaked me out as a kid. The lady who died standing up is what did it to me. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/25 "2015-08-03T17:46:16Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > True, there’s nothing violent or overtly sexual in the film, but I can see being surprised that such touchy topics wouldn’t have earned it a more restrictive rating. I don’t recall a movie rated R for religious controversy, do you have an example? Last Temptation got an R but it had plenty of nudity and violence. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/26 "2015-08-03T17:47:19Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Wasn’t that _Airplane!_, i.e. not its lesser sequel? Sorry, right, meant to correct that. I sort of had to run through the plots in my head to figure out which one it was. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/27 "2015-08-03T18:07:04Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I don’t recall a movie rated R for religious controversy, do you have an example? Last Temptation got an R but it had plenty of nudity and violence. _Life of Brian_ has an R rating, according to IMDB. Wikipedia tells me that it was given an X certificate (in the UK sense, meaning 18 years or older) by several local authorities in various places in Britain. And I wasn’t really arguing that JCS _should_ have a higher rating, only that I can understand why someone would be surprised that it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/28 "2015-08-03T18:21:19Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > _Life of Brian_ has an R rating, according to IMDB. Wikipedia tells me that it was given an X certificate (in the UK sense, meaning 18 years or older) by several local authorities in various places in Britain. It was rated in 1979 so I’m not surprised. Hard to say what it would get today. I recall the controversy in England, but it was to be expected. I guess JCS had a little controversy attached, and maybe my memory isn’t good enough, but I recall a lot of religious types saw it as a way to get down with kids and get them back in church. I didn’t have much exposure to middle America back then, it might have been a lot more controversial outside of the northeast metropolitan areas. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/29 "2015-08-03T18:27:23Z")
Granted, outside of the controversy \*Life of Brian \* still earns its R with a couple “fucks” and full-frontal male and female nudity. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/30 "2015-08-03T18:43:33Z")
> [@neofishboy](#): > > Granted, outside of the controversy \*Life of Brian \* still earns its R with a couple “fucks” and full-frontal male and female nudity. How shall we fuck off, O Lord? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/31 "2015-08-03T18:58:38Z")
I always thought the PG/R rating was more befuddling than the G/PG split, in that if it was suitable for broadcast on television uncut (in that era), it was usually rated “G”, while PG usually meant that there was some cussing or brief nudity or gore that would be clipped out. In practice, this usually meant that only kiddie stuff and the like were rated “G”. So it makes sense that some of these were rated “G” even though they weren’t kid oriented. I kind of wonder where the G/PG divide is today; even stuff like “Frozen” is rated PG nowadays, although I have no doubt it would have been G, had it come out in 1982. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/32 "2015-08-03T21:47:04Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I kind of wonder where the G/PG divide is today; even stuff like “Frozen” is rated PG nowadays, although I have no doubt it would have been G, had it come out in 1982. I think parents think of the G rating these days as being for _really_ little kids (stuff like the Barney movie, or the Sesame Street movies), so almost all “family” movies these days are given a PG whether they’ve earned them or not. I can’t, for the life of me, think of anything in Frozen that would earn stronger than a G, but it was still released PG, probably at Disney’s request. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/33 "2015-08-03T22:51:59Z")
I’m amazed by how much violence there was in the first season of _The Adventures of Superman_ before the producers realized it was supposed to be a show for kids. Here’s the original episode of [Gunsmoke](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRxUTiZn9jo) (famous for the introduction by John Wayne.) At 8:04 we see the very first interaction between Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty. She seems awfully anxious to go “fishing” with the marshall. Here’s kindly sheriff Andy Taylor on a date, [ordering a beer! (13:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5k5tbOZQPk) And, amazingly, Leave It to Beaver once had an episode where [Beaver enables an alcoholic.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nxEI0GJzN8) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/34 "2015-08-03T22:58:51Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Okay…I know Planet of the Apes was rated G. Star Trek the Motion Picture was. (The transporter accident is horrifying. Ilia getting disintegrated was bad) but… > > I think I have a winner. “Jesus Christ Superstar was rated G???” (Spittake) > [@Frylock](#): > > I don’t remember, what is surprising about that? > [@MrAtoz](#): > > True, there’s nothing violent or overtly sexual in the film, but I can see being surprised that such touchy topics wouldn’t have earned it a more restrictive rating. A guy being executed by being nailed to a wooden cross isn’t violent …??? Granted, there weren’t jetting arcs of blood, but honestly, you don’t find anything disturbing in torturing a man to death? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/35 "2015-08-03T23:04:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sorry, right, meant to correct that. I sort of had to run through the plots in my head to figure out which one it was. Actually both films had them. The first was more obvious with Elaine ‘re-inflating’ the auto-pilot, but [Airplane 2 had this!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nVRY0SCBVo) > [@neofishboy](#): > > Granted, outside of the controversy \*Life of Brian \* still earns its R with a couple “fucks” and full-frontal male and female nudity. [One of the funniest scenes in the whole movie!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NquFVO44lvg#t=37) (the look on Terry Jones’ face kills me!) > [@MrAtoz](#): > > _Life of Brian_ has an R rating, according to IMDB. Wikipedia tells me that it was given an X certificate (in the UK sense, meaning 18 years or older) by several local authorities in various places in Britain. > > And I wasn’t really arguing that JCS _should_ have a higher rating, only that I can understand why someone would be surprised that it doesn’t. _Life of Brian_ was outright banned in a southern US locality (South Carolina I think) primarily because of a senator’s old bag of a wife! There was a pretty big outcry of censorship and it eventually played. JCS was originally conceived as a stage musical, but just the idea of it was so controversial that no one would back it financially so it could only be made as a rock opera recording (i.e. an album). Once the album became a huge success the plays in London & Broadway followed (as did the film). > [@Broomstick](#): > > A guy being executed by being nailed to a wooden cross isn’t violent …??? > > Granted, there weren’t jetting arcs of blood, but honestly, you don’t find anything disturbing in torturing a man to death? The crucifixion is the ultimate special case. Literally billions of people literally wear it around their necks\*!!\* ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/36 "2015-08-03T23:07:47Z")
Yeah, billions have desensitized themselves to what it actually represents. I find that sad. And disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/37 "2015-08-03T23:37:14Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > A guy being executed by being nailed to a wooden cross isn’t violent …??? > > Granted, there weren’t jetting arcs of blood, but honestly, you don’t find anything disturbing in torturing a man to death? [The violent parts were not shown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJHCVR8vQCA). He didn’t look too comfortable though. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/38 "2015-08-03T23:55:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > A guy being executed by being nailed to a wooden cross isn’t violent …??? > > Granted, there weren’t jetting arcs of blood, but honestly, you don’t find anything disturbing in torturing a man to death? Do I not recall correctly that in JS:Superstar he was tied to a scaffolding rather than being nailed to a cross? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/39 "2015-08-04T00:13:48Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Do I not recall correctly that in JS:Superstar he was tied to a scaffolding rather than being nailed to a cross? You’re probably thinking of “Godspell.” Also “G” rated. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778/40 "2015-08-04T00:49:23Z")
Essentially, PG started being associated with inoffensive family stuff, so any film worth its marketing salt would try to lobby for a PG-13. This trickled down to films that didn’t want a similarly unattractive reputation as “kid stuff” for G, so would lobby their films to be a PG, even though the reasons are pretty dubious: “mild action”, “brief peril”, “adult themes”, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spittake-that-was-rated-g/726778.md?page=3)