# The Conjuring: No swearing, sex, violence--but still gets 'R' rating **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 21, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140 "2013-07-21T22:34:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/21 "2013-07-23T01:05:51Z")
Oh, if anyone cares the Ghost Hunters HQ is on West Shore Road in Warwick, RI - across the street from Vets High School. The logo outside is TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society). Until I explained it to my wife, she thought it was a bar supply shop. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/22 "2013-07-24T01:23:37Z")
Took my 11yo daughter to this film today. Truly no problems with sex, drugs, swearing, or the other items that generally give R-rated films “R” ratings. There was this one point in the movie, Sophia was crowded up against me, scared out of her wits. I was holding her with one arm, the other I reached behind me and gave a double-clap. She screamed and the rest of the audience (all 4 of them) chuckled at her. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/23 "2013-07-24T13:45:37Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] Supposedly it was based on a Rhode Island family haunting that took place in 1971. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Tripolar] It is based on a Rhode Island family haunting that supposedly took place in 1971. [/QUOTE] > [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Supposedly it is based on a Rhode Island family haunting that supposedly took place in 1971. Can I try? It is based on a Rhode Island family’s supposed haunting that took place in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/24 "2013-07-24T14:17:24Z")
From what I heard it was supposedly based on a haunting in Rhode Island back in 1971. I liked the shout out to the Amityville Horror at the end of the film. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/25 "2013-07-24T14:41:16Z")
It is based on a supposed Rhode Island family’s haunting that happened in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/26 "2013-07-24T14:52:02Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Can I try? > > It is based on a Rhode Island family’s supposed haunting that took place in 1971. I went with the double "supposedly’ because there are two areas of uncertainty here: one, the notion that there are such things as hauntings, thus “supposed” haunting; and two, the notion that Hollywood does not always pay a whole hell of a lot of attention to their source material, hence “supposedly” based. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/27 "2013-07-24T14:55:54Z")
It is based on a Rhode Island supposed “family’s” haunting that happened in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/28 "2013-07-26T17:38:11Z")
It was supposedly based on a haunting performance of Rio by Duran Duran that happened once for 20 minutes in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/29 "2013-07-26T21:01:41Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > There was this one point in the movie, Sophia was crowded up against me, scared out of her wits. I was holding her with one arm, the other I reached behind me and gave a double-clap. She screamed and the rest of the audience (all 4 of them) chuckled at her. What is the sound of one hand double-clapping? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/30 "2013-07-26T21:41:55Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Apparently the ratings board is changing its own policies, giving a new film called _The Conjuring_ rating of R based on their feeling that it’s too frightening That’s not entirely accurate. > [@MPAA](#): > > Rated R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/31 "2013-07-26T22:06:17Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > The Planet of the Apes reboot scared my son more badly than any other movie, including some that were much more overtly violent. Was it the plot holes? They _were_ startling. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/32 "2013-07-26T22:12:36Z")
Checking around, I see the MPAA decided that [The Messengers](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425430/combined) contains “mature thematic material, disturbing violence and terror” but gave that a PG-13 so wondering what is going on with them is entirely appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/33 "2013-07-26T23:26:36Z")
> [@Renifer](#): > > Major Christian propaganda. > As in “If you aren’t a devout Baptized Christian, the demon will get you.” And that’s Ed & Lorraine Warren! ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/34 "2013-07-27T03:11:46Z")
I just got back from seeing this movie. It was pretty much the definition of “OK, but by no means great”. I have to agree with **diggerwam** above - it was competently made, but just didn’t grip me much. It certainly wasn’t very scary overall, although there were a few moments of well-crafted creepiness. I’m not surprised it’s getting positive reviews, but I am surprised that it’s getting nearly 85% on RottenTomatoes. I would have guessed it would rate somewhere around 70%. I think it’s the type of movie that would make an excellent “MST3K” target. (“Why doesn’t Daddy’s Mysterious Vault of Unspeakable Horror at _least_ have a deadbolt?”) ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/35 "2013-07-27T04:23:22Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > That’s not entirely accurate. Well, now I’ll have to see it for myself to find out for sure. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/36 "2013-07-27T05:28:36Z")
It is based on the supposed 1971 haunting of a Rhode Island family. Seriously, how many more ways can this be phrased? Doesn’t this make 8? It’s not so far off the rails for this thread! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/37 "2013-08-23T04:53:52Z")
Okay, I saw it last week and am rather torn about the rating. It should have something between a PG13 and an R. Maybe a PG-17? Or some letters like they use for TV shows: D, S, L, V. True, there is no swearing or sexual content, but there are some scenes of kids being flung at walls by invisible forces, the mother is possessed and the exorcism sequence is rather intense and somewhat bloody. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/38 "2013-08-23T13:50:36Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > I assume they were off-duty cops (and/or cop impersonators) paid to put on a show. That’s pretty tacky. Marketing gimmick? “Oooo! Cops keeping kids outta that theatre! Must see!” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/39 "2013-08-23T13:54:13Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Of course, I’m dying of curiosity about it now! [marketing exec] Mission accomplished! [/marketing exec] ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140/40 "2013-08-23T13:54:21Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > What is the sound of one hand double-clapping? 😃 Whoosh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conjuring-no-swearing-sex-violence-but-still-gets-r-rating/664140.md?page=1)