R-Rated Movies

Interesting concept! I hope the strategy works for you. Assuming your parents actually watched all the movies they approved before deeming them acceptable, I think you can make lots of good cases here. Of course, if they were *my* parents this strategy would probably backfire since it's really nobody else's business how they raise their kid. :-) With that in mind, I offer this up strictly as an intellectual exercise . . .

Starting off with an easy one Out of Sight actually contains very little violence and no nudity (I'm pretty sure). Great movie, and a no-brainer based on what you've already been allowed to see. Perhaps equivalent to The Player (one of your milder entries) on a "risque" scale.

Having seen Terminator should get you admission to Bladerunner, if I recall correctly.

Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs are two peas in a pod. I think RD might actually be more violent and foul-mouthed than Pulp Fiction, although there is a homosexual rape scene in PF that might disqualify it.

I think on the foul language front once you've seen Clerks you've pretty much got a blank check, although South Park is an exception.

If you were to put 48 Hours and Election in a blender, I think the resulting mix is more risque than a cocktail of Go and Heathers, but I might not be remembering Heathers very well. It's body count was fairly high, but there was no blood and it was satirical.

Shakespeare In Love kind seems like an anomaly on the forbidden list, although it does have a couple sex scenes. Otherwise it's completely inoffensive (then again, the "Catholic High School Girls in Trouble" sketch from Kentucky Fried Movie shows more skin than anything else on either list, except maybe Porky's).

I should offer the disclaimer that I haven't seen every movie you mention; I've seen 53 of the 74 you list.

I think that'll do for now although I could go on. I do think your lists are quite similar in tone, and based on what you've seen so far, in general it seems like the cat is out of the bag.

I'll try to make this really easy for you.

Clerks - I'm not sure there are any films on your lists (maybe Chasing Amy?) with as much profanity as Clerks. So if profanity was an issue, there ya go.

Jim's comment on Kentucky Fried Movie and nudity is true to the best of my memory (though a few of the films have more sexual content, just not as much actual nudity).

In terms of violence, I'm not sure any film on your list holds much against the ear scene of Reservoir Dogs. However, Clockwork Orange has sexual violence (rape), which may be a different matter altogether.

I'm not sure what that leaves you. Films on the not approved list that are least objectionable (again, to my memory) are...

Blade Runner
Easy Rider (unless drug use is an issue)
Out of Sight
Psycho

Some of the 'not-approved' films are simply grim or feature very dark humor. For example, in Heathers, outside of profanity, most parents would probably be more worried that their teens may not get the satire as humor than over any specific content. Unforgiven is simply grim and cynical (and violent). Taxi Driver's cumulative effect and moral ambiguity is also perhaps even more flag-raising than the actual on-screen violence (brief and somewhat softened by taking much of the red (blood) out of the scene). It is also pretty depressing...

Anyway, not sure if that helps, but there ya' go. If you have any specific questions (or if anybody remembers something I haven't), let me know.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

Thanks to both of you for responding. I'm sure your guidance will help me out. In fact, in less than an hour after reading jim's comments, I convinced my parents to let me see "Shakespeare in Love."

I think I agree with jim that "the cat's out of the bag", but I think the problem is that my parents don't want to admit it. As lbangs said, I doubt too many of the forbidden movies can stand up to "Reservoir Dogs" in terms of violence, or to "Clerks" in terms of crude dialogue, etc. However, I can tell by both of your comments on "Kentucky Fried Movie" that you two probably haven't seen "The Groove Tube" - another raunchy sketch-comedy movie from the 70's with much more nudity.

Another problem is that my parents certainly haven't seen all of the movies on the list. Your comments about "Heathers" were especially helpful, lbangs and jim, because my parents definitely haven't seen it.

In any case, I don't have too much longer to go before I can rent whatever I want, so until then, I'll have to keep convincing my parents.

Note: If anyone else is in my situation and is reading this right now, some helpful sources are:

www.screenit.com
www.familystyle.com
www.filmratings.com (although I have begun to question the validity of the MPAA)

I myself have recently turned 16, so I can tell ya that parents can be seriously tough with these movies.

Now, Heathers is a personal favorite of mine, and it really is a clever movie with some profanity and some sexual situations. I myself think that it can be handled by any mature 14 year-old. The thing is that it never encourages any of the immoral behavior you see, in fact, the only people truly commiting these acts are either terrible people, or absolutely insane.

Now, Chinatown, there is absoutely no reason to hold off on that one. Well, maybe a bit. There is some slight (I didn't really notice it) profanity, I believe a small bit of nudity, and murder that is commited off screen. The only truly disturbing part of the movie is its cynical nature, its not a pretty story to see unfold, but in my opinion, its the best film ever made.

Alright, I'm gonna come back to this and right more, but at the moment, an omlette calls me, hope these help.

AAA

The first thing that pops out at me is whether some of these are even worth wasting good R-Rated tokens on. Of those I'd say that About Last Night..., American Pie, Bachelor Party and Porky's are not worth wasting your time on. Sure once you're of age you can go back and watch them but you aren't really missing out on anything.

How old are you anyway? What is it that your parents obeject to if it's not language? All I can think of is Drug Use, Sex and Violence. Is there anything else?

Of the remainder of the list the film which seems the most innocous is The Full Monty.

The most adult films on the list to me are Apocalypse Now, Chasing Amy, A Clockwork Orange, Easy Rider, Fight Club, Go, Midnight Cowboy, Mulholland Drive, Platoon, Polyester, Private Parts, The Professional, Pulp Fiction, She’s Gotta Have It, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, Taxi Driver, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wild at Heart. I'd have issues with someone younger than 17 seeing those. Everything else seems like fair game to me.

Consider yourself lucky. You have all of those great movies to look forward to! :-)

Good choices your parents have made for you recently, although I have to disagree that these are the most violent of the bunch. I don't see how "Blade Runner" is more violent than, say, "A Clockwork Orange". I would start with the more lighthearted fair, "Monty" and "Shakespeare". The only thing R-rated about "Shakespeare" is Gwyneth Paltrow's nude scene, in my opinion.

At the very least, the violence in the remaining films is not of the gratuitous, cartoonish blend. The 'Nam films cannot be disputed for their accurate depiction of the insanity of the Southeast Asian conflict (be sure to catch "Apocalypse Now Redux" - it's about 40 minutes longer than the original). You can even say that "Blade Runner" and "Chinatown" are related; both feature cynical, hardened detectives caught in a conspiracy beyond their initial understanding. "Psycho" may seem a bit tame by today's slasher flick standards, but the shower scene, obviously, is still unnerving. "Taxi Driver" isn't as much an exploration into meaningless violence as it is a study of a socially inept man vainly trying to fit into a world he despises.

The beauty is all of these movies are well-crafted, so not only are they terrific films, but they're fun to watch as the director's image unfolds before you.

As for your other unseen not-approved-of-yet list, I'll give you my comments on which to watch and which to avoid soon.

AJ, as promised, here's my running commentary for your "not yet approved" of list. Sorry for its' lengthiness, but here goes:

Not Yet Approved:
About Last Night...: Honestly, I didn't think this was such a good movie. I found it slow-paced, and the lack of conviction from both Rob Lowe and Demi Moore was distracting.
Amarcord: Uhh...I sort of have a love/hate relationship with Fellini. I love his earlier films, like "La Strada", but "Fellini Satyricon" makes me violently ill. Unfortunately, I haven't seen this one (sorry!). Hopefully for me it'll be more of the former than the latter.
American Pie: Yeah, so you're probably familiar with the apple pie-humping scene. While it's an above-average oversexed teen comedy, there are some truly hysterical moments, which are both genuine and cringe-inducing. And, hey, the kind of stuff teens refer to in this movie shouldn't at all be foreign to anyone. Or offensive.
Bachelor Party: Only if you have to see it. Sure, as a kid, just like when I first saw it, you'll be completely titilated by its raunch, but I found out later on in life that it's more embarrassing than funny. Still, there's some goofy moments, but not enough to suggest viewing it. I'm sure Tom Hanks looks back on this one fondly...
Bulworth: Not sure why your parents would object to this, only if they find hip-hop culture threatening. Plenty of foul language, but since the plot of this film involves Warren Beatty's character reaching out to the African-American community, and embracing its' culture, I suppose you can say they had to "keep it real, yo!" But it's a very funny, biting politcal satire, one that hits the mark but doesn't preach or pontificate.
Catch-22: The book's better.
Chasing Amy: Like any Kevin Smith film, the dialogue is punchy, honest and horribly un-PC (which is a good thing). If you can get past the smugness that is the sole domain of Ben Affleck, you'll enjoy the slightly-twisted love triangle that is the center of this film. Easily, it's Smith's most human, emotional film, and it's surprisingly sweet.
A Clockwork Orange: Like "Fight Club" below, the ultra-violent content can be misconstrued as gratuitous. For the most part, it isn't. If you think of it as a violent film that overstates its' brutality, you'll miss the satire and harsh indictment of it all. Does a society that is decaying in its moral center have the right to punish those who have essentially fed off the decay of society? Brilliant film, but do watch it with an open mind. Read the book as well if key aspects seem to lose you.
Easy Rider: While I've never liked this film (I find it hopelessly outdated), it's still the only film of its' time that accurately chronicles the hopefulness and chaos of the late 60's. Yet upon viewing, you can see that, through the freewheelingness of it all, how the whole peace-love-and-happiness vibe was really a fraud. So, yeah, watch it, but I'm not responsible if you roll your eyes throught it.
Fight Club: See "A Clockwork Orange". While all the talk was about the violent nature of the film, this movie succeeds greatly due to gritty, masterful performances from Pitt and Norton, innovative, in-your-face camerawork, and a memorable plot twist. Plus, it raises many questions about what it means to be a man in a society that values material over substance. See it, see it, see it.
Go: This movie came out as a string of films based on the rave & ecstasy subculture a few years ago. Thankfully, it doesn't glorify Ecstasy, much as "Trainspotting" didn't glorify heroin. "Go" accurately depicts the chase of the high as well as the harrowing effects of the crash. It's also quite lighthearted in its' intertwining three-episode story. Nice plot twists, and a good example of how emsemble films should work.
Heathers: Man, this is one nasty little movie. It's dark, mean-spirited, vengeful, and there's not one likable character in it. But damn, it's funny. Shouldn't come as any surprise to you, or for anyone whose had to endure the capital punishment that is high school.
Midnight Cowboy: This one's the anti-"Easy Rider". What happens when the dream of fast money and good times suddenly comes to a grinding halt. It was rated X back in'69 because of an oral sex reference that nowadays may seem tame. Great performances from Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman as two complete losers whom you probably wouldn't want to spend one second with, but the magnetism of their roles completely captivates you.
Mulholland Drive: What's good about this one is it's fairly straightforward for the first half; it plays like a good mystery. Then, out of the blue, BOOM! The plot twist! Note: the love scene between the two female protagonists is quite steamy and very explicit. But it's such a damned good movie.
Nashville: The blueprint for a great Robert Altman film: multitudes of characters whose relationships intertwine with one another, loose narrative, wide camera structure. It's easily his best film, an narrative that acts like a scathing satire of pop culture and the unashamedly vapid self-interests that fuel celebrity and the love for celebrity. It's such a terrific film, and probably one of the ten best of the 70's, which isn't to say that the film isn't relevant today. In fact, it's probably more relevant now.
North Dallas Forty: "Any Given Sunday" tried and failed to capture the on and off field drama of football, but I think this one captures it best. It's been said that football is a lot like war, and it sure seems that way here. The players seem like weary soldiers stuck in their trenches. Loads of raunchy language and drug use, but hey, isn't that what football is? This movie does to football what "Slap Shot" does to hockey.
Opposite of Sex: Two words: Christina Ricci. She shines as the ultimate white trailer trash harlot who wrecks everyone's lives she crosses. It's a good example of using sex as a way to get what you want from someone, even if it means leaving them in your way. Funny as hell, too.
Out of Sight: I didn't think much of this movie, even though I've seen it twice. All this talk about the chemistry between Clooney and JLo leaves me wondering. But it's a Steven Soderberg film, full of clever camera tricks and rapid-fire dialogue. Probably the least-deserving R-rated film on your list.
Polyester: Like Fellini, I also have a love/hate relationship with John Waters. I don't like this one as opposed to most of his movies, and the truth is he's probably made more from less talent than any director. It's an okay black comedy that tries to be subversive but ends up being more juvenile and tasteless.
Porky’s: Oh, come on! Do you really, REALLY want to watch this? I've seen porn that is less moronic than this. Skip it.
Private Parts: It's surprising funny, considering how Howard Stern demonstrates an admirable ability to be at all times self-effacing and humble in the face of naked breasts and insult humor. More of a love letter to his wife who encouraged him through every step than a celebration of his steady rise. The moral of this story is that every socially inept, pot-smoking super nerd can still make it to the top.
The Professional: Funny, I happened to catch Luc Besson's best film, "Nikita", the other night. Superior in many respects to "The Professional", but this movie has high value. The heart of the film is the unexpected dynamic between a simple-minded hitman who reveals a gentle heart and the orphaned girl he reluctantly, then courageously, protects. It's not a plot device (tough guys protects young girl from harm) that hasn't been used before, but few have been as memorable as this. Lots of slick-filmed gunfighting to counterbalance the film's sensitive side.
Pulp Fiction: What you've probably heard or read about is true. While it's probably Tarantino's best film, there are camps that believe "Reservoir Dogs" is his better effort. One of the few films that can claim to be influential, and more likely, never to be duplicated again.
She’s Gotta Have It: Spike Lee's first film has such a low-budget look to it, you feel as if you're a fly on the wall in someone's living room. It's a funny romantic comedy about a young professional woman involved in a love quadrangle, but her inability or desire not to commit to one of her three suitors leads to inevitable tension.
South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut: The first 30 or 40 minutes of this cartoon is flat-out brilliant. Sadly, it really loses steam after that, and you kinda hope it ends soon. What makes it work in the begining is its' thinly-veiled assault on the ratings system. You'll have to see it to believe it. And, yes, it's much fouler than the TV show. Even the title of the movie is a double entrendre.
Unforgiven: It shatters, and finally puts to rest, the myth of the heroic gunslinger. Eastwood, both as star and director, paints an uncompromising, brutal, bloody melodrama about a crazed antihero who comes out of retirement to settle a score. The score, in this case, is the half-baked ideal of justice in the western frontier.
Welcome to the Dollhouse: Ah, the hell that is junior high. This movie is so unflinching, you almost want to turn it off half way. What's great about it is it avoids making the lead character a cliche; the nerdy girl who deep down inside, if only anyone could see past the dorky glasses and the crappy clothes, is a beautiful, intelligent, cool girl. She's a dork, and doesn't even realize she's a dork. All she really wants to is get along, which is a major struggle for her. Oh, this movie is hell. And so damned accurate.
Wild at Heart: Of all of David Lynch's films (and excluding "The Straight Story", which is so out of Lynch's character it's like asking Michaelangelo to touch up your kitchen), it's probably his least "weird". Not a bad film, some decent chemistry between Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, but it sure as heck ain't "Mulholland Drive", baby!

Dude, tell your parents once you've seen "Reservoir Dogs" it's almost all okay from there.
Also tell them that my parents let me watch R-rated movies from 10 years old on, and I was a National Merit Scholar who behaved herself perfectly (well, at least until I went to college). Movies are excellent ways to rebel without rebelling, to channel your crazed adolescent desires.

FYI I'd really make Pulp Fiction, Fight Club and South Park priorities. Those are some killer films, especially Fight Club which is way more intellectual than most people realize.
And Heathers, American Pie and Go are way lightweight. I know plenty of 13 year olds who've seen them all.

Good luck with your liberation! I can't imagine being deprived of R-rated films. Most intelligent films are R-rated.

I can't help adding one more thing. I find it really funny/sad that parents try so hard to shield their adolescents from films that in many cases don't even come close to the harshness of the realities they face every day.
Even though I was allowed to watch R-rated movies, I heard about blow-jobs, drugs, sex, etc. from my classmates as early as sixth grade (and these days it's even earlier.) And I grew up in a small middle-class town in Wisconsin!
It's really the parents in most cases who are shocked by these films (my mother-in-law for example won't watch R-rated films or nudity), maybe because TV and the media were more innocent when they grew up, or maybe indeed because the culture was more innocent.
Whatever the reason, however, most kids have done things that would be rated R, before they reach the age of 17, and I don't think it has much to do with the movies.

A scary thought struck me last night: I would make a good politician.

I say this because I was trying to convince my mother to let me see "Magnolia." I checked www.filmratings.com, but it mentioned sexuality and drugs, so I couldn't let her see that. I looked at www.screenit.com, but it rated the Sexuality as Extreme, so that was no good. I read the IMDB plot summaries of it, but they mentioned adultery and cocaine, so that was out. I read a few critics' reviews of the movie, but they all mentioned sex or drugs in some way.

I finally went to www.buy.com and read the summary of the movie on the DVD page. Check out this plot summary of "Magnolia":

"On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, but one story. Through a collusion of coincidence, chance, human action, shared media, past history and divine intervention they will weave and warp through each other's lives on a day that builds to an unforgettable climax. Some will seek forgiveness, others escape. Some will mend frayed bonds, others will be exposed. Magnolia is a mosaic of American life woven through a series of comic and poignant vignettes. It is a portrait of a lonely city sometimes called up short on love. It is a personal exploration of the hidden elements of crisis. It is a story about putting things right again."

'Excellent,' I thought. 'It's so vague!' So I showed her that plot summary, and now I can watch "Magnolia." I manipulated the system to get what I want, and I told the truth without telling the truth. I'm not proud of it, but I'm sure that I've seen worse that anything in "Magnolia" anyway, so I won't feel too guilty.