A reader with close ties to Hollywood writes:
Here is the real line of inquiry that is rarely discussed in regards to the MPAA and I don't think people have fully thought thru. The MPAA consists of the 7 or 8 major studios. It changes as Hollywood changes hands but the biggies are there: Viacom, WB, Sony, Universal, etc. They have agreements with NATO (National Association of Theater Owners, which controls the lion share of American screens) and these two acronymic organizations control the flow of what makes it to American screens and with what rating. If you are given an R, it means a huge drop in audience. An NC-17 is death. Most theatres in America have clauses in their rental agreements with the mall they are in that they aren't allowed to show NC-17 movies. So the NC-17 becomes the ultimate veto if the film is out-of-bounds. But if you are an indie movie or distributor you STILL have to play by the big guys' rules. There is no choice if you want to be seen in theaters.
Bully was given an R-rating and damned commercially because why? A law? A government agency? An economic reality? It was given an R by the cartel of the studios.
All the writers writing about this subject focus on the rating and the use of "fuck" like the ruling came down from Mt Sinai. It didn't. It's not a law. It's a bunch of anonymous parents in the Valley. We didn't vote for them. We can't vote them out. There is no recourse. Classic case of the big guys in an industry making the rules that the little guys have to follow.
We don't have this shit for music, videogames, cable TV, books … only movies in theaters. At least with the FCC we can exert political pressure if we don't like it. The MPAA rating's board is ANONYMOUS!!! How crazy is that?
Until someone takes the MPAA to court for anti-trust violation, we are stuck with the anachronistic bullshit. Stop trying to argue the rating. Ratings as guidelines are fine but the ratings have consequences. That's the point. It is absolutely crazily in violation of the anti-trust laws. A cartel of powerful content makers control the distribution system for theatrical films in such a way that the little moviemakers are at a distinct disadvantage both economically and creatively. It is anti-artist and anti-free speech and it comes from liberal Hollywood.
I was hoping Harvey would be the guy. But he is too inside Hollywood.
The Dish 