Rated G — General audiences
All ages admitted.

Rated PG — Parental guidance suggested
Some material may not be suitable for young children.

Rated PG13 — Parents strongly cautioned
Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13

Rated PG17 — No one 17 and under admitted.

Rated R — Restricted
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 - Absolutely no one under 17 should read. These stories are explicit and contain scenes of nudity, drugs, violence and language. There are sexual scenes in here and some viewers may find them offensive.
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Rated G - This is a story which contains nothing in theme, language, nudity and sex, violence, etc. that would, in the view of the Rating Board, be offensive to parents whose younger children view the film. The G rating is not a certificate of approval nor does it signify a children’s film.

Some snippets of language may go beyond polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No stronger words are present in G-rated films. The violence is at a minimum. Nudity and sex scenes are not present, nor is there any drug use content.

Rated PG - This is a story which clearly needs to be examined by parents before they let their children attend. The label PG plainly states parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children, but leaves the parent to make the decision. Parents are warned against sending their children, unseen and without inquiry, to PG-rated movies. The theme of a PG-rated story may itself call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity in these stories. There may be some violence or brief nudity. However, these elements are not considered so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated film. The PG rating, suggesting parental guidance, is thus an alert for examination of a story by parents before deciding on its viewing by their children. Obviously such a line is difficult to draw. In our pluralistic society it is not easy to make judgments without incurring some disagreement. As long as parents know they must exercise parental responsibility, the rating serves as a meaningful guide and as a warning.

Rated PG13 - is thus a sterner warning to parents, particularly when deciding which stories are not suitable for younger children. Parents, by the rating, are alerted to be very careful about the attendance of their under-teenage children. A PG13 story is one which, in the view of the Rating Board, leaps beyond the boundaries of the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, or other contents, but does not quite fit within the restricted R category. Any drug use content will initially require at least a PG13 rating. In effect, the PG13 cautions parents with more stringency than usual to give special attention to this story before they allow their 12-year-olds and younger to attend. If nudity is sexually oriented, the story will generally not be found in the PG13 category. If violence is too rough or persistent, the story goes into the R (restricted) rating. A stories single use of one of the harsher sexually derived words, though only as an expletive, shall initially require the Rating Board to issue that stories at least have a PG13 rating. More than one such expletive must lead the Rating Board to issue a story an R rating, as must even one of these words used in a sexual context. These stories can be rated less severely, however, if by a special vote, the Rating Board feels that a lesser rating would more responsibly reflect the opinion of American parents.

Rated PG13 - places larger responsibilities on parents for their children. The voluntary rating system is not a surrogate parent, nor should it be. It cannot, and should not, insert itself in family decisions that only parents can make. Its purpose is to give pre-screened informational warnings, so that parents can form their own judgments. PG13 is designed to make parental decisions easier for stories between PG and R.

Rated PG17 - This rating declares that the Rating Board believes this is a story that most parents will consider patently too adult for their youngsters under 17. No children will be admitted. PG17 does not necessarily mean obscene or pornographic; in the oft-accepted or legal meaning of those words. The Board does not and cannot mark stories with those words. These are legal terms for courts to decide. The reasons for the application of an PG17 rating can be excessive violence, sex, aberrational behavior, drug abuse or any other elements which, when present, most parents would consider too strong and therefore off-limits for viewing by their children.

Rated R - In the opinion of the Rating Board, this story definitely contains some adult material. Parents are strongly urged to find out more about this story before they allow their children to accompany them. An R-rated story may include strong language, violence, nudity, drug abuse, other elements, or a combination of the above, so parents are counseled in advance to take this advisory rating very seriously.

Rated NC-17 Story contains adult material and no one under the age of seventeen should view. Will include strong language, violence, nudity, drug elements, or a combination of the above. Sexual encounters will also be a distinct possibility and veiwers are strongly cautioned.


link: http://www.mpaa.org/FlmRat_Ratings.asp