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Q & A: How Willimon Runs Fincher's 'House ...Ranking Best and Worst NC-17-Rated Films; 'Shame' On Blu-ray April 17 (Video)
Seachlight wants to remove the brand of "shame" around the NC-17 by reminding folks that many films have found success despite the Scarlet Letter, from "Cook, Thief" to "Henry and June" ($11 million). (Director Steve McQueen talks about Michael Fassbender's Oscar snub and America's fear of sex; here's our video interview with the star.)
Back in the day, the MPAA started out with the X as its official rating for adult-oriented films, such as John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy," which won the Oscar in 1969. But the X was swiftly adopted as a promo tool by the porn industry, which splashed XXX over the likes of "Inside Jennifer Wales" on 42nd Street and later, porn videos.
Thus in 1990, the MPAA introduced the NC-17 ("No Children Under 17 Admitted") and later, an amended rating (“No One 17 and Under Admitted). Some films with the rating have managed to find audiences, but many relied on NC-17 to deliver adults in search of sensational material, and were often slammed by critics, shunned by newspapers, and relegated to a limited number of theaters.
Here's a ranking of films eventually rated NC-17, from must-sees to must-avoids, with review links and trailers:
10 Comments
Brent | April 26, 2012 2:56 PM
What about Requiem for a Dream? It is definitely a must see.
dawn | April 3, 2012 12:16 AM
No, LIE? That film was amazing. But now that I think about it, it might have been released unrated.
James | March 28, 2012 5:12 PM
"Bad Liutenant" was not remade by Werner Herzog.
The Nicolas Cage with was not a remake of the earlier film. Just like the Crash staring Sandra Bullock and Matt Dillon isn't a remake of the Croneneberg film of the same name. ;p
Charles Cochran | March 28, 2012 11:22 AM
Crash should be in the Must See section and Bad Lieutenant should be in the Your Call section.
Rob | March 28, 2012 11:17 AM
Crash isn't about Holly Hunter's character. She's, what, fourth lead at best?
Bad Education played widely outside of festivals and New York, and made about $5 million at the box office, a good number for any foreign language film.
Showgirls is essential viewing.
apricoco | March 28, 2012 11:10 AM
You are missing a biggie in my honest opinion: Kids. I'd personally put it in the catagory of 'your call' but you can't deny that Harmony Korine made a film worth mentioning, even if it is for the lack of moral compass normally found in films. Telly as a character is highly watchable and makes your stomach turn. Plus, debut performaces of two future hollywood stars: Chloe Sevigny and Rosario Dawson.
Michael Mayo | March 28, 2012 2:16 AM
No "The Devils" or "Performance"?
Zachary W. | March 28, 2012 12:12 AM
It should be noted that "Showgirls" has developed a devoted following--and not just among cultists and camp-lovers. This is Verhoeven at his most unhinged and wildly savage; there are few American films in the last couple decades as searing in their indictment of Hollywood's "A Star is Born" mythology. Forget the ironic camp. Anybody who can't tell that this is a satire frankly isn't looking very hard.