So-called "UNRATED" versions... ugh...

[Krade]

This has been pissing me off for some time now. Whenever there's a horror movie or rated "R" comedy, production companies feel the need to release the "OMG UNRATED VERSION LOL!!!!1!!" Working in a video store, I probably notice this more often than most other people. Only one time have I seen a movie where the "unrated" version was noticeably different from the theatrical version, and that was the new "Dukes of Hazzard." Theatrical release was well withing the bounds of "PG-13," however, the "unrated" release (if it was rated) would have been most definitely "R." No other movie have I seen where the "unrated" version was worth getting over the regular.

Movies I can name off the top of my head:
Dark Water
Doom
40 Year Old Virgin
Grandma's Boy
Wedding Crashers
The Hills Have Eyes
Unleashed
Mr. and Mrs. Smith

The last two are the only ones I'm not positive on the lack of difference as I didn't see the theatrical version of Unleashed and haven't seen the "unrated" version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

[geek_2049]

Old School- The unrated verson just had Will Ferrel running around naked. Not a shot on WF but I prefer him clad.

[bosssmiley]

We don't have that phenomenon in the UK, apart from the "American Pie: Uncut" DVD, or whatever they called it. We do have certain dreadful films released only as director's cuts ("Alexander" and "King Arthur" spring to mind). But none of this 'too hot for theatres' tomfoolery...

[Beleriphon]

Funny given that UK movie standards are even more severe for certain things than the US ratings standard.

This is why I love the Canadian movie ratings, or at least Ontario's. Stuff in the US that would be PG-13 or 14A, gets a general PG rating.

Some of the Unrated versions are silly. About the only thing they add is more nudity, blood and gore, or swearing. I suspect that Mr and Mrs Smith will be more violent, or have Brad Pitt wearing no pants at some point.

At some level the unrated version makes sense, the producer reintegrate material that might have been considered to risque for the theatrical release. In a horror movie this doesn't amount to much given that most are rated R (that would be 17+ usually) to begin with. Doing an unrated America Pie does nothing either, extra fart joke and sex jokes doesn't really change the movie in any real way.

[Vaynor]

This has been pissing me off for some time now. Whenever there's a horror movie or rated "R" comedy, production companies feel the need to release the "OMG UNRATED VERSION LOL!!!!1!!" Working in a video store, I probably notice this more often than most other people. Only one time have I seen a movie where the "unrated" version was noticeably different from the theatrical version, and that was the new "Dukes of Hazzard." Theatrical release was well withing the bounds of "PG-13," however, the "unrated" release (if it was rated) would have been most definitely "R." No other movie have I seen where the "unrated" version was worth getting over the regular.

Movies I can name off the top of my head:
Dark Water
Doom
40 Year Old Virgin
Grandma's Boy
Wedding Crashers
The Hills Have Eyes
Unleashed
Mr. and Mrs. Smith

The last two are the only ones I'm not positive on the lack of difference as I didn't see the theatrical version of Unleashed and haven't seen the "unrated" version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Dodgeball. I remember my mom bought this, because it was the only one they had in stores, and it turned out just to be a different version of one of the scenes in the movie, just slightly different... :P

[WampaX]

Unrated or Uncut versions just change the things that were cut or were modified so that the film would get the rating they got for theatrical release. Since the MPAA doesn't regulate video and DVD releases, they don't really have a say as to what is put out in that medium.

Plus, having "Uncut" or "Unrated" plastered across a DVD cover just adds an inticement for a certain portion of the population to buy it since it contains footage that "they" didn't want you to see or hear.

[Dudukain]

Best explaination so far, Wampa.


I really despise those things, I know they came out with the rated "R" version of Daredevil.

Not to mention that some video stores ONLY stock the "unrated" version.

Frankly, I don't see the enticement of buying something that's so bloody vile that they can't get it past the MPAA.

Although I haven't seen it (either one), my theory is that the dukes of hazzard:unrated was just an excuse to get jessica simpson in even skimpier outfits.

[BelkarsDagger]

Most zombie movies have an UNRATED version too. . . and most sex-oriented ones have an UNRATED. It's so stupid... it just has even more porn + violence.

[Krade]

Although I haven't seen it (either one), my theory is that the dukes of hazzard:unrated was just an excuse to get jessica simpson in even skimpier outfits.

Two things were really noticably different, and Jessica Simpson was not one of them. All it was was Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville actually swearing in a way that's unacceptable in a PG-13 movie (like the F-bomb), and the dorm scene, where instead of all the girls being in a bra and panties, they were just in panties.

[storybookknight]

Admittedly, Daredevil is sort of a 'rated R' comic and shouldn't have been forced into a PG-13 skin for popular consumption - but in the case of stuff like National Lampoon or American Pie, yeah, absolutely, the unrated stuff is really suspect.

[Dudukain]

Two things were really noticably different, and Jessica Simpson was not one of them. All it was was Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville actually swearing in a way that's unacceptable in a PG-13 movie (like the F-bomb), and the dorm scene, where instead of all the girls being in a bra and panties, they were just in panties.

You're telling me you actually SAW the unrated version?

[Azrael]

Team America: World Police

The unrated is definately different. Certainly, the edited content is insignificant (time-wise) when compared to the rest of the movie.

But all unrated versions just add back in the content that was removed in order to slip into a certain rating category.

On the flip side, plenty of movies have actually ADDED a little more violence, a boob shot or even a single f-bomb just to make it into the R category.

[Roland St. Jude]

I kind of view these as similar to uncut or director's cuts of films. If this was how the director wanted it, but he had to cut it for time/ratings/other external factors, then I want to see that. I want to see what the director's vision was.

I agree that a lot of these unrated versions are just released that way to get the attention of the certain part of the population that Wampa mentioned. That's not cool. If I had a choice, I would probably always watch the least cut version, but I would be peeved if they took a movie I liked and added in a bunch of nonsense to get make it Unrated. (The Old School version with Will Ferrell running around naked would seem to fit this, but I've never seen any version of it.)

[Valda, Adlav and Samiam: the Jacked-Up Trinity]

As for F-bombs in movies, if anyone's ever seen Spaceballs (if you haven't I'll kill you :P) that was PG and it had lots of s-words, and towards the end Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) said "F*ck! Even in the future nothing works!" Can anyone please tell me how Spaceballs got away with a PG. It was a great movie, all I'm sayin' is it should've at least been PG-13. National Lampoon's Van Wilder was PG-13 and it had plenty of swearing.

[BelkarsDagger]

Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) said "F*ck! Even in the future nothing works!"

Yeah, it deserved PG-13. After like, 7 years of watching it, I only caught that f-bomb when I was watching it with my friend (D'oh!) who's a year younger than me.

[Valda, Adlav and Samiam: the Jacked-Up Trinity]

Yeah, it deserved PG-13. After like, 7 years of watching it, I only caught that f-bomb when I was watching it with my friend (D'oh!) who's a year younger than me.

Hm? I was 13 when I saw it for the first time and I caught on to it right away. Did you know you can also say f*ck in a T-rated game? Barret says it a few times in Final Fantasy VII

[Beleriphon]

As for F-bombs in movies, if anyone's ever seen Spaceballs (if you haven't I'll kill you :P) that was PG and it had lots of s-words, and towards the end Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) said "F*ck! Even in the future nothing works!" Can anyone please tell me how Spaceballs got away with a PG. It was a great movie, all I'm sayin' is it should've at least been PG-13. National Lampoon's Van Wilder was PG-13 and it had plenty of swearing.

As mentioned in Be Cool you get one F-bomb for a PG or PG-13 movie, more than that instand R rating. Be Cool is PG-13 and not R because John Travolta sasys the word once, in the scene describing the word.

[ElfLad]

Spaceballs is probably rated PG because it came out before Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Before that movie, PG and PG-13 were one category, but after Temple of Doom, people felt that it was too harsh for PG but not bad enough to warrant an "R." Thus, the PG-13 rating was born.

[BelkarsDagger]

Duh duh duh duh dudududududududududuh SPACEBALLS!

Most [R] movies come out with an UNRATED just as an excuse to show that full frontal nude scene, the brain fly out of the head, or to drop a few dozen F-Bombs (See: Shaun of the Dead). [X] is an equivilent of UNRATED, except it is rated.


Did you know you can also say f*ck in a T-rated game?

[T] games are Recommended for Teenagers and Up. The average child learns what the F-Word means around 11-13, and begins to use it online at around 13-15. Those are early teen years, and so T can technically use F-Bombs if they say "Very Strong Language" in the rating box.

[Valda, Adlav and Samiam: the Jacked-Up Trinity]

[T] games are Recommended for Teenagers and Up. The average child learns what the F-Word means around 11-13, and begins to use it online at around 13-15. Those are early teen years, and so T can technically use F-Bombs if they say "Very Strong Language" in the rating box.

I started cursing when I was just under 13, and pretty much used the F-word right off the bat. But more on topic. These 'unrated versions' do begin to annoy after a while.

[Lawful_Stupid]

Hm? I was 13 when I saw it for the first time and I caught on to it right away. Did you know you can also say f*ck in a T-rated game? Barret says it a few times in Final Fantasy VII


Barret said that? I do not recall. Now I'll have to play FF7 again to see. I do recall that Cid does say s*** at the ending CG (I think he says it in the PS version, the PC one got it changed into "%^&*$#!" or something), so I guess Square was able to get away with it.

Anyway, I agree that the Unrated versions of movies are just a way of obtaining more money from oblivious consumers. It's like the movies director says "Hey guys, let's have <insert actor here> say "#$%^!", and not use the line in the original video release. Then we'll crop it in and charge 5 more dollars for the new version, and people will pay it just to hear it!" And his fellows all celebrate by bathing in campagne.

[Cybren]

Dodgeball. I remember my mom bought this, because it was the only one they had in stores, and it turned out just to be a different version of one of the scenes in the movie, just slightly different... :P
I noticed a lot more vulgarity in dodge ball

[Kishkumen]

Spaceballs is probably rated PG because it came out before Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Before that movie, PG and PG-13 were one category, but after Temple of Doom, people felt that it was too harsh for PG but not bad enough to warrant an "R." Thus, the PG-13 rating was born.

That's what I remember. The movie was marketed to teenagers and older kids so they didn't want an R, so the studio put pressure on somebody to create the PG-13.

R-rated movies make more money than PG or PG-13 movies. That's why a perfectly decent movie will feature a couple of unnecessary swear words or other content. The purpose is to get that R rating and thus increase ticket sales.

Movies were good even before ratings were necessary. You can tell a good story and still have a G-rating.

[BelkarsDagger]

Actually, before I cought the f-bomb, I thought it was "This sucks! Even in the future nothin' works!"

[WampaX]

Spaceballs is probably rated PG because it came out before Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Before that movie, PG and PG-13 were one category, but after Temple of Doom, people felt that it was too harsh for PG but not bad enough to warrant an "R." Thus, the PG-13 rating was born.

Not quite . . .
IJatToD and Gremlins coupled with the previous summer's Poltergeist were the impetus for Spielberg to suggest a PG-13 rating to the rating board. the first major release with the PG-13 rating was Red Dawn (The Flamingo Kid got it first, but was releaed after Red Dawn).

Spaceballs was released 3 years after that summer, but they still hadn't solidified what should encompass the PG-13 rating yet. Took 'em until 1990 to sort it all out.

[Baerdog7]

Not quite . . .
IJatToD and Gremlins coupled with the previous summer's Poltergeist were the impetus for Spielberg to suggest a PG-13 rating to the rating board. the first major release with the PG-13 rating was Red Dawn (The Flamingo Kid got it first, but was releaed after Red Dawn).

Spaceballs was released 3 years after that summer, but they still hadn't solidified what should encompass the PG-13 rating yet. Took 'em until 1990 to sort it all out.

I bow before Wampa's superior knowledge.

*bows*

-Baerdog7

[Orrmundur]

The average child learns what the F-Word means around 11-13
What? In my experience it's a lot sooner than that. Me and most of my friends knew it at age 5. (And very few were not aware of it by 8) Granted, at the time we only knew it as a curseword and not as a verb for intercourse.

[Aereshaa_the_2nd]

[T] games are Recommended for Teenagers and Up. The average child learns what the F-Word means around 11-13, and begins to use it online at around 13-15. Those are early teen years, and so T can technically use F-Bombs if they say "Very Strong Language" in the rating box.
That's true, and in fact in a T rated gameboy game called Riveira : the promised land, there is a cut-scene involving detailed hentai! WHAT are they THINKING!!

[Valda, Adlav and Samiam: the Jacked-Up Trinity]

That's true, and in fact in a T rated gameboy game called Riveira : the promised land, there is a cut-scene involving detailed hentai! WHAT are they THINKING!!

Yeah... I've seen that scene. They don't actually show anything. At least not completely, though there was alot of partial nudity in that game.

[neriana]

Hm? I was 13 when I saw it for the first time and I caught on to it right away. Did you know you can also say f*ck in a T-rated game? Barret says it a few times in Final Fantasy VII

Full quote please?

[BelkarsDagger]

I dont think I even wanna know what Hentai i- Oh wait... its like Japanese porn...