MOVIES - July 20, 1990

Another X-Rated Battle: Miramax Films will appeal the Motion Picture Assn. of America’s X-rating given to “Hardware,” a futuristic thriller, it was announced Thursday. Miramax spokeswoman Vicki Rosen said the production company would appeal the rating at an MPAA hearing in New York on July 30. The film will be released nationally under the company’s Millimeter Films banner Aug. 31. The film’s producer, Joanne Sellar, said the rating handed down last week was surprising in that “Hardware” is the same genre as “Total Recall” and “RoboCop 2,” which did not receive X ratings. “Hardware” is the third Miramax film to receive an X rating. Earlier this year the company released “The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover” and “Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down!” without ratings after they had been officially labeled X.