Explicit Film Ratings

The note about the NC-17 rating proposed for brutality depicted in the film “Extreme Justice” (“ ‘Extreme Rating,’ ” Morning Report, Jan. 29) is another example of the nonsensical MPAA rating system for films. The ratings are based on subjective views that may lump violence, sexual situations and who knows what else in a given film. As guides to viewers, especially parents or guardians, they are meaningless aids to the prospect of what gratuity one can expect to see.

There should be separate ratings for violence and sex. These could be scaled in some manner, and required for TV as well as theater showing. For example, violence might be scaled as “VV” for very violent, “GV” for ghastly violence, “MV” for wholesale mayhem, “XV” for extreme violence, etc.

Sexual situations might be scaled as “SS” for sexually suggestive, “VS” for very sexy, “XS” for excessively sexy (whatever that may be, as long as we are being subjective), “GS” for nice gentle-- or good--sex, “FS” for frontal nudity, male or female (what’s the difference?).

Such ratings could be used in combination to provide real guidance. Any film displaying a sexual situation, but not suggesting safe sex, should be rated “X” with skull & crossbones.

DICK LITTLESTONE

Pacific Palisades