These L.A. Middle Schoolers Give a Low Grade to Film Ratings System

Senators and studio chiefs can cajole, lecture and promise all they want, but to a group of Los Angeles middle school students it doesn’t amount to a whole lot--at least not yet. The students, ages 12 to 15, say they go to R-rated movies all the time--with or without their parents--and no one ever stops them.

During a discussion Wednesday at the New Roads School in central Los Angeles, students said that they thought the ratings system was misleading and ineffective. Besides, noted 13-year-old Corinne Prudhomme, “Even though [the movie] might be [for audiences] over 17, it doesn’t really matter because it will come out on home video and so the theater people think, ‘I might as well make my money or Blockbuster will.’ ”

While Senate hearings were taking place in Washington, 14 New Roads students talked about the kinds of movies they like, what they expect from Hollywood, how they get into R-rated features and how they think Hollywood’s violent and sexual images affect them. The topic is so timely that the school has a class on the media--particularly popular entertainment--in which students watch film previews, music videos and video games. (The class and students’ attention to media issues was a key reason the school was selected for this story.)

Prudhomme and her classmates said they felt misled by most movie trailers, which they think promise one thing but deliver another. The most recent example they cited was “Scary Movie,” the Keenan Ivory Wayans comedy that was a smash summer hit, grossing more than $150 million. The Wayans brothers are known for their comedy, so most of the students wanted to see the R-rated movie.

But many said they were embarrassed as they watched it. They said they didn’t know it was so explicit in its sexual content and violence.

“I thought it was going to be a funny movie, but when I was watching it, it didn’t seem so funny because there was some sex and violent parts or people jumping people and slicing people’s heads off,” said Ben Seagle, 12. “I didn’t think it was necessary to see all that.”

Ileasa Green, 12, said she was mortified to find herself watching some of the raunchier scenes with her parents.

“I begged my parents to take me to see ‘Scary Movie,’ ” she said. “I thought it was going to be funny, but we went in and afterward my parents told me that we probably were not going to see another rated R movie in a long, long time. . . . I wouldn’t want to see it again.”

The students are in that murky pop culture zone that reflects the tastes of both children and older teens. So while they still enjoy Nickelodeon and Disney features, they also read Rolling Stone and watch MTV. It also is the age group that is a prime moviegoing and music-buying audience. Often, the lines are so blurry that even the kids can’t tell what movies they should see or stay away from. The previews and reviews do not help them gauge what is appropriate, these students say.

“The previews only show short scenes, so in reality it’s only a small part of what the movie is about,” said William Buchanan.

“Sometimes it seems like with rated R movies you don’t really know what they are about. It’s like they are trying to trick you to try to get your money,” said 12-year-old Dilynne Camp Posey. “I wanted to go see ‘Kings of Comedy’ because I thought they were just funny guys. I didn’t know they were going to have all that swearing because they didn’t show that in previews.”

Most of the students wondered why filmmakers and musicians feel the need to saturate their products with sex and violence.

“I feel that rappers and movie stars have the power to change things, so why don’t they make it positive?” asked Mi’Cael Bell, 13. “I understand they are trying to make money, but they have a lot of influence. And so why don’t they make a positive influence on things instead of negative? [Rappers] call women every name except women or young lady. I just don’t think they should disrespect women like that.”