NC-17 (No One 17 and Under 17 Admitted)[1] is the highest rating in the Motion Picture Association (MPA) film rating system used for films distributed in the United States. It is assigned to films the MPA believes most parents would consider "patently adult" and not suitable for their children under 18.[1] The rating does not designate films as pornographic or obscene, but simply that the content is suitable only for adults.[1] The rating may be issued because of violence, sex, drugs, or other elements.[1]
The NC-17 rating replaced the X rating in 1990 as the X rating was not trademarked by the MPA and had been co-opted by the pornography industry. NC-17 originally stood for "No Children Under 17 Admitted" to combat the misconception that the rating indicated a film was pornographic. In 1996, the MPA reworded the NC-17 rating to "No One 17 and Under Admitted", effectively raising the minimum age for admission from 17 to 18.[2]
This list includes films that received—and were released with—an NC-17 rating; films that received it but had it rescinded before release are not included. Rescissions occur most often in the form of re-ratings after edits, re-ratings on appeals, or studios surrendering the rating to leave the film unrated. The list provides the reason the rating was given for some films. The MPA began publishing the reasons for R ratings in 1990,[3][4] and for all film ratings starting in 2000.[5][6]
Rated NC-17 for a scene of explicit sexual content; kept rating after the MPAA upheld an appeal to overturn it. Edited "Special Edition" rated R for strong sexual content throughout, language and some drug use.[10]
Rated NC-17 for sexual violence, strong sexual situations & dialogue, graphic drug use; edited version rated R for drug use, language, violence, and nudity (the R-rated version was created only because the film's producers wanted the film to be carried by Blockbuster Video and the cost of creating the new edit and then receiving an R from an MPAA was expected to be much less than the amount of money it would earn in video rentals).[11]
Rated NC-17 for a strong scene of graphic sexuality; edited version rated R in 1998 for strong sexuality, including explicit sexual dialogue, some brutal violence, language and drug use.[12]
Rated NC-17 for pervasive sexual content;[31] "The Neuter Cut" (edited) version rated R for pervasive, strong, crude sexual content, including fetishes.[32]
Rated in 2004. Rated NC-17 for explicit sexual content;[34] edited version rated R for strong sexual content and graphic nudity, language and some drug use. Originally released with a NC-17 rating, the film grossed $2.5 million in its United States theatrical release.[35]
Easyriders Video Magazine #13
1992
Rated NC-17 for pervasive sexuality and graphic sexual dialogue.[36]
Rated NC-17 "for explicit sexual content." The sex and violence resulted in the NC-17 rating, yet the MPAA given the film staff suggestions on how to improve it for an R rating. The staff declined, stating: "If we re-cut it we won't have any film left."[20]
Rated NC-17 "for some explicit sexuality"; edited version rated R for strong sexual content and a scene of brutal violence.[8] Despite keeping the NC-17 rating, the film grossed $4.6 million in the United States theatrically,[59] and Focus was very satisfied with the film's theatrical release.[60] It has generated more than $18 million from DVD rentals in the United States.[61]
Marie and Jack: A Hardcore Love Story
2002
Rated in 2007. Rated NC-17 "for explicit sexuality"[8]
Rated in 2005. Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content;[62] edited version rated R for strong aberrant sexuality, some language, and violent images.
Rated NC-17 for several scenes of extremely explicit violence; edited version rated R for bizarre, graphic violence and sensuality, and for drug content.[72]
Rated NC-17 for nudity and erotic sexuality throughout, and for some graphic language and sexual violence. ("Sneak Preview" rated NC-17 for strong sexual images.) First NC-17-rated film to be given a wide release in mainstream theaters.[24][78]
Received rating in 1998. Rated NC-17 for a scene of explicit sexuality; kept rating after the MPAA upheld an appeal to overturn it. Edited version rated R for a strong sex scene, strong language and sexual dialogue, and for a violent image.[87]
Theatrical version rated NC-17 for some explicit sexual content; edited version for home video rated R for strong sexual content, some disturbing behavior, and language.[92]
^See the documentary film, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, in which John Waters discusses many aspects of the difficulties he had with the MPAA rating system.
