Considering Bookmans' backing of film screenings for Naked Lunch, A Clockwork Orange, and The Life of Brian for our Fight Censorship month it seems apropos to discuss attempts to reign in movie makers under the Hays Code. Actually, it was the Motion Picture Production Code, but that's boring, so everyone just referred to it by the author's name, Will H. Hays. What? You don't know about the Hays Code? Okay, I didn't know about the Hays Code, so I did the googles thing and discovered it was created in 1926 and formally adopted in 1934 by The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (now the Motion Picture Association of America) to squash freedom of expression for movie makers without federal intervention.

Well, okay, I probably overstated that. I'm sure the intent was to uphold our responsibility to the world to maintain good taste, or something. For example, we know that ministers of religion should always be depicted as upstanding members of the community who never do anything comical or criminal. So it should go without saying that, "The reason why ministers of religion may not be comic characters or villains is simply because the attitude taken toward them may easily become the attitude taken toward religion in general." Right? Because that's just how much influence the movies have over our fragile, fickle minds.

I especially love the language built around two classes of sin. In the first class we have serious crimes, e.g. murder, which are naturally repellant and need less care in depiction. People, in general are not attracted to violence so feel free to politely portray a brutal stabbing death. In contrast, the second class of sins must be treated in a stricter manner. These sins include sex -- not criminal sex, just plain sex. Apparently, sex is naturally appealing and the depiction of it might make us want it, or more to the point more and better of it. In later provisions pertaining to dance, which is welcomed as a beautiful art form, there can be no breast bounceage. Industrial over the shoulder boulder holders are required in those instances.

In any event, the code was replaced in 1966 by the voluntary MPAA ratings system. In contrast to the Hays Code, the current ratings system doesn't formally attempt to censor film makers or impose an approval or non-approval, but to provide potential audiences with guidelines to determine if a movie is appropriate for their own viewing. In practice this system does restrict who may see a film and therefore where and when it can be shown, which in turn affects profits. As long as producers don't mind that their film will only be shown in a small number of independent theaters, then there is no issue with the current rating system. How does the current rating system work? If you ask the makers of This Film Is Not Yet Rated, they will tell you we don't really know because it's shrouded in secrecy with no published criteria, but the Motion Picture Assiciation of America offers this description.

For an intelligent read on the history of the Hays Code, visit True Classic's blog on the subject.