Random Thursday

Today I want to talk about something kind of bizarre. Movie ratings. Specifically for two movies I love, Jaws and Beetlejuice. Granted they are older movies, so perhaps the rating values weren't so strict back then and even for a few minor mishaps, I almost wonder if the ratings should be reconsidered.

For instance...Jaws! One of my all time favorites!

I think it's safe to say nearly everyone has at least heard of this movie/book. Killer shark attacks beachers. A cop, a shark expert and a shark hunter go out to kill it finally past the halfway point--the mayor was real douche and didn't think there was a problem.

Stephen Spielberg did an amazing job with this movie given the time and that he was a newbie director. There were tons of problems that came up for him too, but I still love the way he did things and can totally understand why he didn't do the sequels. Plus, you can never top the original sometimes!

Anyway, since this is a shark attack movie, there were quite a bit of attacks and some scary moments. We all know the Jaws theme music, so it could get pretty scary even knowing that he's coming. And there were times we actually saw the carnage. And even when we first see the shark, attacking the guy in the boat who we later see his leg, one way that it was almost filmed had the guy holding one of the kids as one would when wanting help from being eaten by a shark, but naturally that idea got cut.

Basically, I thought that a PG rating with some scary moments--it actually says something like that on the poster--was a little tame. I would think PG-13 would've been better. There's mild language but nothing obscenely vulgar. Which brings me to my next movie...

Beetlejuice! The movie before the awesome cartoon series--which is coming to DVD soon I heard! This movie was rated PG as well. Which is all good and all, Tim Burton is a master at these odd but not quite scary movies! So PG seems fitting, yet have you ever caught Betlegeuse--as is spelled in movie--dropping the f-bomb after first meeting the Maitlands? It happened right after Barbara wishes them home from being trapped in the model display. Betlegeuse rants and raves than kicks over a tree and says, "Nice f--in model!"

Yeah, I had to rewind--it was a VHS at the time--a couple of times and replay that and was totally shocked! This one was made in 89, so I guess ratings still weren't too strict then. I would've thought that just because of that one time said word that the rating should've been higher, like PG-13 again. But oh well!

And according to Wikipedia--not the best source I know--and even IMDB there was hopes for a Beetlejuice sequel. It was canned, but then apparently last year they announced that they are going back to doing a sequel. Not sure how I feel about that in all honesty. I really liked Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice and having another guy step in and take over the role wouldn't be the same. It was like with The Punisher 2, never saw it since Thomas Jane wasn't the Punisher anymore, it feels like a new movie, but in a bad way.

Although at the end of the month on the 28th, you can own the complete animated series when it releases on DVD! A show I had great fun in watching as a child, so I might be buying it! Still debating on it since it's priced at $70 on Amazon!