The Strange World of Horror Movie MPAA Ratings

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has been rating movies since 1968, but only since 1990 has the Rating Board added brief explanations of why a particular film receives its rating. Usually these explanations are generic and repetitive and are overlooked by moviegoers who see them as insignificant "fine print," but once in a while, the language used is unique, bizarre (especially when it comes to horror movie content) and can be more entertaining than the film itself.

Here are interesting and identifiable MPAA ratings explanations for 20 horror movies. Can you match the film with the ratings rationale listed below? (You don't even have to know the movie to guess many of them.)

Ratings:

1. Rated R for zombie violence/gore and language.
2. Rated R for graphic shark attacks, and for language.
3. Rated PG-13 for violence, language, horror images, slime and gore.
4. Rated R for demented mayhem and torture, and for strong language.
5. Rated PG for mild alien vampire violence.
6. Rated NC-17 for substantial graphic horror violence and gore.
7. Rated R for strong crude sexual humor, language, drug use and violence.
8. Rated R for bizarre violence and sexual images, nudity and language.
9. Rated R for language.
10. Rated R for language and for a mother’s sociopathic behavior.
11. Rated R for grisly afterviews of horrific and bizarre killings, and for strong language.
12. Rated R for satanic war violence.
13. Rated PG-13 for some violence and action.
14. Rated R for strong violent/gruesome accidents, language and a scene of sexuality.
15. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of bat attacks, and brief language.
16. Rated R for scenes of nudity and sexuality, for comic horror violence and grossness.
17. Rated R for graphic violence including scenes of dental torture, sexuality and some language.
18. Rated R for sci-fi violence/gore and language.
19. Rated R for sadistic brutal violence including a rape and disturbing images, language, nudity and some drug use.
20. Rated R for an abundance of outrageous gore.

Movies:

A. Alien (1979)
B. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
C. Bats (1999)
D. The Cell (2000)
E. Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991)
F. Dead Alive (1992)
G. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
H. The Dentist (1996)
I. The Evil Dead (1981)
J. The Final Destination (2009)
K. Grey Knight (AKA Ghost Brigade) (1993)
L. The Last House on the Left (2009)
M. Mother's Boys (1994)
N. New Moon (2009)
O. Paranormal Activity (2009)
P. Scary Movie (2000)
Q. Seven (1995)
R. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
S. Teenage Space Vampires (1999)
T. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)

(Answers below.)

Answers:

1. R
2. G
3. B
4. T
5. S
6. I
7. P
8. D
9. O
10. M
11. Q
12. K
13. N
14. J
15. C
16. E
17. H
18. A
19. L
20. F