Ang Lee's Chinese-language feature film "Lust, Caution" just got rated NC-17 by the MPAA, and Focus Features CEO James Schamus says, "When we screened the final cut of this film, we knew we weren't going to change a frame. Every moment up on that screen works and is an integral part of the emotional arc of the characters." They are going to release the film with the NC-17 rating.
Amen.
AMEN!
America is starved for mature adult content, and that is what NC-17 is (in an ideal world) for. Granted, sticking with the NC-17 rating makes film distribution a challenge. According to The Hollywood Reporter, which is my source for all facts and quotes in this post, "Some newspapers and TV outlets won't carry ads for NC-17 films, which has led non-MPAA member distributors like ThinkFilm to release some features unrated." Funny story: I saw Todd Solondz's "Happiness" before it was released as part of a movie club I belonged to long ago in South Florida. Until reading this article, I had no idea that it was rated NC-17 and that they then released it unrated. Honestly, as intense as that film was, I never would have guessed.
That's, of course, because the fact that sexual content leads to NC-17 while extreme violence doesn't is so inherently odd that it's difficult to hold it in my head. Saving Private Ryan, for example and in my opinion, should be rated NC-17 hands down, no contest. It is absolutely mature adult content with its candid look at the violence of war. But that film we play on primetime network television. Meanwhile, SEX! SCARY! Keep the kiddies away from nudity and romantic human interaction! Teach them: Sex: Bad; Violence... OK.
Seriously, how long must this absurdity go on?
So the fact that Focus Features is sticking by Ang Lee and his film as crafted is seriously awesome news. Even in the face of bullshit distribution headaches, which backs many a studio down, Focus Features and Ang Lee are standing up and saying: This is our film, this is sexuality, and the sexuality is integral to the story and we're sticking to it.
BTW, I learned in The Hollywood Reporter today that the MPAA has an allowable number of pelvic thrusts. No word on how many people are allowed to get shot in the head and/or beat to a pulp and still rate an "R" rating.
They also mentioned that there's no full-frontal male nudity, "the source of some NC-17 rulings when shown in sex scenes," in "Lust, Caution." I guess today a girl still can't have it all.
"Lust, Caution" will release in selected cities on Oct. 5 after premiering at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. If you show it your box office love, it will show you it's cinematic love as only Ang Lee could bring it to you. Read: With stunning cinematic beauty and an incredible sense of story.
