Kevin Smith saves R rating on 'Porno' film

Filmmaker and slacker icon Kevin Smith has won an appeal to lower the rating for his comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" from an adults-only NC-17 to an R. Gee, it sounds like a family film to us (from the director who brought us a man having off-screen sex with a donkey) "We didn't set out to make an NC-17 film. That's just commercial suicide," Smith told The Associated Press.

The film, due out Oct. 31, stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as best friends and roommates who try to make a homemade porn flick to dig themselves out of debt. Smith said the MPAA ratings board objected to two sex scenes involving co-stars Jason Mewes and Katie Morgan. Smith said he trimmed those scenes as far as he was willing to go but was unable to convince the board to lower the rating. "They felt it was rather sexually graphic. My point is, it was comically graphic. All the sex in the movie with the exception of one scene is very cartoonish, very campy," Smith said. "It wasn't designed to titillate."

Smith said the title alone should be enough to caution audiences about the contents.
"Anybody not inclined to see a movie with `Porno' in the title is not going to see it, so it kind of regulates itself to a degree," Smith said. "And anybody who is going is not going to be surprised by what they see."

--Sharon Kennedy Wynne

Comments

[Mike]

"Suck on a t|t and it's rated R, blow one up with a shotgun and its on network television."

[Mike]

"Suck on a t|t and it's rated R, blow one up with a shotgun and its on network television."

[Joe]

To Ray
1) We dont' watch spongebob, and my daughter knows its not ok for her.

2) We've seen on nick other questionable commercials, but even if we watch network tv, on a show that isn't even anything to do with adult content they pop up.

3) no its a shame Miley has resorted to the path she is going down. We don't watch her anymore

to Bob
1) no one said anything about bible thumping, but yet you swear this is the reason? cmon..

2) you say who cares, everyone is doing it. I say YOU are the problem. Its not bible thumping, but taking responsibility and doing something right. just because it CAN be done, at times doesn't mean it SHOULd be done.

3) there is a way to teach and a way to get it shoved in your face. I choose to teach. I don't need you to come over in my driveway, have sex with your cousin and say, "Everyone does it, get used to it."

4) so take a chill pill and actually read the original comment.

[bob]

get over it-who cares if the kids see a trailer for a movie with the name porno in it? this is whats wrong with this country so prude. the kids are eventually going to see porn whether u like it or not, maybe even participate. and to the other guy miley cyrus hasnt been whoring around you bible thumpers are just 2 uptight and need to get a life, the problem isnt her its the paris hiltons of teh world and the parents for being overprotective. you all are the reason the world sux right now, hasnt anyone heard that shelterin ur kids from this stuff always leads to them growing up to go wild-teach the kids dont shelter them.

[bob]

get over it-who cares if the kids see a trailer for a movie with the name porno in it? this is whats wrong with this country so prude. the kids are eventually going to see porn whether u like it or not, maybe even participate. and to the other guy miley cyrus hasnt been whoring around you bible thumpers are just 2 uptight and need to get a life, the problem isnt her its the paris hiltons of teh world and the parents for being overprotective. you all are the reason the world sux right now, hasnt anyone heard that shelterin ur kids from this stuff always leads to them growing up to go wild-teach the kids dont shelter them.

[Ray F]

Joe,

With the way the media addresses their target audiences, I'm sure you won't see an advertisement for this movie during Sponge Bob.

It's OK to have Miley Cyrus whoring herself around showing 15year old cleavage out in the wide open though?

[Joe]

The problem with this crap is that they will mass market the movie on every station around the week prior. So while i'm watching some innocent show with my kids, BAM, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" commercial comes on.

thus begins the mad scramble to find the remote to change it, which by the time we find it, the commercial is over with, kids asking what is a porno, etc...

the ad won't get limited to the "adult" times. watch.

Hollywood cannot think of anything else than to make this crap.