such adult-oriented films as The Graduate and I Am Curious Yellow. Because of movies like these, there was increased concern over the idea of regulating what children were allowed to see. There was little disagreement over the fact that films with explicit violence or sexual content are inappropriate for young people. However, there was a great deal of concern over the possibility that the government might undertake the role of regulating the movie industry. That would have resulted in a situation indistinguishable from censorship. Thus, as noted by Richard Corliss in Time, there was a need in the late 1960's for a movie rating system that would function "as a guide for parents seeking suitable movies for their children and, not coincidentally, as a bulwark against state censorship of films." In order to create this type of self-regulating body, the Motion Picture Association of America joined forces with the National Association of Theater Owners on November 1, 1968. Together, these organizations developed the movie rating system which is used in the United States today. At that time, it was decided that the new rating system would be run by a department of the MPAA known as the Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA).
Originally, movies were rated as being either G (general audiences), R (restricted), or X (adults only). Later, PG was added in order to designate films for which parental guidance was suggested. Later still, PG-13 was added to the list as a means for informing parents that particular films were unsuitable for children under the age of thirteen. The PG-13 designation came about as a result of controversy over the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Although that film was initially given a PG rating, it was later decided that some of the content was too violent for younger children. Thus, PG-13 was created as a guideline warning parents of excessive violence or sex in a general-admission...