It's really amazing to me when a commercial for a movie can leave me with my mouth hanging open, and it has nothing to do with the type of movie or the scenes from it. You've probably heard that they're releasing a theatrical version of this popular TV show originally broadcast in the 60's. (I wrote a piece about the Bewitched movie a while back.) It wasn't the actors, situations or humor that left me sputtering, but the following which was shown at the end of the commercial:
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some language, including sex and drug references, and partial nudity.
WHAT??? You have got to be kidding me! :shock: " />

“Bewitched” is PG-13?

May 28, 2005 by  

bewitched_classic.gifIt’s really amazing to me when a commercial for a movie can leave me with my mouth hanging open, and it has nothing to do with the type of movie or the scenes from it.

You’ve probably heard that they’re releasing a theatrical version of this popular TV show originally broadcast in the 60′s. (I wrote a piece about the Bewitched movie a while back.)

It wasn’t the actors, situations or humor that left me sputtering, but the following which was shown at the end of the commercial:

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some language, including sex and drug references, and partial nudity.

WHAT??? You have got to be kidding me! :shock:

bewitched_classic.gifIt’s really amazing to me when a commercial for a movie can leave me with my mouth hanging open, and it has nothing to do with the type of movie or the scenes from it.

You’ve probably heard that they’re releasing a theatrical version of this popular TV show originally broadcast in the 60′s. (I wrote a piece about the Bewitched movie a while back.)

It wasn’t the actors, situations or humor that left me sputtering, but the following which was shown at the end of the commercial:

MPAA PG-13 for some language, including sex and drug references, and partial nudity.

WHAT??? You have got to be kidding me! :shock:


Can someone please explain this to me? Why in the heck is it necessary to make a movie based on the classic TV show Bewitched, PG-13? Is it that difficult to create funny situations without relying on drugs, sex and nudity? Did the folks writing this not watch the show?

Yes, I understand that Nora Ephron has put a witty little twist into the movie where within the world of the movie the TV show did in fact exist. Ok, so it’s modern day… so does that make the above a requirement? Nora Ephron has written some great light “date movies” during her career, many of which were funny yet rated PG. Both Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail were released well after the PG-13 rating debuted in 1984, and they were both quite funny.

Don’t get me wrong, of course there is a place for PG-13 films. It just bugs me when Hollywood feels the inevitable need to “spice up” a movie based on a G-rated TV show. My 8 year old daughter watched Bewitched in reruns and it would have been great if I could take her to an updated version at the movies.

If she asks why it had to be PG-13, I’m afraid I won’t really have a good answer for her.

The thing that gets me is that if you watch classic shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeannie, etc., they’re still funny! How is it that writers back then were able to write stuff that made you laugh so hard you’d have tears coming out of your eyes while keeping it completely clean?

I shudder to think of what an I Dream of Jeannie remake would be like on either TV or the big screen. :shock:

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5 Comments - Comments are closed.

  1. Brian    6 years ago

    Yikes… this isn’t your parents’ Bewitched. The dead cast members of the original show must be rolling in their graves right about now. I’ll be surprised if this is a big hit, but I’ve been wrong before.

    I just hope the partial nudity isn’t from Will Ferrell. :blush:

    Brian

  2. John Kelso    6 years ago

    I’m waiting for the review from Screen It (www.screenit.com). They’ll explain exactly what’s in the movie in amazing detail and then I can decide if it’s okay.

    But you’re right — why mess with a good thing in the first place?

  3. Screen Rant    6 years ago

    John, you’re right, ScreenIt.com is an awesome resource for parents.

    Vic

  4. Mandy    6 years ago

    I saw “Bewitched” this morning, and I really don’t know why it has the PG-13 rating. There was only one mild curse word that I can think of, and the nudity is just a brief shot of Will Ferrel, and it is covered with one of those censor blurs, so basically you only see his bare chest. I don’t even think the drug refernce could be considered a drug reference. I think your eight year old would be just fine in seeing it. Its a very cute and light movie. Loved it.

  5. Screen Rant    6 years ago

    Mandy, thanks for dropping by and giving the details on the PG-13 aspect. :D

    The subjectivity in movie ratings is truly flabbergasting. So this seems like it barely warranted the PG-13 while “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” gets a PG…

    Vic