Movie Production Code Research Paper
The Motion Picture Production Code
In 1930 , The Production Code was introduced. The Hayes Code was essentially censorship of movies. It imposed a very strict, conservative moral code on the movies, completely banning sex, nudity, profanity, gore... from all films. And beyond that, it regulated themes as well, insisting, for instance, that the bad guys always get punished and that the clergy be shown in a generally favorable light. The code focused on the the audience and its desires that the industry’s commercialism promoted. The code consisted moral guidelines that applied to films in the United States. It enforced appropriate content and included rules against profanity, nudity, willful offense to any nation, race or creed; and so on. …show more content…
The code guaranteed that virtually every movie in every theatre was suitable for all family members to see. And at the time it started, television didn't exist, so movies were the primary source of family entertainment. With the code censoring out any objectionable material, parents didn't have to worry about taking their kids to a movie and being shocked by something crude or violent. The code prevented many movie-makers from making the kind of movies they wanted to make, stifled creativity, didn't allow for a realistic depiction of society as it really existed, and stopped movie-makers from discussing controversial social issues, such as homosexuality. The rules were often prudish they were even banned from using the word "virgin", and even married couples were shown sleeping in separate beds. By the 1960's, social mores had changed so much that the Code was simply outdated. With TV there to fill the bill for clean, censored entertainment, movies needed edgier subject matter to attract adult audiences to theaters. So eventually studios simply started ignoring the Code, and it fell by the wayside. It was replaced by the movie rating system, which allowed studios to make the movies they wanted, but in theory kept children out of adult films, and warned potential audiences when the content might be
In 1930 , The Production Code was introduced. The Hayes Code was essentially censorship of movies. It imposed a very strict, conservative moral code on the movies, completely banning sex, nudity, profanity, gore... from all films. And beyond that, it regulated themes as well, insisting, for instance, that the bad guys always get punished and that the clergy be shown in a generally favorable light. The code focused on the the audience and its desires that the industry’s commercialism promoted. The code consisted moral guidelines that applied to films in the United States. It enforced appropriate content and included rules against profanity, nudity, willful offense to any nation, race or creed; and so on. …show more content…
The code guaranteed that virtually every movie in every theatre was suitable for all family members to see. And at the time it started, television didn't exist, so movies were the primary source of family entertainment. With the code censoring out any objectionable material, parents didn't have to worry about taking their kids to a movie and being shocked by something crude or violent. The code prevented many movie-makers from making the kind of movies they wanted to make, stifled creativity, didn't allow for a realistic depiction of society as it really existed, and stopped movie-makers from discussing controversial social issues, such as homosexuality. The rules were often prudish they were even banned from using the word "virgin", and even married couples were shown sleeping in separate beds. By the 1960's, social mores had changed so much that the Code was simply outdated. With TV there to fill the bill for clean, censored entertainment, movies needed edgier subject matter to attract adult audiences to theaters. So eventually studios simply started ignoring the Code, and it fell by the wayside. It was replaced by the movie rating system, which allowed studios to make the movies they wanted, but in theory kept children out of adult films, and warned potential audiences when the content might be