WHY the hell is Army of Darkness classed as horror and rated R???

[Rob Bottin]

The title speaks for itself.

[swiss tony]

if you're saying it should fall into the fantsy genre then i agree. i assume the american ' R rating ' is the british equivalent of an eighteen. if this is the case then i think you should remember that ratings are only relevant to the year they were classified. perhaps today it wouldn't get the same rating

[Rob Bottin]

Ok, I think it should be rated G, 11 on cinema then. And yes I´m 100% serious.

[Mictlantechutli]

Ok, I think it should be rated G, 11 on cinema then. And yes I´m 100% serious.

You sure waste a lot of time worrying about the most pointless aspect of a film - the one that is completely irrelevant...the rating.

What matters is if the story, characters, action, framing, pacing, thematic structure, social relevance, and overall entertainment factor.

Who gives a fuck what the rating is?

[illdojo]

You sure waste a lot of time worrying about the most pointless aspect of a film - the one that is completely irrelevant...the rating.

What matters is if the story, characters, action, framing, pacing, thematic structure, social relevance, and overall entertainment factor.

Who gives a fuck what the rating is?

I agree. :D

[Riff]

all right, the answer from someone who has worked in a number of video stores, and now works in the film industry...

It's in Horror because the first two movies in the set are in horror and it has walking skeletons and zombie like things in it. Video stores don't put a lot of research into their filing systems, and they figure if you found the first two movies in the series there, you'll look for the third one there.

The 'R' rating is entirely arbitrary, as are all movie ratings. How movies are rated is based on the feelings of the people on the board after watching the movie. If you don't like the rating you got, you can make changes and resubmit, or resubmit without changing and try to wear them down with your arguments. Standards have changed-- there are older movies that have full nudity in them that got a PG rating. I'm told one of the things they currently look at is use of the "f-word". You can use it once as an expletive and get a PG13, but if you use it to describe the act, it's an R. In other words, you can say "f*ck you" but not "f*ck me". Army's R rating is just based on the opinions of the board members at the time.

[The Flayed One]

Wonderful. The poster trying to argue that no one posts in his movie threads giving a completely pointless answer to an honest question.


As for the question, IMDB lists the reasons for being rated R as "violence & horror." I'd have to agree, as a spurting blood pit fight between Bruce Campbell and an undead seems to fit the description.

As to why it's considered horror, it's an age old debate that many movies go through. I'd consider it just as much horror as I would Dead/Alive (aka Braindead) or Return of the Living Dead. Such great movies as Silence of the Lambs, Jaws & Se7en have went through the same machine for different reasons.

I didn't draw any lines as to what was considered horror in the HDC Top 100s for this reason. Draw your line where you stand, just remember that because you do others aren't necessarily wrong.

[swiss tony]

As to why it's considered horror, it's an age old debate that many movies go through. I'd consider it just as much horror as I would Dead/Alive (aka Braindead) or Return of the Living Dead. Such great movies as Silence of the Lambs, Jaws & Se7en have went through the same machine for different reasons.

I didn't draw any lines as to what was considered horror in the HDC Top 100s for this reason. Draw your line where you stand, just remember that because you do others aren't necessarily wrong.

i posted a thread regarding 8mm. i'd be interested to hear your personal opinion on this movie

[Rob Bottin]

As for the question, IMDB lists the reasons for being rated R as "violence & horror." I'd have to agree, as a spurting blood pit fight between Bruce Campbell and an undead seems to fit the description.

Well, I guess it´s just rated R just because they on MPAA is so fucking sensetive.

[swiss tony]

As for the question, IMDB lists the reasons for being rated R as "violence & horror." I'd have to agree, as a spurting blood pit fight between Bruce Campbell and an undead seems to fit the description.

Well, I guess it´s just rated R just because they on MPAA is so fucking sensetive.

why is pans labyrinth a 15 (uk rating) and in the fantasy section mister smarty pants?

[Rob Bottin]

why is pans labyrinth a 15 (uk rating) and in the fantasy section mister smarty pants?

Because it´s not a horror movie? I haven´t seen it.:mad:

[bloodrayne]

You have to admit that Army Of Darkness definitely has common horror themes...The Necronomicon, Living dead rising from graves, demons, chainsaws, blood and guts, the supernatural...It's undeniable...

As for the rating...I was gonna say probably for the violence, but it's already been mentioned...my personal opinion is that it should be PG13

[swiss tony]

You have to admit that Army Of Darkness definitely has common horror themes...The Necronomicon, Living dead rising from graves, demons, chainsaws, blood and guts, the supernatural...It's undeniable...

As for the rating...I was gonna say probably for the violence, but it's already been mentioned...my personal opinion is that it should be PG13

its just that its set in medieval england which gives it a D&D feel. personally, i think pans labyrinth has as many horror themes as army... they both have elements of both types of movies. what is van helsing then? fantasy or horror? or dog's shit? i'm saying the latter

[bloodrayne]

its just that its set in medieval england which gives it a D&D feel. personally, i think pans labyrinth has as many horror themes as army... they both have elements of both types of movies. what is van helsing then? fantasy or horror? or dog's shit? i'm saying the latter
Hmm...Well...Vampires are classified as horror...Right?

[Despare]

Lots of fun slapstick gore but there's a boobshot too I believe. Probably what sent the fuddyduddys over the edge.

[Rob Bottin]

You have to admit that Army Of Darkness definitely has common horror themes...The Necronomicon, Living dead rising from graves, demons, chainsaws, blood and guts, the supernatural...It's undeniable...

As for the rating...I was gonna say probably for the violence, but it's already been mentioned...my personal opinion is that it should be PG13


GUTS!?!? You fucking kidding me.

[bloodrayne]

GUTS!?!? You fucking kidding me.
Well...Okay then...Goo...:p

[Rob Bottin]

Well...Okay then...Goo...:p

Haha, seriously, in which scene did you saw some guts? I saw a fountain of blood in the beginning (yes, I´ve seen the entire film if you didn´t thought so) but that´s it.

[swiss tony]

Hmm...Well...Vampires are classified as horror...Right?

dunno if thats enough. the league of extraordinary gentlemen had a vamp not to mention mr hyde, one of the original horror characters of literature. the brothers grimm had witches and exorcisms. i'm sticking to my guns here, fantasy!

[Rob Bottin]

Ok ok, I surrender, it is a horror movie but I still never gonna class it as a one.

Someone have an idea why the fucking hell it´s rated 15 and higher:mad: ?

[mordrid]

Because at the time of the movie's release, all horror movies were pretty much given a R rating honestly. This was before the days of the PG-13 horrors.

[Rob Bottin]

Because at the time of the movie's release, all horror movies were pretty much given a R rating honestly. This was before the days of the PG-13 horrors.

Fucking MPAA:mad: I´m glad our censorship isn´t really the same hard.

How can you atleast not give AoD PG rating? I mean, it´s not that violent, have I said before that I think it should be rated G?

[DEATHH DREAMS author]

It is 'horror by association'...

[Despare]

There's a short bit of nudity, shotgun battles, demons trying to kill people, sexual banter, disturbing images...

You honestly think any kid anywhere should be able to walk in unsupervised and watch it?

[Doc Faustus]

I think it does fit a bit better into the fantasy genre, which you can see with all the homages in the movie to Harryhausen Greek mythology films. As for the violence, it's not whether the violence is too intense for adults, it's whether it's too intense for children that earns something an R. With some of the obscenity, the intensity of a guy tossed into a well with a demon and the constant splatter, yes, an R might work for it. My 4 year old brother loved the tv cut, but the average kid might find it intense.

[novadawn969]

I'm to lazy to read all of the thread, but I hope I can help a little.
It's neither horror nor fantasy. It's in the 'dark comedy' genre. And Mordrid is right. At the time it was made, everything was considered rated R. If it had any cussing it was automatically rated R. Just how they rated it back then.

[anesti]

i ask myself the same question, lol, like i mean really why tf?
Wen i first watched Army of Darkness, i saw it on VHS , and i actually thought it was a comedy movie, really, especially the scene in the woods, when he goes after the necromancer, lool, that was just crazy, or the scene in the castle at the end, lol, or the scene with the chainsaw, i gotta admit that i laughed at that movie like i had never laughed at an horror movie before!!

i think it's the system, the fu*king rules that make the system, the same as using the f word too many times, i mean one time it's ok, but use it twice or more and the small kid will go 'round the block, fu*king people around!! :)) lol

[PR3SSUR3]

if you're saying it should fall into the fantsy genre then i agree. i assume the american ' R rating ' is the british equivalent of an eighteen

'R' = 17, but unlike in the UK you can get in are younger if accompanied by an adult.

'NC-17' seems to be box office suicide since many cinema chains don't show films with this rating, but even this is not as strict as a UK '18' cert, which show in multiplexes packed with adults day in, day out.

Yanks, eh?

[Rob Bottin]

There's a short bit of nudity, shotgun battles, demons trying to kill people, sexual banter, disturbing images...

You honestly think any kid anywhere should be able to walk in unsupervised and watch it?



And that´s supposed to come from you who haves the signature you have?! Hahahahahaha! Thanks for the entertainment:-D

[Despare]

And that´s supposed to come from you who haves the signature you have?! Hahahahahaha! Thanks for the entertainment:-D

I'm not against any of it, but I think ratings should be in place for parents who don't want to take the time to watch a movie before plopping their brood down in front of it. Same with this forum, parents should be watching what their kids are doing online. Besides... my sig is medical. ;)

[Dante'sInferno]

I think it's a Dark Comedy.With horror elemements and gore.Also a pinch of fantasy.

[massacre man]

Because, the ratings board knew it would make you mad.

[Elvis_Christ]

It was released over here as a R13 when it came out.

[Despare]

Because if it was rated PG-13 people would have bitched and said it would have ruined the series. ;)

[Rob Bottin]

It was released over here as a R13 when it came out.

:S Where are you from?

[X¤MurderDoll¤X]

I think it's a Dark Comedy.With horror elemements and gore.Also a pinch of fantasy.


dark comedy? I think it's most definitey slapstick comedy

[The Vault of Horror]

I agree. I think the only reason is cause its connected to the Evil Dead movies. But its so completely different, its a total comedy/fantasy. Not horror at all.

[Despare]

Not horror at all.

There's some horror in the movie.

Marching skeletons, flesh eating books, the little Ashes, evil Ash, demons... it may not be "scary" but the movie has at least a foot inside the boundries that define "horror".

[Psycom5k]

There's some horror in the movie.

Marching skeletons, flesh eating books, the little Ashes, evil Ash, demons... it may not be "scary" but the movie has at least a foot inside the boundries that define "horror".

So then by you saying that, that would mean that anything with horror themes would be filed under the horror genre. Which would mean, something with ghosts in it would be defined as horror. So, with that said, would you say that all the "A Christmas Carol" movies would be horror then? Because last time I checked it wasn't. Just because there are horror themes in a movie, does not make the movie horror. Therefor IMO Army of Darkness = Fantasy/comedy.

[Despare]

So then by you saying that, that would mean that anything with horror themes would be filed under the horror genre. Which would mean, something with ghosts in it would be defined as horror. So, with that said, would you say that all the "A Christmas Carol" movies would be horror then? Because last time I checked it wasn't. Just because there are horror themes in a movie, does not make the movie horror. Therefor IMO Army of Darkness = Fantasy/comedy.

There are plenty of horror elements in Army of Darkness; blood, guts, chainsaws, shotguns, skeletons, a posessed girlfriend, demons, etc... Not just "ghosts".

If you can't see it, too bad for you, because it's a great comedy/horror film.

"Duh, so demons mean ghosts and ghosts are in a Christmas Carol..."

Have you ever read the original Christmas Carol? It's a lot darker than that holiday dreck you watch on TBS on Christmas Eve before you put on your footie PJs and hit the sack to wait for Santa.

Don't be an idiot.

[massacre man]

Have you ever read the original Christmas Carol? It's a lot darker than that holiday dreck you watch on TBS on Christmas Eve before you put on your footie PJs and hit the sack to wait for Santa.

Don't be an idiot.

That would be awesome coming out of Bill Moseley's mouth.

[Phalanx]

Primarily Adventure/Comedy with an overall horror theme -
Which the whole series can really be put into, perhaps in different order per movie, eg:
1 Horror, Adventure, Comedy
2 Comedy, horror, Adventure
3 Adventure, comedy, horror.
...None of them were exclusively horror, all had comedy when you look at it.
That's why they probably just stuck with "horror", which is the dominant theme factor in all of them.
Throw army of darkness back 20 years from the time of it's release and it'd be considered "up there" with the real scary stuff back in the day, no?
Seems to me that's like what they were going for, more an homage to the "old" stuff that we might find laughable nowadays? Maybe, I dunno...the film was definately a bit of a piss take.
It's overall a story about evil forces that want to demonically possess the human race over time - that's a horror tale, regardless of how they choose to tell it.
Unless you want genres listed that cover up most of the case "horror/comedy/adventure/romance"...etc, just deal with it. If 1 (and especially) 2 deserve the "horror" mantle, 3 is there too.

...In any event, I think your argument regarding what the rating "should" be is a little more than 10 years too late.

[Psycom5k]

There are plenty of horror elements in Army of Darkness; blood, guts, chainsaws, shotguns, skeletons, a posessed girlfriend, demons, etc... Not just "ghosts".

If you can't see it, too bad for you, because it's a great comedy/horror film.

"Duh, so demons mean ghosts and ghosts are in a Christmas Carol..."

Have you ever read the original Christmas Carol? It's a lot darker than that holiday dreck you watch on TBS on Christmas Eve before you put on your footie PJs and hit the sack to wait for Santa.

Don't be an idiot.

Actually yes I have. I was just using the MOVIES that were made of it as an example NOT the book itself. All I said was that if every movie was classified as horror just because it has a ghost or something in it,(Like the aptly named movie Ghost, which was more of a romance than anything) then that would be stupid. But hey thats just my opinion.




Oh yeah, and leave my jammies out of this.

Edit: On a side note.... who can guess where this quote came from -----> "I'm going off the rails on a Swayze train." First person to guess gets a cookie.

[Roderick Usher]

Edit: On a side note.... who can guess where this quote came from -----> "I'm going off the rails on a Swayze train." First person to guess gets a cookie.

Trailer Park Boys

[AUSTIN316426808]

Actually yes I have. I was just using the MOVIES that were made of it as an example NOT the book itself. All I said was that if every movie was classified as horror just because it has a ghost or something in it,(Like the aptly named movie Ghost, which was more of a romance than anything) then that would be stupid. But hey thats just my opinion.



What you're saying is understood. The point is, do you really have to strain the comparison that much. Seriously, Army of Darkness 'n Christmas Carol, not to mention that you decided to throw Ghost into it. It's not the elements of horror but the theme..there's an army of skeletons and demons coming to destroy a town, that's a horror theme...not christmas or romance, horror.

[Psycom5k]

Trailer Park Boys
Correct rod, but your on a diet so instead you get...
http://cache.lifehacker.com/assets/resources/2007/01/200%20calories%20of%20celery.png
:)
What you're saying is understood. The point is, do you really have to strain the comparison that much. Seriously, Army of Darkness 'n Christmas Carol, not to mention that you decided to throw Ghost into it. It's not the elements of horror but the theme..there's an army of skeletons and demons coming to destroy a town, that's a horror theme...not christmas or romance, horror.

Thats fully understood, but the only reason I tried to strain that comparison(With a Patrick Swayze reference) is because someone decided to bash me( and my jammies) for trying to make a relevant point to this discussion.

[Despare]

Thats fully understood, but the only reason I tried to strain that comparison(With a Patrick Swayze reference) is because someone decided to bash me( and my jammies) for trying to make a relevant point to this discussion.

Actually chico, your point wasn't relevant unless you've seen some version of Dickens' classic in which ole' Ebenezer takes out Marley and the three ghosts of time with a shotgun and a chainsaw. I understood your point, I just didn't think it was very valid. I don't know why you can't see the horror elements in Army of Darkness but I know I won't be the one to lift the veil.

http://www.shivasworld.com/graphics/Pit%20Deadite.jpg

[Psycom5k]

Actually chico, your point wasn't relevant unless you've seen some version of Dickens' classic in which ole' Ebenezer takes out Marley and the three ghosts of time with a shotgun and a chainsaw. I understood your point, I just didn't think it was very valid. I don't know why you can't see the horror elements in Army of Darkness but I know I won't be the one to lift the veil.

http://www.shivasworld.com/graphics/Pit%20Deadite.jpg

Who the hell said I can't see the horror elements in Army of Darkness? I never said that Army of darkness wasn't a horror movie. I never said that those elements aren't in the movie. All I was saying was that just because a movie has horror elements in it, doesn't necessarily mean that it is horror movie. And I was NOT saying that AoD isn't a horror movie, because thats what your trying to twist what I am saying into.

But ya know what? I'm done. There is no point in arguing with somebody like you. God forbid I try to get into a discussion. So drop it. I am.

[_____V_____]

Who the hell said I can't see the horror elements in Army of Darkness? I never said that Army of darkness wasn't a horror movie. I never said that those elements aren't in the movie. All I was saying was that just because a movie has horror elements in it, doesn't necessarily mean that it is horror movie. And I was NOT saying that AoD isn't a horror movie, because thats what your trying to twist what I am saying into.

Re:

So then by you saying that, that would mean that anything with horror themes would be filed under the horror genre. Which would mean, something with ghosts in it would be defined as horror. So, with that said, would you say that all the "A Christmas Carol" movies would be horror then? Because last time I checked it wasn't. Just because there are horror themes in a movie, does not make the movie horror. Therefor IMO Army of Darkness = Fantasy/comedy.

Contradicting yourself, eh?;)

[Freezing Moon]

I love this film.
And it is an horror film. Besides some LOL and some ROFL here and there, some scenes are scarier than the most part of horror films from Hollywood nowadays. For example can be a bit shocking the scene in which he see something is growing inside him, with the eyes emerging from his shoulder... or when he mutilates himself with the chainsaw in the prologue.

But I'm sure it's rated R because of the "sex scene" :D

[Despare]

Who the hell said I can't see the horror elements in Army of Darkness? I never said that Army of darkness wasn't a horror movie. I never said that those elements aren't in the movie. All I was saying was that just because a movie has horror elements in it, doesn't necessarily mean that it is horror movie. And I was NOT saying that AoD isn't a horror movie, because thats what your trying to twist what I am saying into.

But ya know what? I'm done. There is no point in arguing with somebody like you. God forbid I try to get into a discussion. So drop it. I am.

Don't tell me what to drop, I love to argue, I was built for it. Army of Darkness is more "horror" than most of the new "horror" movies released today. I've already talked about what it includes and it's more than a simple recurring horror theme. Army of Darkness is a horror movie filled to the brim with slapstick comedy. Without the horror part of the movie... the book of the dead and the deadites etc... there could be no movie. Army of Darkness is a horror movie at the core and without Bruce Campbell's witty remarks and physical humor to lighten the mood this film WOULD have been pretty damn creepy.

[Psycom5k]

Don't tell me what to drop, I love to argue, I was built for it. Army of Darkness is more "horror" than most of the new "horror" movies released today. I've already talked about what it includes and it's more than a simple recurring horror theme. Army of Darkness is a horror movie filled to the brim with slapstick comedy. Without the horror part of the movie... the book of the dead and the deadites etc... there could be no movie. Army of Darkness is a horror movie at the core and without Bruce Campbell's witty remarks and physical humor to lighten the mood this film WOULD have been pretty damn creepy.

So, who's ready for Thanksgiving? I love turkey, so its one of my favorite holidays.
I always get a leg, otherwise somebody is losing theirs.

Does anybody want to know how to make their own cranberry sauce? And no I don't mean the stuff in the can, thats more like jelly than sauce. I mean good ol' wholesome fresh cranberries, being cooked into the sauce.

Ok so you take a bag of frozen cranberries, put them into a saucepan, add about a half a cup of sugar, or 3/4 to 2/3s of a cup. zest an orange, add that. Then just cover with water, bring to a boil, stirring occasionaly, and reduce it to about 3/4 to a 12, remove from heat, and use it on anything you like.

[Despare]

So, who's ready for Thanksgiving? I love turkey, so its one of my favorite holidays.
I always get a leg, otherwise somebody is losing theirs.

Does anybody want to know how to make their own cranberry sauce? And no I don't mean the stuff in the can, thats more like jelly than sauce. I mean good ol' wholesome fresh cranberries, being cooked into the sauce.

Ok so you take a bag of frozen cranberries, put them into a saucepan, add about a half a cup of sugar, or 3/4 to 2/3s of a cup. zest an orange, add that. Then just cover with water, bring to a boil, stirring occasionaly, and reduce it to about 3/4 to a 12, remove from heat, and use it on anything you like.

Because the sauce is red it's horror sauce for sure. Because blood is red. Like the blood in Army of Darkness. You know... that horror movie that's pretty funny.

[ChronoGrl]

I would definitely classify Army of Darkness as a horror movie. Yes, it definitely has elements of humor, but I believe that the basic plot, the theme of the Gothic Other as well as Gothic Quest, and characters (the deadites and the Necronomicon) moves this film into the realm of the horror genre.

While some might argue that it diverges into the realm of fantasy, I would argue that the magical elements that would qualify it toward fantasy are more macabre and dark, therefore pushing it in a horror direction. I would also argue that there are elements of comedy, but these elements do not override the ubiquitous intent of the film. While it definitely follows Evil Dead 2 as a lampooning of the horror genre, it does, in fact, serve as a horror film.

...

HOWEVER

...

I have often argued for the other side of this debate, that Army of Darkness is not a horror movie. The only time that I make this claim, however, is when it is explicitly being compared with Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. Usually the triad of films are brought up as Raimi's veritable Three Ringed Horror Opus, and THIS is when I have issue with Army being considered a horror film. It does not attempt to do what its two predecessors did. In Evil Dead, Raimi was making a haunted house film. In ED 2, he was lampooning his attempts at making a haunted house film while at the same time creating an even MORE effective (in my opinion) haunted house film. AOD, however, takes the lampooning element to a whole different level and creates a different branch of horror than the original two. It is no longer a haunted house film, and it definitely uses cheap slapstick and one-liners to create comedy (as opposed to ED 2, which used situational absurdity to create irony and humor) that seem to override the horror elements that so saturated the previous two films.

SO, I would say that as an organic unit taken by itself, Army of Darkness is certainly a horror film.

But when taken as part of the triology, I do not view it as so. Evil Dead is horror. Evil Dead 2 is parody/homage but still horror. And, in that light, Army of Darkness is Action/Siege/Comedy.

And, uhm... Yay for Thanksgiving (http://youtube.com/watch?v=S-zhb_6G988)!

[Psycom5k]

Because the sauce is red it's horror sauce for sure. Because blood is red. Like the blood in Army of Darkness. You know... that horror movie that's pretty funny.

Anybody ever tell you that you're a bastard? And I only mean that in the best way possible.

[Despare]

Anybody ever tell you that you're a bastard? And I only mean that in the best way possible.

How did you know? ;)

[_____V_____]

Anybody ever tell you that you're a bastard? And I only mean that in the best way possible.

I have.

It never worked...lemme tell ya.

[Psycom5k]

I have.

It never worked...lemme tell ya.

Oh I think I allready know.