The Motion Picture Association of America’s guidelines for film ratings are not as rigid and inflexible as one may be led to believe. Peter’s Jackson’s first foray into Hollywood, 1996’s The Frighteners, was slapped with an R rating despite Jackson’s best attempts to deliver a crowd pleasing PG-13. Compared to either his earlier efforts (which would definitely warrant at least an R had they been rated) or his later efforts (the Lord of the Rings trilogy or King Kong are often more terrifying than the Scooby-Doo antics of The Frighteners), the MPAA’s decision makes no sense. Only one explanation holds water: the MPAA was as drunk as we were when watching it!