Brigham Young University officials have given two thumbs up regarding a recommendation to continue showing edited R-rated movies at the campus' Varsity Theater.
Carrie Jenkins, assistant director for BYU public communications, said beginning fall semester, the modified, adult-oriented films will again be featured at the theater after a nearly seven-month absence.Jenkins said the decision was made last month by the BYU Board of Trustees following an April recommendation to President Rex Lee from the Student Advisory Council that the university continue to show edited movies.
"Now, as we've done in the past, if an R-rated film comes up that we want to present, we'll edit out the objectionable language, violence and sexual overtones to bring it up to LDS standards, and then we'll show it," Jenkins said.
She added about 30 percent to 40 percent of edited films shown at BYU have been those used in the airline industry. BYU edits the rest of the movies itself.
Some of the edited R-rated films shown in the past have included "The Last of the Mohicans," "A Few Good Men" and "Grand Canyon." Edited R-rated movies had been shown at the theater for several years.Jenkins said last year the film "Schindler's List" was automatically disqualified because the film's producers said they did not want it edited in any manner.
This sparked a slew of letters to newspaper editors and on-campus discussion about R-rated films at BYU, including heated arguments both lauding and condemning the decision not to show "Schindler's List."
In a question-and-answer forum held last February, Lee said there are strong arguments for showing edited R-rated movies that have educational value, like "Rainman" and "Glory."
And although Robert Millet, dean of religious education, said he agrees some movies have merit, he also feels showing edited films is a tough call.
"I think it's a difficult issue because of the selectivity of the types of films involved," he said. "Although there is a value to editing films, I'm supportive of church leaders saying we are to avoid R-rated movies. It goes further, though, because a lot of PG-13 and PG movies have abundant violence and vulgarity and are sexually explicit.
"While on the one hand ratings may determine the value of a movie, the (ratings) system really is flawed," Millet said. "When this issue came up earlier in the year I had several students come to me about it, but there was really no uproar from our end of it."
Millet said he went to the Varsity to see the edited version of "The Firm," hoping it would be as good as the book he had read. But he said because of the amount of content that had to be edited, he didn't enjoy the experience.
"I'm really mixed about the issue," Millet said. "There is a value in editing the objectionable parts, but then the audience focuses on what was edited - and most know what words have been edited - laughing at the jokes and what was taken out."
Jenkins said an editing committee at BYU looks at PG- and PG-13-rated films if they need editing, as well as the R-rated shows.
"We edit all our movies to bring them to BYU and LDS standards," she said. "A rotating committee made up of faculty and administrative members select which films will be shown and they go by a common standard set of guidelines when selecting."
Tamra Prince, a 24-year-old senior majoring in early childhood education, said she thinks the theater's edited films provide an overall positive service for people who choose not to view R-rated movies in the first place.
"I really haven't seen many movies there, but I don't mind that they're there because I can see films that I won't see anywhere else," she said. "I think BYU uses good discretion in choosing the films they use and it's a nice service they provide."
BYU officials originally pulled the edited films from the Varsity Theater in January when students and faculty members complained about content.
Yet an informal survey of more than 2,300 students and non-students conducted by the Student Advisory Council showed overwhelming support for the edited movies and their value.