10 PG-13 Movies That Should Have Been Rated R

1) Poltergeist (1982)

Now, if you thought it was messed up to rate Jaws as a PG, wait until you see Poltergeist, a horror film that included scenes where characters ripped off their own skin and killer clown toys terrorized children in their beds. Fun fact: The skeletons used in the pool scene were actually real, because it was cheaper to use the remains of dead people than buy fake ones. Wow.

After Poltergeist freaked out families worldwide, the MPAA were forced to re-evaluate their rating system and a few years later, thanks to films like Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, PG-13 was born. Was it worth scarring all those 80’s kids for a few more bucks Hollywood? I have a sneaking suspicion that their answer would be a resounding ‘yes.’

Tell us, do you think the PG-13 rating is necessary, or does it dilute the impact of films that should be more mature? Can you think of any more PG-13 movies rated inappropriately? And should the MPAA even exist? Sound off in the comments section below.