Episode 21 of 80s Horror Memories looks back at the creation of the PG-13 rating

JoBlo.com recently launched a new weekly documentary series called 80s Horror Memories, where each year of the 1980s has five episodes dedicated to it. Looking back at 1980, we discussed Maniac, Dressed to Kill, Alligator, Friday the 13th, The Shining, Prom Night, and The Fog. The second five episodes were a journey through 1981, covering The Funhouse, The Burning, Friday the 13th Part 2, My Bloody Valentine, Halloween II, The Evil Dead, The Howling, and An American Werewolf in London, as well as the careers of horror hosts Elvira and Joe Bob Briggs. The next five were, of course, all about movies that came out in 1982: Conan the Barbarian, The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, and Poltergeist, with an examination of the short-lived 3-D boom along the way. For 1983, we talked about a trio of Stephen King adaptations, Jaws 3-D, Sleepaway Camp, the rise of TV horror anthologies, and Psycho II. Now we’re entering 1984, and now we’re covering an event that Steven Spielberg was responsible for, thanks to the releases of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Gremlins: the creation of the PG-13 rating! You can hear all about it in the video embedded above.

New episodes of 80s Horror Memories will be released through the YouTube channel JoBlo Horror Originals every Monday. 

Here’s the info on 80s Horror Memories: It’s been over 40 years since the decade that shaped the horror movie industry began and having lived through most of those years personally, we at JoBlo/Arrow in the Head have decided to create a 10-part documentary series in which not only cover every nook and cranny of the biggest horror themes from 1980 to 1989 but also what was happening in the world at the time. Join us as we walk down Horror Memory Lane!

And here’s the info on this particular episode: Much like everything else that happens in Hollywood, the PG-13 rating is thanks to none other than Steven Spielberg. Not much goes down in this town without Spielberg’s knowledge or say-so, and he had a direct hand in creating the rating that is now associated with many of the biggest films of all time. But even Hollywood’s favorite son can go too far, and Steven found himself crossing the line and bringing the industry with him in the summer of 1984. The movie world would never be the same.

This episode of 80s Horror Memories was written by Eric Walkuski, narrated by Tyler Nichols, edited by Joseph Wilson, produced by Berge Garabedian and John Fallon, co-produced by Mike Conway, and executive-produced by Berge Garabedian. The score was provided by Shawn Knippelberg. Special Guests: Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II) and Doug Bradley (Hellraiser).

Let us know what you thought of this episode, plus share some of your own ’80s horror memories by leaving a comment!

Two of the previous episodes of 80s Horror Memories can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!