STUPID HOLLYWOOD

Two recent studies illustrate again that the favorite Hollywood response to complaints of offensive content-"we just give people what they want"-is completely hollow.

The first bit of research came from the National Association of Theater Owners. It showed that even though Hollywood released

only 110 films rated G or PG in 2004, those grossed twice as much as the flood of 540 R-rated films the studios churned out. Only four of the top 25 most financially successful movies last year were R-rated-and MeI Gibson's religious epic The Passion of the Christ was by far the top among these. In total, the 540 R-rated films pulled in $622 million. The 110 G- or PG-rated pictures, grossed $1.3 billion.

Why doesn't Hollywood pursue its own economic interests more effectively by making fewer violent, sexual, and offensive films, and more for general audiences? Because many film producers are even more interested in pushing a cultural agenda than in business success.

The president of the theater owners' group, John Fithian, had a blunt message for the studios: "Look beyond the liberal confines of Hollywood, and realize the potential and diversity of our industry, and realize what sells tickets. Family values are O.K. Family values sell tickets." And not only to children. Last year, PG movies were responsible for a 9 percent increase in moviegoing by people aged 40 to 59, and a 20 percent increase among people aged 60 and older.

Of course "there will always be a need for R-rated pictures," Fithian noted sensibly, "we just don't need 500 of them."

In a second recent study, Dr. Ted Baehr ofMovieguide compared the box office receipts, over a three-year period, of the top 250 movies. Films that contained "very strong moral content" (e.g., The Incredibles, Ladder 49, The Passion) earned an average of $107 million each in 2004. Films with strong sexual, anti-religious, or politically correct content (e.g., Kinsey, Kill Bill, American Wedding) averaged just $16 million.

"Movies with strong moral messages, whether they were rated G, PG, PG-13, or R, consistently earn four to seven times as much money on average as movies with immoral messages," summarizes Baehr.

Is anyone in Los Angeles and New York City listening?