An R-Rated Intended Release?
Prior to the release of Die Another Day in the United States, debate raged as to the classification of the film. Inevitably, a PG-13 rated film was released to audience, but an MGM site indicates that the intended rating was original R.
The rating can be found on MGM and United Artists ‘For Your Consideration’ site, the purpose of which is to ask members of film groups such as the MPAA to consider various films for award nominations. For instance, Madonna’s ‘For Your Consideration’ campaign for Die Another Day garnered the performer with Golden Globe and Golden Satellite nominations.
The Die Another Day ‘For Your Consideration’ page lists the film as being rated R. The rating would mean that cinemat patrons younger that 17 would require a parent or adult guardian. The film was apparently given the rating for Action, Violence and Sexuality.
The different rating comes as the closest official indication that scenes from the United States cut of Die Another Day were removed in order to achieve a PG-13 rating.
MGM has put Die Another Day forward for the following award considerations;
BEST PICTURE
Michael G. Wilson And Barbara BroccoliBEST DIRECTOR
Lee TamahoriBEST ACTOR
Pierce BrosnanBEST ACTRESS
Halle BerryBEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Toby Stephens
Rick Yune
John CleeseBEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rosamund Pike
Judi DenchBEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Neal Purvis and Robert WadeBEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
David Tattersall BSCBEST FILM EDITING
Christian WagnerBEST ART DIRECTION
Peter Lamont, PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Simon Wakefield, SET DECORATORBEST COSTUME DESIGN
Lindy HemmingBEST MAKEUP
BEST SOUND
BEST SOUND EDITING
[SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR]
Martin EvansBEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
David ArnoldBEST ORIGINAL SONG
Madonna and Mirwais
“Die Another Day”
Performed by Madonna
If you’d like to discuss the rating, or nomations, please visit this thread of the Die Another Day Forums. Thanks to Jim for the tip-off.