Rated X films

Originally when the rating system was first established in 1968; X Rated Films were considered films with content unsuitable for minors and were considered 16 and up. However, it was challenged and was upgraded to 17 and older and many pornographic films self-applied the X Rated label themselves.

This inadvertently caused the rating to be considered synonymous with such content and squeezing out other films that was considered over the 17+ audiences but not actually pornographic in content. As a result, a new rating system was established with the NC-17 rating being created in 1990.