Film Advisory Board

The Film Advisory Board (FAB) is a member-supported organization founded in 1975 by Elayne Blythe[1] (1919–2005).

[4] Originally developed by Elayne Blythe in four categories ("L", "V", "N" and "S", for (respectively) Language, Violence, Nudity and Sex), the present system was developed in 1988 at the request of independent film makers and distributors as an alternative to the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system.

Each includes a brief description as to the rating's explanation, such as "Violence in Battle Scenes", "Substance Abuse" or "Brief Nudity".

The Film Advisory Board has come under criticism as of late with the seemingly wide use of the FAB Seal of Excellence, with critics stating that while the seal denotes family-friendly entertainment, it does not always denote quality.

Critic Erik Childress has criticized the Film Advisory Board for being hypocritical in its application of the Seal of Excellence, in part because it was applied to such films as Deck the Halls and the 2006 remake of The Pink Panther, both of which he felt violated the FAB's listed guidelines by including "strong sexual content...related to sex and titillation".