Why was this movie originally rated R and edited into PG-13?

It's pprobably wishful thinking on the ghosts parts. Those are probably people that ended up disintegrating and turning to the "ash" and couldn't bring themselves to kill themselves. So, it may just appear to loop footage when the ghosts themselves are just trying to end their afterlife suffering, whatever that might be.

Then again, it might not matter. Since Josh was one of them, too, and he committed suicide. It could be that once they steal whatever it is from a person, that part that is stolen will just linger like Josh, or at least that representation of Josh, did.

It could also be an encouragement thing, could be an infection thing, like in the Ring. The movie was really vague about explaining almost anything, so it's hard to tell.

It was a movie made for the freaky camera effects and to present a concept but not really a full plot. It wasn't fleshed out much more than presenting a concept.

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There's a scene with a girl throwing herself off the water tower that was edited out of the theatrical cut. It occurs right after Mattie watches her professor try to get hit by her bus.