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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: Parents bringing their children to R rated films
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Russ Kress
Expert Film Handler
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Posts: 202
From: Charleston, WV, USA
Registered: May 2000
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posted 07-13-2000 12:26 AM
WV uses the MPAA designation. There is no law and theatres voluntarily comply.The ticket must be purchased by the parent or legal guardian. The phone calls amaze me. "Can my kid watch Patriot?" "Well sir, it posesses graphic violence... arms, legs and heads violently seperated from bodies, much screaming and death". "So?" "Okay sir, it also has implied violence where innocent women and children are corraled into an enclosed structure and slowly burned alive". "Um, nobody gets naked, right?" "No sir, they don't". "Okay, sell me a ticket for each of my kids". ... Folks, you just can't legislate against stupidity. Russ
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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork
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Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 07-13-2000 01:06 AM
Out here in California nobody seems to care except old people.Parents know what their kids have already seen, and they don't mind them seeing more. It's the Senior Citizens who have the problem, who come out and yell at me and ask me why we allow this to happen. I usually have to reply with "How would you react if we told YOU your child can't do something you feel is perfectly okay?" They usually stop right after that... The only problems we have are the unattended kids running around making idiots out of themselves. So we warn all parents who give permission to their kids, that if we get ONE SINGLE COMPLAINT, justified or not, we will kick their kids out without warning. ZERO tolerance... That usually works.
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Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler
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Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 07-13-2000 08:40 AM
The only time I've seen parents with small children get up and leave because of a movie's content was when I saw "The Story of Us". A couple had brought two children that looked to be around age 6 or less and when the scene came up when the women were sitting in the restaurant talking about the roles of the sex organs ("the penis is the thruster", etc), the parents got up and took their children out. I heard several people in the theatre laugh about it as they walked out. Hmmm, a movie about a couple and their marriage struggles and it is rated R. Anyone with any sense would know not to take young children to see that.I think "South Park" was a movie that shocked a lot of parents if they were unfamiliar with it. "Oh, an animated movie; it'll be perfect for the kids." I saw it several times but never saw any parents leaving with small children. The showings of "Scary Movie" I've attended have had great audiences: ones composed of nobody under teen age and mostly adults. I've heard practically no stray talking or crying babies in these two audiences -- just a lot of appropriate laughter. I believe everyone who came to see this movie knew exactly what to expect, and based on their reactions, most seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. Believe it or not, "Dinosaur" has been the worst movie ever for terrible audiences. Parents brought their kids and babies, the dinosaur action scenes scared them, and they cried all through the movie. Simply awful. Many parents had to take their children out of this one for misbehaviour and crying. Either go to the latest available showing for this one (fewer kids) or wait for the DVD. Evans
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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork
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Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 07-13-2000 01:28 PM
I firmly believe that it is not my role as a theatre manager to censor what parents allow and forbid their children to see. I grew up on a healthy dose of G-R rated films, in theatres, on Cable, wherever, I turned out JUST FINE.My concern is, that if parents allow their children in to see an excplicitly "R" rated film, then they should KNOW why it's rated R so they don't come back and get high and mighty to me about why their kid is walking around singing "You're a dirty Uncle F*&!er!". My other concern is that when the kids ARE in the theatre, they behave themselves and maintain an atmoshpere worthy of the film that they are seeing. SCARY MOVIE = RAUCUS LAUGHTER is fine by me. A serious adult film, kids who wish to see it should remain quiet as a church mouse, if they can't do that, then I will kick them out. I think what people are forgetting, is that MOVIES aren't REAL. Allowing children to believe that it's OKAY to go shoot people because they saw it in a movie is simply idiotic; and that is EXACTLY what critics have been doing. Movie violence doesn't cause people to do stupid stuff, stupid parents and stupid people who don't have a firm grip on reality and make believe - THEY do stupid stuff. Arrghh -- it can be so frustrating. Luckily I haven't had to deal with any REALLY tough customers lately.
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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23
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Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 07-13-2000 03:39 PM
Ahh yes, the MPAA ratings. Isn't it amazing how many members of the public (especially seniors) seem to think that the ratings are law? I love telling them that compliance is entirely voluntary. Let me tell you a little story that happened to us earlier this year.We were winding down from a rather lengthy run of Boys Don't Cry and after the show one day, an older couple approached our cashier and demanded to speak to a manager. Since I was busy starting a movie (good thing as it turned out) I told the cashier to call Ian. So Ian went down to find out what was up. This couple were outraged that we had let a father bring his 8 year-old son to see Boys Don't Cry. They thought it was totally inappropriate and we should firmly police who attends what movie. Ian thanked them for their comments and explained that the ratings weren't law and as long as the kid was accompanied by a parent niether we, nor they, had any grounds to object. Apparently the couple must have made some comment to the parent as he had hung around and was sitting in the cafe when the couple pointed he and his son out. Ian went over to talk to them and the first words out of the father's mouth were - "So what was that about?" Ian congratulated the father on being voted pariah of the day - much to their amusement. Turns out the kid is 11 and the father specifically brought him to see this movie because it dealt with homophobia and harassment - which is apparently an issue at the kid's school. Ian thanked the father for supporting our theatre and gave him some passes. Oh, and the kid piped up that he had seen far more violence and sex on tv than were in Boys Don't Cry. I applaud the father for bringing his son to the movie. As theatre owners, managers, and staff I firmly believe we are not in the business of passing judgement on if its ok for kids to see this or that R rated movie when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Barron Dripp
Film Handler
Posts: 15
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Registered: May 2000
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posted 07-14-2000 01:27 PM
with movies getting more and more edgy every day, it is such an amazing feat that parents don't have the slightest clue as to what the hell they are allowing their children to see. With movies that are animated and are R rated (such as south park) if they were the least bit concerned before hand then they should have asked why the movie was rated R. THere were so many people at my theatre who complained because they didn't like the things that were in SOuth Park. Well no kidding...Ever seen the show? Besides the fact that the title is Bigger, Longer and UNCUT...doesn't mean anything. But there I feel that there are exceptions to the rules when it comes to R rated films and kids. IT also depends on the child. Movies such as The Hurricane, JFK or Shindlers list, although quite violent and have very graphic scenes among them, at least have some sort of value when they are watched. I would probably watch these movies first, and then consider taking my child to see them, this saying that they are maybe 14, 15 years old and are mature enough to handle it. Nowadays though, I think that it is the parents who is the one not mature enough to handle a sex scene in a movie while their 12 year old kid sits their munching on popcorn not caring in the slightest.
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