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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

 

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.
 

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

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.

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.

 

One drive-in owner we spoke with last summer told us that an elderly lady, apparently the grandmother of a van full of children, pulled up to his box office just before a screening of "South Park." When he advised her of the
film's content she became angry and said, "Now you've ruined it! Now that the kids know what the movie contains I can't take them in!"

Apparently granny had an inkling of what the movie was about and wanted to see it, got stuck baby sitting the grandkids, and hoped to get them inside before they realized how filthy the content was. I guess she figured that once the movie started she could have then just told the children to cover their ears while she finished watching the movie. Amazing!
 

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The man with the magic hands.
 

And what makes movie theatre customers a lower class of people than say playgoers? I'm curious at the reasoning behind the statement "we are talking about theatre customers here."
 

As for the babysitter scarceness, yeah you're probably right about that. But I remember several parents taking their seven and eight year olds to see Menace to Society. And in that case, I'm pretty sure they were just being lazy and irresponsible. I don't think they were doing it to nurture their children with lessons in urban survival.

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The man with the magic hands.

(Cinemark's policy is that parents must accompany any children under 17.)

We had one woman who came up to the podium and demanded to speak to the mgr. She wanted to know why we wouldn't let her kids in to see S.M. The manager hemmed and hawed about the policy but I stepped in and told her that I wouldn't want MY kids to see that movie. I "discreetely" told her that a guy "gets it on" with a vacuum cleaner and she just about died right there in the lobby!

She said that she saw the review on TV the night before and they said that it was "the funiest movie of the year." I said, "Yes, but for ADULTS."

Moral: Parents -- investigate what shows your kids watch BEFORE you let them see it!
 

I think I'll just have to keep my thoughts to myself on any further rating debates.

I'll just finish up by saying that we shouldn't just assume everybody is incapable and in need of sheltering from the world.

It is my opinion that people of any age should know that doing drugs and killing people is wrong REGARDLESS of what movies and television tells them. If they can't figure that out, then there's far more parental irresponsibility at play than allowing their children to see an R Rated film.

I've hit the nail on the head. I won't bother this thread again. (Unless I just HAVVE to)
 

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Dave Bird
 

Our policy is to require photo ID, or have a parent accompany those under 17. Once the family reaches the ticket taker they are asked: "Are you aware that this program is rated R...the management does not recommend this film for children". We are then promptly informed that their children see and hear all those things in school, or on the school bus, or on TV...so what difference does it make?

Christopher B. You couldn't of said it any better. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I believe that we do have a responsibility to our communities. Young children don't belong in to see R rated films regardless of what parents may think. Those parents are making a poor judgement call, and we are powerless to do anything about it. Of course it shouldn't be our jobs to police other peoples children, but as you said WE, not the parents, are the ones that will recieve the blame. Often, once in the theatre, the parents sit one place and the children another making it look to other patrons that we are leaving young kids in by themselves.

Because of those parents, and because of the theatres that don't enforce the rating system...we might face a government mandated rating system that WILL hold us responsible. I don't want to see that happen, but can't help think that maybe it is the only thing that might make Hollywood wake up to what they are doing.

Even putting the kids aside for a moment...the biggest complaint that I recieve from my adult patrons, is that there is way to much bad language in movies today. Is all this bad language, violence, sex etc. really needed to tell a good story...to make it real, to make it believable. Look at the thousands of great movies made during the thirties, forties and fifties without all this realism that still got the point across. Gangster films, war movies, horror shows...all making the story complete and enjoyable without the so called realism that is used today.

I'm often asked if I'm embarrassed by how I make a living. I reply that I'm a theatre operator and that at the present time movies are what I must exhibit to stay in business. If I could make a living presenting plays or concerts I would.

I consider myself in the theatre business first, and the motion picture industry second. I'm proud of my business, but embarrassed my my industry.
 

When informed the child was not allowed to enter the cinema, the woman pointed her kid towards the foyer-tv-advertising screens we have and told the kid to sit there until the movie finished!

I told the parents if they left their child there I would call the police to take custody of the kid, and they started swearing at me.
Oh, and for god sake don't think all Australia is like this! Normally parents are pretty good here (with the parental consent (MA) ratings).
 

First, the independent owner of my theatre chooses not to enforce the MPAA ratings AT ALL. (meaning anyone, any age, can buy a ticket for any show!) I think that this is irresponsible (and have made this known), but I'm the one who has to hear the complaints, deal with the immature ones that can't handle the responsibility of watching a mature film in a respectful manner, etc. I also try not to pass the buck by saying, "Hey, I agree with you, Parent... call the owner and complain."
But it just kills me to sell Scary Movie tickets to not only unaccompanied teens, but even pre-teens! The first rated R movie I saw was Rainman, which I'm glad I saw when I did (I think I was 14 or 15), but I'm also glad my parents were there and that afterward, we all discussed the movie, what it was trying to say, and why the things that made it R were included. As opposed to when I saw Basic Instinct on video, unaccompanied by an adult, when I was 16 or 17. I still have images from that movie ingrained in my memory (and I've seen much "worse" things since then that I've since forgotten). Kids today wouldn't even think twice after seeing Basic Instinct because they've already all seen American Pie, Something about Mary, South Park, and they hear about sex in the plotline of almost EVERY popular sitcom in Primetime! (And it doesn't help that our president is getting hummers under his desk, but I'm not even gonna get into that!)
Anyway, suffice it to say, that I feel very helpless and sad for the generation that is being exposed to our current state of affairs. I wish I could say that I have high hopes for them ending up as "well-adjusted" (sarcasm) as my generation (X) has.
The argument I always hear is that it's the parents responsibility, not ours... and to a degree, I guess I agree. But when some parent doesn't care enough to shield their child from things that will shorten their childhood (in a negative way), this effects more than just THEIR child... it effects the children that that child hangs out with (that could be YOUR child you know), it effects the movies that are produced in the future (do people know that their ticket-money goes straight back into making more of the same?), and sadly, it effects anyone who is shot, raped, or verbally/physically abused by that child later in life (that could also be YOUR child, you know). Don't get me wrong... I'm not saying that there is some magic formula... CHILD + R-MOVIE = ADULT CRIMINAL LATER. I'm just saying that anyone who thinks that we're not affected by what we see is GROSSLY naive. If that were true, Madison Ave. would be just like every other street in the country. If we're not affected by what we see for two hours in a darkened movie theater... how come advertisers spend millions to get images and sounds in front of our noses for a mere 30 seconds of commercial time? BECAUSE WE'RE AFFECTED BY WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR, DUH!

Last point:
Hollywood always says that it just gives the people what they want to see... the ol' supply and demand approach to filmmaking. This works out great for the filmmakers because it takes all responsibility off of their shoulders and passes it on to the viewing public. "If they wouldn't pay to see it, we wouldn't pay to produce it." I even had a very educated, very accomplished, very respectable film professor say to a large class when speaking on this subject, "If people wanted Bible-Movies, Hollywood would give them Bible-movies!" Sounds great, Prof, but your logic's a bit skewed. Hollywood creates it's own demand and then produces a supply to fill it. Sure, every once in a while, someone comes along and makes a good movie that people go to see by word of mouth... buy 90% of the time, it's all about creating the demand, hyping it up, etc. Bruckheimer is the King of hyping movies. Cross-promotions and marketing schemes and the "trailer-guy" with the really deep voice... these are all proven ways to create in me, the viewer, the desire to see what THEY have DECIDED to produce. No one says, "I NEED a good vulgar comedy. Geez, I sure wish Hollywood would supply my demand for some good vulgarity... and how about some violence too, that'd be neat!" Then Hollywood, being the great supplier to the demand of the populous says, "Oh all right, golly gee, we had a remake of It's a Wonderful Life in the works, but we'll send it back for a few re-writes while we crank out the raunchy and violent piece of crap you requested. And since you asked so nicely, we'll make sure it gets an R-rating and then market it to the high school audience, just the way you like it!"

People on every level of the industry (that includes actors, directors, producers, grips, gaffers, AND US(!) ) need to start stepping up and taking on some of the responsibilities that we've been given.

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Scott A. Magie

scoooot@hotmail.com
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
 

Two years ago I'm seeing Run Lola Run at a local megaplex. It's a small turnout (Labor Day weekend). A couple came in with their child. They thought it was "family fare" but when they saw what it was -- arthouse movie in German with subtitles -- they quietly got up and left 3 minutes into the movie. They didn't make much of a fuss about it either.

BTW, Run Lola Run was rated R in the States and PG in Ontario. Talk about the stupidity of the US ratings system!
 

Once it even went so far the an elderly lady went out into the mall and used their pay phone to call the police about it. The police came in and I expained to them that our policy is no one under the age of 17 is admitted into an R rated feature with out being accompanied by a parent and thats its not the law but a guideline that kids do not attened R rated features. The police officer laughed and kicked out the elderly lady for making such a fuss in the middle of the theater while a movie was running.

I've also had an elderly couple come behind my concession stand for the same reason....not to mention kids almost jumping over the stand because I would not let them in without an ID.

Jeez....
 

In 1965, our family, who loves a good creepy movie as much as anyone, loaded up the Falcon station wagon, and went to a screening at the old Starlite Drive-In here in Asheville, NC.

The Starlite was the best DI here because it was built up to a mountain, and there was no stray light to distract us. Their presentation was always excellent.

This theatre property is now buried under the Billy Graham Freeway.

The movie playing was "Whatever Happened to Count Dracula?"--a Christopher Lee/Hammer film in Technicolor--remember this is 1965, before the rating system came around.

We had never seen a Hammer film before this one.

Mom and Dad thought that this would be another typical fake blood, bite on the neck type of horror flick.

Now, I know that this film is nothing compared to today, but then... There were several bloody violent killings and stabbings in the film before my parents said "ENOUGH!" and cranked up the car and pulled toward the exit.

I had nightmares for weeks, as did my younger sisters.

We were used to American International type horror, and the old Universal stuff.

In 1976, I ran a print of this film on TV. It is still gory, but is tame comparing it to the stuff we see today. On watching it, I kept wondering what the folks thought was so bad that we had to leave before the 2nd feature started. ("Inside Daisy Clover" with Natalie Wood!)

I dont have nightmares anymore.

I have walked out of movies because parents wouldn't shut their crying babies up.

The first was Set It Off -- a "hard R" movie with lots of gunplay -- at the General Cinema Rutgers Plaza (now closed). On my way out a police car rolled up to the theater entrance. Apparently the manager heard quite a few complaints about the baby screaming and called the cops.

The second was Charlie's Angels -- a PG-13 action movie -- at the General Cinema Clifton Commons. This was on the weekend that The Grinch opened. And the mother of the crying baby wanted ME thrown out of the theater!

Both times I asked for my money back -- and I got it.

As much as people here like to dis AMC I have respect for one policy it has: No children under 6 after 6 PM except for G and some PG shows.
 

Parents with kids show up to buy tickets for an R-rated movie. The parents ask me, "Why is this movie rated R?" (or sometimes, they'll say, "Is it really THAT BAD?") When I explain the ratings reasons, they say to the kids "We're not going to see this," whereupon the kids whine and scream and make a scene, saying "EVERYBODY ELSE is getting to see it!" Invariably the parents give in.