Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Age Restrictions?

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Posted by Nick Catalano (Member # 1296) on 05-28-2002, 05:04 PM:

How strict are your theatres being about Age in R rated movies? Would there be any backlash if you started letting teenagers into R rated movies?

Posted by Jacob Huber (Member # 1138) on 05-28-2002, 05:44 PM:

If an employee is caught selling a ticket for a Rated R movie to a child under 17 w/o ID or a parent present, that person will no longer work box, and be stuck back in concession.

Posted by Jim Casterioto (Member # 1155) on 05-28-2002, 05:50 PM:

At my theater, no one under the age of 17 is allowed into the movie unless one of their parents accompanies them, and watches the entire film without them. A lot of teenagers try to pull fast ones on our employees, but for the most part no one will get in. I remember once this man came in with six or seven teenagers, claiming they were all his kids so I said "Alright, if they are all your kids, what are their birthdates?" and they all left.

Posted by Nick Catalano (Member # 1296) on 05-28-2002, 06:29 PM:

Do you find some moral obligation to keep kids out of R rated movies? Or is there some backlash if you were to let kids in?

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 05-28-2002, 07:05 PM:

When the South Park movie came out I noticed the manager where I was working had posted notes saying parents had to watch the movie with their kids; usually just buying the tickets for them was enough. I don't see the point of that; when I was younger my mom would usually let me watch R-rated movies as long as she DIDN'T have to see any of them!

Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 05-28-2002, 07:17 PM:

Nick, no one in their right mind would publicly admit to admitting kids in violation of what Jack V. said to Clinton and the congressional contingent.

Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 05-29-2002, 12:53 PM:

<-has booted many teens out of several different 'R' rated films, including, but not limited to: Urban Legends, Dead Man On Campus, Varsity Blues, American Pie, South Park, Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2, Urban Legends: Final Cut, et cetera et cetera...

the rules are the rules, and I'd rather that they remained rules, instead of becoming laws!
also, as a person who doesn't care to have annoying interruptions whilst watching a film - I know how irritating it is when adolescents have snuck into an auditorium showing a film with mature content, then do little other than talk, giggle, throw things, and go in and out of the auditorium with frequency!
If they could just sit down, shut up, and stay put, it wouldn't really be a problem, but that never seems to be the case, and they're usually in groups, amplifying the aggravation!

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 05-29-2002, 01:05 PM:

Here are the US rating "rules":
http://www.filmratings.com
http://www.mpaa.org/movieratings/

It's a voluntary system that for the most part works well.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 05-29-2002, 01:41 PM:

Remember, kids- guns don't kill people, MOVIES do!

Posted by Kyle Caudill (Member # 1252) on 05-29-2002, 10:09 PM:

A couple of times the news stations around here have done a series on carding at movie theatres, where they will send teenagers in to buy tickets to R rated movies. Nothing like bad press. We have a scrict policy which my box office cashiers usually enjoy because it gives them a chance to ironically be anti-customer. To help reduce the problem of parents buying the tickets and leaving we use a simple method. If the Box Office cashier cards the customer and they are allowed to come in, they will check mark a part of the ticket. That way the usher tearing tickets will not card them, but if there is not a check mark, the usher will ID them.

Carding can be nightmares, but it can also provide some entertainment. When we have found someone who has jumped, some of my kids fight over the opportunity to confront them. If you have to do, make it fun for yourself. Go sit down beside the jumpers and just watch them start to squirm in their seat for a minute or too, then comment on how good of a movie it is, then kindly mention they are not suppose to be in here. Or my personal favorite that will eventually get me in trouble is ask them if they cant read.

Posted by Nick Catalano (Member # 1296) on 05-30-2002, 06:09 PM:

There is a difference between partial nudity and just violence.

I am the type of teenager that would go get a fake ID to vote in the next presidental election (actuially thinking about doing that, considering I will be 17 and 3/4 when the next election takes place). Honestly, I don't see the point of the ratings where there is nothing majorly inapproprate for America's teenagers. Honesty, what teenager over 14/15 is going to be emotionally harmed after watching South Park: The Movie (one of my favorite movies actuially.. not for the language and such, but for the message and how they choose to present it.....) any more so than an adult would.

It's actuially the #1 reason why I don't go out to the theatre anymore (and just sit at home and download the movies online), because I can't get a parent to come with me to go see a movie. I can't even get into Insomnia or Unfaithful w/o a parent. WTF? Neither movie is marketed towards teenagers, both are (supposidly) very well protrayed films.. And most importantly both are expected to be Oscar contendors...

If I owned a theatre I wouldn't follow ratings at all.. It's the parents responsibility to choose what their children can or cannot watch, not the Governments (and especially not the MPAA)....

Can always kick people out later...

Remember guys, movies like American Pie cause people to kill and mame others!! Saving Private Ryan is detremental to America's youth!! The Matrix is going to cause the rape of your sister/mother/wife/girlfriend!!!

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- Nick Catalano

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 05-30-2002, 07:49 PM:

The problem is, many parents are NOT taking responsibility for their children. That is why the government has forced the responsibility on theater owners.

If the situation were regulated by the government, little Johnny would sneak into Eyes Wide Shut (hey, it's only sex). Then his parents, who told him not to see the film, would find out (because little Johnny is too immature to keep his mouth shut about it). Then the parents would complain to the police, who would show up at the theater and arrest the manager for letting little Johnny into the R-rated film and arrest the projectionist for showing to him. All while neither manager nor projectionist had anything to do with little Johnny sneaking in with a ticket to Pokemon.

So, in order to keep from getting thrown in jail, the industry has adopted certain policies and is enforcing them (for the most part) to the best of our abilities.

If you don't like this situation, you could always write your congressman and tell him to get off of the movie industry's collective back and leave us the hell alone. Make sure you let him know that you're going to vote for him in the next election, when you'll be 17 3/4.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 4594) on 05-31-2002, 12:57 AM:

At my theater no one under the age of 17 will be admitted to an "R" rated feature without the company of a parent or guardian.

...at the theater before that, a parent or guardian could purchase a ticket for an "R" rated feature for someone under 17 without having to go into the theater with them.

...at the theater before that, we would sell a ticket to anyone.

I've been at all ends of the spectrum, the easiest and most sensible way for me seemed to be the theater that let parents buy tickets for their children without having to go in. I know not everyone agrees with that...

Posted by Jacob Huber (Member # 1138) on 05-31-2002, 03:20 AM:

At one of our lesser theatres in our "chain" that I used to work at (I call is lesser because on weekdays, I made more money working there than the company did by having it open) there are consent forms that parents must fill out and sign before box will sell them a ticket for an R movie, thus allowing parents to do what they will whilst the movie is playing.

Posted by Neil Hunter (Member # 1005) on 05-31-2002, 11:30 AM:

I would stop complaining and wait until I was old enough to watch these movies. If these are movies that you think are approriate for people under 17, then you shouldn't have a problem with watching them with your parents. Sorry to sound rude, but that is how I see it.

Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 05-31-2002, 12:38 PM:

...and at age 17, you don't need to be with a parent to get into an R rated film - just bring ID!

It's if someone is under the age of 17 they will need to be accompanied.

Nothing* kills the enjoyment of watching a movie more than hordes of 12-15 year old kids sitting at the back of an auditorium.

* - provided that the film is 'done right'

Posted by Nick Catalano (Member # 1296) on 05-31-2002, 12:39 PM:

Neil: I think you completely missed the point here..

It isn't that I don't want to watch it with my parents, it is that my parents don't want to watch it in the first place

I would have no problem with watching a movie like South Park or American Pie with my parents, not that big of a deal. They don't want to see either, and thanks to this amazingly stupid rule that tries to parent every moviegoing child in america I cannot go see these movies unless I download them (which is what I mostly end up doing because of this stupid rule)

The government isn't my parent, my parents are my parents and I want THEM to make moral judgements BEFORE the MPAA or the Government.

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- Nick Catalano

Posted by Nick Catalano (Member # 1296) on 05-31-2002, 12:42 PM:

I'm 15, not 17...

Plus the economic benefits to the theatre would pay for the extra rounds the manager would have to take to ensure that teenagers are sitting quiet.

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- Nick Catalano

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 05-31-2002, 01:13 PM:

So, do you complain this much about 21 and up clubs?

Go back and re-read my first post. We are just covering our asses. We're not doing it because we like to. In fact it's hard not to just say "screw the rules" when a 15-year-old little shit threatens to come back and pop a cap in your ass because he can't get in to see The Players Club.

This thread is pissing me off. I'm not going to discuss the issue any more.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 05-31-2002, 02:33 PM:

Note that, in the US, "the government" isn't enforcing the MPAA ratings system; that is up to the theatres. There is no government intervention here. (thankfully)

I have a number of personal objections to the MPAA ratings system, but the basic concept is reasonable under most circumstances, even if the implementation is flawed. Clearly there is a need for parental responsibility, but there is also a need for parents to have some way of knowing about the content of films (without having to pay $6-10 to watch them beforehand) in order for them to be able to make an informed decision about whether or not to allow their children to watch them.

As a practical matter, it would be foolish for any major first-run house to blatantly ignore the ratings guidelines completely, as this would both result in bad publicity for the theatre and would attract exactly the types of underage customers who are likely to ruin the filmgoing experience for others (not to say that _all_ under-17 customers at R- or NC-17 films are rude or obnoxious, just that many would be).

In an art- or revival house, there is more leeway, depending on the film. It's partly a moral judgment and partly a business decision. Fortunately, those who don't like the system are free to either ignore it (by making and showing unrated films) or create a viable alternative and encourage others to join them.

Ideally, I agree with Rachel that it would seem reasonable for theatres to permit underage customers to attend R-rated films without parental accompaniment as long as the parent purchase the tickets (and presumably has decided that the child will not be emotionally scarred by the film), but I can also see why this would cause problems if the (largely) loud and rowdy crowd that might result were to drive away legitimate customers over 17.

(For those who care, my objections to the current implementation of the ratings system is that a) it is politically and economically biased toward the major MPAA member studios, b) the criteria used are excessively arbitrary and fail to take into account many factors which may affect the degree to which a film might be acceptible to children, and c) that the current implementation [especially the stigma associated with the NC-17 rating and the problems of theatres which won't play NC-17 films and newspapers that won't advertise them) tends to stifle creativity, as NC-17 is often considered to be the kiss of death at the boxoffice.)

Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 05-31-2002, 02:57 PM:

Nick, I think that you are missing a lot of the points that people are making here. Theater owners can't simply say "screw the rules," because as Adam said, that can lead to BIG problems, both legal and financial. It's easy and naive to say that "If I owned a theatre I wouldn't follow ratings at all," but if you were twenty years older, had a family to support and a theater that you sank all of your money and time into, I think you would be thinking things a little differently. People in that position want to and need to protect their investment and their income. Also remember that the theater owners are not making the rules,they're enforcing them, don't shoot the messenger here. There are many reasons that these policies are in place, one of which is that most 15 year-olds (at least packs of them) are not mature enough to sit through a movie like Eyes Wide Shut without snickering and acting quite immature. Sorry to say it, but it's true. If you feel that you are mature enough to see these films, and your parents do also, stop wasting your energy complaining here. Perhaps you should talk with your parents and have them meet with the management at the theater(s) near you. Perhaps your parents and the management can work something out. Or, you can always buy a ticket to see a pg rated film and walk into another theater of your choice. I would guess that more often than not, you will not have a problem. I grew up near you, and that is what I did. Granted things are more strict now, but multiplexes aren't policed very well, and provided you (and/or your friends) do not draw attention to yourselves by acting immaturely, chances are that no one will bother you.

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 06-02-2002, 10:33 AM:

Back when I was merely a film watcher I went to see "I Know What You Did Last Sunmmer" when I was either 15 or 16. I went to the theater almost every week and I knew some of the management and they knew I behaved, so they would sell me R tickets. What pissed me off was that it was a sold-out show, and most of the seats were occupied by kids who had bought tickets to some other PG movie and snuck in, leaving the legitimate ticket holders confused, standing in the dark, with the opening credits of the film already rolling.

At the theater(s) I worked at, the R policy seemed to change whenever a new R movie came out. It went from, "The parent must watch the film with the minor" to "As long as the minor somehow obtained a ticket to the R movie, they are to be admitted." So I guess it really depends if you're going to enforce the R policy at the usher-level, or just at the box office.

Posted by Nick Catalano (Member # 1296) on 06-03-2002, 01:32 AM:

I have known theatres to have armed police at the doors for the popular "R" films that teens want in.. Namely "American Pie" and "Scream III"... Why Even rate these "R" in the general sense of the word? They are targeted at teens, and it should be up to the parent if the movies should be seen.. You don't even have the issue of improper behavior because the adverage person in that theatre is all the same age...

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 06-03-2002, 03:53 AM:

The rating is a joke.
We have 12yr old kids in our foyer discussing the relative merits of American Psycho.
If they look sort of old enough I will let them in.
Every one now knows the rules.
You come to an "adult" movie, you act like an adult, or else.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 06-06-2002, 11:31 AM:

Nick,

Speaking as a manager, I would be more than thrilled if no one between 13 and 17 enetered my theatre for ANY movie without being accompanied by their parents.. Far too many teenagers are obnoxious, immature, loud, destructive and overly violent. A vast majority of theatre disruptions at my complex are caused by teenagers. Almost all of the vandalism and property destruction at my complex are the result of teenagers. Most of the fights and other violent distrubances at my complex are caused by teenagers. With all the probelms that teens cause, do you really think that ANY theatre is going to do something to bring more of them in?

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-06-2002, 01:02 PM:

Jim Ziegler said: "With all the porbelms that teens cause, do you really think that ANY theatre is going to do something to bring more of them in?"

Trouble is, teens are the most frequent moviegoers, and account for a large percentage of a theatre's revenue. Define the problem as "unruly people" rather than "teenagers", and the solution is clear.
Better to get rid of the 1% who are troublemakers, than the 50% who are teenagers.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 06-06-2002, 09:06 PM:

Thing is, it is often more than 1%... On any given Saturday night, 40% to 60% of teenage groups at my complex are doing something they should not be, be it disrupting auditoriums, wandering the building, loitering for long periods of time, etc.. Teens alone or in a pair don't tend to be a problem. When there are more than 2, however, there is a tendancy to misbehave.

Posted by Geoffrey Weiss (Member # 882) on 06-07-2002, 10:30 AM:

Interesting thread ...

Has any chain ever been on the receiving end of a boycott because of their admission policy? At the art theatre where I worked, we figured if they were old enough to buy a ticket they were old enough to see the film. Because of what we showed, this system worked well.

But it strikes me as a maturity issue. Teens who can't behave themselves (talk during the movie (especially on CELL PHONES!!!)) should be treated just like "adults" who can't behave themselves ... and asked to leave the auditorium.

To spin this off in another direction, do any of you have predictions on what would happen if exhibitors ignored the MPAA "rules" en masse? Would there be a serious threat of government regulation? It seems like the recent Supreme Court ruling declaring pornography internet monitoring software unduly restrictive for use in public libraries (thus depriving these libraries of the ability to monitor or curtail surfing of pornography by patrons) doesn't bode well for the constitutionality of laws restricting minors' access to movies.

Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 06-07-2002, 12:34 PM:

When we were showing "The Crow" we had the parents of some local teenages come to the cinema to ask if their sons were able to watch the film , we talked to them about the film and agreed to let them watch (Although they were under age) ,it was obvious that these parents took an interest in their children ..... now this may not happen at a Complex as they have strict ID rules for R Films.

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