Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Parents taking kiddies to watch Jackass

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 09-27-2006, 02:10 PM:

While I don't get the humor in Jackass, I understand that it has its place with a lot of folks. That said, I REALLY do NOT understand parents who bring their 12, 10, 8 year old kids in to see this movie. Then they somehow manage to sit there with them through the entire thing without getting up and leaving. Nor do I understand the adults who drop off about six or seven kids so they can go in by themselves and watch it.

Worse I think are the random adults who try to bring in random kids whom we've told can't come in because their parents aren't with them. These kids go out and solicit a total stranger to take them in, and the adults try to do it. One guy came to me saying that he bought tickets for the 14 teeny-boppers behind him. When I asked him what the first kid's name was, he just looked at me for a second, blinked, and said, "I don't know his fuckin name!" Nice. So, I told the kids they couldn't come in. Then the guy got in my face about it, so I asked him for his ticket. Guess what... he didn't have one. He wasn't even watching the movie! What the hell? So, I explained that first of all, the adult has to go into the theater and sit with the children. And since he's not going in, they're definitely not going in. He continued to get irritated and wanted to see where that was written, so I directed him to the manager, who directed him to the movie's poster, and then sent him and the teeny-boppers on their way.

I really don't get this determination to bring kids into this movie. I have cousins that age. I can't see myself sitting there, watching these guys "milk a horse" and then throw it on each other while he's sitting next to me in the theater.

Am I a complete fuddy-duddy on this? I really don't have anything against college dudes watching this, or whoever is over 17 watching it, but kids have no place watching this in my opinion. Am I getting too old for this business?

Posted by Chad M Calpito (Member # 3736) on 09-27-2006, 03:41 PM:

I have to agree with you, Mark. And, I don't think you are getting too old for this business. Anyway, in my opinion as well, kids don't need to see this movie. My floor staff has had to kick out alot of those kids (under 17 who aren't with a parent or legal guardian & those without an ID).

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-28-2006, 02:37 AM:

I will disagree with you both and argue that kids should be seeing this movie. I have my 10 year old daughter watch this stuff all the time. And I watch it with her... allow me to explain...

First, I did much of these things and many more when I was younger, and suffered the multiple injuries and near death experiences that accompany them. By watching this stuff with my daughter, she and I not only have good bonding time, she also sees what kind of a person I was when I was younger, before the all the disabilatating problems of course.

She also sees in me the result of years of stupid behavior. I am living proof as to why this stuff has long term ramifications that are never shown. She learns from me how the pain catches up after years of self torture for fun. I can barely walk to the mailbox. She knows how bad this stuff is.

She also learns from watching it happening that people do get hurt, and look entirely stupid. We laugh at their expense. We laugh at them, not with them. She learns we should pity their existence, not envy them.

Three of my four kids have avoided these self mutilating activities. My oldest decided it would be fun to play chicken with a golf card. He was on a bike, his friend on the card. They slammed into each other at full bore, and he got twisted clean nearly to hell and back. He managed to not break anything, but learned how painful behaving like an ass can be.

I think in the right context, it can be a very good learning tool.

Ciao

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-28-2006, 12:54 PM:

Those Jackass movies are a disaster waiting to happen. Remember when the idiot college kids laid on the highway imitating a scene in "The Program" a few years back? Somebody was injured (or killed maybe?) so Disney cut the scene out of the movie.

As soon as somebody gets killed or permanently disabled while making one of the Jackass "stunts," they will stop making them. Meantime, I just hope no innocent kid gets killed trying to imitate those guys.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-28-2006, 01:01 PM:

quote: Mark J. Marshall
Am I a complete fuddy-duddy on this? I really don't have anything against college dudes watching this, or whoever is over 17 watching it, but kids have no place watching this in my opinion. Am I getting too old for this business?

No, you're not getting too old as previously mentioned. It's just the "PARENT" in you coming out which means that you CARE!

I'm that way as well, and shoot, I've been that way many-a-times in this business on some of the junk that hits the screen and seeing youth desparately wanting to see this junk.

-Monte

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 09-28-2006, 08:01 PM:

I'd agree, too many people trying to defeat the system. I don't nessisarily agree that no one under a certain age can see a certain movie because I acknowlege that not every kid will try those stunts, and not every kid will take it out of context. A parent should know their kid and use their hopefully good judgment. I would point out that it is those kids trying to finnagle their way in, without supervision, are the kids that need to see it the least. If they can't understand policy, and try to cheat it, it means their judgment, and maturity, are not suited for the film.

Posted by John Joseph Fink (Member # 3619) on 09-28-2006, 09:42 PM:

Jackass was fun, at least it gets a reaction out of an audience, it makes for great opening night/weekend viewing. As for the ratings system is anyone in agreement that the R-rating is far too broad. Should a film that uses the F-word a few times and doesn't feature any violence/sexual content get the same rating as Jackass? Would you rather teens go see a movie like Limbo (rated R for seven uses of the F-word and one that I tried to see alone when I was 16 and was turned away) or a movie like Hostel (which was wall-to-wall intense violence without any wit). The rating is far too broad for its own good. In certain cases, like Limbo, I don't see the point to the rating. Jackass is fun - and responsible, a warning apears in all ads and at the opening and closing of Jackass 2. If anyone tries what they just had fun watching they're an idiot and thats there fault.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 09-28-2006, 09:46 PM:

Any influence Jackass has had over people has already happened. The first show aired in April of 2000 and picked up steam quickly. Kids were sending in their own stunts shortly after in an attempt to gain fame. Now, they replay the original unedited on Comedy Central. Nothing they do from here on will convince anyone else to do dangerous stunts. Besides, their stunts haven't really gotten any crazier, only the gross factor has increased. Members of Jackass have already been permanently disabled because of stunts, but regardless I don't see them doing any more until Johnny decides his bank account is low and he needs to rally the troops to make another movie.

I agree that kids should in no way see this movie, but it's because of the language, nudity and gross stuff, not the stunts. If someone kills themselves by doing something crazy, that's called cleansing the gene pool. On the other hand, I do have a problem telling other people how to parent like I would if someone told me how to parent. I certainly don't think watching someone get rich and famous by doing those acts will discourage anyone and act as a learning tool, but if another parent feels that way, so be it. A theatre's only concern should be to make sure they are enforcing their policies evenly and doing what we need to keep the government from making the rating policy a law. We all need to be very diligent on movies like Jackass when it comes to enforcing our policies and focus on the business aspect rather than what you think of the people coming.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 09-29-2006, 10:46 AM:

quote: Charles Greenlee
A parent should know their kid

I hear this a lot. But the problem I think is that a lot of parents think it's more important to be their child's best friend rather than their parent. I don't see how taking a 10 year old to see a bunch of guys engaging in uncensored disgusting frat boy humor benefits the 10 year old.

quote: Chad Souder
I agree that kids should in no way see this movie, but it's because of the language, nudity and gross stuff, not the stunts.

Exactly.

quote: Chad Souder
Now, they replay the original unedited on Comedy Central.

I don't know what that has to do with anything. It's Comedy Central, not Nickelodian. They also play South Park and a bunch of other stuff which isn't for children either.

quote: Chad Souder
A theatre's only concern should be ... focus on the business aspect rather than what you think of the people coming.

To an extent you're correct. But a lot of times (for me, anyway) what I think of the people coming is a big help when trying to weed out people who are there to break the rules.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 09-29-2006, 11:06 AM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
Remember when the idiot college kids laid on the highway imitating a scene in "The Program" a few years back? Somebody was injured (or killed maybe?) so Disney cut the scene out of the movie.

Two teenagers in Pennsylvania imitated the stunt. One was killed instantly and the other was critically injured when a car ran over them. Another teen was injured in Long Island trying to do the same thing. Naturals for the Darwin Awards.

I remember watching that show when it came out in 1993 and thinking that highway scene was pretty retarded. The only reason why I checked out that movie in the first place was because it was playing in THX-Dolby Digital at Cinemark's Hollywood USA theater in Garland and I wanted to check out the good or bad qualities of that theater's sound system. Just thought I'd point out that tidbit to show my taste in movies is not usually that shitty.

As far as Jackass goes, I might consider letting teenage kids watch it -with reservations on the individual level of maturity in each kid. If I had kids under 10, I wouldn't let them watch grown men drink horse jizz or take a beer bong enema.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 09-29-2006, 11:22 AM:

The reason kids want to see Jackass 2 so badly is because kids really like beastiality, as does anyone who enjoys this movie.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-29-2006, 12:32 PM:

Joe you are a riot as always.

quote: Chad Souder
I certainly don't think watching someone get rich and famous by doing those acts will discourage anyone and act as a learning tool

It all depends on how it is approached. I did a study back in the mid 80's that focused on the effects of television and movies on children as they grew up.

My findings showed that it did not matter what was viewed, instead what was more of an impact to the development of a child was the interaction and supervision of the parents. Those that had constant interaction and supervision from the parents tended to do very well in school and with social behavior, while those that did not had many social problems.

It didn't matter if they were watching violent movies or sesame street, it was primarily how the parents were involved. The child learned from the shows watched if parents were there and able to make explanations of what was actually happening.

Ciao

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 09-29-2006, 02:16 PM:

I remember reading many news stories years ago about kids and teenagers burning themselves seting themselves on fire after watching Jackass. I have no idea what this latest movie has in it, but do they have a lot of really dangerous physical stuff that kids would likely imitate? I know one thing they love to do is put someone in a shopping cart and run them into shrubbery, or have them jump from something into shrubbery. I don't get it.

So does this movie have more of the same (shrubbery encounters, setting people on fire, etc.)?

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-29-2006, 03:22 PM:

It has a couple shopping cart scenes, but no shrubbery that I recall.

I guess you guys are right. Children should not be allowed to watch anything more vulgar than Mr Rogers or Teletubbies. I don't understand the thought process behind trying to shelter kids from everything. The sooner they learn about the harsh reality of life and death the better. When sheltered kids get older they seem to not understand the consequences of their actions the way other kids who have been exposed to such things do.

Of course I am speaking in general and not trying to say that watching Jackass is important to a child's development. However, letting them see stuff like this and explaining to them that they do really get hurt could help them understand better than if they watch it over at a friends house without anyone telling them about it. Pointing out that these guys have mucho grande medical coverage would also be good.

I doubt there will be a part 3. Knoxville and Bam are making plenty of money through other sources. I would be willing to bet that they signed on for the sequel before the first one was even made.

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 09-29-2006, 03:59 PM:

I don't think kids should be sheltered from everything, but if they see stuff like Jackass, they need to know what they can safely do and what they can't. Some of the physical gags that are done in movies and TV shows are OK as long as kids realize what's real and what's fake. Take the three Stooges -- I love that stuff, but many things they do would severely hurt or kill someone if a kid did it not realizing it was fake. Hit someone over the head with a hammer and they won't just say 'Oh!" and be OK. Another problem with stunts is fire is very visually attractive and mysterious to kids. The "back of the pants on fire" gag used for comedy effect coupled with all the stunts in movies and shows like Jackass gives kids ideas. They see a stuntman on fire dancing around or running -- they're put out, and they're OK. So a kid or group of kids who have never been burned with fire thinks it would be cool to try running with clothes on fire and try it and in a few seconds are screaming trying to get it out and are scarred for life. The answer isn't to shield kids from the stuff, but to make sure, as a parent, that they know what's really going on in those scenes, and that it isn't what it appears.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-29-2006, 04:32 PM:

Absolutely. It is a lot like guns. The common attitude these days is to just tell kids that guns are bad. I think if more parents took their kids to gun ranges and showed them how dangerous they can be then the kids would respect them more. No doubt that the number of accidental gun deaths would be reduced.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 09-29-2006, 06:23 PM:

This reminds me of George Carlins joke about how parents coddle their children too much these days, the punchline was : "These kids need a helmet for everything but jerking off!" Lol. I just read an article about how some theater owner shut down rather than show Jackass 2 to send a message on how bad movies are these days. Interesting stand... but there's movies 10 times as worse as Jackass though.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 09-29-2006, 06:31 PM:

quote: Chris Hipp
Children should not be allowed to watch anything more vulgar than Mr Rogers or Teletubbies.

And you don't consider Teletubbies vulgar? I'm not talking the conspiracies about the purple one being gay, I'm talking about the sheer mindlessness of them is vulgar. I'd so not let my child, if I had one, watch them for fear of lowering his IQ permanently.

quote: Chris Hipp
Absolutely. It is a lot like guns. The common attitude these days is to just tell kids that guns are bad. I think if more parents took their kids to gun ranges and showed them how dangerous they can be then the kids would respect them more. No doubt that the number of accidental gun deaths would be reduced.

Absolutely, and the feel of the power from the gun going off in their hand, will further drive it home. Now is this good for everybody? No, like anything else, there are some that I wouldn't trust with a gun, or I know will still only fail to miss the point. It all goes back to 1 thing "(PG) - Parental Discretion is advised." Parental discretion.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 09-29-2006, 11:21 PM:

We enforce the ratings here for an entirely different reason.. Honestly, if a kid imitates that and dies, well, the defective genes are now out of the gene pool. We enforce it for the fact that kids in R rated films, by and large, do not behave unless there is an adult making them behave. Since beginning strict ratings enforcement shortly after I took over this building noise complaints and rowdy behavior dropped signifigantly - and our grosses verses the competiton are better now than when we let the kids in.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 09-30-2006, 11:54 AM:

In the last few days, I have enjoyed throwing kids out that dont have any ID stating that they are old enough to see Jackass 2. Its also fun being cursed by these kids, too. One threatened to see me after work outside. What assholes!

From what I've seen of JACK-ASS 2, I dont think I want to see it anyway. Horse semen. Aaraugh. [puke]

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 09-30-2006, 05:37 PM:

Bruce - You must work for a company that stands behind their managers when they enforce the rules. In the last company I worked for, I got introuble for kicking kids out for sneaking into theaters and causing disturbances (cellphones, laserpointers, climbing over seats, etc). It seemed that some of the parents complained that I was "mean" to their little angels and of course threaten to take their business elsewhere. So I am the one who gets yelled at of course with no explaination as to what I was suppose to have done differently. [Mad]

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 10-02-2006, 04:51 AM:

While I have stated that shows like Jackass when viewed with parents as an allegory to what not to do, there is another side to this within my extended family.

I have three sisters, and they stick together through thick and stupid.

The oldest does not let anyone tell her kids what to do. That's her job. She fired herself from that job years ago. She has never disciplined her kids. All three are heavy into drugs, stealing, and the oldest now has a new thing...

STEALING GUNS... nice eh?

He stole one of my brothers guns, then dumped it in a bush when his mom came calling for him. It was finally found after six weeks, not having been discharged. It was completely locked up, and through misuse of his mothers misguided mothering he ended up with the keys.

The gun was just recovered last week. Now my sister is trying to guilt my family into forgiving him and allowing him to the family gatherings this upcoming holiday season. My sisters are ganging up together, and using my mother to pull it together. Sick little bitches should try parenting these kids, not coddling them as buddies.

All the kids from the girls in the families are constantly arrested for shoplifting, drugs, and all have been thrown out of school and no school will have them.

All the kids from the boys in the family are on the honor rolls in their respective schools, no drugs, no crime, and so on. My sisters cannot properly care for their children, and if asked by a Judge I would say they shouldn't be allowed to keep their own kids. I have tried talking with my sis's over the years, it only leads to them not wanting to talk to me.

One of them (the big one taller than me) threatened me earlier this year, and my sister thinks I am taking it too seriously when I threatened to let the police deal with it. He has been arrested seven times for assault and battery. yeah, Im overboard!

So it is really up to parents to do more than just decide what they watch, but to actually parent them, all the time, not just when their kid gets arrested. If they did that, they wouldn't let them dress that way, behave that way, or do any of the stupid stuff that gets them in trouble, and so on.

Parents people, not restrictions.

Ciao

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 10-03-2006, 02:36 AM:

Since taking over my current location I've begun enforcing the R rating policy, which is fairly lax as it is; we'll allow kids to go in so long as a parent gives verbal consent in person.
My reasoning is because some kid could very well come in, watch it, and say or do something stupid from the film, the parent would then come down and start yelling about our lack of morals, etc. Not to mention most kids can't handle themselves in a rated R film.
"OOooohooohooo" is usually the response out of adults when "boobies" show up on the screen for crying out loud.

What irks me though was the guy who told me he'd take his money to our competition (Regal) since we inconvenienced him since his kid didn't have ID.

Movies like Jackass always bring out the kids from the shallow end of the gene pool.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 10-03-2006, 03:32 PM:

Interesting, my usual response when I see boobies is "stupid zipper, come on!" [evil]

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-04-2006, 12:22 PM:

I'm not where you are, but I do work for Regal, and we wouldn't let them in either. Not even if the parent, with proof of ID and that it is indeed their shild, etc etc, tells us it's ok. Our policy is rigid. No one under 17, unless accomanied by an adult, period. You can try to have an adult buy you a ticket, but you will be stopped at the door if you're not going in with them.

Posted by Tom Hayes (Member # 3932) on 10-22-2006, 09:47 AM:

I think JackAss is some of the basest, lowest, vulgar stuff ever filmed.

I think we need to ship copies of this film over to Africa and show it to starving families - just so they know where America's priorities are.

I honestly hope that many of the people in the JackAss films are killed doing these stunts. I will go see the movie when it turns from base instincts to a plain old snuff film.

IMHO.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 10-24-2006, 12:12 AM:

Wow Tom!

That's a pretty brutal view to want these people to die in order to meet what I take is your view of civility.

You really beleive that this somehow gives you the higher ground in decorum by calling for the death of others that you despise?

Any chance you might possibly see anything of value in what you have said, maybe possible realize you are no better than those in the Jackass films?

You really need a life, a clue, and some proper focus.

If you really want to send some free copies with some DVD's and TV's and maybe some power generators and some fuel to run them, all so you can personally show them how our priorities here are out of whack, then by all means do so.

Of course then that would put your priorities out of whack would it not? Maybe you could put that energy into possibly sending the cost of all that in food stuffs and medical supplies. Maybe you could, just a thought.

Then of course you could try and figure out how a rich nation is supposed to have any money to give poor nations if they don't actually spend money on anything, thereby growing their economy, giving them opportunity to have money to give. We could just crash our economy and become third world, that would be fair.

Or maybe your statement is just hot water coming from someone that has more time and money to burn than they know what to do with, and perhaps they should donate that time and money to a good cause, instead of bitching and moaning about what you hate.

Or... maybe I am just a complete dork for giving more than half a rats ass about the people of Africa and their plight, donating 2% of my crappy annual salary to help support releif programs in Africa, as well as donating an additional 3% of my crappy annual salary to contribute to other causes that help relief organizations dedicated to disease research and relief.

And I also donate about 50 hours a year to various local charities to assist with food drives, clothing drives, and fundrasiers....

I could stop that and spend more time bitching instead.

But I love bitching anyway, so I make sure I have a few extra hours of my own personal time just for Film Tech...

Ciao

LOVE YA!!! [fu]

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 10-24-2006, 09:54 PM:

Tom - Welcome to this forum since I see you are a fairly new member. Not everyone here is callous and narcissistic.