I’ve been noticing a pretty disturbing trend here in Havre when it comes to R rated movies – pretty much every one I’ve attended has been filled with young children. Sometimes these children are accompanied by adults, sometimes they are not. There’s a few ways to look at this issue – as an adult customer I find it difficult to enjoy comedy or sex scenes clearly not meant for children with a crying 5 year old sitting next to me while his three year old brother runs up and down the aisle. I’m generally a social libertarian; I believe folks are free to screw their kids up in any way they desire short of physical/sexual abuse. As a moral person however, I’d rather not be a party to it. Many theaters in the country have banned bringing children below the age of 9 into R rated films even when accompanied by an adult. Though I’m not sure 9 is appropriate either, it’s a vast improvement over the status quoIs this a common practice in all theaters? I always thought when the movie was rated R it meant no one under the age of 17 was to be admitted. Isn’t there some sort of law to this effect? Well it appears the rating system is only a guideline imposed by the movie industry upon themselves under threat of laws suggested by legislators some years back. As it turns out there is no actual law which regulates theatres restricting entry to any age group although many voluntarily censor their patron as to age limitations but nowhere is there any sort of law compelling them to do so. I do have to wonder about the parenting ability of a person that would take a pre-teen to an R rated movie but that is just my opinion. A very informative article about the MPAA movie rating system can be read here at Wired dot com
Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?
Some parents have less sense of right and wrong than the kids.
ReplyDeleteAlthough not directly stated in this posting, it almost sounds like the HDC is advocating for direct government regulation of a private business, in an effort to 'nanny' peoples children.
ReplyDeleteOf course various social protests could be effective even on a single person level. For example, when a three year old kid walks by you in the aisle at the movie, repeat every swear word you can think of to enrich this young persons vocabulary.
Perhaps the blowhards on city council will suggest that new competition come to town for the theaters, as they have done with the local restaurant industry, which they apparently feel are not doing a good enough job.
DeConstructor we just posted this story for discussion. You have been reading this blog long enough to know that we would never advocate for an additional law to “nanny” anyone any time. The question really is do you think parents should be taking pre-teens to R-rated movies? Have Havre theater goers witnessed this as a problem? Should the theater restrict those not of age from entering the movie in accordance with the MPPA guidlines?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid they didn't let you in underage even if the parents were ok with it.
ReplyDeleteShows how far we have evolved from decency
I sent the e-mail, and I think you're leaping to an odd conclusion for the sake of being contrary DeConstructor; I suggested a letter writing campaign suggesting that the business regulate itself for the enjoyment of its consumers, I never suggested government involvement and nor did the HDC.
ReplyDelete