Sighting at the movies

[John Nemo]

So i'm sure all of you were atleast aware of a little film called The Passion. It was fairly big, i'm told.

I'm not particularly religious, but a friend and i had been aware of the hype surrounding the movie for some time, and felt we had to see it. It was fairly ecrementious, and i feel sort of bad that i laughed at it more than i probably should, but thats noth the subject of this post.

Myself and my friend sat in the top row of the {suprisingly} packed theatre. Now, i had a good view of the people seeing the film, so, as an amateur sociolgist, i took in on myself to survey the place, see what sort of people are seeing this... and stopped in horror.

Now, i'm fairly certain most of you have seen this movie, but for those who havent, It's basicly religous torture porn. It well earns its R.

So imagine my horror when i see a large hispanic family sitting right up front- WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS IN TOW.

when the thing was over, i stood out front by the door, and out walks the kids- their parents were in some sort of trance, their kids eyes were completely round, and i know i saw tears.

[South Texan]

I am a parent and I DO judge a parent for allowing a child to watch a movie rated R. The ratings are not there to aid the audience in having a childless theatre. They exist to tell parents that the content of the film is inappropriate for a child. A parent who ignores the rating because his/her kids are whining about wanting to see the film or because he/she wants to see it and doesn't want to pay for a sitter is a not the best parent in my opinion.

I have seen young children and even some young teens freaked out by violence and scenes they were not mentally capable of handling. It is not fair to them - and their vocal reactions are not fair to the audience.

Flame me all you want, but that is how I feel.

[John Nemo]

I am a parent and I DO judge a parent for allowing a child to watch a movie rated R. The ratings are not there to aid the audience in having a childless theatre. They exist to tell parents that the content of the film is inappropriate for a child. A parent who ignores the rating because his/her kids are whining about wanting to see the film or because he/she wants to see it and doesn't want to pay for a sitter is a not the best parent in my opinion.

I have seen young children and even some young teens freaked out by violence and scenes they were not mentally capable of handling. It is not fair to them - and their vocal reactions are not fair to the audience.

Flame me all you want, but that is how I feel.

i dont think theres much chance of you getting flamed here for that. I agree completely.

[BuggedMei]

OP : Sounds EXACTLY like what happened to me, seeing The Orphan.. The child was younger though, 15 months tops, the mother even brought a full stroller. The mothers reaction to the poor things wailing? "Shhhhh! STOP THAT CHILDNAME!" My mom stopped me from getting up and telling her to get out before I got a manager to kick her out.

I complained on the way out, the manager said that that woman is at the theater every Wednesday, and she always gets complained about, but theres nothing they can do, said he.

Any child, under the age of 4-5, should not be allowed in any theater unless for a G rated movie. Period the end. Having an infant in a LOUD, DARK, FLICKERING LIGHT room is not a happy place for the poor thing. ; ;

[kibbles]

If a child can't handle it, yes I understand it being unfair to them to bring them to a movie like that, and it's natural to judge parents like that. However, if a child can handle it and is well behaved in a theatre I think the people judging those parents are the sucky ones in that case IMO.

[blas]

Here's an open invite for all parents of the year.....take your small children to "The Collector" this week, and then proceed to tell me they can handle it and won't have nightmares for the next 10 years.

Then scream "You can't judge me as a parent!" when your poor, tortured children are too afraid to sleep in their own room or go anywhere that's dark.

That movie had me convinced that someone was in my apartment for over an hour early Sunday morning, and I'm 22 years old and not easily frightened.

[South Texan]

Here's an open invite for all parents of the year.....take your small children to "The Collector" this week, and then proceed to tell me they can handle it and won't have nightmares for the next 10 years.

It is not just horror movies that traumatize either. When I went to see Saving Private Ryan while it was in its first run, the opening sequence of what happened at Normandy was almost too much for me to bear. When that battle was over, I heard a child sniffling and crying softly. I turned and saw two young children, no more than about six or seven, sitting behind me with their parents. The opening had had an effect on them, and that kind of reality violence is not something meant for a child to see.

Both the children were quiet during the show, but that did not mean they were mature enough to deal with the war images of that film.

[blas]

Yes, you do have a very good point. It's not just horror movies. I really sincerely hope no one brought small children to that "Traitor" movie or whatever the title was (I fell asleep after about 45 minutes, but what I saw was disturbing enough).

[Ironclad Alibi]

Here's an open invite for all parents of the year.....take your small children to "The Collector" this week, and then proceed to tell me they can handle it and won't have nightmares for the next 10 years.

That reminded me of the 1965 movie The Collector. No blood and gore, but definitely a movie to give nightmares to children.

[Dips]

If a child can't handle it, yes I understand it being unfair to them to bring them to a movie like that, and it's natural to judge parents like that. However, if a child can handle it and is well behaved in a theatre I think the people judging those parents are the sucky ones in that case IMO.

Debates belong on fratching, not on here. Please drop it.