# Kids at the Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 22, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433 "2001-02-22T05:20:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/21 "2001-02-23T18:58:06Z")
I remember when I went to see this movie there were a lot of kids in the theater. A lot of parents ending up getting pissed off when the dinosaurs became violent and started eating people. I overheard some parents talking after the movie about how the violence content was inappropriate for children. I just thought to myself “What the hell do you expect? The movie was PG-13 not rated G.” Marc ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/22 "2001-02-24T06:59:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Can’t get into clubs, can’t get into Hannibal, can’t buy alcohol. ::kicks dirt:: It sucks being seventeen. It ain’t much better being eighteen, either, let me assure you. And nineteen is just a slap in the face, as far as I’m concerned. Personally, I think we should eventually abolish all ratings systems altogether. There should be hardcore sex and gratuitous violence in a Disney movie. THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is my Utopia. ---
**Author:** ![BarBQSauce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@BarBQSauce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarBQSauce)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/23 "2001-02-24T07:50:02Z")
quote: Can’t get into clubs, can’t get into Hannibal, can’t buy alcohol. ::kicks dirt:: It sucks being seventeen. You’re bitching about not being able to buy alcohol at seventeen. God, youd never make it here in the puritanical United States. I’m twenty and still can’t buy any form of alcohol, and in fact had to pay a 200 dollar fine earlier this year for getting busted for possession of alcohol in a raid by overzealous cops. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/24 "2001-02-24T08:17:01Z")
Well, as I see it, there just isn’t much that theatre owners can do. This comes back to another topic that Roger Ebert mentions quite frequently. America should have a ratings category that bars children but does not indicate pornography. The problem with NC-17 is that a bunch of family values types convinced theatres and studios to not produce or distribute movies that were NC-17, so now they’re forced to cram as much violence and sex as possible into R movies. ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/25 "2001-02-24T10:34:21Z")
I remember a long time ago, I heard on a Radio Station’s News that the X Rating is being replaced by NC-17. Was that true? Is there still (officially) an X rating? Was there Ever an Official X rating? Was it Ever used to indicate anything besides sex? Anyways, I think there should be something between R and NC-17. NC-15, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/26 "2001-02-24T12:45:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mikahw \* > \*\*I remember a long time ago, I heard on a Radio Station’s News that the X Rating is being replaced by NC-17. > > Was that true? Is there still (officially) an X rating? Was there Ever an Official X rating? Was it Ever used to indicate anything besides sex? > > Anyways, I think there should be something between R and NC-17. NC-15, maybe? \*\* NC-17 replaced the X rating in 1990. The reason was, the MPAA forgot to copyright the X, as they did all the other ratings, which is what gave the porn industry the ability to use it for their titles. As X is now universally related to porn, NC-17 was to cover the gap for movies like Midnight Cowboy, I Am Curious Yellow, and Pink Flamingos(which were all previously rated X). The first movie rated NC-17 was Henry and June. Pink Flamingos was re-rated as NC-17. [http://www.altculture.com/aentries/n/nc17.html](http://www.altculture.com/aentries/n/nc17.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/27 "2001-02-26T03:49:41Z")
pldennison said: > [@](#): > > I don’t think an owner should feel he or she is at all in the wrong by simply saying, in advance, “I’m not allowing ticket sales to people with children for this movie.” The parents are always free to take their children to see the movie at another theater. I think it’s kind of tangential to the main point, which appears to be that most parents who take their kids to see movies like Hannibal are probably pretty irresponsible, but I think it’s legitimate nonetheless. First of all, I would like to say that I do not have any children. I have, however, just reached the age where you start to realize that at least some of the things about which folks used to tell you “you’ll understand when you’re older” really do become clearer as time passes, and your opinions change accordingly. Soon, perhaps, I will move even beyond that stage, from the realm of “you’ll understand when you’re older” to the even more terrifying “just wait until you have kids of your own.” So I realize that at some point I may have to eat my words, HOWEVER… I don’t think that parents taking their kids to see Hannibal is irresponsible. What is irresponsible is parents taking children to see Hannibal and other violent movies without giving the child PROPER GUIDANCE. If, as pldennison is suggesting, the issue here is simply whether or not theater owners should be able to feel COMFORTABLE refusing entrance to parents with children, then I am not opposed. I do personally feel that such actions would be needless and even arrogant, presumptiuous (did I spell that right?) and offensive, but the theater belongs to the owner (thus “owner”) and they can refuse entry to whomever they please if the law allows them to do so. But when the issue turns to whether or not theater owners ought to be EXPECTED, from a moral standpoint, to refuse entry to parents with children, I say no way. The theater owners hold absolutely zero responsibility here. If they feel it themselves and wish to act upon that feeling, I say by all means do so. But I don’t think it is fair for anyone to expect them to do this and question their morals when they don’t. But I’m probably being way too serious about the whole thing. Kayeby: thanks for the info. And who cares if you can’t buy alcohol? At seventeen, it’s cheaper (and more fun) to get it bought for you. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/28 "2001-02-26T03:53:35Z")
Midnight Cowboy was rated X. Then it won the Oscar for Best Picture. Some how without any cuts it’s rating changed to R. AND IMO Saving Private Ryan should have been rated NC-17. Because the film makers tried so hard to re-creat the actual war expierence and because we don’t let anyone under 18 serve in the military we shouldn’t have let them see the movie. Heck we shouldn’t have let women see since we don’t let them serve on the front lines. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433/29 "2001-02-27T00:50:00Z")
I find it interesting that the movie people have absolutely not problem kicking those under the age of 17 out, but then ignore the kids that are under 10. The kids it would really effect. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-at-the-movies/55433.md?page=1)