2012 West Carrollton graduation
Home of the Week
Madison graduation 2012
Home > Blogs > Sir Critic on Cinema > Archives > 2007 > June > 18 > Entry
Taking kids to violent/scary movies: sometimes OK?
Just reading the subject line made skin crawl for a lot of you, I bet. Many of us have sneered in disgust/gaped incredulously at some thoughtless dunderhead who takes a kid to see a violent/scary movie, resulting in therapy bills for at least three decades.
I’ve written about about this topic before, but two things I’ve read recently bring it back to mind - and made me give the issue second thoughts.
First is critic James Berardinelli’s treatise on using the movie theater as a day care center. He advocates that the R-rating should be changed: Not only would those 11-17 require a parent/adult guardian to see the movie, but those under 10 should never be admitted - even with an adult present.
Berardinelli also offers a great piece of advice to these errant parents or guardians: “If you’re desperate to see a title and are having babysitter problems, wait for the DVD. It’s only four months away.”
And yet …
There’s also Ty Burr’s book The Best Old Movies for Families, which is about trying to turn kids on to classic movies. It’s a great idea for a book, and a terrific read.
In his chapter on Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Burr offers further food for thought. He begins by railing against parents who bring children to violent movies, as so many of us would.
But then Burr relates an anecdote about his friend and co-worker Renee, whose mother took her to see the original Night of the Living Dead “when she was five - five!” The scene came along where a little zombie girl stabs her mother dead with a spade.
Burr writes, “Was Renee scared? Are you kidding? She freaked. Was she scarred for life? Renee laughs the laugh of the most sensible, even-keeled person I know and says, ‘Of course not. It was a movie. Even at five,’ she says, ‘I understood that, and I knew my mother liked the scary ones and that she liked to take me along.’”
Hmm. Interesting. So maybe we shouldn’t automatically assume that all parents who take their kids to violent movies should be arrested for child endangering. Still, it makes for an interesting argument.
I tend to think that just as some parents are thoughtless, some are also overprotective, trying to shield their little darlings from any harm, lest they cry and ruin their parents’ day. I sometimes think that parents believe because something scares them, it will scare their child also - and that isn’t necessarily so. Clearly, some kids like to be scared.
Where do you draw the line? Do you agree with Berardinelli? Did you go to see a scary movie at a young age - and live to tell about it?
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Moviegoing
Comments
By Derwood
June 19, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
I was 3 months old when I was taken to see “Woodstock”. The ticket agent didn’t want to let my mother in because they were afraid the movie would affect me in a negative way. True story… As far as the rest goes, It depends on the kid and what movie they are potentially going to see. Its up to us as free thinking adults to act as such and be a parent. Passing a law is not needed.. We have our gov’t making enough decisions for us. We don’t need them making another.By ME
June 19, 2007 8:31 AM | Link to this
Good topic. I wasn’t allowed to see certain movies until I was about 12 or 13. My parents weren’t strict, but I think they knew me pretty well. I’m glad I didn’t watch Nighmare on Elmstreet or the Halloween’s until I was a bit older at slumber parties. I really think some of your have it right on. It is up to the child and parent and depends on the movie. When the third Harry Potter came out it was a little bewildering for me to see such YOUNG children in the audience as it was a big scary for 3-5 I think. Plus would they really get it? But again I guess that depends on the kid and the parent! And always should!!By Cali
June 18, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this
This poses an interesting argument. Honestly, I think it is up to the judgement of the child, mainly. A child knows what scares them the most. A 14 year old is capable of knowing that blood and guts scare them, so they are cabable of avoiding the situation, and not going to the theater. However, a younger child is not. As Julie said, the parent should know their kid well enough to know what the child can handle. I also would rather not see a scary movie. I don’t go to the theater often, but when I do, I avoid scary movies always. I’d rather be enlightened by learning about somone’s life/background/lifestyle, laugh during a comedy, or sit on the edge of my seat in suspense, than be scared by a film just for the films purpose to “scare” people. Also, I found this quote to be very valid and great food for thought “I sometimes think that parents believe because something scares them, it will scare their child also - and that isn’t necessarily so. Clearly, some kids like to be scared.”By SRCputt
June 18, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this
When I was a teen, my dad and I knew I could handle the language, could handle the sex, and could not handle the violence. I saw my first R when I was 11. I continued to see R rated movies after that as long as they did not have graphic violence. I wasn’t ready for that until I was a college student.By Julie
June 18, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this
It really does depend on the child. I have a 6 year old that is afraid of her own shadow. NOT the kind of kid to take to a scary movie or an overly action packed movie. I have to turn off the TV for certain things on cable. However, I have a friend whose 6 year old son thinks that scary movies are the best thing in the world. A lot of the problem is that parents don’t know their kids well enough to be aware of how it may affect them. (That’s a whole different rant though.) As a mom to two sensitive little people, I would never take them to something that would upset them. Until you’ve had kids that stayed awake all night with nightmares because something they saw scared the bejesus out of them, you can’t really determine whether it’s being “overprotective” or just a good parent. My movie theater pet peeve is people that talk during movies or generally make enough noise to draw attention to themselves. Based on my experiences, the people most responsible for this are twentysomething “adults” or older teenagers. I think kids get a bad rap for being nuissances. Did I see scary movies when I was little? Yep, sure did. Did it scare me then? Definitely! Do they scare me now? Yep! I would rather not go to the movies than see a scary one. It didn’t put me in a therapist’s office but it did affect me. I know that I don’t like them and steer clear of them at all costs. To each their own I suppose.By Kim S.
June 18, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this
I could go off for days about this one. First, I think it depends on the child and the film. I agree that theaters are being used as Day Care Centers (evidenced by the fact that I saw a 7-yr old when I saw “Black Hawk Down”). However, my Muvico theater does provide day care during your film for the price of a child’s ticket. I think that’s a fantastic idea. I agree about the curse words - usually any school age child will hear more than perhaps I’d like. But the sex and the violence need to go. I actually went to the movies with someone who took their 8-yr old to “Wedding Crashers” and I thought it was completely inappropriate. Even though most jokes went over his head there are some “visuals” that he simply didn’t need to see. But then again, I’m known for being a prude. :)By Allie D.
June 18, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this
I do not think R-rated movies will scar children for life. At least not most of them. That’s not even the crux of the issue behind my utter irritation with parents who take their kids to these films. I just feel it is in poor taste for people to expect paying adults to share viewing time with a potentially traumatized, restless, disgusted, and/or bewildered child who will probably be talking or crying through most of the picture. In two of the last three movies I’ve seen — Grindhouse, and 28 Weeks Later — I’ve had to put up with those aforementioned children, and I think it’s appalling. Do I think that parents should be banned from admitting their children, period? Ultimately, no. For better or worse, the buck should stop with the parents on these issues. I think making this a law is unnecessary. But I do like those new snitching devices that make it easy to inform the management of a problem in the audience, and think they should become commonplace. If said children are being disruptive, then they (and their parents) should be kicked out.By SRCputt
June 18, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this
I’m not that worried about curse words, because they have already heard them. I am very sensitive about the violence, as they don’t need to see it, and I hope they don’t have to live with too much violence. I try not to rely on the MPAA, but research each film on a case by case basis.