Movie ratings exist for a reason. Despite some claims to the contrary, they do describe the contents of the movie and its appropriate-ness for children of different ages.
What brings this up? Every once in awhile I'm struck by how many parents aren't aware that the ratings mean something.
This happened again last night when Der Deutscher and I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia. Because it's a children's book parents are assuming it's a children's movie.
It has a PG rating everybody. That means parental guidance. That means chances are 3 and 4 year old kids probably won't be able to handle the movie. In all likelihood most 5, 6 and 7 year olds won't either.
During the show last night we saw many children of this age and the inevitable happened.
*****SPOILER*****
There was much crying and wailing when the Lion, Aslan, sacrifices his life to save Edmund from execution by the White Witch for betraying his brother and sisters.
*****END SPOILER*****
And there was this little boy, about JBP's age, sitting next to us. He started in his own seat, perfectly happily watching the movie. By the end battle he was in his mother's lap, cringing at every loud noise and covering his eyes more than 75% of the time. He was just too young for the movie.
I was absolutely furious and wanted to knock those parents heads together. Did they have any ide of the nightmares they would most likely be subjecting their children to by allowing them to see this film?
Der Deutscher and I have seen this time and again, since long before we had a child of our own, and marvel over it every time. The first time I remember really noticing it was when families were bringing 5 and 6 year olds to see Jurassic Park in the theater. Jurassic Park, folks. Not a kids' movie, by any stretch of the imagination.
Part of our purpose for seeing Narnia was because JBP has wanted to see it ever since he noticed the first movie poster for it. But, due to my knowledge of the plot in the book and its PG rating, I wasn't sure if he could handle it.
He can't. It's as simple as that. The ratings system works again.
Nimitz' Lady
P.S. I've been teaching JBP about the ratings system, so he can determine what movies to watch when the opportunity presents itself and I'm not around.
He knows that G means general audiences, or anyone. He knows PG means parental guidance or "With the Parents" only. He knows PG-13 means he has to be 13 years old to watch it and R means it's restricted to adults. NC-17 is simply verboten, period.
Of course, then he had to ask, what about P? Where's the P for parents' movies?
1 comment:
This reminds me of when I was pregnant for you. Your father and I went to see "Papillon," which has a very realistic beheading scene. I closed my eyes for it. but some stupid parents had brought their TWO-YEAR-OLD to the movie. When I inevitably had to gotothe bathroom, I saw the father in the lobby with his sobbing daughter. I wanted to smack him a good one.
Ma
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