What age did they go to a 18 film?

[RTKangaMummy]

I was going to ask on Beety's thread but then decided it would take it off topic

DS is 12 nearly 13 and he wants to see Sweeney Todd but it is an 18

We have always been strict about film classifications in the past

BUT we all went to see it performed live {3 times} at Royal Festival Hall last year with Bryn Terfel as Sweeney

We were right in the front row and Bryn came into the audience and threatened DS {to be his next victim}

BUT this was live and no blood was used or even pretended {ie no fake blood}

So I am torn whether to let him see it on DVD after DH & I have watched it, or to ban it until he is older.

He says a classmate will be seeing it at cinema {he is 13 years} I told him he won't be allowed in

Are they strict about ages at cinema?

What would you do?

.

[MarsLady]

Well I'm a wicked one. They don't go till they are old enough.

[RTKangaMummy]

What do you do about DVDs?

[hunkermunker]

Not old enough. It's an 18 for a reason and likely to be gorier than a live performance, esp since a Tim Burton film.

[MarsLady]

the same!

[southeastastra]

let him see it on dvd, but watch yourself first. maybe it's an 18 because of all the bad singing

[RTKangaMummy]

I don't know Tim Burton's stuff really apart from Charlie choccy factory which I didn't like anyway

I am thinking then he will have to wait til he is older then

[RTKangaMummy]

I was orinianally thinking that I would fast forward thru the bloody stuff

[RTKangaMummy]

Do they turn a blind eye in cinema

ie will *** get in or be turned away

[MarsLady]

You can view the dvd and decide. I decided (and what works for us) is if it says 18 it means 18. I don't take them to 12As if they are under 12. I think that's the censors bowing to pressure from the industry to get more bums on seats and cash in pockets.

[hunkermunker]

Unless he looks 18, he may well get turned away.

[RTKangaMummy]

I am glad you are strong Marsy

We have been so far and I wanted to be in future

DS gets teased cos he hasn't seen 15 films or have PS2 games for older than 12

I wanted to know what other mums did

Oke doke I have decided I will either go to the cinema or rent the dvd and then tell him how horrible it is and then tell him he can watch it in 6 years time

I explained that it was like little children watching 12a films {like when they are 6}

[RustyBear]

I would have(and did) say no at 13, but I haven't bothered too much since DS/DD were 16 as I think they are mature enough to know what they can handle -DD in particular likes to check up on the gore level before she goes & won't go to anything too repulsive.

It's a bit futile anyway if you just drop them off at a multi screen cinema - how do you know they are going to see what they say they are?

As to whether he'd be allowed in, it probably depends on the cinema - DS was excluded from an 18 when he was actually 19 - he usually takes ID because he's small for his age but he'd forgotten it.

[RTKangaMummy]

No he {13 year old or DS} don't look 18

I said to DS all the things that could be done when he was 18

including driving a car

I said did he think we would be responsible if we went out with him and let him drive

He agreed he wouldn't think that was right

The thing that was swaying me was all the posterson Beety's thread that were talking about drinking etc

i wondered if we were "babying" him too much

I think you guys are deffo brill It is great to hear other people opinions and views

[mumeeee]

Mine don't go to see 18 films until they are 18.

[MarsLady]

RTKM... we'll all be different in how we raise our children.

I always tell mine when they say "so and so's mum lets him/her" if so and so were my child I wouldn't.

They seem okay with the boundaries (even if they weren't the boundaries are there). I find that they are making sensible choices and decisions (mostly) and so am happy to compromise occasionally (but I do look long term and won't cave easily)

[Tortington]

depends on the kid

graphic mass violence has always been alright with me - but scenes of a sexual nature or detailed invidivual violence would concern me

this is becuase hollywood are very good at producing horror movies which are pulp - or action movies such as james bond - where the killing of people all around 007 matters not a jot

[RustyBear]

"Mine don't go to see 18 films until they are 18."

How do you know?

[Tortington]

\2but xxxx's mum let him"

"hard shit - am not x's mummy"

or more cruelly
" well thats becuase i love you" implying that x's mummy doesn't of course

[Tortington]

i watched a very very very very interesting debate about how american films are classified. - who classifies them and how this is all pai for and who influences whom

dont for one minute believe that the church diesn't influence the classification system - in fact they are of the FUCKING ameican clasification board.

so dont be with the perfect parenting shit - the only way to be such a perfect parent would be to watch all material first.

[nannyL]

they check my age if i go and see an 18... Im 27

i cant imagine a 13 year old could get in if i need my driving license to be allowed in

[Magdelanian]

My DD 13 wants to see it too. I work in a cinema and mentioned it to my boss who mentioned it to the film company. Who suggested they let her in. This was just a joke. Our cinema would never let an underage child into a film. I suggested we get the DVD but DD being her usual sensible self has decided it will be too frightening.

[Loshad]

I don't know about 18's but DH took our 14yo to watch 300 which was a 15 - he got in no problem (though is tall and well grown) and both Dh and I were happy to let him see it, bit of history, plenty of gory violence and some breasts - every teenage boys dream
i'd rather judge myself what they can see than purely let the film censors decide, commercial pressures also dictate what is rated what - one of the Hp's was a pg, and i though it was really scary.

[Kezza7779]

I watched 'The Ring' when i was about 20 which was a 15 and i crapped myself, i watch some 18's and cant understand why .... id watch them myself first as you (the parent) are the best judge on what is acceptable for your child, some 13 yr olds are really together and grown up others are childish and influenced, i would judge on my individual child.......xxxx

[babyjjbaby]

i was 11 when i saw a 18 film