Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

is Robin Hood Prince of Thieves okay for an 8yr old?

80 replies

Allthenamesareusedup · 19/03/2015 18:55

My ds is currently v into Robin Hood, has created fab Lego scenes, read books, listened to audio CDs etc, and is asking to watch a film of it. He watched Disney one, but wants a "proper version". He's seen the Harry Potter films and The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings. Can anyone recommend an appropriate Robin Hood film for him?

OP posts:
SuperMumTum · 20/03/2015 11:57

I agree with damnbamboo. Not suitable imo.

tinymeteor · 20/03/2015 11:59

The Errol Flynn version is 100% awesome and age appropriate, plus colourful and looks like the picture book Robin Hood of a kid's imagination. Maybe give Prince of Thieves another year or two. The first scene has someone almost getting their hand chopped off and Robin's friend getting shot with arrows in an alley. (And Costner's accent is horrific Wink)

Enb76 · 20/03/2015 11:59

I'm not sure that an attempted rape should be considered more shocking than a person being killed.

Thank you :) Exactly. People get very up in arms. I would have thought men on a gibbet, Duncan being blinded, the bit in the middle east are all more worthy of pearl clutching than the not very graphic rape scene.

SaucyJack · 20/03/2015 12:01

If he doesn't know what rape is, it almost certainly will go over his head. We all watched it as kids and I certainly didn't have a clue what was going on until I was much older. It's clear he's trying to impregnate Marian , but the concept of it being rape was completely lost on me.

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:01

Yes but Tom and Jerry is a cartoon. Clearly not real!

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:02

all more worthy of pearl clutching

Oh please! Who's pearl clutching! I can't believe that people don't think that sexual violence is somehow different.

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:03

Hollywood has made a million and one Robin Hood film so if you decide Prince of Thieves isn't for him there are loads more to choose from.

Dr0pThePirate · 20/03/2015 12:03

One of the characters is called Fanny Grin

It's perfect for a child!

Enb76 · 20/03/2015 12:04

That said, I wouldn't let an 8 year old watch Harry Potter or LOTR and would be unlikely to let my child watch this Robin Hood either. However, if you're wondering whether it's any worse than the above two, then no, it's not.

The Robin of Sherwood series with Jason Connery is pretty good actually and includes Herne the Hunter which was quite important in the older Robin Hood stories though he seems to have been too pagan for American tastes and they've written him out.

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:05

I forgot about Jason Connery as Robin Hood!

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:05

Most children have no concept or sex, or sexual violence at the age of 8. They are aware of wars and fighting and other, not necessarily lesser, but more generalised violence.

To each their own, but there is plenty of time for a child to become exposed to this kind of thing. Why facilitate this earlier than it needs to be.

GwenaelleLaGourmande · 20/03/2015 12:06

How about Robin Hood Men In Tights? :o

6LittleOnes · 20/03/2015 12:10

I watched when it came out, I was 6. I loved it and it is still one of my favourite films. Dd1 (8) and ds1 (7) watched some of it last year and weren't remotely bothered by the man's hand being chopped off or the dead body

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:11

'They are aware of wars and fighting and other, not necessarily lesser, but more generalised violence.'

Pretty poor argument. Violence is violence whether sexual or other.

SenecaFalls · 20/03/2015 12:13

What's the problem with the illegitimate brother? Talk about pearl-clutching.

Kevin's now-you-hear-it-now you don't English accent is one of the reasons I like watching this movie so much. He'll be sort of non-rhotic RP in one scene and then all California surfer dude in the next. What a hoot. Love him, though.

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:13

Pretty poor argument. Violence is violence whether sexual or other

If you read properly, that's clearly my point, Violence is violence.

I haven't said it's lesser (clearly I say it's not, read again) but why expose them to more violence that they are likely to have no awareness of.

It's like saying, well you've seen an arrow in the head, everything else is fair game now.

Really?

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:18

No need to get so ratty. I did read it properly thank you.

And from reading your posts properly I noted that your first post states that the OP shouldn't let him watch it as the there is a scene featuring an attempted rape. You made no mention of other scenes of violence.

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:19

As I say OP, your child has watched the LOTR films, they feature much darker scenes than Prince of Thieves.

SaucyJack · 20/03/2015 12:20

Actually bamboo, you've made me think.

Quite possibly RH:POT isn't a good thing to show kids before they have the maturity to understand that the attempted rape scene isn't the usual decent way to make a baby. We all just thought they were having a shag.

Hmmm.

I remember watching it as our end of term treat in year 6 or 7. I wonder if it would still get past the censors today.

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:21

Duh!
This is difficult for you clearly so I will write few words, and very clearly.

I mention the rape scene specifically, because it is not one that most 8 year old's will be exposed to!

That's all! Does that make sense?

I'm not getting ratty, you are suggesting that a poor argument is being made, when that is not the case at all.

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:24

Your use of exclamation marks would suggest you're getting very ratty indeed.

That aside, you think 8 years old's are so exposed to seeing people killed with axes and bows and arrows as to be blasé about it?

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:25

they feature much darker scenes than Prince of Thieves

Yeah, 'cos rape not's dark at all is it! Lot's of things way worse than being raped.

Holy shit! Have I fallen down a rabbit hole on this thread?

FriendlyLadybird · 20/03/2015 12:25

In TV versions of RHPoT, the attempted rape is cut. Even in its full version it's not graphic, but you might be able to find a more PG version.

I think the Errol Flynn Adventures of Robin Hood is the seminal film version. I'd start with that. And no one even pretends to have a Medieval Nottinghamshire accent! Gotta love Russell Crowe.

I also enjoyed the Patrick Bergin Robin Hood which came out at about the same time as Prince of Thieves. The only problem with that is that it doesn't feature the Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisborne, but invents some other Norman baddies.

So I'd say: Errol Flynn followed by Prince of Thieves, followed by Patrick Bergin.

Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn made a wonderful film called Robin and Marion about what happened when Robin (much older) returned from the Crusades. It's one of my favourite ever films.

Can I come round and play Robin Hood lego with your son?

DamnBamboo · 20/03/2015 12:26

That aside, you think 8 years old's are so exposed to seeing people killed with axes and bows and arrows as to be blasé about it?

No! Where have I said that? Please tell me how you have come to this conclusion.

squoosh · 20/03/2015 12:27

an illegitimate (and angry) half-brother appears

Born the wrong side of the blanket. Oh the horror. Scariest thing about Christian Slater is his accent.