To let my 8yo watch Titanic?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

I know it's a 12 but she's taken a real interest in the history of the Titanic and spotted the movie on our NowTV stick and has asked to watch it. Obviously the post coital car scene and the "draw me like one of your French girls" are the biggest turn offs for allowing her - although I expect she'd giggle at Kate Winslet'a breast rather than feel uncomfortable. I have had the sex talk with her, but in a very objective "this is how babies are made" way not "it's quite nice to have a shag in a car with someone who looks like Leonardo DiCaprio" way. WIBU to let her watch it (obviously watching it with her)?

It's a dreadful film - why would you inflict it on your daughter?

I think I was about 8-9 when I watched it (I can remember as we lived in a certain house) and its not particularly scarred me, it was more too long and grown up and I lost interest!

Exh let dd watch some of it when she was considerably younger - they didn’t get to the end or the floating in the water parts of the film. I wasn’t massively pleased with him for putting it on though!

I remember watching it in the cinema as a 19 yo student and crying almost from the beginning!

@GlummyMcGlyummerson

@Aquamarine1029 ooh which scenes do you mean? I didn't know that!

For one, Jack and Rose never existed. They are completely fictional characters injected into a real historical event. Utter bullocks. Don't teach your child about history by showing them shit. There are far too many sources of great information out there to educate her with.

Show her A Night to Remember as someone has already suggested. Titanic is far too long and drawn out. In the end I was saying, 'Sink for goodness sake , and get it all over with.'

For one, Jack and Rose never existed. They are completely fictional characters injected into a real historical event. Utter bullocks. Don't teach your child about history by showing them shit. There are far too many sources of great information out there to educate her with

Oh FGS I thought you meant there were inaccuracies about the sinking. Thanks for that but I'm aware Jack and Rose didn't really exist 😂 my daughter isn't stupid she can differentiate between fictional characters and real life events, I appreciate the suggestion of a documentary but a film IMO would be more engaging and hold her attention better

Other than the Jack and rose business the depiction of the ship and the events are reasonably accurate I believe. They went to some lengths to get things correct.

I'm also not overly concerned about the more distressing scenes. But I'm just the type who isn't keen to shield my daughter from realities. Awful things have happened I the world - what is a good age to show them? She's 8, not 2.

It's a dreadful film - why would you inflict it on your daughter?

With all due respect, your opinion isnt fact, I think it's a good film 🤷‍♀️

@malmi

Other than the Jack and rose business the depiction of the ship and the events are reasonably accurate I believe. They went to some lengths to get things correct.

Yes I'm sure I read that the film is so long because they made the sinking scenes as long as the real amount of time the ship took to sink, to the minute

The Cameron Titanic is pretty awful and not at all true to what happened. A steerage passenger would never have met a first class passenger. Also it is 12 plus for a reason. Do you think that you know more than the censors?
The really good film about the Titanic is the old b&w "A night to remember". I don't know the age restriction but it is way better than the Cameron celebrity film.
You could take her to the Titanic museum in Belfast which is apparently really good.

I think it would be wise to re-watch it yourself first.

I second the recommendation for A Night to Remember.

James Cameron has done a documentary since the movie and hes been on more dives to the rock. They have discussed what they know now and how that differs from the movie. Its quite interesting. Maybe google it?

As for the movie you know your childs maturity, just be aware of the naked/sex scenes, the distressing parts as it sinks with third class being sentenced to death for being poor.
The dead baby can take your breath away it's near the very end and is shocking so she may not like that at all. Maybe watch it yourself and see if it's been so long?

The OP has clearly stated she thinks it is a good film and came here to ask opinions about age sensitive content, not on whether you personally rated it or not.

Personally OP I love old movies now and will look up A Night to Remember, but there is no way I would have been bothered about a black and white film at your DD's age. If you think she should be ok with/enjoy the film I would go for it.

By the way I watched it at 9, which sparked my imagination. At 11 I won a school project about a similar less known sinking in amongst country. People could do with being a bit more open minded.

No. Because it is a terrible film. They will be traumatised and before you know it will be buying Celine Dion CDs. Suggest they watch Die Hard instead.

My 8 yr old DD watched it with another 8 yr old she had over for a play date. (Obviously I checked with her mum first who was absolutely fine about it). They both really enjoyed it and nobody has had nightmares.

@Jamestown

The Cameron Titanic is pretty awful and not at all true to what happened. A steerage passenger would never have met a first class passenger. Also it is 12 plus for a reason. Do you think that you know more than the censors? The really good film about the Titanic is the old b&w "A night to remember". I don't know the age restriction but it is way better than the Cameron celebrity film. You could take her to the Titanic museum in Belfast which is apparently really good.

You also can't switch bodies with your mum so I guess I really fucked up letting her watch Freaky Friday. Also I don't mind celebrities being in films personally I'll let you die on that hill.

Whilst I'm sure I "don't know better than the censors" () I do know my child and what she can handle. It is quite alright not to follow every recommendation to three letter now and again.

Not sure why you are getting comments about whether or not people like the film. Clearly it's a Hollywood film not a documentary too...

I watched it for the first time when I was around 9. We saw it at school and the teacher stood in front of the tv and fast forwarded the sex scenes. But we all knew the gist of what she fast forwarded and there was some giggling, that's about it. It is a very sad film. If I remember rightly the dead baby scene is a mother floating in the water holding a baby in a blanket. But the story of the titanic is extremely upsetting no matter which way you see it - Hollywood film/documentary/reading.

Obviously I do not know your daughter but I would say it's fine.

It’s utter crap. I do remember at the cinema when I was 18 with friends the very start w old cine film of the ship departing and my friend said ‘the majority of then died on that journey!’ It was quite a shock to realise she was right. My mum watches it constantly.

Generally speaking, I think it is a good idea to stick mostly to the ratings. There is a reason for them. Yes you can get some 10 yr old reacting differently from other 10 r olds, and the same for 12 yr olds or even 13 or 14 yr olds. But your dc is nowhere near the suggested age. There is a massive difference in development between an 8 yr old and a 12 yr old.
Yes, you know your dd best, but you have also admitted you don't remember parts of the film and it is ages since you've seen it.

I've seen a night to remember many years ago but I really don't think it's that engaging for a 8yo, it's maybe a bit too dated.

As a reminder I didn't ask anyone for their opinions on the quality of the film but nice of everyone to tell me what they thought anyway I guess

8 is still very much a child. Of course you should protect her from content that's not appropriate.

I would absolutely let my 8 year old DD watch it. I. Fact we have it on our list of things to watch. You know your DD. I don’t remember the dead baby, but strangely when I was young things like that never bothered me.
Now I have my own children the dead baby in train spotting really upsets me and I can’t watch it. I didn’t even remember it from when I watched it as a 16 year old 🤷🏼‍♀️

@IwishIhadaMargarita that opening cine footage isn't real it was shot for the movie IIRC

@Foxinthechickencoop I was 9 when Titanic came out and somehow got into the cinema to see it, I don't remember feeling a whole lot of empathy about the victims like I do now - I think adulthood gives us such a different empathetic perspective. Same with Schindler's List - watched it as a teen, never bothered me, watched it when DS was a baby and I was on maternity leave, I got so upset I had to turn it off and haven't watched it since.