At 5.30PM on Radio 4 today apparently a mother and an 'expert' are going to argue that ALL cinema is harmful to children - ?!

[franch]

I think that was the gist anyway. I probably won't get the chance to listen - if you do, will you tell me what they say? As a theatre and cinema addict who has already infected her DDs with the bug, I am genuinely intrigued.

if she is right we are doomed

Us too! 'Any film of any certificate' was the phrase I heard - ?!!

What?

indeed. Try to listen - I'll do my best to catch it!

loons

Oh for goodness sake, some people really are fruit loops aren't they?

Anyone hear it?

nah was at the odeon

No. That's just silly. All bleach is bad for children, all small pox, all exposure to Big Brother, all nasty nylon sports wear is bad for children. Cinema, no.

I think it was about how you shoudn't take tiny babies to any old cert film jsut because they can't understand what's going on , the sound effects etc can still have an impact (was cooking whilst listening so not sure, will try to find info!)

I went to see Saving Private Ryan whilst pg with DS1. It definately damaged him. We gave him the same name as the main character.

You shouldn't take babies to the cinema except for designated mum&baby screenings because otherwise the baby will shriek and howl at a crucial moment and piss the other punters off.

You aren't allowed to take tiny babies to any old cert film any more anyway as they have tightened up the rules. I used to go to a mother and baby screening and the films could only be pg or U for that reason.

If you go to this link you will be able to 'listen again' to the show (iPM).

www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml#i

Can't get the iPlayer thingy to work - just says 'buffering'

Message withdrawn

So they were talking about the watch-with-baby type screenings, and parents taking little kids along to see grownup movies - as opposed to kids going to kids' films?

Message withdrawn

Kids have always seen films like that though. The Indiana Jones Trilogy was incredibly violent and a PG. Star wars as well.

Aha - have managed to download it so will hopefully be able to listen

Was the expert the Eric Selgman (sp??) guy who argues that all screen time for children is terrible? He's a fruitloop. (imho)

Yeah the name was something like that. Just listened - yes it was about 'watch with baby' screenings so not what I thought - bit of a non-story really

really boring. so many things our growing ones are exposed to may be good/bad for them. why pick on cinema today? this guy is probably trying to pr a new book he wants to sell again

Surely watch with baby type screenings wouldn't include films like Dark Knight? I imagined them to be mostly adult as in children wouldn't watch, rather than children couldn't watch (well maybe with a bit of nudity and sex) thrown in...

No baby screenings do include all kinds of films - tho with the volume turned down apparently (I've never been to one). Try googling e.g. 'baby screening "dark knight"'. Can't say I'd do it myself