Film age restrictions

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
Are the ages on films a recommendation or the law or a suggestion? Obviously at the cinema they are gospel but in your own home is there wiggle room? I know people who allow their kids to watch all manner of maturity levels and themes and others who abide by them religiously.

I’m beginning to relax a little with my eldest, she’s 11 going on 43 I do have a problem with her watching anything too suggestive/graphic in terms of bedroom activities but she’s grown up enough to understand that the tv isn’t real life. She was asking to watch alien which in theory I don’t have a problem with, may fast forward through that one particular scene though!
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Parental discretion, that is all.

If she has access to the Internet, she's probably watched much worse/explicit already


*Edit, just so that you know, this is not any sort of criticism - kids will watch what they want to watch, I've let my daughter (14) watch things that are 18+, my elder sons have done the same, and been bought games that were above their age range. Completely depends on the child and parent I would say.
 
Last edited:

littleme

250,000th poster!
I've still not seen 'Clockwork orange' I was banned as a teenager, but I'm still not sure I want to!
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
I watched 'Blade Runner' when I was 13 (rated 15) I didn't turn into a murderous killer (yet, the options still open) and all sorts of other 15/18 films... You know your child :)
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Does anybody remember the old Cinema film ratings ? .. U anbody … A accompanied by adult … X a no no as a kid (except the Sandonia, I saw lots of X pictures there well under age.)

I read somewhere that Alien director Ridley Scott didn't let on to the cast the full extent of the blood splatter effects during the chest bursting scene, and instructed John Hurt not to say anything. The looks of surprise on the crew's faces wasn't just acting ! :eek:
 

rudie111

Well-Known Forumite
Agree it depends on the child. Now mine got scared watching Trolls. I think i'll let her watch Alien when she is about 30
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
It's very much a good job that it isn't law, otherwise i'd have been jailed long ago.

847b18d41ee70f3f271e17459fafa5ec.jpg
 

That-Crazy-Rat-Lady

Well-Known Forumite
My mum was very strict about this and we rarely watched TV anyway (she once deleted Channel 5 as 'Charmed' was deemed unacceptable watching...)

However I had a friend who's dad would take up to Blockbusters every Friday and let us choose whatever we wanted.

I have seen every 18+ scary movie circa 2004

I now cannot, and will not watch anything remotely frightening!

I only told my mum about this a few years ago and she was horrified!
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Horror is a peculiar thing. For example, the very first Terminator film 'The Terminator.' Fairly low budget and basic special effects but a great story with a wonderful time travelling twist at the end.
The horror part for me was the following lines from Michael Biehn:

"That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead."

Just think of that for a minute, a virtually unstoppable machine programmed to kill you and you alone at all costs. That is the stuff of nightmares.
 

Gadget

Well-Known Forumite
It's your own discretion, you know your child. My parents were very strict, my friends parents were not. I can now be 2 people, one is the person my parents expect and demand (I've been slowly loosening that up as the years go by) and the other is myself.
I love horror mostly. I'm not keen on torture horror aka Hostel type and after seeing the Human Centipede I have no desire to watch it ever again or it's sequels :barf: My kids have wandered in many times so have seen a fair bit. It's led to some really interesting discussions on special effects, prosthetics, the use of music for atmosphere and for some of them a delve into the events or creatures that inspired the movie. I'm not sure the education would approve but tough lol. We are all pretty clued up on zombie apocalypse survival theory lol I will still draw the line with somethings however. graphic sex scenes/rape, certain levels of violence etc are still a no with the 11and 13 year old. The youngest enjoyed Alien, she was mostly worried for Jones' safety rather than the Alien lol We've not gotten around to Aliens yet.
 
Top