Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: An R-Card for Teens?

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Ground Level » An R-Card for Teens? (Page 1)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: An R-Card for Teens?

Aaron Garman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: Toledo, OH USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 01-26-2004 02:23 PM

Didn't find a thread on this, but saw the story on our local news website.

quote:
The "R-Card"
Allows teens to watch R-rated movies

This card lets teens watch R-rated movies without an adult
Teenagers may soon be able to get into an R-rated movie without a parent being with them. A movie theater in Illinois is testing what's called an "R-Card".

It's a picture ID that allows a teenager to watch a movie with an R-rating.

To get the card, parents have to go to the theater with their child to sign up.

"I think it would be good because then your parents don't have to tag along with you to every single Rated-R movie you wanna see," said Michelle Fleischman.

Right now the GKC Theater chain is the only company testing the "R-Card" idea. That company owns 30 theaters in the upper Midwest and says other chains are showing interest in the program.

Great, just what we need: more noisy teens in R-Rated movies. [Mad]

AJG

| IP: Logged

Juan Urias
Film Handler

Posts: 22
From: Chicago, IL
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 01-26-2004 02:37 PM

and just like that they will come out with fake id cards.

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-26-2004 03:40 PM

Sounds like a terrible idea. The "R" rating is intended to suggest that "under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian." "Accompanied" means that said parent or guardian is supposed to sit with the minor during the film. If a theatre wants to enforce the ratings system, then it should follow the guideline as suggested. Otherwise, why even bother with the "R" card? Might as well just ignore the ratings entirely.

At least now the kids know which theatre is the best one to go to for watching "R" movies (forgeries will be an issue...it's amazing what kids can do with laser printers these days!) and the adults know which theatre to avoid if they want to actually enjoy the film.

| IP: Logged

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-26-2004 05:38 PM

There's already an "R Card." It's called a driver's license. If you're going to check a card, check that one.

All this is, is a ploy by one chain to get kids to go to that chain because it's easier/faster to get in by flashing that card. Meanwhile the kids will be printing up and trading those cards faster than a politician's spin machine. [Roll Eyes]

| IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 01-26-2004 06:33 PM

If that idea comes to Oklahoma, I'm sure I'll get asked by a few people to make R-cards for them. I have a parody of the R-rating mark on the rear window of my pickup: "off limits to kids under 17 just to make them scream and cry." That's kind of how I felt about the R-rating when I was under 17.

| IP: Logged

Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 01-26-2004 07:59 PM

What a stupit idea! The PhotoShop boys will cream their jeans on that one. Cha-Ching!

Besides, I think the "R" rating should be lowered to 15. Kids nowadays are much more "in tune" to the ways of the world and are much "smarter" than those of 10-20 years ago.

>>> Phil

| IP: Logged

Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-26-2004 08:58 PM

Yes but the "R" rating isn't JUST to protect young eyes from "objectionable" content. It's also a way to exclude underage kids from "adult" movies and interrupting others.

Having a way to bypass the exclusionary effect of the "R" rating would nullify the effect.

| IP: Logged

Aaron Garman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: Toledo, OH USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 01-27-2004 03:37 AM

I agree with you all. If this goes big, it just throws out something the R rating was meant to do: keep younger children out of movies that have been 'deemed' unsuitable for them. Personally, I say the rating system should be thrown out because it really means nothing anymore, and this is just a sign of that fact. Who is Jack Valenti to say that my child shouldn't see Whale Rider or Schindler's List? I'm big on Freedom of Speech and censorship, and the whole idea of a movie rating system attempts to play as a parent of sorts: guiding us what movies are deemed suitable. Some would say an R rating helps deter noisy teens from a film, but if they really want to get in, they will. With this R card, it would be even easier to do so. I say get rid of the rating system and censorship of films, let art be art, and have theater chains grow some backbone and throw noisy patrons out without a refund!

AJG

| IP: Logged

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 01-27-2004 09:50 AM

The problem with the Ratings is not the ratings themselves. It is the fact that parents, and I am not saying all parents, fail to realize that they are ment to help them make decisions in reguards to what they want their children to see. It is not a form of censership since it is not censoring anything. This ratings system was very benaficial in the 70's but after the video explosion and cable television becoming widespread, parents have taken the attitude of well they can just see it at home when I am not there. It's not the ratings fault or the theaters fault for that attitude. It's the wide spread use of the rated media that has caused these situations.

| IP: Logged

Brad Allen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 688
From: Evansville, IN, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 01-27-2004 12:33 PM

R-Card, is a dumb, dumb and dumber idea.

In my neck of the woods, most parents could care less if their kids see R rated films. The only content they are remotely concerned with is explicit sex or full nudity.

Let the buckets of blood and limbs fly, and the f word burn holes in your ears, and they don't care. And I'm in a realitively small town.

We catch much more grief from parents about keeping kids out of R films by far, then the kids seeing them.

Then there's the lady that called me and reamed me out because she had just taken her 7 year old son to see The Rookie, and she just couldn't believe it was rated G. That means it's a kids film, according to her. I politely sent her the official explaination of the G rating, and for the life of me, never determined what was in the Rookie she found offensive. [Confused]

| IP: Logged

Aaron Garman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: Toledo, OH USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 01-27-2004 05:38 PM

Outwardly, the ratings system may not be censorship, but when films get edited down just to meet a rating, then it does become censorship. Take the film The Fast and the Furious for instance. It had a few seconds trimmed out of it because it wanted to get a PG-13 rating instead of R. Why should a filmmaker have to do that just to meet a rating and help draw in a bigger audience? Same thing goes with a film like Eyes Wide Shut that had digital alterations in America to get an R rating. This is censorship.

AJG

| IP: Logged

Kyle Watkins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 185
From: Stuart, FL, USA
Registered: Sep 2001

posted 01-27-2004 07:15 PM

I belive its dumb idea also, mostly because of people be making them up at home. Is this a free thing or is there a charge for it. I think they should re-do the rating system. Think they should have a PG-16 or something, just because they say the F-word a few times, its has to be a rated R. then again i know some theaters do care about the rating system.

Kyle

| IP: Logged

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 01-27-2004 07:32 PM

quote:
Take the film The Fast and the Furious for instance. It had a few seconds trimmed out of it because it wanted to get a PG-13 rating instead of R. Why should a filmmaker have to do that just to meet a rating and help draw in a bigger audience? Same thing goes with a film like Eyes Wide Shut that had digital alterations in America to get an R rating. This is censorship.

I don't consider that censership either. I call that meeting a requirement of a contractual agreement. Those films were required to meet those certain ratings. Now what I call censorship is when the movie is complete and meets all contract agreements as far as it's rating. Then when in release it encounter a body of people that represent a government body that says hey you can't have these scenes in your movie if you want to play it here. That is censorship.

In reguards to the R Card all that is going to do is give parents the right for you the theater to babysit their kids. It's a joke to even consider the cards.

| IP: Logged

Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 01-27-2004 08:07 PM

Dunno that ALL, or any, films are contractually required to meet certain "ratings". I haven't seen that in any films I've been involved with...both "regular" mainstream and porno films. That in itself would be censorship.

Most "cut" decisions are, unfortunately, based on business interests, profit$$$, cuz of the "rating system", rather than artistic or story content. Many great films have been butchered because of the lame "Marketing" requirement to meet the "R" or "PG" rating.

Aaron cited a great example of the "modifications" to "Eyes Wide Shut" that had digital alterations to make it "palatable" to us dumbasses in the USA. Oh! PULEEZE!

It's all the moral judges and bleeding-hearts that want US ALL to view everything through "their" rose-colored glasses".

I get REALLY tired of Mrs. Goodie 2 Shoes, Mr. Hiding-in-the-closet Straight/Gay "Sugar Daddy", Father "I LUV Altar Boys", Mother May I, and whoever else wants to dictate to ME what is "acceptable" to myself OR ANYONE!

What a bunch of horseshit! While I have high morals and honor, I don't necessarily agree or LIVE by THEIR "standards"! It's a fuckin' MOVIE for Christ's sake!

The ratings should be guidelines and NOT restrictions!

>>> Phil

| IP: Logged

Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 01-27-2004 09:59 PM

Well, there is one way you could approach this... and I'm not saying I'd do it if this was available... but:

You could take a gift card... like the ones we're using with our POS system... plastic cards with mag stripes on them... and issue them as ID's of a sort. Our particular system allows names, addresses, phone numbers, emails & I suppose even ages to be registered on the card. Issue one of those when a parent accompanies the "child" to the theatre.

Then, if there's any trouble, you run the card, delete it & call the person's parent.

These cards have NO information on them other than the serial number. Everything is located in a database somewhere within the theatre or circuit. That'd make forgeries somewhat problematic.

I can see how some of you feel, though. I had a Mom bring in 4 17 year-olds and a 14 tonight. My boxoffice person made her buy a ticket & stay in the theatre.

Oh... the picture is "Butterfly Effect", which has had some strange effects on the customers, too.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.