Controversy behind attending “R” rated movies

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05-09-2005
Liger86

Controversy behind attending “R” rated movies

This weekend I went to the movies to see House of Wax (R) with my sister. After purchasing the tickets at the ATM machine and then going in, they asked us for ID’s. Anyway my sister is 16 and I’m 19 and they would not let her in even after purchasing the tickets. We went to see XXX instead.

What p i s s ed me off is that I think that legally my sister should be able to go in with me to an R rated movie because I’m an “adult” or not?

And what does the government consider an adult 18 or 21?

It's not a problem for me to get my sis into an R rated movie, some theaters don't care; but I just wan't to know if there is a legal way to by pass this situation?
05-09-2005
Govtcheez

Legally, there's no problem, but the policy of most theaters is that they don't allow people under 17 in without a parent or legal guardian. Since you were neither of those, they didn't let you in.

I'd be more concerned about your taste in movies.
05-09-2005
Liger86

Quote:

Originally Posted by Govtcheez

I'd be more concerned about your taste in movies.

oh, I literally watch every movie that comes out.

Oh yeah, I got no problem getting in...
05-09-2005
Govtcheez

Since you're in (or were in) Detroit - where were you trying to see it?
05-09-2005
Thantos

Are the movie ratings even legally enforceable? They are suppose to be a voluntary thing to keep the government regulations out of it.
05-09-2005
joshdick

The movie ratings aren't a legal thing. I've never heard of a law saying that a twelve-year-old is barred from seeing a PG-13 movie.

The ratings are enforced by individual movie theatres through their policies. I remember just a few years ago NATO (couldn't they choose another name for themselves?) announced they were going to strictly enforce their policies that minors are forbidden from watching R-rated movies.
05-09-2005
Thantos

Actually only R and NC-17 are the only "barring" ratings.

And what is NATO is this context?

Edit: Ah found it. Yeah its a bad acronym
05-09-2005
B0bDole

Actually these ratings are legally enforceable, since the rating thing is the policy of the theater, and the theater has the right to refuse service to ANYONE it wants, if they want to they can have you removed by law enforcement, just the mere fact that they can refuse service to anyone.

I use to work at a movie theather in my teen years and if someone not following the age policy refused to leave when I asked them I had a police officer escort them off the property.

IMHO censorship is a communist thing, and everyone should be able to see whatever they please... but thats just me.

edit: notice the various spellings of theatre are all meant in the same regard
05-09-2005
Govtcheez

Quote:

Actually these ratings are legally enforceable, since the rating thing is the policy of the theater, and the theater has the right to refuse service to ANYONE it wants, if they want to they can have you removed by law enforcement, just the mere fact that they can refuse service to anyone.

I think they were asking if the movie theater could get in trouble for not enforcing them. I might be reading it wrong, though.

Private businesses can, of course, refuse service to whomever they want.
05-09-2005
B0bDole

FCC can fine I believe if they don't enforce the ratings
05-09-2005
Thantos

Quote:

Originally Posted by Govtcheez

I think they were asking if the movie theater could get in trouble for not enforcing them. I might be reading it wrong, though.

Private businesses can, of course, refuse service to whomever they want.

You are correct in what I meant by enforceable.
05-09-2005
Govtcheez

Quote:

Originally Posted by B0bDole

FCC can fine I believe if they don't enforce the ratings

The ratings were made up by a private organization, though. Why is it the responsibility of a government agency to enforce?

Secondly, since movies aren't broadcast over the airwaves, I don't think the FCC regulates them. It's similar to how cable is unregulated.
05-09-2005
Glirk Dient

I currently work at a theater. Yeah we can get in lot's of trouble by more than one organization for not enforcing it. Corporate AMC(I work at AMC) can nab us, as well as the people that audit us, they like to come in once in a while and surprise test us.

I don't have much of a problem with enforcing the rules. Most likely because when I am selling tickets I don't look up too often when it gets busy so I don't look at age...I got in trouble for selling a bunch of 13 year olds tickets to an R movie. I don't care much for the system really...so I generally let anyone in if they are underage, unless the person is being an ass. There are a lot of people that do that, but no one has had to be escorted out the entire time I have worked there.
05-09-2005
B0bDole

Scarey Movie was in theatres when I worked for Regal... One night Myself, a co worker and 2 police officers tallied up escorting out 58 people in one night... people would just buy tickets for another movie, so I would go through and check tickets of blantently underage people, and the cop was there to take them off the property.

And its not fcc, its some other org. non governmental i suppose, but it's tied in where they can fine you or you can lose your right to purchase licenses to show the films or some crap.
05-09-2005
Thantos

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glirk Dient

I currently work at a theater. Yeah we can get in lot's of trouble by more than one organization for not enforcing it. Corporate AMC(I work at AMC) can nab us, as well as the people that audit us, they like to come in once in a while and surprise test us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B0bDole

And its not fcc, its some other org. non governmental i suppose, but it's tied in where they can fine you or you can lose your right to purchase licenses to show the films or some crap.

Still sounds like a private orginzation (MPAA perhaps)
05-09-2005
Govtcheez

The MPAA and NATO (I'd be really surprised to find out this acronym was created after the other NATO) are the "sponsors" of the rating system, so it makes sense that they'd have a stranglehold on what happens with it.
05-09-2005
Thantos

Found this. Except for what appears to be a clearly identified opinon it seems pretty good.
http://www.dove.org/news/uplink/hu0504.htm

Excerpts:

Quote:

If a film was never submitted for a rating, the label "NR" (Not Rated) is often used, however "NR" is not an official MPAA classification. This designation makes it difficult for a movie to get into the theaters, since NATO (National Association of Theater Owners) agreed to honor the MPAA ratings to the exclusion of any movie that does not carry an official designation. Films that have not yet received MPAA classification are often advertised under the banner, "This film is not yet rated.” The MPAA Website is: http://www.MPAA .org

Quote:

The rating system is entirely voluntary, with no legal recourse. However, MPAA member studios are expected to submit all of their theatrical releases for rating. Few mainstream producers are willing to bypass the rating system due to potential negative effects on revenues. Therefore, the system has a de facto compulsory status.
05-10-2005
Liger86

Quote:

Originally Posted by Govtcheez

Since you're in (or were in) Detroit - where were you trying to see it?

I was at Great Lakes Crossing at that time.