Tea and Cakes

We went to see King Kong last night and it was fantastic. Peter Jackson really knows how to make a good movie. I loved how everything was of its time – he didn’t modernise it in any way.

Anyway, it was rated 12A, which means that kids under 12 should have an adult with them, but it’s recommended for people 12 and older.

To me, a film about a woman and her love for a large monkey screams ‘adult content’ and it’s not something I’d take a young child along to. Narnia was on in the screen next door, which has the same rating but is made by Disney, and therefore contains little scariness and no blood (see Elimare for more details). Much more suitable for a young child. Basically, King Kong features an emotional storyline that’s waaay too boring for kids, and scary monsters, like giant insects and killer worms with teeth. So, when the person sat behind us with her 6 year old, or the guy a few seats back with 3 kids that cannot have been older than 5, went to buy their tickets, would it not have been prudent for the ticket seller so say to them: “Actually, you know sir/madam, this movie isn’t really suitable for such young children. Instead, I could recommend …., now showing in screen 4”

I get so tired of going to see films and seeing tiny kids there, either dumped by their parents or brought along with them. Not only is in not fair on the kids (I know that at least one child must have woken up screaming last night at 1am having dreamed they were being eaten by bugs), but it’s not fair on me, the adult cinema goer. Kids get scared, they get tired, they get bored, and they need to go out to pee. The 6 year old behind us was terrified, so his mother had to keep making light of everything with a cheery voice giving commentary. “There now, it’s just like Halloween, isn’t it.” etc. That got really, really annoying.

I think parents need to cop the fuck on about what they’re taking their kids to, but I also think that cinemas need to take some responsibility for the business they run. It’s not like there aren’t enough kids films out there to keep the small ones amused. Plus I’m sure kids eat more sweet crap when they’re not scared shitless.

/rant.