The Scariest Thing I Have Ever Seen
And it's wasn't this.
I went to see the remake of Halloween by Rob Zombie. I've seen a lot of horror movies in my life, but John Carpenter's original Halloween was one of the best-- and I can prove it.
There's an important psychiatric difference between the original and the remake. In the original, you don't know Michael Meyers. At all. We know a little of his background by description only. We don't know why he has to kill everyone ("rage" is the single unsatisfactory answer offered.) He never talks, never runs, never jumps, never emotes, nothing. He doesn't even die, he pauses. He's a robot. You never see his face, either. He wears a mask, but that's basically his real face. He's not a human being, he's a force of evil. There's no person there to rehabilitate. You don't incarcerate him, you set him on fire. (It doesn't work.)
In the remake, however, Michael's childhood is graphically portrayed. Cursing, torturing animals, horrible parents, stripper mom, etc. Now, he's a person. All his future murders are part of that context. Is he responsible? The product of his environment?
My point has always been that it doesn't matter: you butcher 40 people, and that's pretty much all I need to know. But now I've sat through thirty minutes of his childhood, so it (unfortunately) inserts itself in my judgment. To some, that's why you need to know the context. To me, that's the distraction to the truth of the behavior. I don't want to know why he's butchering people. I want to know if fire will stop him. (It doesn't.)
It also makes the movie suck: before, you were terrified of Michael Meyers. Now, you're not as scared, and you hate him. You know why you hate him? Because he's a person.
But that's not the scariest thing I have ever seen.
Let me start by saying the movie is brutally graphic-- torture porn. How this thing didn't get an NC-17 is beyond me. The cursing alone-- it's diarrhea, flowing, disgusting, even I was a little shocked. The violence is beyond overkill, it is relentless. Jesus, we get it, stop killing the dead girl! The movie is profoundly loud, in the horror movie vein: quiet quiet quiet DEATH!!!!!
Plenty of naked women, very naked, I'm not sure how you can be more naked than naked but somehow they are-- and they get slaughtered. The link between sex and violence is smashed into your skull. I defy anyone to get an erection within a week of this movie.
The movie is draining. It is dread. By the end of it, you are just exhausted, empty, like you've had a thousand reverse orgasms. Novacaine. Nothing you see in the real world has any energy or affect attached to it, because you've been supersaturated by affect. You need a drink. A lot of them. Whisky. And you are completely sickened by all of humanity. The original Michael Meyers made the "right and wrong" distinction so much more visceral. This just makes you want to vomit on everyone you see. You think: every person could be a potential Michael Meyers given the right/wrong family dynamic.
The violence is brutal, long, rageful, it is hate, hate, hate, and the victims aren't killed, they are obliterated, like a jack-o-lantern on a Detroit mischief night.
Which brings me to the scariest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.
So I go to the 1015p showing, along with the usual crowd of degenerates who need to see this kind of movie in the theatre at 1015 pm on a weekday. Not criticizing, just saying.
Midway through this gore fest I need to go to the bathroom. Or maybe I just need a Zyprexa. I'm a pretty tough guy-- and I'm a little shaken. But as I walk down the steps, I see something that literally makes me freeze: for a second, I actually die.
On the screen is a murder so grisly I cannot actually describe it, but I don't even see it, it doesn't register at all-- I'm looking instead at this. What I see cannot be real.
A second later I breathe, and it's an audible gasp. And what I see, what I see-- is this:
Maybe the picture is too dark. Or maybe it's your unconscious deliberately blocking it out. So I'll tell you: it's a double stroller.
I'll also tell you that after the movie I waited in the lobby to see-- what did I expect? It was a five year old girl and a three year old boy. And an infant. They walked out like it was nothing. A man and woman, in their twenties, both obese-- and since you're asking, both white-- Jesus. Jesus Christ. They walked out like it was nothing.
The other people now in the lobby were murmuring, whispering, pointing. No one was talking about the movie.. --? ---!!! ---???? No one could believe it. Even the degenerates were horrified.
By this time it's about 1230 am. The boy yawns.
I found myself inventing the most insane justifications: they slept through the movie. The parents had fortunately given them all a Xanax-- or maybe they're deaf and blind? Maybe they were under a blanket watching Nemo on DVD.
In Lancet there's a study linking ADHD to food additives. Because, you know, that matters.
Addendum: given the controversy this article has generated, I've posted an explanation and apology.
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September 13, 2007 2:18 PM | Posted by : | Reply
That beats the time I saw a couple with two small children and a (crying) infant at "Training Day." And that was in the afternoon. Makes me wish parenting required a license. My kid barely gets to watch nature documentaries.
September 13, 2007 5:38 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Sweet bleeding starlets!!! Some people..how do they not fall down more?
September 13, 2007 6:22 PM | Posted by : | Reply
You set this up admirably. After going through all that distinction between the Rob Zombie and the John Carpenter versions, and going through the "torture porn" description, laying it out how disgusting the remake is, then to bring up that you saw two parents taking their pre-school and toddler kids to see it. At midnight. I can't effing believe it.
Did anyone say anything to these people?
September 13, 2007 6:25 PM | Posted by : | Reply
A few years ago, while in London, I wanted to take my 14 year old daughter to see "The Patriot". (Mel Gison) Both the ticket seller and the manager would not allow me to take her in. "too bloody" they said. "She needs to be 16." So, they saved me from being a bad mother! I saw it later (and so did she) and while bloody and violent, it wasn't "sick". Your scenario is truly shocking
September 13, 2007 6:51 PM | Posted by : | Reply
I know just how you feel. My wife and I saw Natural Born Killers with a man and his wife and their 8 year old son sitting in front of us. The mom left the movie after about an hour. The dad acted like she was stupid for doing so. The son sat there and watched the whole movie without looking away. I guess we should be happy we know better.
September 13, 2007 7:02 PM | Posted by : | Reply
You know in centuries past parents used to drag their kids to the local execution blocks to see people getting killed.
It was a whole event. Live and in 3D. Taste and smell and everything.
Oh yeah, those parents also raped their kids. And the kids grew up to become bloody butchers obsessed with wars and revolutions.
Just pointing out what your country is devolving into.
September 13, 2007 7:09 PM | Posted by : | Reply
also, down south and elsewhere before motion pictures, lynchings where family outings. so let's get real here.
September 13, 2007 7:12 PM | Posted by : | Reply
A coworker of mine took his 8-year-old son to Team America: World Police thinking that puppets = kids show. At least HE had a plausible excuse tho.
September 13, 2007 8:02 PM | Posted by : | Reply
What do you mean by "degenerates"? Does seeing a movie make me a degenerate? If it does then were all degenerates.
September 13, 2007 8:25 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Pretty ignorant thing to do....
I thought the couple who brought their 7 yr old to see the South Park movie was bad enough..
September 13, 2007 9:38 PM | Posted by : | Reply
That is some poignant writing. It made me have to stop and salute you.
(franky: get over yourself, I am a degenerate by his definition, so is he, and people who go on saturday afternoons aren't... Quit whining and get the point).
September 13, 2007 10:00 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Did you happen to see this movie in Worcester, MA? I did, at the Showcase North theaters and halfway through the movie someone's kid started to cry. The child was maybe one or two years old.
September 13, 2007 10:00 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Funny thing is, I went and saw it this past sunday. We walked out, and two mothers in their late twenties, early thirties brought along what appeared to be matching 8-10 year old daughters. The poor creatures had terror in their eyes, not fear, but real terror. And what do I overhear the mothers saying as I walk out? "Wow, there was a lot more cursing in that than I expected." It is rated R for a reason.
Both obese smoking pigs.
September 13, 2007 10:06 PM | Posted by : | Reply
I remember a high school teacher of mine, many years ago, proposing that if it were possible, humans should have to pass some sort of basic genetic and psychological screening before being allowed to mate and produce offspring.
I suppose he was just trying to make a provocative point, to challenge us... but after reading a story like this, I'm thinking it's not such a bad idea.
September 13, 2007 10:09 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Parents just don't care about raising normal human beings anymore. If you're more concerned about what is convenient for you than the psychological well-being of the next generation, DON'T HAVE KIDS.
September 13, 2007 10:18 PM | Posted by : | Reply
While I don't agree with your assessment of the film, I do agree with you about the kids in the audience.
My older daughter is 5, and I don't feel entirely comfortable letting her watch some of the Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks movies that are coming out these days.
I can't even begin to imagine what those parents (and I use the term loosely) were thinking.
September 13, 2007 10:30 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Here is an enhanced version of the stroller in all its gory detail. Caution: may be NSFW :oP
September 13, 2007 11:32 PM | Posted by : | Reply
I've been staying up till 2am to watch gruesome horror movies with my dad since I was 5 and I turned out just fine. I'm a pacifist now.
September 14, 2007 12:07 AM | Posted by : | Reply
"The child was maybe one or two years old."
Little kids like that don't really watch movies. They're too busy sleeping and crying.
September 14, 2007 12:16 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Sadly I had the same experience. The GF and I went to an afternoon show on a Sunday. There was an actual baby crying during the movie and a group of small children ages 3-9 years old over on the aisle. Though I know R-rated means parents can bring their children into a movie it still seems like the movie theater would have refused to allow such young children entrance to this movie regardless of their parental accompaniment. Oh that, and I thought the movie was terrible too.
September 14, 2007 12:36 AM | Posted by : | Reply
What can I say? Some people have taste, some don't. Unfortunately for all of us, you fall in the latter category. I have never seen a point so belabored, or butchered before in a blog post. This is exactly why the average person shouldn't be given a soap box to shout upon. And honestly, who did you pay off to get so highly ranked on digg? You are wrong. Dead wrong. The devil is IN the details, not WITHOUT the details. Michael is made much more frightening by a BACKSTORY! That is the primary flaw of the original. You are fooling yourself, and perhaps others, but if you had any taste for the genre, then you would understand more detail in Michael's psyche only adds to the terror. Congrats! You lose.
September 14, 2007 1:01 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I'm terribly sorry the movie offended your delicate sensibilities. While I do agree the movie was awful, I don't think this was particularly brutal. Hostel was worse, much worse. This was just poorly made, to the point you no longer feel connection with the people dying because you absolutely can't perceive it as real-- and if you do then you need to study up on your horror.
September 14, 2007 1:11 AM | Posted by : | Reply
A child between the ages of 1 and 2 is very much watching the screen. My daughter is 3 and half now and recently she's been getting spooked by Disney movies. I don't like taking her to the theater because I think she's too young for sitting around like that for an hour and a half. A movie theater really isn't the best place for young children at all. Reading about this is just very disturbing. I felt bad when my daughter saw a scary part in a G-Rated movie called Mark Twain. Those of us that have children, or work with children are exponentially more bothered by this. Honestly, as much as I dread it I would of called children's services.
September 14, 2007 1:40 AM | Posted by : | Reply
pigs are to noble an animal to be anything like these wasted slobs, they are the literal excriment of humanity..... I too dug the lead in to the point of the real horror of these mindless human beings actually "raising" offspring. The apple does not fall, ya know? So hey! the future looks bright, huh? I have not seen the moive but I can see what you are saying, I have seen other Rob Z movies and was not impressed. There is something to be said for sugestive horror. Allow the viewers imagination to take over and finish the gore rather than having it crammed down your optical nerves, fixated flogging filth. There is such an obvious theme to these flicks it hard to stomach the fact that people eat it up like candy. Taste is something that is in short supply these days. people have come to such a numbed deadend state that this is what it takes to get a rise out of people and that is all many people are after a "rise" what it takes to shock people these days is mind blowing in it selfSeptember 14, 2007 2:19 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I feel fear at this. Mind numbing dread. And I thought the (hispanic) family at a midnight showing (not the first showing--a week later) of the 300 was bad enough. Daddy covered up his daughters' eyes when there was sex or nipples (because she doesn't have nipples??) but was more than happy to let them soak in the blood and carnage.
But that is nothing next to this. For every "pascifist" quality time with dad and 80's horror movies produces, there are thousands of little monsters being completely desensitized to human suffering and coming to view the most conceivably horrific acts as mere entertainment.
That Rob Zombie's films even get made outside of snuff porn (which it is) is mind boggling on a similar level.
September 14, 2007 3:19 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Here's an example of what will be the result:
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2007/05/21/unm_criticized_over_use_of_mice_in_study/
Plenty carreer opportunities: CIA torturer, soldier, cop...
The governement needs people like this; that's why they allow so much violence on TV...
September 14, 2007 3:44 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Any suggestion that there be some formal qualification for parenting is sure to get you flamed. Unless, of course, you're talking about adoption. Try to save some kid from the foster-home shuffle, and you get scrutinized as if you were applying to be custodian of the SAC launch codes. Meanwhile, any fifteen-year-old prostitute who forgets her BC pill, gets knocked up, and decides to Keep It will be applauded and subsidized.
September 14, 2007 4:35 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Good blog. I have had similar experiences at far less graphic movies. Very sad.
September 14, 2007 5:10 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Should Americans become humanitarians or worse, altruistic, then the killing machine may not be able to mass murder - with or without a conscience. Torture has been noted to be a sign of a very sick mind indeed.
September 14, 2007 5:19 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I saw that movie "The Cell" in the theaters when I was about 18 I think and although it was an early evening showing there were two women in there with about 5 kids ages 5-12 probably...I was so disgusted and I walked over to them after the movie and told them what horrible humans they were. To them I was the complete asshole...it's amazing how some people do what they want without actually caring about how it affects their children. And anyone wonders why kids are so neglected they go commit crimes and turn into delinquents.
September 14, 2007 5:20 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I really found your style of writing engrossing and deep. I think I might become a regular reader. Good stuff, man.
September 14, 2007 5:27 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Awesome lead-in.
Horrible outcome. I think calling child services would have been in order.
September 14, 2007 5:37 AM | Posted by : | Reply
It's weird, I've never understood the rules in the USA.
In the UK, we have the following categories:
U - Universal / For anyone
PG - Parental Guidance neccesary -
12A - Nobody under 12 will be admitted unless with an adult
15 - Nobody under 15 regardless of adult supervision
18 - Nobody under 18 regardless of adult supervision
Halloween is an 18 in the UK, you must be 18 to see it in a cinema, or to rent the DVD. You could take your parent, your teacher, your priest and both sets of grandparents, you're still not getting in if you're under 18.
In the USA however, I've seen loads of R rated movies that contain horrific violence that there's toddlers in arms sitting with there parents.
I just don't understand it. I know parents need to be responsible for their children but surely society must step-in at some point. That's why we don't allow people to beat their children.
Andrew
PS Don't get me started on nudity / sex in American TV/cinema. You can kill someone 15 different ways from sundow, shout and scream vile cuss words, but my god not teh boobies.
September 14, 2007 5:38 AM | Posted by : | Reply
This is crazy. Our film ratings in England are different: U, PG, 12A, 15 and 18.
12A has only recently changed to allow adults to bring children under 12 to the film, which tends to be for things like Spiderman.
Things like this would just not happen in this country.
September 14, 2007 5:46 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Of course if it had of been a straight porn movie with no violence then there would be a moral outcry against the parents. I'm not saying that kids should be seeing porn movies, far from it, but the moral disconnect between seeing torture and murder vs sex says a lot about modern society. Personally if I had to choose between my kids seeing someone murdered and seeing two people having sex, well, it's a no-brainer really.
September 14, 2007 5:48 AM | Posted by : | Reply
The theater operator should have flagged them or called child services. These poor kids need to be in a decent home. The parents are SICK!And no doubt the kids will grow up thinking it's ok to do as their parents did.
September 14, 2007 6:03 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Interesting incident but I don't get the ADHD comment at the end. As shocking as your movie incident was, shocking incidents happen all the time and people are forever doing stupid things. Perhaps they are an indictment of the human condition but they do not have a single root cause. Even if they do have such a cause, changing it would deprive many of their rights to act freely and put such rights under the eye of an increasingly big brother society.
The poisoning of our children through the use of food additives and other crap put into our foods and medicines, however, is another thing altogether. This is widespread and contributory on a massive scale to societal aggression, ADHD, asthma and quite possibly a whole host of other health related problems. It is only by highlighting the problem that appropriate studies can be done to see how deep the rabbit hole goes but i have little doubt that it is a damn sight more important and, for that matter, a lot more scary than a couple of kids going to see a sick horror movie.
September 14, 2007 6:05 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I remember two five year olds being brought by their grandmother to see Saw 3, and I thought I was bad bringing a girl.
God bless Ireland.
September 14, 2007 6:21 AM | Posted by : | Reply
OK it is one thing to have an opinion about people who would take there small kids to see a movie like this but it is another thing to totally degrade the movie ,, you called it "Horror Porn" which was totally out of context , people like you are the reason that the Horror Movie Scene of today sucks!, cause your all to scared and whimpy for the "Good Stuff" and you want to Censor every effin thing there is out there ,, .... I for one Thought The Remake was Kick A$$!!!! Rob Zombie Did An Excelent Job!!!!
September 14, 2007 6:22 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Agreed, I had an infant behind me at Transformers. It was an 11:00 showing - and it wasn't a short movie. The lady wonders why the loud violent movie makes the kid cry? Why would you take a young child to go see this?
September 14, 2007 6:22 AM | Posted by : | Reply
you must be licensed to drive a car. (to get around)
you must be licensed to own a business. (to make a living)
you must be licensed to own a firearm. (to protect yourself and your property)
but any moron with a working set ofer productive organs can go out and have a kid. (to create the future generations of mankind)
we are letting just anyone determine the future of all humankind. does anyone other then myself see a problem with this?
September 14, 2007 6:27 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Nice article, quite amusing. But please learn when to use "affect" and when to use "effect".
September 14, 2007 6:29 AM | Posted by : | Reply
several people have mentioned the need for parental licensing and such. The human race USED to have a weeding-out, if you will, in Natural Selection. With so many freely distributed government aid programs and other resources to help "the little guy," we have completely removed that device from our species.
bring back Natural Selection.
September 14, 2007 6:35 AM | Posted by : | Reply
So, rather than just blogging about how awful this is, why didn't you call the police?
September 14, 2007 6:38 AM | Posted by : | Reply
The problem is that evolution does not work any more - you can be fat, neglectful and woefully inadequate in almost all areas of life and still live. It is horrifying that something like this can happen and more horrifying that people don't know how to spell or punctuate the words 'where', 'were' and 'we're' in response to this post. There's a difference between all three of these words. If you don't know the difference between them you are as bad as a fat parent at a horror flick with your terrified toddlers in tow.
September 14, 2007 6:39 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I recently saw Superbad in the theatre, a fairly late showing, and there was a family with 3 kids from probably 3-8 watching. I was surprised by that simply because of the R rating and the crazy swearing. While this does not compare as much to kids seeing the Halloween Remake, it shows that many parents just don't care, I believe, or they are just too stupid to care.
September 14, 2007 6:56 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Dude, I don't get why you pointed out the fact that they were obese. Why the hell should that matter? Does being fat make you an even worse parent?
September 14, 2007 7:00 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Were you and I at the same theater?!?! I went to see this horrible movie and sure enough, a whole family walked out of the movie at the end of it. A baby on the shoulder, a little toddler holding hands with the slightly older sister, and the parents. I wanted to beat the ever loving crap out of both of them. Some people are so worthless.
September 14, 2007 7:02 AM | Posted by : | Reply
double stroller is a rolling chair for 2 children. I dont see anything in the picture that looks like that or anything terrifying... maybe my unconscious is blocking it.
September 14, 2007 7:03 AM | Posted by : | Reply
For the record, the Carpenter version was made in a time where we thought people who killed people were "bad". Now we come to understand that messing people up does this sort of thing. Zombie's film is the better "HORROR" film because as you said you felt spent, drained and like you needed a shower.
That's what horror is. Startling someone cause a cat jumped through a window won't work after 50,000,000 movies recycle the same idea they started in 1980.
The notion that people like Myers are susceptible people that are going to be helped sometime in the future when we get around to it is all the more horrifying when you think of it.
September 14, 2007 7:06 AM | Posted by : | Reply
What about the brain dead ticket taker? Why didnt he or she say something to management &/ or report these low lifes to the authorities?
One needs a license to get a dog; however, they will let anyone have kids!
September 14, 2007 7:09 AM | Posted by : | Reply
well now i don't have to waste money on a remake i pretty much thought wouldn't be that good. I mean rob zombie made house of 1000 corpses which is god awful so that just tells me that this was gonna be a bad time as well
September 14, 2007 7:09 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I went to a 9pm of Fantastic four [the second one]on opening night.
It was so packed the manager tried to seat us personally.. like in a plane.
He tried to put us next to a couple and their 8 month old infant!
I said no way and sat else where thinking to myself.. "oh god that poor kid.. he's gonna be screaming through this whole movie.. ever heard of a babysitter"
To my surprise, the infant slept through the whole film.
Still.. after trying to have kids for 7 years.. all the experts say even loud sound during pregnancy can cause major issues.. same for after.. almost worse during the 1st year of life.
That poor kid, even though he slept, is gonna have hearing problems early on.
September 14, 2007 7:09 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Yeah.. its pretty scary that shit... My friends told me about how they went to see hostel 2 and there were parents with their ~5 yr old kids... It makes you wonder what is wrong with society doesn't it?
September 14, 2007 7:11 AM | Posted by : | Reply
As a parent I strongly agree that thier behavior was more horrific than the film. But what does thier weight have to do with anything? I am quite large myself but also consider myself a good parent. Does the parents weight somehow make this worse. If they had been two well dressed skinny people would this be any less heinous? Drop the visual judgment and stick to criticizing thier act.
September 14, 2007 7:16 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Unbelieveable. How did the theater owners allow those people to bring their kids inside?
September 14, 2007 7:16 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Simply brilliantly written. That's all I can really say. So much so, that to comment on the subject matter itself (which is beyond ludicrous) would be to disservices your prose. Excellent work.
September 14, 2007 7:29 AM | Posted by : | Reply
all this talk about having a license to have kids is ridiculous. what we really need is a license to vote. only people who can demonstrate logical thinking, analytical skills, knowledge of US history, and important cultural and current events get a voting license. Then maybe we could avoid fiascos like 2000 and 2004.
September 14, 2007 7:43 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Not sure why you needed to point out that the couple was fat - it really doesn't matter now, does it?
September 14, 2007 7:46 AM | Posted by : | Reply
IQ tests before breeding! Dammit! I thought that this was just a southern thing, but now I know that stupidity is more rampant than I have feared.
Wasted space
September 14, 2007 7:47 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I went to see Blackhawk Down one afternoon. Two seats to my left was a five year old girl. I was thinking, ahh crap! I have gone into the wrong theatre! Nope, it was the correct one. How could anyone take a five year girl to a war movie? It is unbelievable.
These same people also voted for Bush.
September 14, 2007 7:49 AM | Posted by : | Reply
It is frightening that there is even a debate about the link between violent media content and violent behavior. The mere existence of the gargantuan advertising industry should be enough to render any debate about that a pointless waste of time. If TV commercials could not influence behavior, no one would pay to have them shown.
September 14, 2007 7:49 AM | Posted by : | Reply
My wife and I went to see The Chronicles of Riddick, which isn't really that bad, but there was another couple in there and they brought their baby to this movie. And she cried. I, in a moment of stupidity shushed them. Someone else in the theater went out and talked to management, who came in and asked them to leave. On the way out the guy pointed at me and said: "I'll be waiting for you outside you S-O-B"
Totally ruined the rest of the movie for me, as the dread of being beaten up consumed my thoughts (the guy was buff and scary...)
We left the theater from a side door and quickly ran to our car and drove off.
September 14, 2007 7:53 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Who are the people that exist in our society that bring children to this type of movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These "Parents" should be fined brutally
September 14, 2007 7:56 AM | Posted by : | Reply
i understand the point of everything you wrote except the description of the of the parents as obese. what did that have to do with anything? i'm fat, but i still wouldn't take a five year old to see a horror movie.
September 14, 2007 7:58 AM | Posted by : | Reply
A few years back a couple had 3 preschool aged children in the theater when going to see "Night of 1000 Corpses". We asked the theater to make them kick them out and they wouldn't until we told them that the kids we disruptive. I feel for you. Those parents in our experience were furious.
September 14, 2007 8:02 AM | Posted by : | Reply
That reminds me of going to see Jurassic Park (the first one) when first it was released. There were, waiting in the abysmally long lines at the cinema, children as young as three and four waiting to see the movie with dinosaurs with their daft parents. I believe there may have been a stroller or two in attendance. It boggles the mind.
September 14, 2007 8:06 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I rented Pan's Labrynth for my young kids and nieces to watch. I usually watch thewse shows with them, but I was busy with the house that day. Later I sat down to watch it alone and realized my mistake. It's not a kids movie and it says it right on the box. It doesn't say it on the rental box though.
I am a bad parent.
September 14, 2007 8:08 AM | Posted by : | Reply
What you probably also have to remember is these people probably didn't breed on purpose. Someone that stupid is probably too stupid not to get pregnant.
Also even G or PG rated movies we want to take kids to we review online before taking a chance.
September 14, 2007 8:12 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Good post. I doubt that their obesity lead to their extremely poor judgment about the kids and the movie; bad parenting comes in all body sizes. Fortunately, so does good parenting.
September 14, 2007 8:14 AM | Posted by : | Reply
People can walk out like it's nothing because it is a movie and it is fantasy. While I agree with your points that films like this are kinda pointless, but you went and saw it didn't you. I will not be spending my money on this film. Horror films suck nowadays. Nightmare on Elm Street 1 was the last horror film I liked.
September 14, 2007 8:21 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I absolutely love the way this is written. Both parts are worth gold separately and priceless together.
September 14, 2007 8:23 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Ya know it is great that we can point out how idiotic these parents were. You know what though these freedoms of parenting are freedoms. While disgusted by the actions of the idiotic parents I am more disturbed by the amount of comments that want them fined, or someone to step in and control how they parent. Why do you people want more government control over your lives?
As a note I am not disagreeing with the fact that they should be smacked with the stupid stick.
September 14, 2007 8:26 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Double Stroller?
Means nothing to me. So I downloaded the completely unreadable photo, ran it through photoshop and... still didn't get it.
After a while - oh, okay. I think (not sure) it's a too-close photo of a double-child-transporter, where you strap very small kids into and push them through the streets.
Even if it wasn't so horribly underlit, the photo itself is too close, not straight, and nearly unreadable.
That's the scariest thing you ever saw?
All I can say about movies like this: it's a movie. You don't take it seriously AT ALL. It's just somebodies crazy (and sick) idea, so what? They are ACTORS. Nobody's getting killed.
Tell your kids that. And don't take them along.
Worse things out there. Like politicians. Any of them. Ugh, bah.
September 14, 2007 8:30 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I can see calling someone that takes small children to a movie like this dumb, but to say people should of been affect and horrorfied by this movie is just dumb. Its a movie and most people know this, and seriously its a Rob Zombie movie so if you were expecting anything less you had sadly mistaken.
September 14, 2007 8:34 AM | Posted by : | Reply
That is deplorable, but I have a worse one: my husband and I saw Exorcist: The Beginning a few years ago and some lady had a toddler running around the theatre during a midnight show.
We complained to the manager and he was some teenage punk who shrugged. WTF? When I was a kid, you'd get booted just for putting your feet on the seat in front of you!
September 14, 2007 8:35 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Did anyone, like the psychiatrist, act for the common good and pull these parents aside and talk with them? You all give money to the theaters that bring these movies in and let parents like this bring kids in. You vote for the people that don't legislate against it, or you don't campaign hard enough to keep them out of office. Results matter as much as process. WE, every one of US, are systemically derelict as much as the parents are personally derelict.
But part of leadership is pressing on despite your failings. So, are WE going to do something about it?
September 14, 2007 8:35 AM | Posted by : | Reply
While I have yet to see something as horrible as this, I have seen my fair share of idiotic parents at theaters. Last year, I went to see the second Pirates movies, about half way through the movie, there was about a three or four year old crying in the isle. The child was crying for around three or four minutes, before any one stood up to help the child. Apparently, the parents were to engrossed in the movie to notice that their three or four your old child was crying, because they could not find them. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that they let them go to the bathroom by themselves.
September 14, 2007 8:36 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Did anyone, like the psychiatrist, act for the common good and pull these parents aside and talk with them? You all give money to the theaters that bring these movies in and let parents like this bring kids in. You vote for the people that don't legislate against it, or you don't campaign hard enough to keep them out of office. Results matter as much as process. WE, every one of US, are systemically derelict as much as the parents are personally derelict.
But part of leadership is pressing on despite your failings. So, are WE going to do something about it?
September 14, 2007 8:42 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I'm looking at the photo, and... well, I promise I'm not being glib, but what I *see* looks like a hand gripping a penis, in the bottom center of the frame.
Like, this is the most erotic thing the (out of frame) viewer had ever seen.
I suppose your version is about as horrifying.
September 14, 2007 8:50 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I would have called DCF. However, you describe the movie in a negative light yet
it sounds great to me. I guess
even bad reviews can appeal to
people to see a movie. Sex and
violence are connected in life. In almost every way. Like secretly gay rednecks who
beat up gay people.
September 14, 2007 8:52 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Aric, it does not take a fracking village, it just takes a little common sense.
September 14, 2007 8:57 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Sounds like the same family I saw when I went to see the 9:30 showing of "The Departed." WTF are people thinking?
September 14, 2007 8:57 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Im tired of you conservative Assholes trying to shield children from everything. Thats why most of them are socially inept and unable to cope with life cause you put them in a shut box away from whats out their. It may only be a movie, but complaining that they are watching it makes you all a bunch of conservative pricks.
September 14, 2007 9:03 AM | Posted by : | Reply
This is frighteningly common. I went to see a midnight screening (that is, the movie STARTED at midnight) once, and there was at least one family with a stroller present.
Come on people, having children is a responsibility you MUST take on, or else DONT HAVE KIDS!
September 14, 2007 9:09 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Man, I have no idea what those images are. I think I can make out the double stroller... but...?
September 14, 2007 9:10 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I had a similar experience.
My wife and I went and saw Seven in the theater and there were parents with two young kids there; maybe 7 and 10.
They had to leave when the daughter screamed and kept crying when the Sloth guy who had been tied to the bed woke up.
Way to go, knuckleheads. way to scar 'em mentally.
September 14, 2007 9:10 AM | Posted by : | Reply
when i went to see this movie there was an obese mother with her i'd say around 4 year old daughter with her...i couldn't believe it!
September 14, 2007 9:13 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I think I may have some of you beat. (not that it's a contest.) I went to see the DOOM movie. Sitting about two seats behind me was a kid, about 12-13 years old. In the scene where the guy is infected and would rather be dead than turn in to a monster, and the only means he has to kill himself is to bash his skull into bulletproof glass until he dies. This kid was laughing hysterically the whole time.
September 14, 2007 9:21 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Dont you have to be over 6 years old to see an R rated film, no matter if you are with a parent or not??
September 14, 2007 9:23 AM | Posted by : | Reply
The management should have at least tried to warn the parents that the movie was unsuitable for kids. I still remember Freddie Kruger movies from when I was a kid (about 5). I watched one with my older brother who probably didn't realize I shouldn't be watching. I thought Freddie Kruger lived behind the porch swing for the longest time.
September 14, 2007 9:24 AM | Posted by : | Reply
That reminds me of when I saw Silent Hill and saw almost as many small children in the theater as adults. There was a family with multiple adults who all brought their kids...to se a girl get her skin ripped off and a woman raped and torn in half by razor wire. First comment said when everybody left the theater was "Well now we have the next generation of serial killers."
September 14, 2007 9:25 AM | Posted by : | Reply
As an obese, non-smoking, white parent with a two and fice-year-old, let me state for the record that I would NEVER take my child or anyone else's for that matter to a movie like this. Being FAT has nothing to do with the level of incompetence and stupidty of any person who would take a child to a movie with extreme adult content. Let's just set the record straight on that one, shall we.
September 14, 2007 9:25 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Years ago I went to an XXX-rated drive-in with my then boyfriend. Things were looking good until I heard the 2 kids crying from one car.
Maybe those kids are the ones bringing their kids to the gory Zombie-fest?
Mans stupidiy never fails to amaze me.
September 14, 2007 9:27 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Though I agree with you about the infants and they really shouldn't be portrayed to these types of films, your "review" about the movie is mediocre, boring, and just plain stupid.
You obviously didn't catch the figure of the film. Rob Zombie, as you may or may not know, always puts us behind the "bad guys'" eyes, making us care for them as a character and a person, not just someone to be scared of.
This isn't a remake of the original Holloween, but Rob Zombie's version. What's wrong with us caring for Michael Myers? If you started to care for him, and felt that that is what was supposed to be happening, then Zombie did a good job, and your opinion becomes weaker.
Better luck next time, but Rob Zombie's Holloween was a really great film. Not the best, but it wasn't close to being bad at all. I'm sorry you are easily offended by profanity, naked women, and oh yeah, little kids.
September 14, 2007 9:28 AM | Posted by : | Reply
So how come the kids were allowed in at all? In my country (Australia), an 'R' rating means nobody under 18 is legally allowed to see it, anywhere, let alone in a public venue.
September 14, 2007 9:30 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I am a Parent of 3 boys and I love the fact that I do have the right as a parent to make my own decision as to what movies I can take my boys to but come on parent’s use some of the common sense god gave you.. Who in there right mind would take there child to a movie like this at any young age and think it would not affect them. Parents like this make it hard on the rest of us; we should have the right to but the sense not to take a child to see such things..
September 14, 2007 9:30 AM | Posted by : | Reply
"Why do you people want more government control over your lives?"
I'm going out on a limb here and guess that you're a republican, maybe even a conservative. I'll go further out on that branch and guess that the two ignorant breeding slobs are fox news fans as well. So I have a solution to the age old question of where the government should end and personal responsibility begin. At the recruitment center! Sign those poor kids up now and at least they'll be away from their "parents" and can channel their rage thru the barrel of an m16. Now all YOU have to do is get the senate to lower the draft age to 5.
September 14, 2007 9:34 AM | Posted by : | Reply
What about those that would never let their kids read "Harry Potter", but would absolutely take them to see "The Passion of the Christ"?
September 14, 2007 9:44 AM | Posted by : | Reply
beats the time i saw 2 ~5 year olds at Superbad the other week. classy parents.
September 14, 2007 9:44 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Sometimes my wife and I will go to out to eat a bit late on a Friday or Saturday night. (We don't have kids.) I am always amazed to see people at a restaurant at 9-10 pm with their young children. I think these people are baffled by their children's bad behavior. It's not that they are bad kids; they are just tired.
The movie thing bugs me also. Even if the movie isn't pure gore. I see people bringing young kids to a later showing of a movie. Then the parents get mad because they have to take their crying kid out of the theater. Come on now how did you expect the kid to act. It's late and they are tired.
September 14, 2007 9:49 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I recall being in the theatre watching 300 and noticed a couple with their two young children watching as well. I couldn't believe it. A young boy and girl watching something like that. They couldn't have been older that 5 or 6 tops...and this was a 9:30pm showing to boot.
I don't have children...but I know I wouldn't take them to see a movie like that. Not sure what the hell is wrong with parents these days (not all, some). How f*cking stupid can you be? The movie theatres really need to step-up and stick to their age policy. I don't care if they are with their parents watching an R movie or not. They should not be in the theatre watching something like that a such a young age.
September 14, 2007 9:52 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I certainly wouldn't take my kids to see such a movie. I don't even watch these types of movies.
But, (playing the devil's advocate) if movies had such a profound effect on kids, then we should simply let kids watch educational movies instead of going to school. If you say the kids won't learn anything that way, then why would watching a horrible movie effect kids so profoundly.
Judging by the comments posted, it seems that many parents take their kids to these creep shows. This is sad and I disagree with their parenting, but at the same time, I don't want to be a part of group that wants to enact laws to take away children from idiot parents.
The last time I checked, Bible stories detailed that Jesus was crucified and you need look no further than any person's neck to see a crucified Jesus out for display to any young child.
To each, his own!
September 14, 2007 9:54 AM | Posted by : | Reply
@aric
Children watching these kinds of movies has been illegal for quite some time, assuming they are alone. Fortunatley, the government cannot tell us how to raise our children, that is the parents responsibility. I disagree with these parents completely, and believe they need to have DFS come take a look at them, because parents who do stuff like, this, generally are doing numerous other things wrong too. However, you wanting someone to raise your kids for you, so you can set your children in front of a TV and not worry about anything bad comming to them is NOT the answer. Its time for us to take responsiblity for our kids, not ask someone else to raise em for us.
September 14, 2007 9:55 AM | Posted by : | Reply
The reminds me of when my girlfriend and I went to see Knocked Up, which is an extremely mature subject movie, with an ending that even I didn't want to see (think baby coming out of vagina). And to our horror, there were parents (fat ones of course) taking there 7 year old into the theater. It is sick to think that parents don't know any better than to let children see such perverse and graphic movies. This should be considered child abuse.
September 14, 2007 10:00 AM | Posted by : | Reply
why is everyone who comments on this page so judgmental. If all of yall are such better parents then raise your kids the "correct" way and know that in the end you and your kids are better at everything.
September 14, 2007 10:10 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I mean, this is hardly the same same, but when Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back first came out my mom took my brother and I to see it. I was 11. It was a whole different world to me. In her defense, she refuses to read movie reviews saying that they give away too many details.
September 14, 2007 10:10 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Geez! I saw Passion of Christ and was shocked at the 5 and 6 year old kids sitting RIGHT NEXT to me and my fiance. At the end one of the kids were saying "Is he dead yet?" The Passion was small beans compared to this!
September 14, 2007 10:14 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Simple solution. Find a babysitter. Can't find a babysitter? Don't go to the movie. Wait for it to come out on DVD.
Yes, you'll have to deny yourself the pleasure of paying more for the movie and popcorn and cokes and jujubees than for the DVD itself. Yes, it will require self sacrifice to increase the chances that your children don't grow up to be sociopaths. The shocking thing is that that's what good parents do. That's what it means to be a parent. You have to sacrifice what you want to do for the good of your children.
Geez, this kind of stuff just pisses me off.
September 14, 2007 10:16 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Brought up in gangland, N.Y.; did a one year tour in Nam (in the field) in '69. I literally can not stomach these movies.
There's a big difference between being capable of dealing effectively with the shit in real life vs. dealing with the really sick shit that goes on in some people's heads.
The author of this article was spot on.
Kudos.
September 14, 2007 10:17 AM | Posted by : | Reply
people only think what they have done as wrong, when they face bad result from that.
September 14, 2007 10:18 AM | Posted by : | Reply
people only think what they have done as wrong, when they face bad result from that.
September 14, 2007 10:19 AM | Posted by : | Reply
parents can raise their kids however they damn well please. if they want to let their kids have reoccurring nightmares for a while then so be it. who are all of you to tell them how to raise their kids, you people aren't perfect parents either you know
September 14, 2007 10:21 AM | Posted by : | Reply
a double stroller is the scariest thing you have ever seen? you need to get out more. we boycotted this movie http://www.scene-stealers.com/blogs/dimension-keeps-halloween-from-us-until-last-minute/
September 14, 2007 10:23 AM | Posted by : | Reply
The parents of these kids were stupid and did a stupid thing, but I'm not sure what being fat has to do with it. I know many skinny parents who have done this same kind of thing ( several made it a family outing to take the kids to see Halloween ). Does it matter that they are white or not?
For the record, as if it matters, the familys who took their kids to see Halloween who were skinny had incomes ranging from $80k - $200k annually as household income. Does any of that matter of are only fat people capable of being bad parents?
By the way, nice write up and lead in.
September 14, 2007 10:23 AM | Posted by : | Reply
We must have watched two different movies seeing as how you seem to have watched "torture porn" because what I saw, people have sex, then get killed. People aren't getting killed while having sex, nor are people killing other people in the act of sex. The most you see is the chest, and though it was excessive, you can't make a case for NC-17 on the chest alone. If anything this movie would recieve a NC-17 for brutal violence, rather than nudity.
Personally, I liked how the first half of the movie was built around the ultra-realistic, ultra-violent murders including the hillarious death of "Juni" from the Spy-Kids movies. Where-as the second half of the movie devolved (or maybe you would have preferred it to be this way the whole time) into the sexplotation slasher movie that it made homage to (and obviously I'm not talking about the original Halloween).
Yes the first half was excessive and jarring, but it was superbly done. Throughout the whole first half, there was a obvious decline in the gruesomeness in the killings. I believe that it was toned down greatly in order not over alienate the fans. While the second half of the movie was greatly tuned down with the death sequences being as simple as he gets pinned to the wall with a knife, that's it, Michael walks away.
One comment I couldn't believe was, "I didn't know the movie was going to be this violent." Give me a break, it's rated R, Michael kills people, get over it.
If the parent brings their kids to a movie with ultra violence, let them be responsible for the consequences (namely sleepless nights). But don't give me this, "They are horrible parents," bullcrap because they brought their kids to see a movie. It you yourself can't make the distinction between reality and fantasy, maybe you shouldn't see these type of movies either (or maybe no movies at all. Maybe I should gasp or point my finger at you for seeing this movie, but don't give me this "degenerate" crap where you think you are better than everyone else.
People make mistakes, but who are we to point out their errors if there was never an error made on their part?
September 14, 2007 10:25 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Hmm. Maybe you should see this movie again from the beginning, with your fresh perspective.
I think you might be at least a little more terrified now.
September 14, 2007 10:28 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Stupid people shouldn't breed. Unfortunately, there's no stopping them. I just hope those kids don't grow up to be Michael Myers themselves.
@nicheplayer: The children you've observed late night in restaurants may be tired, but it's kind of a big assumption to make that all kids, especially pre-schoolers, stick to a schedule as we adults do and therefore won't be awake into the late evening. And it's also a big assumption that the parents aren't making a one-off outing as a treat to themselves... You ever tried to stay home in the evenings for 5 years straight? I get what you're saying, cos I see it myself all the time, but if you don't have kids yourself you really shouldn't be preaching.
September 14, 2007 10:29 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Holy christ. Your tale is amazing and written very well. I agree that these people should be smacked.
However, I have to ask...what the hell is with all the comments about "fat people" ??? Did I miss the part where if you are overweight it is assumed you are a bad parent? I mean really, at least three, maybe four posts described the offenders as "obese" or this last one, "fat ones of course". Are you kidding me?
September 14, 2007 10:31 AM | Posted by : | Reply
wow u people dont even know the begining of {child asbuse} 1st of all have 2 say! Being over weight& smoking is just a way 2 sterotype people. My 10 yr old won tickets 2 see it because she can "sream" on 95xxx. She was so proud. Thank god we didnt make it! what would u all say ? beautiful mom non-smoking what? my daughter as i love scary movies &believe were both ok & normal! Love 2 see ur parenting skills but would bet my bottom $ u dont have any!
September 14, 2007 10:33 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Sound's like an awesome movie, particularly the more naked than naked. Can't wait to bring a newborn along.
September 14, 2007 10:49 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Great blog entry...
You know, the funny thing about being a parent (and I have been one for over twenty years) is that someone is always sanctimoniously telling you that you are "ruining' your kids by doing this and/or not doing that. I have received a lot of unsolicited advice over the years and withstood a lot of withering glares. For a while mine and my partner's kids were ostracized and our household boycotted by the local Mormon Mom Mafia cuz we were living in sin and who knew what all was going on over here? And indeed we watched some R rated movies now and then, and in our house we talked openly and frankly about things like sex and drugs and how they are portrayed in pop culture. On the other hand I walked out of 'Little Nemo's Adventure in Sleepy Land' because it scared my 6 yr old. The point being that family standards vary. Turns out the most critical issue in any kids life is simply being loved and cared for by a parent figure who is there for them. The kids of strippers, red necks, and lots of fat people turn out OK. Despite the early boycott my kids are now the most popular and sought after babysitters in the neighborhood because they are mature and relaxed. The Mormon Moms are even nice to me now (sort of, so long as I keep my distance).
An aside about the birth scene in 'Knocked Up'. When I watched it with my kids (who have see videos of actual births of actual people we know) we all laughed because we understood the *irony* was that the characters were *ignorant* of normal human anatomy and sexuality thus creating comic tension, blah, blah, blah.
September 14, 2007 10:57 AM | Posted by : | Reply
For the record, my wife and I are kinda fat, and we wouldn't take our 7-year old to see anything over PG-13, or past 8:00PM. We're the ones telling management about crying babies during R movies. WTF does weight have to do with any of this?
September 14, 2007 10:58 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Dude. The film was pretty bad, but not *that* damn bad. "Torture porn"? Give me a f'ing break.
Yeah, it's a horror/slasher film, and yeah taking your kids to see it is pretty dumb. But the way you go on and on about being numb afterwards? FFS guy, grow a pair. Wimp.
September 14, 2007 11:00 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Ok, as disturbed and appalled as I am about ignorant parents bringing their children in to see a movie like this, it also bothers me the amount of people who are fixating on "fat" and "white" people. So only people who are fat, white, or BOTH can be ignorant or incompetent parents? Let's just add a little more bigotry to the world shall we? I happen to be on the heavy side, and I’m white. I also have three boys. I must be raising future sociopaths just because I'm just a fat, white guy according to some of the people here. I would never dream of taking my kids to see a movie of this type, and my wife and I screen TV shows, movies, and books or magazines to make sure there is no inappropriate material in them, much to the chagrin of our 15 year old. I guess we must be the exception rather than the rule.
September 14, 2007 11:09 AM | Posted by : | Reply
some of you shouldnt be parenting. serisously. enough with growing balls for the wimps! NO! dont take your 5 and four year olds to see hacker movies. gee I wonder where all the murderers come from. must be from the families that watch dora the explorer
September 14, 2007 11:17 AM | Posted by : | Reply
I just read Neils Olsen's post a few posts above, and I think it is ridiculous. While I think it is important that we raise awareness about being involved in your government and being involved in the way decisions are made, I think it is completely ridiculous that you passed the blame on to anyone else for this situation but the parents of those children. It is solely their fault and no one else's. Just because the means for them to bring their children to a movie like that exist doesn't make it anyone else's fault that they did so.
The means exist for most everyone to go out, buy a gun and shoot someone, but that doesn't mean that it's the fault of everyone who has never lobbied to ban guns. Issues like these, at least concerning regulation and the law, become such a grey area that it would be near impossible for anyone to regulate it. Just because there's a clear distinction between right and wrong in one situation doesn't mean the entire issue can be successfully and controlled within reason.
All that said, I think the parents were morons and are part of the reason the youth in America today are so darn stupid.
September 14, 2007 11:19 AM | Posted by : | Reply
What makes me mad at idiot parents like these are their offspring come to school the next day and talk about the movie they just seen. Then MY son comes home and wants to see it, or quotes from it verbatim. We have 3 kids, if we can't get a babysitter, we don't go. It's just simply rude to take a young child to a movie theater. BTW, My wife and I are considered fat (we don't smoke though), so the fat comments are kind of uncalled for. There are reasons that some people may not know about that cause weight gain.... Your weight has nothing to do with your parenting ability, it may not necessarily be the best influence, but we have great healthy (normal weight) children. So stop judging by appearance as to parenting ability.
September 14, 2007 11:24 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Astounding that people allow this, yet women are getting thrown off planes for having too much leg showing...
Don't tell Miss Manners, she'll have a stroke...
Oh...btw... what does the parents being overweight have to do with it? Excess weight does not equal stupidity.
September 14, 2007 11:24 AM | Posted by : | Reply
While I don't personally agree with taking young children to see rated R movies, I absolutely 100% agree with a parents right to make that decision for themselves and their children.
Despite my personal preference, my daughter has been watching rated R horror movies with her dad since she was 4 (she's 11 now). She's never had nightmares, she's not violent, she's not aggressive. She's an intelligent, compassionate girl who just happens to really enjoy horror movies (and scary rides at the amusement park)
If your children have a firm grasp on reality versus fantasy, and enjoy scary movies as a form of entertainment, it should be within your right as a parent to determine whether your child is able to handle a particular movie.
Of course, that's probably not what was going on in this case.
As a side note, what's with all the comments (including the article) equating being fat with being a bad parent? Last I checked bad parenting wasn't weight specific.
September 14, 2007 11:39 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Dude, show me an actual study that proves horror movies (and all the worries about rock and rap music) actually hurts our kids. Number one, most kids can in fact distinguish between the real world and movies. When you try to mix it up and say it's real; for example wrestling; is when it becomes tricky like the 13 year old kid who accidentally killed his sister with a wrestling move.
That said you'll probably use that to your advantage, but those kids will either get a little desensitized watching gore movies young, or wait until they are "Of age" go out themselves with their friends and become desensitized as teenagers.
Purposely restraining them from seeing these things will make them want to see it more, and grow up to be like my friend who is 21 with three kids, and a second wife. He had to go out and rebel from his parents who were so strict to him throughout his life.
September 14, 2007 11:48 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Ignoring a moment the sheer stupidity of these people, I've often wondered at our seeming national obsession with this kind of movie. The success and popularity of this movie and now a series of so-called torture porn movies like "Hostel" and "Saw" makes me wonder if people ever pause for a moment to consider what kind of effect watching this kind of thing has on their minds. The constant exposure to extreme brutality and violence--no matter how artificial or fictional--must have some net effect on the minds of those watching it. I wonder if anyone considers why they may have nightmares, visions, and obsessive thoughts after seeing these kinds of things. I believe it is absorbed into one's consciousness and strongly effects how one perceives the world and humanity in general.
What is most curious to me is that there is clearly a major and I think growing market for horror movies on this level--mind-numbing gore fests that seem to push the limitations of what is acceptable to portray, even in a horror movie. Horror movies have traditionally been on the fringe, more "B" movie category, and I think most afficianadoes liked it that way. Now it's in the mainstream theater multiplexes and people seem to be flocking to get absorbed in these horrific, blood drenched worlds. Because I've never and will never watch movies like this I wonder what value people really gather from it? Is it "fun"? If so, how can it possibly be? Enjoyable? I can't imagine that either. Is it the experience of pushing the mind to its limits, numbing it out--like a drug almost? That seems to be most logical possibility. I have seen the original "Halloween" and it was good because it scared you but didn't really punish your mind with gore. This kind of thing is torture on-screen and off-screen. Are people so numb to violence that they simply walk away from this film blase and not even consider what they just permitted to pass through their minds?
Sorry to sound preachy.
Clearly these parents didn't seem to care what they permit to pass through the minds of the most impressionable. I have two children and believe me children are like sponges. I wouldn't dream of letting them close to this kind of movie.
September 14, 2007 11:49 AM | Posted by : | Reply
Personally, I would never expose my children to tasteless horror films, but that doesn't change the fact that I wouldn't want the government telling me how to raise my children either. It's easy to say "they should be brutally fined" or "someone should notify social services" when you disagree with what these parents are doing, but what happens when a group of people doesn't like that a homosexual woman has adopted a child? Or that some parents choose to raise their kids Atheist? Or teach their kids to shoot guns and hunt at a very young age?
It's very different when you're on the receiving end of judgmental blog comments. Parenting is a freedom and I'll be damned if I can be fined for choosing what media I can expose my children to. Or how I choose to raise my kids, in general.
*For the record, the human race has been a violent one for thousands of years. The Greeks, Romans, Persians, Chinese, Indians, Native Americans, all engaged (engaged) in violently glorious acts. How many American wars have been glorified in our public schools and media? WWI, WWII, the Civil War, the Revolution...to say it's a new thing that society is overtly and overly violent is to ignore thousands of years of human history. However, it doesn't mean that we can't change things and work towards peace. Just a side note I guess.
September 14, 2007 12:07 PM | Posted by : | Reply
I don't understand how you can go see a horror movie and say that it is to bloody, that is like saying a hamburger has to much meat on it. It sounds like you need to stick to watching chick flicks those should be tame enough for you. I assume war movies are to violent for you as well.
September 14, 2007 12:14 PM | Posted by : | Reply
wow... I cannot believe how many of you guys think that this is the fault of the movie theater!! The parents of those children had no common sense at all!! Even if they used the excuse that their kids can handle it - doesn't excuse trying to make them grow up faster than they should. Kids should be kids!
September 14, 2007 12:16 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Honestly, that doesn't surprise me at all. I am a regular horror film attendee (this movie was almost tame compared to other Rob Zombie movies) and people bring their wee ones to horror films all the time. The WORST was at the "discount" movie theater in Albuquerque that I used to go to - it always had tons of youngsters in the horror films. The even more amazing scene was when parents would come in with their 8 year olds and then leave them to watch the movie by themselves (because the kid wants to see the movie but the parent doesn't). What ever happened to parenting?
September 14, 2007 12:21 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Man, I didn't know you could take babies to the movies. I don't go to movies anymore because of that. Fuck that. I'm taking my toddlers to the next R-rated movie available.
September 14, 2007 12:27 PM | Posted by : | Reply
ha, similar thing happened to me last night at Shoot 'Em Up.
September 14, 2007 12:32 PM | Posted by : | Reply
Dude did you go see condemned. My boyfriend and I did. About half way through that one this woman walks in with her three kids. All old enough to understand what's going on but not old enough to distinguish real from fake. My boyfriend makes a comment to the extent of "Wrong movie to bring your kids too!" then I'm just simmering at this dumb lady and how wrong it is to raise your kids like this. I mean the whole movie was about killing. And then the cop that does the theater duty walks in. I'm thinking great maybe he can talk some sense into her. So I calmly walk up to him and say "Sir um, You might want to get the kids out of here on this one, it's really graphic (there had already been two rape scenes!)" and before He replies The woman says "I know..." and then somethng about being the parents. I don't know if you just caught that last part She said ParentS! He was the father. I'm thinking of all people a cop would understand NOT to bring kids in a movie like this. UGHHH! anyway yall should check out the Alamo drafthouse in Texas. They have kids days and don't allow under 18 at all in R movies. God bless them!
September 14, 2007 12:36 PM | Posted by : | Reply
i think the inclusion of the period of time skipped by the original Halloween movie makes mike Myers even more scary as a figure. it forces you to realize the depths of inhumanity people are capable of. and if this pops your bubble of security then i am sorry.
now to the gore of movies like saw and hostile these are not horror movies there gore flicks they don't set out to scare you but to gross you out. heck i could not even sit through the saw 3 the rack seen is just to much for me.
i do agree taking young children to these types of movies is not right. and these types of parents should be confronted and asked if they realize the damage any movie like this can have on a young mind. and no making a blog about it on the internet is not confronting them.
though i do find it odd that you guys just had to point out that all the bad parents you encountered were fat. one could take that to mean that you guys automatically equate being fat with being a bad parent. and from first hand experience i know that's not a indicator.
September 14, 2007 12:37 PM | Posted by : | Reply
I find it amazing people can be so desensitized that they think nothing of bringing a child to such a mess of violence and all that terror. But I also find it nearly as amazing that adults even go to this stuff. People, it is not an amusement park! Why would you go to something like this? Yeah, I know "I'm an adult and I can handle it." Yeah, I kno
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