by Swamboozled 40 Replies latest jw friends
Think my first "R" (in the theatre) was "A Few Good Men". I remember clearly running into a MS after the movie in the lobby. By the way, this guy was arrogant - thought he was on top of everything in the congregation. When I ask him what movie he saw, the blood drained from his face when he realized we were in the same theatre watching the forbidden R rating.
"You can't handle the truth!"
yep
Movie ratings are country specific, (if a given country even uses such a system). Many movies for example, that are R in the US, are PG in Canada. Does the society really have two different sets of standards depending on one's locale???
Are you saying then that the WTS does not talk about the ratings in others countries and caution JWs not to go to such movies. I understand that they do but do not say "R rating" but use the rating in the country that cautions parents re what is acceptable for minor children.
Never cared whether the Watchtower rated a film as objectionable or not. All the Dirty Harry films were rated R, but that didn't stop my exwife and I from seeing them even though I was an elder at the time. In fact when we went to the cinema to see The Enforcer back in the 70s there was an elder-pioneer from another congregation in the same queue to see the film.
Does the society really have two different sets of standards depending on one's locale???
It's possible. Different standards have been applied in other circumstances. (Think 'Malawi and Mexico'.)
My mom and elder dad would see 'R' movies fairly often. 'The Killing Fields' was one. Several were military-esque, along the lines of 'A Few Good Men' but I forget the names (from the late 70's and early 80's.)
I remember one day (shhh- it was thanksgiving day) a bunch of us 20-somethings hung out at the POs house. He and his wife were either gone or in another part of the house. Someone rented 'Romancing the Stone'. One of the brothers was assigned to keep a finger on the remote to fast-forward thru the questionable parts...!! LOL sounds so silly now.
Even when I moved out (at age 22) I stayed away from the 'R's' and often wished the producers would make a 'cleaner' cut so I/we could see the more interesting films. I was one that hated most of the PG-13 films because the content was either lame or not for 'christians'. Then the POs eldest daughter became my roommate. (This was when you would rent the VCR for $10/day and the film for $5/day.) She rented 'Witness' - an 'R' movie. Then several others. We would make sure the curtains were pulled and returned the films swiftly - in a bag.
(She's still a 'faithful' witness, btw)
Now I rarely pay attention to ratings. I see what I want to see, when I want to see it, and where I want to see it.
Freedom to be a grown up and make my own decisions.
-Aude.
Blondie, you may be right about that. It just always seemed like such an inconsistent system to me, (even as a jw).
j
I saw my first R movie while still a dub. A friend rented "First Blood" right after it came out on video(before the time of DVD). We watched it at his apartment and I felt guilty as hell watching it. But the movie was so good(at that time, anyway) that I couldn't forget about it and I started to realize that just being an R-rated movie doesn't necessarily mean "evil" or "demonic".
As I grew older, I started sneaking in rented R movies to watch at home when my parents were away. When I got my on place, I rented pretty much what I wanted, but never went to the theater to see them. Even at the video store, I kept a look over my shoulder as an elder lived near by and his family rented movies at the same place.
Now I go see what I want when I want and I've got a stack of my favorite movies in the TV room, the majority rated R.
Greetings done4good,
:I never quite got the no rated "R" movie thing. Movie ratings are country specific, (if a given country even uses such a system). Many movies for example, that are R in the US, are PG in Canada. Does the society really have two different sets of standards depending on one's locale??? Another obviously stupid and shortsighted ruling of the Borg.
One of the former, now-deceased District Overseers, Dennis Raftopoulos, with his deep commanding, attention getting, baritone voice said "the movie industry of this wicked world had gone so far as to rate the movies it puts out. They label R-rated movies as restricted, but we as Jehovahs Witnesses should regard them as REPULSIVE...." Of course there was a tremendous applause of agreement. I bet Minimus remembers that.
I went out and got Sweethearts Dance, as it was filmed up here. Never was brave enough to watch it due to the Dub brain scrubbing.
Dismembered
This was one of my first epiphanies as a dub. A friend and I went to see Rainman. In the paper, it had printed the rating as PG-13, which we felt was acceptable. When we got to the theater, we found that the rating was really a dreaded "R". Horrors. However, we didn't want to ruin our evening so we forged ahead.
The movie was awesome. I've seen junk rated PG or PG13 that had more objectionable stuff in it than that movie. It was at that point that I decided that I would see what I wanted to see no matter what the rating.
I never followed that rule. I know what is offensive to me and didn't need someone else to tell me. That's how I felt about it.
We went to see "Talladega" last night. It was a bit on the crude side but hilarious! It could have been offensive if not for the delivery. I think that's what makes the difference. I refuse to believe the apostles never lost their composure or Jesus was never sarcastic when dealing with idiots. I bet many of their experiences and behaviors/reactions to some situations would have been rated R if video taped. They weren’t androids for gods’ sake!
“Saturday Night Fever” was my first R rated movie. I was 22 years old and married (Elders wife). I looked all around me to make sure no one saw me sneaking in to see an R rate movie.
