Eilene McCullagh Heckman Facebook Verified

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 1:00 PM

The worst offenders are parents who bring children under 3... with the idea that it's after their bedtime... so they'll sleep through it. Your kid may sleep through it at home... but full theater THX is a little hard to sleep through. I think the Lake was starting to become a magnet for bringing toddlers to R movies... because they were one of the last chains NOT to have a policy. It will be nice to finally be able to see a movie at the Lake again without having to worry about screaming children. *clap, clap*

Start Being Parents

Posted: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 11:38 PM

I'm glad that the Lake Theater decided to make this change. I'm a parent of 2 little ones and I don't want to hear kids in the theater myself. Also R-rated material is inappropriate for kids. Why would you as a parent bring a child to a R-rated movie anyway? Is it really that serious? You can't wait 2-3months for the R-rated movie to come on dvd ($1 Redbox or Blockbuster machine)? It's called "sacrifice". Sometimes you can't do everything you want to do when you make a decision to have kids.

Laughing

Posted: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 5:07 PM

Gee Dan, Wonder if you have kids? And how did they turn out?

Dan Lauber from River Forest

Posted: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 4:58 PM

Bravo to Classic Cinemas. I was astounded at the number of irreponsible parents who brought young children to view "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" -- a very good film but totally inappropriate for anyone under 18. I'd call it child abuse. The rating system is badly broken and Classic Cinemas is doing the right thing, although I wish they'd go further and not allow children under 18 into any film that's rated R due to nudity, violence, language, or sexual content.

laura from Chicago

Posted: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 4:56 PM

I think it is sad that there were enough parents bringing their kids to R rated movies that they had to make a policy about it. Kids grow up way too fast these days. If you can't afford a babysitter, forgo the R movies or watch them at home after kids are asleep!

Kyle

Posted: Monday, February 20th, 2012 3:55 PM

It'd be nice if the Lake would do a kid/stroller friendly showing now & then in light of this policy. Some of the chains used to do Matinee Movie Magic or whatnot where you could take your infant or toddler to run around, other parents were there, stroller parking, you got to watch the latest action flick without needing a babysitter. You knew kids would be screaming, etc..

Westsider

Posted: Monday, February 20th, 2012 2:14 PM

Its not against the law to accompany an under age person to an R movie.

Aging Disgracefully

Posted: Monday, February 20th, 2012 12:11 PM

Why were they ever letting them in? Unlike some of the larger theaters, the Lake has a large cadre of ushers and should have been enforcing this all the time. Better late than never.

Westsider

Posted: Monday, February 20th, 2012 11:26 AM

What if I cant afford a babysitter in these hard times? Its bad enough to have to pay these really high movie prices.

I'm So Relieved About This! from Oak Park

Posted: Sunday, February 19th, 2012 7:52 PM

Hurray, Lake Theater! You've done the right thing! I complained about this the afternoon I went to the Lake because: 1)I was annoyed by toddlers playing and I couldn't focus on the movie and 2)I was disturbed that 5 and 6 year olds were seeing sex scenes and hearing every other word which was "F . . .". Thanks, Lake Theater!

Interesting

Posted: Sunday, February 19th, 2012 3:47 PM

It is interesting to me that there isn't much discussion about the restriction of choice and individual liberty around this issue. Is it possible that we agree there are some times and places where it is OK to limit an individual when the exercise of their liberty may encroach on the rights or well-being of others? What a radical idea!

It's called a baby sitter from Oak Park

Posted: Saturday, February 18th, 2012 10:25 AM

Good decision. Some one has to act like a parent so if the real parents won't its up to the Lake to create a rule. Parents - if you want to go to an adult movie get a sitter to watch the little ones. If you can't afford it then stay home and watch TV

John Butch Murtagh from Oak Park, Illinois Facebook Verified

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 11:00 PM

Well done, Lake

Violet Aura

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 6:05 PM

@Steve: Why bless your little heart. Aren't you just Mister Liberal White Guilt 2012 of Crook County! Thanks, Lake Theater for intervening when the public may not have the brain power to get that you do NOT take a screaming baby to an R-rated (or any) movie! I have been pissed off by these geniuses on occasion. Luckily the Lake has stepped in to avoid the theater turning into a magnet for those without an inking of a clue...

Dooper from Oak Park

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 5:17 PM

This is an excellent customer service decision by the Lake. It's not as much a movie content issue as it is an experiential issue for me. Kids under 7-8 are indeed a distraction in a movie theatre, and it's beyond rude for any parent to bring a toddler into anything but a kids movie. I'm sure there will be a handful of beligerent idiots who want to cry about this, but it's the right thing to do. More theatres should do it.

Virginia Seuffert from Oak Park

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 4:40 PM

Good for the Lake Theatre. It's a shame some parents are so clueless that they would allow little children to view disturbing, sexual or violent images.

Manning from Oak Park

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 4:37 PM

My dad took us to my first R movie when I was ten-- to see Dog Day Afternoon. Although he had to explain what a "sex change" was, the main effect was we spent the summer yelling Attica! Attica! whenever we were reminded to do chores. Of course, that movie pales to today's violent offerings, and yes it's enormously distracting worrying about the effect these movies have on the brains and emotional development of very young children, even babies. Thank you, Lake Theater, for this sane decision!

Brad Spencer, sports editor Wednesday Journal

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 4:26 PM

Marty, I never went to an R-rated movie at that young age with my parents. But for some reason I went and saw Basic Instinct with them in my early teens. AWKWARD!

Berwyn

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 4:09 PM

Marty, Whats wrong with the term west siders? Someone pulled two of my comments.

Jeff from River Forest

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 3:38 PM

I thank the Lake Theatre for this thoughtful and, in my opinion, appropriate policy decision. As a regular patron, I was pretty surprised by the movies being watched by really young children.

Steve from Oak Park

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 2:22 PM

Westsiders? Do you mean people from River Forest?

Freespirit

Posted: Friday, February 17th, 2012 2:14 PM

Well, it's about time! Children are like sponges and learn from what they SEE and HEAR. Do you think just because it's a movie theatre that nothing negative can happen to their growing minds and emotions? Parents are so foolish. For heaven's sake, hire a sitter and go see the R-rated trash by yourself.