Can young kids buy Unrated DVDs?
 

Question:
Can young kids buy Unrated DVDs?

I was just curious since I was reading the review on XXX uncensored unrated director's cut and I thought of this question.

I know it would be wrong for a store clerk to sell (Lets just say) Blade Trinity unrated version to a young kid but could the store get fined.

Fined? Probably not... But a parent might be able to get some sort of lawsuit out of it. It's kind of a grey area though.

Rental stores are easier to regulate then retail. Parents can dictate who can rent and what rating limitations each kid has...

Unrated means it could be rated G. So, it's kind of an easy way for kids to buy what would be R rated movies.

I was under the impression that preteens and young teenagers couldn't buy unrated DVD's. I went to a Blockbuster recently (by recently, I mean before Christmas last year) to trade my PVD "Y tu Mama Tambien" for the unrated version (mistakenly picked up the rated version when I intended to get the unrated one, went back later that day to trade it). I'm 20, and they asked to see my ID to verify that I was 18 years old before they'd allow me to make the trade.

-JP

I was buying Girlfight as a gift for my sister from one of the Walmart dump bins recently using the self checkout scanner & a clerk had to come over & swipe her badge because the movie was rated R.

I buy Unrated DVD's for my daughter (3) all the time. Mostly television shows, such as Dora.

For the record, in many (all?) states the movie rating system isn't enforced by the government, since it's a voluntary system. So in theory, it's up to the stores' discretion when deciding who they'll sell a particular DVD to.

It's pretty well-known that stores agree to certain terms when buying DVDs from distributors, like not putting them on the shelves before street dates. It wouldn't surprise me if studios included restrictions on the customers' age for certain DVDs. So selling some unrated DVDs to children might be a breach of contract. I'm not sure if I'd consider that a fine or not though . . .

there are no fines...stores can sell what they want....they usually use certain discretion as not to get the bitch out from mom later down the road.

Yeah, it's all store policy (same with actually seeing a movie in the theater.) There are no laws here to be broken or enforced.

And NatrlBornThrllr, I'm wondering if they ID'd you because you were trading in the DVDs, not because of what was on the DVDs. In most (if not all) states you have to be 18 to trade/pawn/sell used merchandise like that.

The fry's in anaheim asks for I.D.

Some places ask for ID. but in reality, unrated means unrated. it could be rated pg if it was submitted so yes, kids can buy them very easiliy.

Define "young." What's a young kid doing with ~$20 his/her parents don't know about?

I think the MPAA considers "Unrated" to be material unsuited for minors, while "Not Rated" to be purchased by any age.

It dosen't really matter what the MPAA thinks though, unlike just about every other country the rating system is completely voluntary so no laws are being broken.

Also, there is no difference between "not rated" and "unrated" except that I think a lot of films tend to use "unrated" as a selling point because it has more of a connotation of "this movie is too extreme to be rated! uncut!" where as not rated has no real sell point to it.

Hmm, I never even released those under 17 couldn't buy an R movie. Being 15 myselfl I've purchased many R movies and I'm never questioned about my age.

Considering that young kids are the target audience for many of these "Unrated and eXtreme!" DVDs, I don't see why they wouldn't be allowed to purchase them.

As indicated, it's up to the store. There's no legal requirement.

When I moved to the UK I was shocked that it was illegal to show a movie that was rated 18 to someone under 18. Or a 15 to someone younger than 15, etc

It depends on where you are.

I work at a video store in Canada, and it is *illegal* for us to sell R rated movies to anyone under the age of 18. And generally, when a movie is "unrated" we would have to find out what the original cut was rated. So in the case of XxX, it would be R (or, 18A here in Canada).

Furthermore, even if a parent gives their children permission to rent 18A movies, they actually have to be there physically with them in the store to rent the movies (Or games, even).

I was wondering the same thing.

I'll tell you guys something that I found ridiculous though. When I was in Jr. High the movie theaters where I lived weren't very strict. One didn't card you & the other one would accept a phone call from your parents giving their permission. (I know in reality that anyone could have called for us, but it really was my friend's mother or my mother.) Well when I turned 15 the movie theaters started cracking down & you either had to be going with your parents or have your parent stop in with you, give permission & leave. I found it quite ridiculous that I could see Thinner when I was 13 with relatively little hassle, but when I was 16 they wouldn't let me in to see an R rated movie. I actually went one time when I was almost 18 with my little (but taller) sister & the woman told me "oh I'll let you guys go even though she doesn't have id & you'll be 17 in a month" & I was like "actually it says I'll be 18 in a month", but didn't push it because my sister was younger. I don't see what the big deal is with the that stuff if you're parents say it's okay.

Spending their drug money, duh.

/Groucho

Maybe 3 years ago at a Walmart I tried to buy a Dvd at the cash register in that department and the guy there said he could not sell me an R rated Dvd because he was not old enough to sell it to me. I had to go to the long ass lines in front.

No, because "unrated" = GORE, BOOBS, DOG SEMEN!!!!!