Latter-day shite at the movies. [2]

[davywavy]

The first full-on 18-rated film I remember hearing about was when I was about 9. I recall someone in the junior school playground telling me about a video they'd seen; their story featured some quite spectacularly lurid descriptions of horror and mutilation and I assumed at the time they were making it up, although these days I realise the film they were describing was Cannibal Holocaust which doesn't strike me as the best schoolnight watching for a prepubescent.

I'm not sure what the first 18-rated film I saw was. I reckon it was probably one of John Carpenters' films - The Thing most likely - when I was about 11 or 12 and I'd sneaked downstairs to the TV after my parents had gone to bed. It didn't seem to do any lasting damage. The first 18-rated film I saw in the cinema was Robocop when I was about 14 or 15. Once again that did me no harm but instead seriously boosted my playground kudos for a few days thanks to my lengthy descriptions of the scene where Emil falls into the toxic waste and then gets hit by a car.

Anyway, I was chatting to a friend over the weekend who has a son who will soon be arriving at that early teen age when watching 18 films suddenly becomes the coolest thing it is physically possible to do short of finding an open window at the girl's changing rooms and, given that it's an impossibility to stop him watching 18 films, the conversation got around to how to make sure he only watches the good ones. The solution we came up with is to have a selection of 18-rated DVDs in the house which are 'grown up films' which he isn't allowed to watch. Naturally, he'll do so at the earliest opportunity and you need to be careful of your selection; so we started to put together a short list of 18-rated films which would be appropriate for a 12/13 year old boy:

The Thing
Mad Max 2
Alien, and Aliens
LA Confidential
Goodfellas
Tony Jaa's Warrior King
Jackie Chan's Snake in Eagle's Shadow
Jean-Claude van Damme's Bloodsport
Robocop
Starship Troopers
The Sword and the Sorceror
The Expendables
Commando
Terminator

Any more suggestions?

Comments

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

My first 18: American Ninja 2.

Just saying.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Dude, that was last week.

[rssefuirosu.livejournal.com]

Taken, and Shoot 'Em Up.

Also Hard Candy, a History of Violence and Fight Club.

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

Conan the Barbarian, depending on your opinion of boob-exposure and the 90s remake of Night of the Living Dead seem like good choices.

I'm not sure what the first 18 I saw was, probably some Steven Seagal or Clint Eastwood flick. I do remember the first 15 I watched was 'Mutronics' when I was only about 8, a film which I had transfigured into my mind into a truly terrifying experience (and possibly explains my fascination/fear of mutation-like transformations over the years). Reviewing it in my late teens I realised the most terrifying thing is that features Luke Skywalker as a Giant Slug and is only slightly less camp than the power rangers.

[commlal.livejournal.com]

My dad recorded the Thing for me to watch when I was about 8 or so. Just at the bit with the dog going all Thing. He had this nasty habit of pressing record about 15 minutes into a movie because he thought I would like it.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Conan the Barbarian I'd say definitely. I htink we mentioned that one at the time but I'd forgotten.

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

Arnie gets laid and then punches a camel in the face. There was very little else I wanted from a film at that age. It also happens to be a very under-rated peice of film making

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Fantastic soundtrack as well.

[vampyrefate.livejournal.com]

My first 18 was full metal jacket.

Predator should be on your list.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

You're quite right, it should be. I toyed with it instead of Terminator, but why not both?

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

If you get the Spec-ed DVD it also has one of the unintentionally funniest commentaries I've ever heard.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

From what I've heard it's a recording of Arnie and John Milius getting plastered and watching the movie?

[razornet.livejournal.com]

Nothing springs to mind at the moment (what has come up wore probably bore him to death) but I'm pleased to see Starship Troopers on there. Most folk seem to think it's dire, but I love it.

Oh, hang on: Split Second and The Last Boy Scout

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Starship Troopers is an astonishingly prescient depiction of early 21st century US foreign policy. It's impressive how accurately Verhoeven called it.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I've used it before. There's nothing new in this world.

http://davywavy.livejournal.com/234058.html

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

I wish I'd watched American Ninja 2 last week!

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

Arnie basically spends his whole time saying 'That's so funny' and 'OK, let's make Conan 3!'.

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

T2 was DEFINETLY a 15 when it came out. I remember sneaking in to see it.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I also totally recall it being a 15.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Nobody has these days.

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

Empire have a list to make things easier. (http://www.listal.com/list/empires-50-greatest-18rated-movies)

The first 18 I saw was Aliens. Followed by Robocop.

~Hard Boiled. Just Hard Boiled.

I think The Big Lebowski and Clerks are great films, but don't have the same kudos value. For the films that would appeal to 12-13 year olds? Die Hard. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (maybe). The Fly

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Of course, Die Hard! and Lethal Weapon, for that matter.

Is Good, Bad & Ugly an 18? Blimey!

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

So's the The Wild Bunch for that matter.

Blade & Blade 2 are 18s, as was Universal Soldier. Total Recall would be good if you don't object to the nudity. Other than that go for the best of the 80s action flicks with the violence turned up to 11.

[(Anonymous)]

And it's got Dina Meyer in it, getting her kit off.

[(Anonymous)]

Dirty Harry should be on the list, just to educate them on how good policing should work.