Perhaps as we get older we get more intolerant. Perhaps living in Switzerland we get more intolerant, because life in generally better here (in my opinion) than in many other places.
For sure, I think kids here are much better behaved than their counterparts in the UK. Kids everywhere will try and press buttons on buses, or on dvd players whatever. I'm now getting scared of kids around 10 years onl in the uk because they hang around with knives for goodness sakes!
Kids films always have a 7/7 certificate but that means that it's for all ages.
I've had people try to bring 2 month year old babies into the cinema. I have refused them.... but 2 and 3 year olds are accepted. No probs.
This is where I work : www.cinerive.com
I also run a free information service for the English speaking people in the area.
I have over 200 people on my email mailing list after less than 2 years just from word of mouth!
And yes, every canton has their own ruling unfortunately
A couple of years ago we went to watch The Two Towers at a cinema in Basel. As soon as the lights went down for the film to start, the two young ladies next to me proceeded to chat to each other and compare text messages on their mobiles, making all kinds of bleeping noises.
On another we went to watch the Michael Moore movie, Fahrenheit 9/11; a woman on the back row's mobile started ringing. Instead of switching it off and looking apologetic as any polite person would do having made such an oversight, she took the call and started chatting at length with the caller.
Cheers,
Nick
Just spoke to someone at Abaton Cinema to see if my friend could bring her very quiet, sleepy 3 months old baby to the Monday 2 pm screening (virtually empty cinema), and the answer was "No"- explanation: children have to be at least 6 years old to be in the cinema.... oh well. There is always "Nuggi Kino", though it doesn't appeal much to me seeing that I can go without a baby - why would I subject myself to other people's screamers?
Lui
There are age rules on many things, movies, games, food and drink, etc to protect people, not to be nasty.
Chances are, nobody will ask for id for getting into movies, but next time, maybe YOU should buy the tickets ...
This thread also discusses the joys of Cinema entrance policy for children.
...and to be honest, Harry Potter might be a hard story for a 9 year old... but that's your decision.
Anyhow, it was definitely not that kind of movie I've been watching while I was 9 years old; but I know, time has changed since (even though it's not a long time ago).
Quietly tell the kids to go buy some popcorn while you get the tickets. Turn it into a conspiracy and let them know they're accomplices. It's great when your folks sneak you in, they'll love you for it
That's the bad ass end of the Limmattal ghetto... headscarves and Jugo accents galore (go on, call me racist ).
But let's stay on-topic: there's a hole in the regulations you can drive a truck through: For babies there's the Nuggi Kino (Nuggi = comforter/dummy/pacifier/whatchammacallitbabysuckthingy), then nothing, then the approved age which is never lower than 6. So, is this a ploy to get kiddies hooked to DVDs, or worse, TeleTubbies?
Nuggi Kino:
I have yet to see a movie theater that doesn't resemble a Kindergarten.
(also i did see the under-6 thread - ta)
As for kids being better behaved here, I've come moderately close to giving a few parents a shoeing for the behaviour of their offspring at the Zoo and some of the parks, especially Weyermannshaus...
Kids are kids are kids, wherever in the world. Some behave, some don't - it's usually the parents who make the kids what they are, which is why I'd issue them with the shoeing...
The ten year-olds may not have knives here (which I doubt as everyone here owns a swiss army knife), but they sure love throwing fireworks into peoples' gardens and running off.