What age to watch Dirty Dancing at?

FatVonD

Spendless wrote: »

How closely were you watching? It's the reason Johnny teaches Baby to dance so she can stand in for Penny at a performance they are due to perform in. Baby then has to ask her father to give medical attention to Penny as the abortion is botched and he's not very pleased at the company his daughter is keeping (he jumps to the conclusion that Johnny is the one who got Penny pregnant).

Not very closely at all, apparently! I have to admit I'm not good at watching anything as my mind wanders that's nice wallpaper... I wonder who sourced it... God, that must be somebody's job... Imagine doing that for a job... I wonder if they have to take it down after... Before you know it I've lost the plot

claire16c

I think I watched it at around 11. I remember we were on a school trip and on the way bk we watched a video tape and thats what it was. Which was pretty funny as it was a load of girls swooning over Patrick Swayze lol

I then watched it again at a friends as the coach journey wasnt long enough to see the end of the film!

Its bizarre it seems to be rated both 15 and 12, but Id say 12 would be fine.

Dave101t

i just watched it for the first time at 29, id probably follow the bbfc classification. plus, abortion was pretty much the ENTIRE plot, dont forget the girl who walks in on the bf having sex with another woman. easy stuff for a 10 year old to cope with i guess in this warped modern age.

david39

Depends whether you are referring to the film or the stage show.

Film is fine from age of 12, I would say.

I was taken by my wife to see the touring stage version recently in Leeds.

Most of the audience were women in the age-range 30 to 50, the rest of the audience were mainly women of other ages and a smattering of men, all of whom looked like they wished they weren't there.

I could hardly hear what was going on when the leading man was on stage because of the "ooohs" and "aaahs" coming from the women in the audience - most of whom were waving their arms about and joining in the singing of the songs and even some reciting the dialogue!!!

In the final scene, the audience were up on their seats and stamping and shouting, so that it was impossible to see the stage.

My suggested minimum age for someone going to the stage show is at least 30 and only then if they have had several stiff drinks beforehand.

Oh- by the way, it was great fun as well.......

Becles

claire16c wrote: »

Its bizarre it seems to be rated both 15 and 12, but Id say 12 would be fine.

It was definitely rated 15 when it came out at the cinema. I was 13 and went with a group of friends to see it, but one friend forgot to say her fake DOB and said her real one, so we were refused entry

The 12 rating wasn't available then, so maybe it's been reclassified as as 12 now?

I think probably about 13-ish is the right age assuming they are mature enough to cope with the abortion issue and sex scenes.

milliebear00001

I saw it myself at about 12, and understood the abortion content. Some kids will and some won't. Also, some children will never have come across the concept of abortion and may ask about it if they see the film.

I'd say 'around 12', but obviously, the parent knows how 'streetwise' or informed their own child is and so is better placed to judge. My eight year old wouldn't have a clue about the abortion stuff (but would understand the 'sexy' stuff!) I wouldn't let her watch it though!

Lunar_Eclipse

I'd say about 15. I wouldn't want either my 10 or 12 year old to see it.

Personally, I think 10, 11 or 12 is too young, especially if they're emotionally mature and hence fully understand all the content whilst not being exposed to it in reality, thus the shock factor. On the basis that there's nothing brilliant about the film, I'd rather not expose younger children to it, most of whom are still satisfied with the Disney Channel.

SueMaggie

The Parents British Board of Film Classification (PBBFC) says that it's a 12A and lists the content to be aware of -

http://www.pbbfc.co.uk/filmDetail.asp?filmID=461

izoomzoom

I was actually 13 when I saw the movie and I didn't get the abortion bit. It passed me right by, so I must have been quite naive.

I also recall finding out about abortion at age 13 and think it may have been before the movie but for some reason I didn't connect the dots.

pinkclouds

freddie wrote: »

Just wondering what age people feel that it would be ok to let a child watch Dirty Dancing?

It's very mild, compared to some modern films. I recall watching it for the first time around 10 or 11 at a sleepover party. The host mom fast forwarded over one scene, possibly when Swayne steps out of bed, but let us watch all the rest. (All the kids were the same age, give or take a few months.) Tbh, anything overly adult just went over our heads. The only thing that sticks in your mind from that film is the music and dancing. I confess that, as an adult, when I do watch it now, I often fast forward to the dance scenes and skip the rest!