Banning Smoking in Films (R rating)?? (1 Viewer)

[Max Leung]

I certainly hope the study establishes a causal link. Because it could just as easily be that kids that are interested in trying smoking seek out movies where the characters heavily smoke - action movies in particular. Perhaps movies that depict smoking tend to be outside of the mainstream (foreign films?), and these kids are trying something new. In other words - they would have tried smoking even if they never watched these movies.

 

[DaveF]

The entire advertising industry is predicated on the belief that peoples' behavior can be influenced by what they see and hear.

Christianity teaches that what a person mentally "consumes" can affect their thought-life and their actions.

Anecdotal evidence, like Jack's post, indicates people are influenced by what they see.

Is it impossible that teens aren't influenced towards smoking by movies featuring major characters who smoke?

 

[John Watson]

"Follow the money"

"Show me the smoking gun"

The anti-smoking jihad has lead to "smoking fetish" websites.

Where will it all end?

 

[Harold Southard]

So I guess all the X-Files will be rated R now and taken off tv ("the smoking man"). LOL. This is crap. I don't smoke, I chew lol. I picked up the habbit watching baseball. Just kidding. LOL.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Indeed. That is why I observed that correlation does not imply causality. You need really rigorous studies and methodologies to prove causality.

Even though I remain skeptical, the anecdotal evidence is impressive.

 

[Neil Joseph]

Disney's latest additions to the R-rated filmography...

- Tarzan
- Hercules
- Atlantis

 

[MatthewA]

Don't forget Pinocchio, Neil. God knows how many old cartoons and movies will now be "R"!

"No, son, you can't watch this movie, it's rated R. I don't care if it has Mickey Mouse in it."

 

[Lew Crippen]

Good point Matthew. IIRC, Steamboat Willie has smoking.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Yeah, the key with film influencing culture is that ALL ART DOES THIS, as well as reflecting culture at the same time in a symbiotic behavior feeding off one another.

HOWEVER, the solution is not to sanitize art. That is the goal of BOOK BURNING. After all Catcher in the Rye has inspired many a nut, and apparently the White Album can be influential as well. In fact I would go as far as to say that I can see where Manson was coming from when he cited it as an influence. Blackbird speaks of a dark horse rising to strength, Piggies addresses the oppression conducted by the elite and powerful in society (a metaphor Orwell went with as well), and Helter Skelter has many powerful lyrics as well.

But since I also listen to the album and DO NOT kill people, it is evidence that as a solo factor that album is not enough to drive a person to murder.

And that is the bottom line fact with any influence by any art. A person must be receptive, and IMO as much as art might influence a person it also works as a LITMUS TEST of a person's personality.

A violent person by nature will be drawn toward music that celebrates those emotions, which in turn might fuel them more. But a peaceful person will feel the effect far less and might not even enjoy the music at all.


If you smoke its because you choose to, and the art of society speaks to the norms and morals of that society so it works as much as a warning of people's behavior as it does as an influence.


It's all very chicken and the egg.

 

[ChrisMatson]

http://www.pmusa.com/health_issues/addiction.asp

I feel that smoking should be avoided in movies unless it adds to the character in some meaningful way or is vital to the scene.

I don't think smoking should result in an automatic R rating, but movies with excessive smoking or smoking by minors should maybe get a PG-13.

 

[Tony Whalen]

I'm just wondering how long it will be until movies that are less-than-R will feature nothing but fluffy-bunnies romping through the fields.

 

[Ashley Seymour]

"I can't remember the last time I saw a "normal" protagonist smoke regularly on screen. One notable exception is Nicolas Cage in Matchstick Men, and even then, he was a neurotic.
"

John McClane, but he was a cowboy and because he didn't fall in line with the bureaucrat Deputy Police Commissioner "Dwayne", he just made negotiating with the terrorists harder - hence he was as bad as they were. And we all understood that because Hans Gruber smoked he was a really bad guy.

Seriously, it surprised me when the character did so much smoking. Maybe that is why Holly left with the kids to go to California.

 

[WillG]

But by the time they got to "Die Hard With a Vengeance" They had seriously cut down on his smoking. I think he only got to light up one time at the very beginning of the film. There was a shot at the end of him going for a smoke, but his pack was drenched from the leap of the ship. At least there wasn't anyone saying "You Should Quit" or himself saying "I really should quit" like many movies do now when a character lights up.

 

[JohnRice]

What about the obvious? The idea is to give any movie with smoking an "R" rating. It's just the idea of a few people. I guess they don't have the right to express it. Also, where on earth does the idea equate to "Banning" of smoking in movies?


Of course it's a ridiculous idea. If ridiculous ideas weren't permitted, there would be no internet chatter.

 

[Jacinto]

If films truly have so much influence over teens' behavior, before I'd think of removing acts like smoking from pictures intended for a younger audience, I would recommend legislation mandating a few scenes of GOOD behavior in every PG or PG-13 film. I'm speaking of behavior that would benefit society as a whole, like:

Tom Cruise is driving in a car. We see him use his f&@#ing turn signal when he changes lanes.

Julia Roberts is eating dinner at a restaurant. She clearly says "please" and "thank you" several times to the waitstaff.

Brad Pitt is having a crazy, busy day. We watch him take time from his schedule to vote.

Jennifer Lopez is in another "heartwarming" romantic comedy. We watch her actually decline to hop into the sack with the guy she likes on their first date.


Granted these scenes may be a little jarring, and may seem a little random, but think of the benefits to society if film would only use its incredible influence for the better of all our nation's youth!

 

[WillG]

It's not outright banning, but it is just more pressure on filmmakers and studios to deliver sanitized product. If the proposal is to rate any film with Smoking as an "R," then of course studios are going to cut smoking out of their films to maintain a PG-13 just the same as the number of "Fucks" and nudity, however brief. I think it's pretty stupid anyway because nowadys most non "R" rated movies don't have any protagonisitc characters smoking anyway.

Still, it is an hypocracy. If smoking is going to be indicted, then you have to call any dangerous activity into question. People eat junk food and fatty meals in non R-Rated films. Someone here pointed out that soon, obesity is going to replace smoking as the number one contributor to early deaths. So if someone in a movie eats a Twinkie, should we rate that film "R" as well. Take something like Street Racing, one of the most dangerous and dumbest things a person can do, and it's not just dangerous for that person but for others as well. We have had not only a recent, successful PG-13 rated movie about that, but a sequel as well. But it's still always smoking that is the scapegoat.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Well something always has to be number 1.

 

[Ernest Rister]

"Well something always has to be number 1."

The WEDWay PeopleMover is the most deadly ride in the history of Disneyland. You know, those blue cars that go about five-to-seven miles an hour? Why? Cause they're so slow and seemingly innocuous, people do stupid things on them, like try to climb from car-to-car (and fall between the cars and promptly get sliced in half), or try to jump out in the tunnels, thinking there is a sidewalk next to them (when instead there is a fifty-foot drop), or jump out the back and get electrocuted.

I'm waiting for the day when reactionary citizens groups and stifling governmental oversight are the #1 killers in this country.

 

[Max Leung]

First time drunk, high? Likely, age 13


Hey look, movies weren't mentioned!

 

[ChrisMatson]

It also fails to mention cigarettes.