Should movies be given an R rating if a character in it smokes? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian · 03-09-2004, 09:42 PM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...wood_smoking_7

LOS ANGELES - If Nicolas Cage (news) lights a cigarette in a movie, Hollywood's ratings board should respond as if he used a profanity, according to authors of a new study that criticizes glamorous images of smoking in movies rated for children under 17.

Nearly 80 percent of movies rated PG-13 feature some form of tobacco use, while 50 percent of G and PG rated films depict smoking, said Stanton Glantz, co-author of the study, which examined 775 U.S. movies over the past five years.

"No one is saying there should never be any smoking in the movies," Glantz, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said Tuesday at a press conference at Hollywood High School. "What we're simply asking for is that smoking be treated by Hollywood as seriously as it treats offensive language."

He'd like to see more PG-13 movies that feature smoking — like "Matchstick Men," "Seabiscuit" and the Oscar-winning "Chicago" — get slapped with an R rating.

Since R-rated films typically earn less money because they are not open to most teenagers, Glantz said he hoped such a policy would discourage filmmakers from depicting unnecessary smoking, such as the nicotine-addicted worm aliens in "Men in Black."

The proposal includes an exception for historical figures who actually smoked as part of their public life, Glantz added. "For example, if they wanted to make a movie about Winston Churchill, they could show him with a cigar without triggering an R-rating, but the number of movies where that actually happens is very small."

The study was funded by the charitable foundation The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and the National Cancer Institute (news - web sites).

Glantz singled out The Walt Disney Co. for smoking in the PG-rated "Holes" and G-rated "102 Dalmatians," Time Warner for its PG "Secondhand Lions" and "What a Girl Wants" and Sony Pictures Entertainment for its PG "Master of Disguise."

Sony spokesman Steve Elzer said: "We are aware of the health hazards posed by smoking and while we do not advocate our filmmakers to use smoking in our films, we can not endorse guidelines that promote censorship or restrict creative freedom,"

Disney declined to comment, and Time Warner did not immediately return a call for comment.

The Motion Picture Association of America, which rates films, refused to comment directly on whether it would consider changing its ratings system.

But the group denied that its studio members were trying to promote cigarettes.

"We are not in the business of advertising," read a statement from Vans Stevenson, senior vice president of the MPAA. "We are in the enterprise of creative storytelling. All elements in motion picture storytelling are determined by the creative artists involved."

_______________________

What do you guys think? I'll post my opinion later when I give it more thought.

EricIdlefan · 03-10-2004, 12:50 AM

What about films promoting drinking and drugs?? They are much more worse than smoking!! No they shouldn't have films that do that be R but that is the most riduculous thing ever has been heard!!

Mijada · 03-10-2004, 11:14 AM

No. Maybe PG-13 but not R.

EricIdlefan · 03-10-2004, 11:46 AM

Yeah more like PG-13!! Good ideal!!

Ewan's My Man · 03-10-2004, 04:37 PM

That's dumb, people are subjected to smokers daily...stupid....

We're too prude...

TJL · 03-10-2004, 06:03 PM

I know when I saw those tiny aliens smoking in "Men In Black" I knew I wanted to go right out and light up.

I see no problem limiting smoking in G or PG films where more youngsters might watch, but leave the R rated flicks alone.

After all, only adults are allowed to view R rated movies.

Right?

Mr. Television · 03-10-2004, 06:36 PM

Thats stupid. Are they going to give all the Hollywood movies of the 30's and 40's an R rating because someone in the picture smokes?

Dutabi84 · 03-11-2004, 03:17 AM

Might as well make it illegal for kids to be in public or make it illegal to smoke in public with that logic.

EricIdlefan · 03-11-2004, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dutabi84
Might as well make it illegal for kids to be in public or make it illegal to smoke in public with that logic.

Not just smoke but drinking and drugs are much more dangerous.

Kazza · 03-12-2004, 02:34 AM

They smoked on I Love Lucy and it was a family show that it's still around. I think that's stupid! Kids these days are more aware of what I was aware when I was a kid. I had my dad smoking around me and seen people smoke all the time and never had smoked myself. There are worse things to worry about than that

Eddie Haskell · 03-12-2004, 02:34 AM

Should be rated "S" for smoking. This freakin' world has become way too politically correct. And you know what? It isn't working......people are still screwing things up. It isn't so much TV and the movies fault as it is parents that don't take the time to teach their kids the right things in life. IMO

Janice · 03-12-2004, 02:57 AM

PG-13 maybe, but I don't think a movie should get hit with an R rating simply because of smoking. Imagine a 15 year old needing to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to see Seabiscuit or Chicago.

Eddie Haskell · 03-12-2004, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Janice
Imagine a 15 year old needing to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to see Seabiscuit or Chicago.

I hear Seabiscuit was up to a pack a day when he quit running.

Janice · 03-12-2004, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eddie Haskell
I hear Seabiscuit was up to a pack a day when he quit running.

Now that's funny.

Ewan's My Man · 03-13-2004, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dutabi84
Might as well make it illegal for kids to be in public or make it illegal to smoke in public with that logic.

Yea, I agree, and some with I dunno who mentioned it but movies that involve drinking kids shouldn't see...well...I've been seeing my parents have drinks since I was...little.

The way I see it, and I'm treading on soft grounds here, but parents can't blame a movie for a kids use of cigarettes. My ex-uncle smoked when I was growing up, I've seen movies with smoking in it since I was little, my favorite actor smokes, most of my older relatives have smoked. But my parents (who have NEVER touched a cigarette) have taught me that it's wrong. So I don't do it. My "grandmother" just DIED of lung cancer. I KNOW not to smoke, but just b/c they're doing it in movies, doesn't mean that I'm gonna go out and light up. I mean, come on, just b/c they cut it out of movies doesn't mean that kids are going to STOP. And the peer pressure factor is a lot higher then seeing it going on in movies. I think that kinda goes back to the whole "jumping off a bridge thing". If you see someone in a movie jump off a bridge, it's very unlikely that everyone's gonna flock to the nearest bridge. An R rating for a movie with smoking is ridiculous. Maybe minimize it, or have those "truth" signs in the background. But people know what smoking is at an early age. I knew what it was years before I even knew what cussing was. I mean, come on, on ONE hand they have a movie with a smoker in it, on the OTHER hand they have a movie with pushing-it sex scenes and lots of cussing. I think that's insane to give the cigarette one an R rating and a sex scene one getting by with a PG-13 rating. Usually in movies, it's usually adults smoking, and ya know, they're the legal age, they're not breaking any laws, they are smoking and are old enough...sure it shows them smoking, but at least they're of age. Movies that have teenagers smoking, usually say that on rating (the words under the rating that say why it's rated that) Parents should be the ones who decide based on their children's maturity if they can see that then. Not Hollywood. And many teens CAN'T get into R rated movies. If they rate movies with cigarettes in them R, their profit isn't gonna be too great.

Ok, my fingers hurt and I doubt anyone is actually gonna sit there and read this long rant so I'm going to shut up now.

03-09-2004, 09:42 PM	#1
Brian Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Jun 23, 2001 Posts: 20,451	Should movies be given an R rating if a character in it smokes? http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...wood_smoking_7 LOS ANGELES - If Nicolas Cage (news) lights a cigarette in a movie, Hollywood's ratings board should respond as if he used a profanity, according to authors of a new study that criticizes glamorous images of smoking in movies rated for children under 17. Nearly 80 percent of movies rated PG-13 feature some form of tobacco use, while 50 percent of G and PG rated films depict smoking, said Stanton Glantz, co-author of the study, which examined 775 U.S. movies over the past five years. "No one is saying there should never be any smoking in the movies," Glantz, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said Tuesday at a press conference at Hollywood High School. "What we're simply asking for is that smoking be treated by Hollywood as seriously as it treats offensive language." He'd like to see more PG-13 movies that feature smoking — like "Matchstick Men," "Seabiscuit" and the Oscar-winning "Chicago" — get slapped with an R rating. Since R-rated films typically earn less money because they are not open to most teenagers, Glantz said he hoped such a policy would discourage filmmakers from depicting unnecessary smoking, such as the nicotine-addicted worm aliens in "Men in Black." The proposal includes an exception for historical figures who actually smoked as part of their public life, Glantz added. "For example, if they wanted to make a movie about Winston Churchill, they could show him with a cigar without triggering an R-rating, but the number of movies where that actually happens is very small." The study was funded by the charitable foundation The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and the National Cancer Institute (news - web sites). Glantz singled out The Walt Disney Co. for smoking in the PG-rated "Holes" and G-rated "102 Dalmatians," Time Warner for its PG "Secondhand Lions" and "What a Girl Wants" and Sony Pictures Entertainment for its PG "Master of Disguise." Sony spokesman Steve Elzer said: "We are aware of the health hazards posed by smoking and while we do not advocate our filmmakers to use smoking in our films, we can not endorse guidelines that promote censorship or restrict creative freedom," Disney declined to comment, and Time Warner did not immediately return a call for comment. The Motion Picture Association of America, which rates films, refused to comment directly on whether it would consider changing its ratings system. But the group denied that its studio members were trying to promote cigarettes. "We are not in the business of advertising," read a statement from Vans Stevenson, senior vice president of the MPAA. "We are in the enterprise of creative storytelling. All elements in motion picture storytelling are determined by the creative artists involved." _______________________ What do you guys think? I'll post my opinion later when I give it more thought.

03-10-2004, 12:50 AM	#2
EricIdlefan USA 250th! Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 12, 2003 Location: East TN Posts: 68,236	What about films promoting drinking and drugs?? They are much more worse than smoking!! No they shouldn't have films that do that be R but that is the most riduculous thing ever has been heard!!
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03-10-2004, 04:37 PM	#5
Ewan's My Man I'll Cover You Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 29, 2001 Location: Beneath the opera house... Posts: 5,682	That's dumb, people are subjected to smokers daily...stupid.... We're too prude...
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03-10-2004, 06:03 PM	#6
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	I know when I saw those tiny aliens smoking in "Men In Black" I knew I wanted to go right out and light up. I see no problem limiting smoking in G or PG films where more youngsters might watch, but leave the R rated flicks alone. After all, only adults are allowed to view R rated movies. Right?
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03-10-2004, 06:36 PM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Thats stupid. Are they going to give all the Hollywood movies of the 30's and 40's an R rating because someone in the picture smokes?
	__________________ Sonny

03-10-2004, 11:14 AM	#3
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	No. Maybe PG-13 but not R.

03-10-2004, 11:46 AM	#4
EricIdlefan USA 250th! Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 12, 2003 Location: East TN Posts: 68,236	Yeah more like PG-13!! Good ideal!!

03-11-2004, 03:17 AM	#8
Dutabi84 kittens must die Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 22, 2003 Location: MN/TX Posts: 11,026	Might as well make it illegal for kids to be in public or make it illegal to smoke in public with that logic.

03-12-2004, 02:34 AM	#10
Kazza Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 17, 2003 Posts: 3,244	They smoked on I Love Lucy and it was a family show that it's still around. I think that's stupid! Kids these days are more aware of what I was aware when I was a kid. I had my dad smoking around me and seen people smoke all the time and never had smoked myself. There are worse things to worry about than that

03-12-2004, 02:34 AM	#11
Eddie Haskell Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 11, 2002 Location: Mayfield Posts: 645	Should be rated "S" for smoking. This freakin' world has become way too politically correct. And you know what? It isn't working......people are still screwing things up. It isn't so much TV and the movies fault as it is parents that don't take the time to teach their kids the right things in life. IMO
	__________________ "That's a lovely sweater, Mrs. Cleaver"

03-12-2004, 02:57 AM	#12
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	PG-13 maybe, but I don't think a movie should get hit with an R rating simply because of smoking. Imagine a 15 year old needing to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to see Seabiscuit or Chicago.