MPAA Adds Smoking As Film-Rating Factor - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Xazy · 05-11-2007, 08:33 AM

I saw a few articles that mention how smoking will be used as part of the factors to determine the movie ratings. Personally I think while smoking is bad, that this is a step to much and really does not belong in the ratings system.

Article

Quote:

Smoking will be a bigger factor in determining film ratings, the Motion Picture Association of America said Thursday, but critics said the move does not go far enough to discourage teens from taking up the habit.

MPAA Chairman Dan Glickman said his group's ratings board, which previously had considered underage smoking in assigning film ratings, now will take into account smoking by adults, as well.

That adds smoking to a list of such factors as sex, violence and language in determining the MPAA's G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17 ratings.

Film raters will consider the pervasiveness of tobacco use, whether it glamorizes smoking and the context in which smoking appears, as in movies set in the past when smoking was more common.

Some critics of Hollywood's depictions of tobacco in films have urged that movies that show smoking be assigned an R rating, which would restrict those younger than 17 from seeing them.

"I'm glad it's finally an issue they're taking up, but what they're proposing does not go far enough and is not going to make a difference," said Kori Titus, spokeswoman for Breathe California, which opposes film images of tobacco use that might encourage young people to start smoking.

Glickman said a mandatory R rating for smoking would not "further the specific goal of providing information to parents on this issue."

Smoking in movies with a G, PG or PG-13 rating has been on the decline, and the "percentage of films that included even a fleeting glimpse of smoking" declined from 60 percent to 52 percent between July 2004 and July 2006," Glickman said.

Of those films, three-fourths received an R rating for other reasons, he said.

"That means there's not a great amount of films in the unrestricted category as it stands," said Joan Graves, who heads the ratings board. "We're not saying we're ignoring the issue. We're trying the best way possible according to what we've learned from parents to give them information about what's in a film."

Titus said smoking in films had declined in recent years but remains more prevalent than MPAA figures indicate.

Descriptions on sex, violence and language that accompany movie ratings now will include such phrases as "glamorized smoking" or "pervasive smoking," Glickman said.

If rated today, a film such as 2005's "Good Night, and Good Luck," about chain-smoking newsman Edward R. Murrow, would have carried a "pervasive smoking" tag but probably would have retained its PG rating because of its historical context in the 1950s, Graves said.

Titus said film raters should be as tough on smoking as they are on bad language to minimize the effects of on-screen smoking on children, including her own 5-year-old daughter.

"I don't want her using that language, but last time I checked, she's probably not going to die from that," Titus said. "If she starts smoking from these images she sees in movies, chances are she's probably going to die early from that."

While Titus' group wants tougher ratings restrictions, the MPAA released statements of support for its plan from John Seffrin, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden and filmmaker Rob Reiner, among others.

"By placing smoking on a par with considerations of violence and sex, the rating board has acknowledged the public-health dangers to children associated with glamorized images of a toxic and lethal addiction to tobacco," Barry Bloom, dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, said in a statement.

MexicanOnABike · 05-11-2007, 09:03 AM

dammit. I don't smoke but if it adds to the scene or characters, then it needs to be there weather or not its intended for kids. My parents taught me why i should never smoke so I never even tried. Why can't other parents do the same?! I say they Start doing the same as video game ratings. ESRB rating does a general rating and then explains why in the same 1inch x 1inch box on the product. http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp
all they could do is say:

Quote:

PG
some violence
smoking
adult themes

oh well, I guess i just don't see the big deal. I'd be more worried about the kids trying to imitate the hero shooting everyone(school shootings) than imitating the hero smoking a cigarette.

BadNick · 05-11-2007, 09:23 AM

Seems MPAA is getting as bad as our government as far as legislating/meddling in my life. Maybe in another generation or so, the term "smokers" applied to a movie will mean a whole different thing than it did to me.

fnaqzna · 05-11-2007, 10:12 AM

I really have no faith whatsoever in the MPAA rating system.

They're ratings seem capricious and arbitrary. Worthless.

mixedmedia · 05-11-2007, 10:30 AM

I heard this this morning...it's frigging ridiculous. But then, the MPAA is not known for their resistance to inexplicable lunacy.

Jinn · 05-11-2007, 11:35 AM

Who cares about the rights of children, anyway?

As adults, this doesn't effect us at all. Children's rights get trampled all the time, like the first amendment right in government funded public schools..

JumpinJesus · 05-11-2007, 12:04 PM

Meredith Vieira on the Today show this morning said something like, "I don't even understand why anyone would smoke in a movie that isn't rated R. I just don't."

Shut the fuck up, Meredith. Your greatest contribution to our culture is laughing at Star Jones' stupid jokes and wondering where in the world Matt Lauer is today.

It's nice to know that there are limits to freedom though. I just wish someone would pass out a sliding scale card so we could adjust our freedoms on a daily basis - kind of like the weather report. "Today's Freedom is Aqua. Remember, Aqua means no bad words within 500 feet of a church."

MexicanOnABike · 05-11-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JinnKai

Who cares about the rights of children, anyway?
As adults, this doesn't effect us at all....

If i want to show a movie to my kids(don't have any yet), I'd like to be able to rely on rating. Why should they miss out on a great G or PG or even PG-13 movie that's been rated higher just because theres someone smoking in there?! when will burgers start affecting the rating? "we see someone eating fast food. thats an R rating"

Jinn · 05-11-2007, 12:18 PM

Because they're children and we take away all sorts of rights for their "protection."

They're just children, after all.

MexicanOnABike · 05-11-2007, 01:27 PM

I hear you. I'd rather know it's PG but possibly R because of something like a cigarette. that way i can decide if i want someone younger to see it. right now, the rating is too vague. R can mean many things. if the only reason is something like nudity or cigarette smoking, then I would like to know. I still say the MPAA rating should be just like the ESRB.

fnaqzna · 05-11-2007, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MexicanOnABike

If i want to show a movie to my kids(don't have any yet), I'd like to be able to rely on rating. Why should they miss out on a great G or PG or even PG-13 movie that's been rated higher just because theres someone smoking in there?! when will burgers start affecting the rating? "we see someone eating fast food. thats an R rating"

The ratings are unreliable. If you're worried about what your kids watch, just watch it first.

Psycho Dad · 05-11-2007, 02:16 PM

I can only recall having the urge to smoke one time after seeing it in a movie or on TV and that is when I watched The Last Boy Scout. And I was an adult then but still didn't take up smoking. But the way Bruce Willis would take a smoke any way he could get it... But I digress...

Movie ratings are a joke. As a basic guidline for parents to determine what they want their kids to see, I can see where they can be helpful to a degree, but let's not use them as a substitute for parenting.

BTW, I can watch The Sopranos without going out and wacking people. Porn movies do cause me to have erections from time to time though.

MexicanOnABike · 05-11-2007, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnaqzna

The ratings are unreliable. If you're worried about what your kids watch, just watch it first.

I know. it's just very sad to know that now some previously kid approved movies will get the R rating for a tiny unimportant detail.

Brewmaniac · 05-12-2007, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MexicanOnABike

when will burgers start affecting the rating? "we see someone eating fast food. thats an R rating"

Exactly what I was going to post!

I like the idea of ratings, but the MPAA rating system is too cumbersome, the ESRB rating system makes more sense, explaining to parents allowing them to make informed decisions. Not that many even look at the box?

Willravel · 05-12-2007, 07:13 AM

There should be no rating system.

That being said, this isn't any different than rating for drug or alcohol use, so I don't know what the big deal is. Everyone on TFP is over 18, so we can all see all ratings. In my opinion, it's a non-issue.

Psycho Dad · 05-12-2007, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

In my opinion, it's a non-issue.

For movies we all want to see. But when you consider it is just another win for the people that want to control what we see by only making what they want us to see available...

Willravel · 05-12-2007, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Dad

For movies we all want to see. But when you consider it is just another win for the people that want to control what we see by only making what they want us to see available...

What I mean is that it's no different than any of the other little things that mean some people can't see a movie because of the year they were born. Instead of fighting this little battle, I'd rather fight the war. Other than pornographic video, everyone should be able to see anything.

MexicanOnABike · 05-12-2007, 09:22 AM

the problem is that some movie makers will take out sex or violence to keep the rating low so that the most people will be able to see it. so the more we restrict everything, the dumber the movies will be. Not that I need these things but they make the movie realistic. someone smoking, seeing boobies or someone dying or swearing seems realistic to me. pretty soon, all pg or pg13 movies will be super clean and dull.

Psycho Dad · 05-12-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

I'd rather fight the war. Other than pornographic video, everyone should be able to see anything.

I agree. But I sometimes fear the war is being won by the assholes that think they know what is best for us.

Brewmaniac · 05-12-2007, 01:53 PM

What about kids?

Psycho Dad · 05-12-2007, 02:00 PM

What about them?

World's King · 05-12-2007, 02:11 PM

What about alcohol?

Kids see people drinking in movies all the time. I know for a fact that there are movies I've seen that made me wanna drink.

Brewmaniac · 05-12-2007, 02:21 PM

I like the idea of some sort of system but MPAA system is flawed and they are going too far! Some sort combination of MPAA and the ESRB might be a better solution. I would have to think long and hard to come up with the right system. I'm glad my kid is 17 and I don't have to worry about it any more!

blahblah454 · 05-12-2007, 02:45 PM

No one pays attention to the rating system so really this doesnt even matter.

Ourcrazymodern? · 05-12-2007, 05:34 PM

WARNING! This movie contains scenes of people smoking tobacco!

...and people blowing up and dying. And computer-generated things of the same. Good luck to the producers if "legislation" makes this a requirement.

guthmund · 05-14-2007, 07:25 AM

Is anyone really surprised at this?

Television and cinema have a long and storied history playing the role of propaganda machine in the country's nanny crusades. That is to say, television and cinema are the easiest ways to dissminate the appropriate message to the masses.

To be honest, considering the reletively recent loathing directed towards smokers, I thought this would have happened sooner. I mean, Nickelodeon has had its anti-fat kids campaign going for years now and I thought for sure we'd want to purge all those evil smokers before going after the disgusting fatties, right?

The hypocrisy of the MPAA and their randomness of their arbitrary ratings system has always been fairly well known. This smoking thing is just icing on the cake.

ShaniFaye · 05-14-2007, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by World's King

What about alcohol?

Kids see people drinking in movies all the time. I know for a fact that there are movies I've seen that made me wanna drink.

It really scares me that WK had the one thought I had when reading thru this (and nobody else mentioned drinking?

)

analog · 05-14-2007, 05:58 PM

Don't worry, they'll go after drinking next.

You have to brainwash the breeders a step at a time... too much at once and they might realize what kind of retarded shenanigans you're up to.

And you know what? If you rely solely on a rating to tell you what your kids should watch, that's no better than ignoring them altogether and letting them watch everything. That's lazy and ineffectual.

Watch them first if you're not sure, and make up your own mind. Stop demanding that America, the television, and Ritalin do all your parenting for you.

World's King · 05-14-2007, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaniFaye

It really scares me that WK had the one thought I had when reading thru this (and nobody else mentioned drinking?

)

It's okay.

I'm not always crazy.

05-11-2007, 10:30 AM	#5 (permalink)
mixedmedia has all her shots. Location: Florida	I heard this this morning...it's frigging ridiculous. But then, the MPAA is not known for their resistance to inexplicable lunacy. __________________ Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce

05-11-2007, 11:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	Who cares about the rights of children, anyway? As adults, this doesn't effect us at all. Children's rights get trampled all the time, like the first amendment right in government funded public schools.. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

05-11-2007, 12:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
JumpinJesus Junkie Location: Chicago	Meredith Vieira on the Today show this morning said something like, "I don't even understand why anyone would smoke in a movie that isn't rated R. I just don't." Shut the fuck up, Meredith. Your greatest contribution to our culture is laughing at Star Jones' stupid jokes and wondering where in the world Matt Lauer is today. It's nice to know that there are limits to freedom though. I just wish someone would pass out a sliding scale card so we could adjust our freedoms on a daily basis - kind of like the weather report. "Today's Freedom is Aqua. Remember, Aqua means no bad words within 500 feet of a church." __________________ "I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses

05-11-2007, 12:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	Because they're children and we take away all sorts of rights for their "protection." They're just children, after all. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

05-11-2007, 01:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
MexicanOnABike Location: up north	I hear you. I'd rather know it's PG but possibly R because of something like a cigarette. that way i can decide if i want someone younger to see it. right now, the rating is too vague. R can mean many things. if the only reason is something like nudity or cigarette smoking, then I would like to know. I still say the MPAA rating should be just like the ESRB. __________________ - Movie Reviews - Ratings-

05-11-2007, 09:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
BadNick Riding the Ocean Spray Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa	Seems MPAA is getting as bad as our government as far as legislating/meddling in my life. Maybe in another generation or so, the term "smokers" applied to a movie will mean a whole different thing than it did to me.

05-11-2007, 10:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
fnaqzna Meat Popsicle Location: Left Coast	I really have no faith whatsoever in the MPAA rating system. They're ratings seem capricious and arbitrary. Worthless.

05-11-2007, 02:16 PM	#12 (permalink)
Psycho Dad Mulletproof Location: Some nucking fut house.	I can only recall having the urge to smoke one time after seeing it in a movie or on TV and that is when I watched The Last Boy Scout. And I was an adult then but still didn't take up smoking. But the way Bruce Willis would take a smoke any way he could get it... But I digress... Movie ratings are a joke. As a basic guidline for parents to determine what they want their kids to see, I can see where they can be helpful to a degree, but let's not use them as a substitute for parenting. BTW, I can watch The Sopranos without going out and wacking people. Porn movies do cause me to have erections from time to time though. __________________ Don't always trust the opinions of experts.

05-12-2007, 07:13 AM	#15 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	There should be no rating system. That being said, this isn't any different than rating for drug or alcohol use, so I don't know what the big deal is. Everyone on TFP is over 18, so we can all see all ratings. In my opinion, it's a non-issue.

05-12-2007, 09:22 AM	#18 (permalink)
MexicanOnABike Location: up north	the problem is that some movie makers will take out sex or violence to keep the rating low so that the most people will be able to see it. so the more we restrict everything, the dumber the movies will be. Not that I need these things but they make the movie realistic. someone smoking, seeing boobies or someone dying or swearing seems realistic to me. pretty soon, all pg or pg13 movies will be super clean and dull. __________________ - Movie Reviews - Ratings-

05-12-2007, 01:53 PM	#20 (permalink)
Brewmaniac Searching for the perfect brew!	What about kids? __________________ "That's a joke... I say, that's a joke, son"

05-12-2007, 02:00 PM	#21 (permalink)
Psycho Dad Mulletproof Location: Some nucking fut house.	What about them? __________________ Don't always trust the opinions of experts.

05-12-2007, 02:11 PM	#22 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	What about alcohol? Kids see people drinking in movies all the time. I know for a fact that there are movies I've seen that made me wanna drink. __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

05-12-2007, 02:21 PM	#23 (permalink)
Brewmaniac Searching for the perfect brew!	I like the idea of some sort of system but MPAA system is flawed and they are going too far! Some sort combination of MPAA and the ESRB might be a better solution. I would have to think long and hard to come up with the right system. I'm glad my kid is 17 and I don't have to worry about it any more! __________________ "That's a joke... I say, that's a joke, son"

05-12-2007, 02:45 PM	#24 (permalink)
blahblah454 Let's put a smile on that face Location: On the road...	No one pays attention to the rating system so really this doesnt even matter.

05-12-2007, 05:34 PM	#25 (permalink)
Ourcrazymodern? still, wondering. Location: South Minneapolis, somewhere near the gorgeous gorge	WARNING! This movie contains scenes of people smoking tobacco! ...and people blowing up and dying. And computer-generated things of the same. Good luck to the producers if "legislation" makes this a requirement. __________________ BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

05-14-2007, 07:25 AM	#26 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	Is anyone really surprised at this? Television and cinema have a long and storied history playing the role of propaganda machine in the country's nanny crusades. That is to say, television and cinema are the easiest ways to dissminate the appropriate message to the masses. To be honest, considering the reletively recent loathing directed towards smokers, I thought this would have happened sooner. I mean, Nickelodeon has had its anti-fat kids campaign going for years now and I thought for sure we'd want to purge all those evil smokers before going after the disgusting fatties, right? The hypocrisy of the MPAA and their randomness of their arbitrary ratings system has always been fairly well known. This smoking thing is just icing on the cake. __________________ No signature. None. Seriously. Last edited by guthmund; 05-14-2007 at 07:36 AM..

05-14-2007, 05:58 PM	#28 (permalink)
analog Banned	Don't worry, they'll go after drinking next. You have to brainwash the breeders a step at a time... too much at once and they might realize what kind of retarded shenanigans you're up to. And you know what? If you rely solely on a rating to tell you what your kids should watch, that's no better than ignoring them altogether and letting them watch everything. That's lazy and ineffectual. Watch them first if you're not sure, and make up your own mind. Stop demanding that America, the television, and Ritalin do all your parenting for you. Last edited by analog; 05-14-2007 at 06:32 PM..