Disney-branded films to ban depictions of smoking

[Achilles]

Link

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. on Wednesday became the first major Hollywood studio to ban depictions of smoking, saying there would be no smoking in its family-oriented, Disney-branded films and it would "discourage" it in films distributed by its Touchstone and Miramax labels.

[Prime]

Good for them.

[tk102]

I can't remember which movies, but I remember hearing how Disney used to use the Buena Vista brand name to distance themselves from film content that wasn't family-friendly (or films they thought would flop). But I see now they have recently announced plans to drop that brand in an effort to simplify its corporate identity. They still have Miramax and Touchstone though.

link

[John Galt]

Its their choice. I dislike censorship, but it is, in the end, the corporation's decision.

[Achilles]

I can't remember which movies, but I remember hearing how Disney used to use the Buena Vista brand name to distance themselves from film content that wasn't family-friendly (or films they thought would flop). But I see now they have recently announced plans to drop that brand in an effort to simplify its corporate identity. They still have Miramax and Touchstone though.

link

It'll be interesting to see what impact this has for miramax. Before all the major production companies had independent subsidiaries, miramax was seen as the flagship for fringe.

[Jae Onasi]

Since Disney caters to families, this decision makes sense from a business point of view. I wouldn't take my kids to movies where all, or at least the most popular, characters are smoking. It just doesn't set a good example and isn't consistent with the message we're trying to promote at home that smoking is not good for us. If enough people feel the same way we do, Disney might lose money on any films that include smoking. So it's better to just avoid smoking in films in order to maximize the audience size.

[tk102]

It'll be interesting to see what impact this has for miramax. Before all the major production companies had independent subsidiaries, miramax was seen as the flagship for fringe.

I wouldn't think Miramax or Touchstone would be affected but rather just the movies "branded" as Disney.

 

 

I am so yoinking this image. New avatar in the future *yoinks and sneaks away * ~ Cz

[Achilles]

I wouldn't think Miramax or Touchstone would be affected but rather just the movies "branded" as Disney.

The article said "strongly discouraged" but who knows what that means.

[Samnmax221]

But when can I have a non-pirated copy of Song of the South?

[Web Rider]

Its their choice. I dislike censorship, but it is, in the end, the corporation's decision.

 

but is it REALLY censorship? They're not stopping anyone who isn't working for them from watching movies with smoking, they aren't stopping their employees from smoking(save for company property to my knowledge), and they're not saying that they won't have all their movies lack smoking, only that they're going to strongly discourage it.

 

As an artist, I'm all too familiar with censorship and it's efforts.

 

They're not censoring us, we can still choose to watch movies with smoking. They're not censoring theaters, theaters can still make movies with smoking. They're not stopping people from smoking.

 

All they're doing is saying their movies are going to be smoking free, or near to it. Disney is, and probly will never be more than a family company, and families today are saying smoking is bad, so Disney is just doing what it takes to stay in business.

 

Besides, unless a movie revolves around how bad, or good, smoking is, it's usually only there to make somebody look "cool" or show they have a bad addiction, or at least, just a random shot of somebody smoking.

[MdKnightR]

On one hand, I feel that it is their movies, their decision. On the other hand, I think its asinine. Considering that Disney extends insurance coverage to gay couples, I'm sure that they wouldn't think twice about doing a movie about a child with 2 mommies. Not that I personally think that would be a bad thing, its just that I'd think that smoking is still more socially acceptable to mainstream America than Gay/Lesbian issues.

[Totenkopf]

Well, I guess miramax could always increase the amount of sex, violence and profanity in their films.

[HerbieZ]

I think this will hit Miramax the hardest. Although looking at the thread title, i briefly got an image of Mickey lighting one up.

[Dagobahn Eagle]

I say let them smoke.

Considering that Disney extends insurance coverage to gay couples, I'm sure that they wouldn't think twice about doing a movie about a child with 2 mommies. Not that I personally think that would be a bad thing, its just that I'd think that smoking is still more socially acceptable to mainstream America than Gay/Lesbian issues.

Gay adoption does not cause lung cancer.

[Jae Onasi]

I say let them smoke.

Sure, and I'll just avoid taking my kids to those movies. I don't want them to get the idea that smoking is cool. They'll get enough of that from friends.

 

Gay adoption does not cause lung cancer.

Source please?

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding.....

[MdKnightR]

I say let them smoke.

Gay adoption does not cause lung cancer.

 

No, but a grand portion of our mainstream society still thinks that it is detrimental to a child's mental development. And you can't get lung cancer from watching people smoke on the big screen.

[Emperor Devon]

That's great. Children's movies don't need to be broadcasting the message that smoking is okay.

 

No, but a grand portion of our mainstream society still thinks that it is detrimental to a child's mental development.

 

That grand portion also thought Bush would be a decent President.

 

And you can't get lung cancer from watching people smoke on the big screen.

 

It's the image they're projecting to kids. It's quite easy for them to assume that smoking is a cool habit if they see people (or cartoon characters) they idolize doing it.

[MdKnightR]

It's the image they're projecting to kids. It's quite easy for them to assume that smoking is a cool habit if they see people (or cartoon characters) they idolize doing it.

 

Maybe we should also ban Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Roadrunner, and Wyle E Coyote due to the violence depicted in those cartoons. Perhaps we need to ban Bugs anyway because its obvious that the carrot he is always chewing on is just a metaphor for a cigar. We wouldn't want our kids idolizing such things now would we? [/sarcasm]

[Web Rider]

Maybe we should also ban Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Roadrunner, and Wyle E Coyote due to the violence depicted in those cartoons. Perhaps we need to ban Bugs anyway because its obvious that the carrot he is always chewing on is just a metaphor for a cigar. We wouldn't want our kids idolizing such things now would we? [/sarcasm]

 

And there ARE plenty of arguments against it, and thats one reason why alot of it has been moved to CN's Boomerang, a channel listed only on paid-for and easily blockable subscriptions.

 

But then, nobody cares if a kid picks up a carrot and fakes like it's a cigar. Nobody cares if somebody picks up a peice of celery and acts like it's a cigarette. Because in the end, it's STILL celery or a carrot, not an actual cigar or cigarette, and by the time they make the connection, they'll be old enough to know better.

 

In short, it won't instill in them at a young age, the desire for cigars or cigarettes.

[tk102]

Ah yes, and this brings us back to the age-old conundrum:

 

How can we encourage the eating of carrots and celery without accidentally promoting smoking?

 

Or the eating of bananas without accidentally promoting ..snip..

 

Naughty tk.... --Jae

 

 

****

Edit: What are we debating here?

[MdKnightR]

And there ARE plenty of arguments against it, and thats one reason why alot of it has been moved to CN's Boomerang, a channel listed only on paid-for and easily blockable subscriptions.

 

But then, nobody cares if a kid picks up a carrot and fakes like it's a cigar. Nobody cares if somebody picks up a peice of celery and acts like it's a cigarette. Because in the end, it's STILL celery or a carrot, not an actual cigar or cigarette, and by the time they make the connection, they'll be old enough to know better.

 

In short, it won't instill in them at a young age, the desire for cigars or cigarettes.

 

Ah, but what about the violence? I think that, overall, seeing a character smoking in a movie makes far less of an impact than seeing a character murder, maim, or otherwise abuse another character on screen. Or how about sex? Seems to me that far more youngsters are impacted by that in film and television than both violence and smoking combined. At least that is what I've experienced as a high school teacher. If we're going to ban all things harmful....LET'S GET SERIOUS!!!

[JediKnight707]

I've got a universal message to all people who think that kids/teenagers smoke "because it's cool." SO NOT TRUE! Trust me, I am a teenager. And while I have been stupid enough to do some things I regret (like cigarettes), it's never because I thought it was "cool" or because I thought that I'd get popular for doing it and it wasn't peer pressure. It was merely another thing to try, another expierence. I can't say that I particulary enjoyed smoking, so I don't do it. But, I sure wasn't influenced by actors or movies or it's "coolness." [/off topic]

 

To get to the actual banning of it, I really don't care. It certainly won't make me not want to smoke more then I already don't (if that made any kind of sense).

[Pho3nix]

Sure, and I'll just avoid taking my kids to those movies. I don't want them to get the idea that smoking is cool. They'll get enough of that from friends.

 

I highly doubt that your, or any other children would get the idea that smoking is 'cool' just by watching a Disney movie. I'm sure they would be more concentrated on what else is happening in the movie with all the action and what not. I think you're overreacting a bit. But It's your choice and your kids, I'm just giving my opinion.

[tk102]

I don't know Pho3nix, Jack Sparrow -- sorry Captain Jack Sparrow -- was a pretty cool character. If he lit up a pipe or something every chance he got, maybe had a sword fight while smoking, delivered clever lines with a puff, that imagery would sink in.