Disney bans smoking

[Stout]

Not the same at all but I get what your trying to say. Again this is much ado about nothing. People are confusing the philosophical or political side of things with the end result which will not impact the movie itself. Again, this will have zero impact on the movie itself. The quality of film in no way is impacted by a character picking up a cigarette or not picking up a cigarette.

If a film hinged on the characterization of smoking then chances are it sucked to begin with. Banning smoking impacting a movie? Get real. I would hardly classify that as watering a movie down. Is the impact over hyped? Probably. It's not like you can look to film to educate your kids. However, being a parent, I will take what little impact this might have of de-cooling the act.

It's a snowball effect, a slippery slope. Why stop at smoking? Why not drinking too? Who needs adultery in films either. Heck, why not show kids abstinence by banning sex and provocative scenes from movies. Where do you stop?

Plus, what censors get to blow the morality horn and stop depicting a part of real life in a film. I don't care how little or how much it impacts the movie...it's censorship, and it's wrong.

 

[Chaplin]

I think a better policy to curb the use of smoking in movies isn't to ban it altogether, it should be more of a "if you can avoid it, then do so. If not, then try to temper it," at least it would be more of a guideline than a rule.

But I agree, this is a form of censorship--but if Disney is paying for the movie to be made, it has the right to censure it's product. What is interesting is how Miramax will approach this--it might send waves through their acquisitions department, assuming they do acquisitions anymore--without the Weinsteins, it might turn into a Touchstone or Buena Vista--divisions of the company solely there for distribution purposes.

 

[Covert Rain]

It's a snowball effect, a slippery slope. Why stop at smoking? Why not drinking too? Who needs adultery in films either. Heck, why not show kids abstinence by banning sex and provocative scenes from movies. Where do you stop?

Plus, what censors get to blow the morality horn and stop depicting a part of real life in a film. I don't care how little or how much it impacts the movie...it's censorship, and it's wrong.

I think that's over blowing it a tad. We are not talking about all the major studios doing this. We are talking about a film company in Disney that is synonymous with family entertainment.

I think a better policy to curb the use of smoking in movies isn't to ban it altogether, it should be more of a "if you can avoid it, then do so. If not, then try to temper it," at least it would be more of a guideline than a rule.

But I agree, this is a form of censorship--but if Disney is paying for the movie to be made, it has the right to censure it's product. What is interesting is how Miramax will approach this--it might send waves through their acquisitions department, assuming they do acquisitions anymore--without the Weinsteins, it might turn into a Touchstone or Buena Vista--divisions of the company solely there for distribution purposes.

I agree with that statement. Besides, as many time as I have seen studios hack scripts, do unnecessary rewrites of good material, higher questionable talent (actors, directors, writers) only to end up with a sub par movie......taking out a scene of someone smoking seems inconsequential to me. At the end of the day what matters to me is what's on the screen. This decision isn't going to change that.

 

[Rivercard]

From an adult view I could care less about this. It won't impact my enjoyment of a movie one way or another. It's not like the act of smoking makes or breaks a film. From a parental point of view, anything that de-cools the act of smoking gets a thumbs up from me.

I am a parent, but I find the sanitization of art forms rather disturbing. Hopefully the more films get sanitized the more they will bomb at the box office.

 

[SunsTzu]

Is Disney going to alter all their films to replace cigarettes with kazoos the way Spielberg replaced guns with flashlights?

 

[BigRedRage]

Man...I had hoped this was about at Disneyland (I think it is banned there, but people smoke anyway).

But this is kind of dumb, and I'm not a fan of smoking.

I smoke by the bathrooms at disneyworld.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

The key was them stating this is a unique problem..there is a reason they can make a "unique" stand on smoking and it has to with product placement.

 

[Pariah]

How about Touchstone and Miramax, BIM? At this point, they'll only be discouraged. What happens when they're banned? This is idiotic.

"banned?" It's not as if there's someone outside of Disney telling disney what to do. If they don't want smoking in their movies, that's their business. Not yours. Not mine. Disney's.

 

[Stout]

"banned?" It's not as if there's someone outside of Disney telling disney what to do. If they don't want smoking in their movies, that's their business. Not yours. Not mine. Disney's.

Miramax and Touchstone, who make a lot of more adult films than Disney itself, would in essence have wussified, watered down films. People can use the rallying cry that it wouldn't impact the movie, but I think it's an absolute travesty. Censorship, even if only self-censorship, and I do not like it one bit. I mean, I honestly don't know how you can't be disturbed by this. It's a slippery slope, and pretty soon movies could become nothing more than politically correct crap. That's what this is about. Let's preach morality in the movie theater, and let's all be politically correct and sensitive. Blech. Another bit of American weakness.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Miramax and Touchstone, who make a lot of more adult films than Disney itself, would in essence have wussified, watered down films. People can use the rallying cry that it wouldn't impact the movie, but I think it's an absolute travesty. Censorship, even if only self-censorship, and I do not like it one bit. I mean, I honestly don't know how you can't be disturbed by this. It's a slippery slope, and pretty soon movies could become nothing more than politically correct crap. That's what this is about. Let's preach morality in the movie theater, and let's all be politically correct and sensitive. Blech. Another bit of American weakness.

I completely disagree with you.

 

[Pariah]

Censorship, even if only self-censorship, and I do not like it one bit. I mean, I honestly don't know how you can't be disturbed by this.

By definition, self-censorship is an oxymoron. Disney is NOT being censored.

What would be a slippery-slope is if disney was no longer allowed to make independent business decisions.

If people don't like films without smoking (which to me seems silly--what do I care if someone smokes in a movie or not?), then people will go see them less, Disney will make less money, and the market will influence their ultimate decision to keep the policy or abandon it.

 

[Rivercard]

Ironically I watched "Thank You For Smoking" last night. Brilliant film.

 

[Rivercard]

By definition, self-censorship is an oxymoron. Disney is NOT being censored.

What would be a slippery-slope is if disney was no longer allowed to make independent business decisions.

If people don't like films without smoking (which to me seems silly--what do I care if someone smokes in a movie or not?), then people will go see them less, Disney will make less money, and the market will influence their ultimate decision to keep the policy or abandon it.

There are a few things called artistic integrity and artistic license. Filmmakers being handcuffed doesn't bode well for that. What if this policy lights up across the industry to other studios?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

There are a few things called artistic integrity and artistic license. Filmmakers being handcuffed doesn't bode well for that. What if this policy lights up across the industry to other studios?

It's still a self-imposed policy that can be changed at any time.

 

[Rivercard]

It's still a self-imposed policy that can be changed at any time.

And that makes it better how?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

And that makes it better how?

Because it is different than censorship.

 

[Rivercard]

Because it is different than censorship.

Maybe. But the effect is the same.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Maybe. But the effect is the same.

Possibly. I don't expect the ripple effect on this one though.

 

[Rivercard]

Possibly. I don't expect the ripple effect on this one though.

The much awaited film "Lord Of The Smoke Rings" has already been cancelled.



(that was a joke..... ha ha)

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The much awaited film "Lord Of The Smoke Rings" has already been cancelled.



(that was a joke..... ha ha)

On the brightside, we won't see Die Hard: With Lung Cancer.

 

[Mulli]

On the brightside, we won't see Die Hard: With Lung Cancer.

hah, 3/5

 

[D-Dogg]

It's a snowball effect, a slippery slope. Why stop at smoking? Why not drinking too? Who needs adultery in films either. Heck, why not show kids abstinence by banning sex and provocative scenes from movies. Where do you stop?

Plus, what censors get to blow the morality horn and stop depicting a part of real life in a film. I don't care how little or how much it impacts the movie...it's censorship, and it's wrong.

It really doesn't matter what Disney wants to do with ITS OWN FILMS. If they want to ban all of that, then it is their decision to. There's probably a market for it.

There is no governmental group coming in and saying they can't do it; it's an internal business decision.

And sinces there is a market for movies with all the above in them and if disney stopped having that kind of stuff, then the other studios would see increased revenue by showing that stuff.

It's actually the way America works, not one of its weaknesses. You vote with your wallet on corporate decisions. Until the government steps in and starts dictating how art should be created, there is no problem at all if one studio wants to be uber-conservative or another wants to create porn or realistic gore/fake snuff films as long as no laws are broken.

 

[Pariah]

There are a few things called artistic integrity and artistic license. Filmmakers being handcuffed doesn't bode well for that. What if this policy lights up across the industry to other studios?

DISNEY is exercising it's "artistic license." They're an entity just as important as the director or actor. If the "filmmaker" doesn't like it, don't sign on with Disney.

 

[Pariah]

And, for the record, I don't really care for the decision--I just think the decision calls for people to get up in arms. It's a business decision--Disney's reputation is that of wholesomeness, and smoking doesn't fit it.

 

[abomb]

It's a business decision--Disney's reputation is that of wholesomeness, and smoking doesn't fit it.

Yeah, sure.

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