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“Where’s my damn cigarette?” - Grace Augustine, Avatar
Who knew one line in Avatar, a film with so much visual 3D eye candy and American ideology bashing would spark such outrage? Well, it has.
New York Times film critic A.O. Scott reveals the power of anti-smoking activists and their quest for R ratings on films that light-up.
Yes, I agree, it would be irresponsible to show a Disney Princess chain-smoking in emotional despair as she awaits the return of her prince. Many six year olds want to be just like a princess, but when a film with such mass appeal, like Avatar, gets flack for one line there’s a problem and it’s not the filmmaker, it’s the parents. There’s context and character development (okay, very little in Avatar) that give a line purpose. For some, health is not a number one concern. Remember a smoking Samuel Jackson as Ray in Jurassic Park when he says, “hold on to your butts” as he tries to reboot the park’s security system? Kids are drawn heroes, and although Ray was helpful and smart he was also overworked and stressed, but most importantly he wasn’t the main protagonist in the film. Naturally, I wanted to be like Dr. Ellie Sattler, of course :)
If organizations are so concerned about film’s influence on children why are they not fixated on other terrible things? As Scott points out, what about guns, trans fats, beer, Styrofoam and high-fructose corn syrup? Yeah, what about that?
I still remain of the opinion that parents should take control if they’re so concerned that such portrayals will have a negative effect on their child. Personally, I think my parents openness with film helped me realize early on that life and what happens in the movies are two very different things. A filmmaker’s job is to take the audience away on some sort of journey whether that’s more reality-based or not.
