[BeQuiet]

Today the BBC report that a guy jumped on to the new "plinth" in London city centre (this is a well publicised art installation I suppose you could call it). His aim was to publicise a call to "ban smoking", and stop movies showing smokers.
Dont think he will make much headway with getting a ban on smoking - that's a step too far for most people. But maybe us Irish could start thinking about banning movies that show smokers. Its a major (if not THE major) way that the tobacco industry creates demand worldwide. You only have to watch a movie with Nic Cage, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sharon Stone or John Travolta dragging on a ciggie to realise whats really going on. Google "Smoking by famous actors " to find out more.

Anyway- the occasional political initiative here in our little country did start something globally (even though sometimes we may not give ourselves enough credit for this ) - like the plastic bag tax.
So why not stir things up a bit by banning any movie which shows people smoking . Sounds radical right? And the film industry and the civil liberties lot would freak!... but it would get people talking about this whole issue. And the bottom line is that this causes people to start smoking, and eventually suffer and die from it.
The film and tobacco industries are in bed together for years now on this, and have been getting away with it.
Really the only way to stop them is at the state regulation level ...

[big b]

most appropriate username ever ^

[pablomakaveli]

They were on about this on Sky News a week ago when a councillor in Liverpool propsedthis idea.

Definitely one of the most ridiculous proposals i ever heard.

[toiletduck]

Originally Posted by BeQuiet

Sounds radical right?

Sure does.

So why not stir things up a bit by banning any movie which shows people smoking .

Because such a move would be moronic? People smoke/have smoked in the past. Films reflect this, just like they do with a whole host of other (what some people would see as) objectionable actions.

Why not go back, do a Speilberg and digitally get rid of fags in all movies. I look forward to Casablanca where all the cigarettes are replaced with lollipops...

[Riskymove]

Originally Posted by toiletduck

Because such a move would be moronic? People smoke/have smoked in the past. Films reflect this, just like they do with a whole host of other (what some people would see as) objectionable actions.

"Glamorise" is the relevant word here though isn't it.

I'm sure they wouldn't mind a film that showed smoking if it was about people getting cancer from it!

[WindSock]

Some of the best scenes in films have smoking in it. What the fck about artistic licensing? Do they want to ban all illegal activities in films too? Bloody idiotic.

[senordingdong]

Originally Posted by toiletduck

Why not go back, do a Speilberg and digitally get rid of fags in all movies. I look forward to Casablanca where all the cigarettes are replaced with lollipops...

Yeah, especially in twenty years when all the fatties and diabetics are trying to blame the film industry.

[toiletduck]

Originally Posted by Riskymove

I'm sure they wouldn't mind a film that showed smoking if it was about people getting cancer from it!

Perhaps Breakfast at Tiffanys could have a new ending. It would fast forward thirty or so years later with Audrey Hepburn on her death bed from cancer sticks. On blu-ray to be sure.

"Glamorise" is the relevant word here though isn't it.

I suppose, but that's not what the OP is suggesting. Off the top of my head, I can't recall any movie that glamorises smoking on its own, and not part of a wider glamorisation of a lifestyle/minset of a character(s).

[Liam Byrne]

Last time I looked, smoking wasn't illegal.

But both killing people and speeding/street-racing in souped-up cars are.....maybe we should ban those first ?

[BeQuiet]

Originally Posted by toiletduck

Perhaps Breakfast at Tiffanys could have a new ending. It would fast forward thirty or so years later with Audrey Hepburn on her death bed from cancer sticks. On blu-ray to be sure.



I suppose, but that's not what the OP is suggesting. Off the top of my head, I can't recall any movie that glamorises smoking on its own, and not part of a wider glamorisation of a lifestyle/minset of a character(s).

The tobacco industry spend millions on glamorising smoking in movies, and your reaction that you can't think of any movies that glamorise smoking is just what they would luv to hear. There are many many that do so .... not "on its own" - that would be meaningless, but as part of a lifestyle, and that is exactly what they want .

August 2008- The National Cancer Institute (NCI) released a report that reaches the US government's strongest conclusion to date that tobacco marketing and depictions of smoking in movies promote youth smoking. "There is now incontrovertible evidence that marketing of tobacco, and the depiction of smoking in the movies, promote youth smoking and can cause young people to begin smoking," said Loken, professor of marketing at the Carlson School of Management and one of the report's five scientific editors.

[BeQuiet]

Originally Posted by WindSock

Some of the best scenes in films have smoking in it. What the fck about artistic licensing? Do they want to ban all illegal activities in films too? Bloody idiotic.

Well ...am not talking about changing existing movies .... yes that would be ridiculous. Its a matter of changing attitudes of film makers when making movies so that they are not so quick to take the tobacco $$$$ dollars.
And thats all fine to talk about artistic license, but the tobacco industry have no interest in art ... they are out to make money , and they know what works.

A press release in 2001 by UK organisation ASH : “Smoking may seem less troubling than sex and violence at first sight, but smoking in films may be an incubator nurturing teenage smoking, and therefore a gateway to a long term and powerful addiction ­ which ultimately causes terrible damage. While we don't want smoking in films banned,there is a good case to upgrade the age classification to 15 if the film features smoking by aspirational role models ­such as megastar young actors.”

[Liam Byrne]

Ah, good old ASH - the voice of impartiality and reason "Smoking may seem less troubling than sex and violence at first sight"....

er.....YES, and on second sight, and third sight, etc.

Maybe the 15 classification isn't a bad idea, but then we'd have to have the same rules for films that involve sex, drinking, guns, crime....maybe even driving....you're supposed to be 16 before you do that too, and it also kills people!

Like I said, look into banning films that glamorise things that are actually illegal FIRST.

Then, bang goes "Grand Theft Auto", "Fast & Furious", etc.....oh, hang on, the GAMING industry....

Its a major (if not THE major) way that the tobacco gaming / car industry creates demand worldwide.

[BroomBurner]

Well, you can't retrospectively ban films with cigarettes in them for a start.

As for current films, I think there are two types of characters that are allowed to smoke now - the bad guy and the anti-hero. I would be up for stopping the anti-hero from smoking, because that's the one young people would want to emulate. Whether a ban on any film that has an anti-hero as a smoker would be the way forward, I'm not sure.

What they could work on though was the "glamourising" part, but then I think there are plenty of films that don't glamourise it, whether that me tobacco, or any other type of plant.

Eh, I guess if I was to actually make a point, it would be personally, I've never been influenced by someone doing something in a fictional film, so I don't think the benfits would be big enough for it to work.

[Ads by Google]

OP, no.

[darcy.jonny]

well we could also ban films with violance , sex, bad language pritty much everything thats socially unacceptable as thay are all " glammorised " going by the way of your thinking ..........

what will we end up with then ,,,,,,,,,,,, an entire movie catalogue consisting of disney and bollywood movies which would make any normal person want to light up a smoke and beat the crap out od someone