Smoking cigarettes could now get movies an ‘R’ rating

[CRAZY 'N' NUTS]

Filmmakers now might get an R rating as a thank you for smoking.
The Motion Picture Assn. of America (MPAA) said Thursday that its rating board will consider film depictions of smoking among the criteria for assigning movie ratings. Anti-tobacco activists have been pressing for an automatic R rating for films with smoking scenes, but MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman rejected the proposal for a more nuanced approach.

“The MPAA film rating system has existed for nearly 40 years as an educational tool for parents to assist them in making decisions about what movies are appropriate for their children,” Glickman said. “It is a system that is designed to evolve alongside modern parental concerns.”

In line with that evolution, the MPAA ratings board “will now consider smoking as a factor among many other factors, including violence, sexual situations and language, in the rating of films,” he said.

“Clearly, smoking is increasingly an unacceptable behavior in our society,” Glickman said. “There is broad awareness of smoking as a unique public health concern due to nicotine’s highly addictive nature, and no parent wants their child to take up the habit. The appropriate response of the rating system is to give more information to parents on this issue.”

Glickman described the move as an extension of the MPAA’s practice of factoring underage smoking into the rating of films. The ratings board will ask three questions, he said:

- Is the smoking pervasive?

- Does the film glamorize smoking?

- Is there a historic or other mitigating context?

Also, when a film’s rating is affected by the depiction of smoking, the rating will include such phrases as “glamorized smoking” or “pervasive smoking.”

“Some have called for a mandatory R rating on all films that contain any smoking,” Glickman said. “We do not believe such a step would further the specific goal of providing information to parents on this issue. Unfortunately, the debate on this extreme proposal has become heavily politicized, and many inaccurate statements have been made. While those pushing this proposal are no doubt well-intentioned, it is important that there is an accurate understanding of the declining prevalence of smoking in non-R-rated films.”

Smoking Cigarettes Now Gets Movies an ‘R’ Rating (smoke)

[buttmunch]

Yet violence in films continues unabated.

[Anne2007]

^^Not to mention excessive swearing in some. I started to watch an Eddie Murphy movie once, but after hearing the f word 16 time in the frist 2 minutes I switched off. Give me some semblance of a decent script.

I have never smoked but I couldn't imaging Grease without Sandy smoking at the end. It was integral to the plot.

Some movies are a reflection of the attitudes and morals in our society. In the real world people smoke. I think if you ask kids why they smoke it isn't because of some old person (yes to a 12 year old, 23 is ancient) smokes in a movie.

[sputnik]

oh give me a fucking break!!!
when will this trend of über-political correctness end????? it's already silly enough that smoking is confined to bad buys and/or europeans in most hollywood films... what next, an x-rating if it features both smoking and drinking? what about smoking after sex? that's a double-whammy there.

[MrsDark]

Hmm. If they're looking to take away something that's truly harmful to the kiddies, that almost every single one of them indulges in at one point (and a good many on a regular basis), and is also killing more people slowly than cigarettes and illicit drugs put togeher, how about giving an X rating to any film (and banning on TV any scene) where they're chowing down on McDonald's/other greasy fast food?

[Born In A Brothel]

*lights cigarette*

This is such crap. Smoking is legal for those over 18. So, are they also going to slap an R rating on any movie that includes people drinking too?

[SVZ]

Stupid. They should ban glutinous eating then too!

[sophie]

so stupid....im a smoker, so they can fuck off...i think ill have one right now....assholes.

[McJag]

Do they just not have enough to do but try & run other peoples lives?? This makes me so tired!!

[pacific breeze]

Originally Posted by sputnik

oh give me a fucking break!!!
when will this trend of über-political correctness end????? it's already silly enough that smoking is confined to bad buys and/or europeans in most hollywood films... what next, an x-rating if it features both smoking and drinking? what about smoking after sex? that's a double-whammy there.

^^What she said.

[celeb_2006]

You have to admit it is a damned cliche to see every single character in a movie, regardless of genre, light one up and puff away.

[MarieAntoinette]

Originally Posted by SVZ

Stupid. They should ban glutinous eating then too!

They really should! Some TV-shows make me damn hungry because the characters eat so much. Oh, and they should stop product placement too while they are at it.

Other than that, I think it's silly to ban smoking from movies, however it is indeed a cliche that every other movie characters is seen smoking. It's often not important for the plot anyway. But still, overall I think this is ridiculous.