It looks like smoking in a film could now cause it to get a Restricted rating. We get the news and following excerpt from the caves of
“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.
I am unsure how to feel about this. I am a non smoker, and generally think smoking is ridiculous, but I do think people should be allowed to smoke if they choose. If a movie glamorizes smoking, and is funded by the tobacco industry that is one thing, but if a character smokes because it fits the character – I do not think that a higher rating would be warranted. I find it strange that smoking may cause a film to get a more restrictive rating than cocaine use.
From what I have read it looks like they will be judging films on a case by case basis and not just labeling movies with any smoking as “restricted.” I guess that is a decent compromise, it makes me laugh that they fight against smoking so much when it is legal, the same crusade is now starting against fast food. I wonder if in the near future we will see a restricted rating if someone eats fast food in a film. Travolta ate a full bucket of chicken in Battlefield Earth 4 – this shit is NC17!
They can keep piling ratings on, at the end of the day kids will always see the films they want to see. I snuck into restricted movies when I was a kid, and my father did it before me. It is a right of passage to sneak into where you are not allowed. That may be why people still smoke, because it is naughty.
