"This film contains depictions of tobacco consumption"
 

So I went to see Ghost Town over the weekend. One of the previews was the movie "Flash Of Genius" @ 2:26 look at the bottom of the screen:

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"This film contains depictions of tobacco consumption"

I couldn't believe this shit when i saw this preview. Do all movies that contain smoking have this stupid warning in their previews? This was the first time i saw this. It seems like Hollywood is fine with making movies involving illegal drugs but 'watch out for big scary tobacco!'

Next thing you know they'll be putting up warnings if theres a character eating fatty foods. Ridiculous.

But they could be trans-fats! NNNNNNnnnnnnooooooooooo!!!!!!

Seriously, I saw the same thing during an ad for The Incredible Hulk. I'm pretty sure that it isn't doing what they like to think it is.

I thought the Truth.com ads on DVD's were bad enough. This is just silly though.

I don't really see the big deal. It's a tiny disclaimer that doesn't dominate the screen or preach to you. It's not like a PSA. Most people aren't even going to notice it.

I'll certainly take this over sanitizing the movie by not depicting smoking when it fits the context of the film.

It's another ridiculous warning the MPAA is making studios put on their rating labels.

I find it more shocking a film was made about the guy who invented windshield wipers.

Don't they already have a "This movie contains illicit drug use" warning? So it's not like they ignore illegal drugs.

Next they'll warn us when there are "depictions of blasphemy".

Yeah, I don't get this. What is the point of this? Smoking is not illegal for folks who are of age and it's not illegal for someone underage to see an adult in the act of smoking. You will see far more smokers driving on your way to work, walking around a city, etc then there possibly could be in any movie.

Are people morally offended by smoking? It's one thing if you have to choke down on second hand smoke in a confined area or no smoking zone... but really? To see it in a movie?

rotfl

Cameron Spencer Osborne

I'm glad someone else remembered. :)

Are the studios going to go back and apply this warning retroactively to every single film made during the 1930s - 1950s?

Why don't they just put a general message in front of each movie. Like "This movie shows many things that can hurt or kill you, please do not watch". Like the warning in front of South Park.

The warning is just in the trailer/TV spot. They don't advertise most old movies. I doubt they would change the trailers that are included as extras with the films on discs.

Are they going to add these to the TV ratings? Mad Men would probably something like "Extreme nicotine and alcohol consumption promoted. Do not attempt to drive after watching."

What I found funny was that in the rated-for-all-audiences trailer, they actually show someone smoking. Maybe they needed that warning for the trailer.

The Run Fatboy Run Blu-ray takes this idiocy even further. It has the MPAA warning about the movie containing smoking, the disc loads up with one of those pogeybait "Truth" PSAs, and there's a post-credits disclaimer that says no one involved in the production accepted any compensation from any tobacco companies.

I am all for it!!! As an avid non-smoker I have no interest in seeing characters smoke and I think it taints their portrayal. It stereotypes them in to a certain type of person who is an addict and not who I can at all relate to.
Plus when it is used on the screen, I view it as wholly unnecessary, unless it means to convery the character as a low-life.

Didn't anybody get the memo: Smoking is Out - uncool - wrong - economically and medically stupid.

If you are being sarcastic, :up: . If not, I pity you, son, and I hope that somewhere out there exists a straight-edge narc of a repressed girl with a "Life is AWESOME!" bumper sticker who will one day touch your penis after an absurdly long courtship/exchange of vows in front of god and country.



For the rest of you - not that big a deal. I'd much rather them do that than alter the rating because of it. Otherwise (as others have said), they would no longer be able to depict pre-70s life as it actually existed.


For the record, I'm a smoker (in the process of quiting) and I didn't start because of a "cool" character I saw in the movies or on TV. Although for a while, I did spark up after every single "Truth" ad I saw because they were so patronizing and annoying. In fact, since the tobacco companies are forced to pay for them, I secretly suspected that they made them so ridiculous on purpose to encourage smoking.


-Doc

Hey, the comic book industry survived the Comics Code Authority. Maybe one day, years or even decades from now, the MPAA will have lost its influence. One can only hope...

I don't smoke, never will and think it's gross and you are certainly entitled to your opinion but PLEASE. People do smoke. It doesn't have any bearing on their character as great people and lowlifes smoke and life is ugly. Deal with it. I guess that warning is for you so it doesn't offend your unrealistic sensibilities. I really don't want to see useless rich people that don't deserve fame but I'm not trying to get a WARNING: PARIS HILTON APPEARS AND/OR IS DEPICTED IN THIS MOVIE. :rolleyes:

OK you were prob. being sarcastic. If so, never mind...

Although to be fair, I wouldn't mind such a warning...


-Doc

I've heard they were going to include smoking in a film as a reason to give it an R rating, as if it were nudity or gore. Maybe this warning is a compromise.

Got it: anyone who smokes is an non-relatable low-life addict. Right.

Yeah, that sounds about right. ;)


I was actually hoping the death of Jack Valenti would have a positive impact on the MPAA, guess I was wrong.