Wednesday, January 13, 1999
Children’s movies aren’t just for kids anymore
COLUMN: Misleading ads bring youngsters to films that contain
adult content
As an innocent little pudgy-faced five-year-old, I skipped into
the movie theater to watch "Bambi" with giddy anticipation. This
majestic wonderland was my rare treat of buttered popcorn, an
endless box of gummy bears and a thrilling visit with Benji, Snow
White or (my absolute favorites) Alvin and the Chipmunks. I entered
the dimly lit arena, awaiting a new larger-than-life figure to
capture my imagination.
Instead I left the theater red-eyed and betrayed by the haven
that I had ranked right behind Disneyland and Toys R Us. The image
of sweet Bambi’s forest home in flames brutally pierced my eyes,
and the death of her mother had been my most disturbing life
experience to date – all my five long years.
It left a childhood scar that would not be healed until the
release of "The Great Chipmunk Adventure." But I still shudder at
the memory today.
In retrospect, the movie was about as sinister as Oscar the
Grouch on a particularly moody day. And as traumatizing as it was,
Disney had spun an environmental fable that spewed moralistic
messages about conservation, respect and family bonds.
Admittedly, I’m a virgin to all that’s gruesome and dark on the
silver screen. Sure, I’ll never watch "The Godfather," and despite
my friend’s urgings, I probably won’t ever be able to sit through
"Scream."
I respect violence’s place in today’s films. Apparently,
audiences have quite the appetite for severed limbs and savage
massacres, and they want to see every juicy drop of blood oozing
from the open wounds. No matter how pointless I think it is, it
sells right up there with sex and profanity.
But children have fallen into this very market. Family values
don’t sell much anymore, so every new Disney cartoon must be spiced
with some sexual tension and you won’t get through most
child-oriented features without some adult innuendo.
Pressure to deliver at the box office leaves film studios
striving to encompass the entire mainstream spectrum in movies. In
many recent cases, it’s no longer adults stopping to check out the
latest children’s flick, but vice versa. In a misguided attempt to
redefine "the kids’ movie," studios now seem to be luring children
into films that are inappropriate for them.
Recent releases such as "Starship Troopers" and "Small Soldiers"
are probably the most blatantly guilty of this. In all its
advertisement, "Starship Troopers" appeared as the next
"Independence Day" – evil aliens bombard earth, and a bunch of
beautiful, well-tanned young recruits save the day. The war against
giant bugs fought by the ensemble of "Beverly Hills 90210" alumni
seemed to make for a fun, light-hearted romp on the battlefield.
Undoubtedly, many kids flocked to theaters, only to be treated to
an eye-gouging dose of carnage. Oh, and don’t forget the nudity and
sexual indiscretion.
"Small Soldiers" followed in the footsteps of "Toy Story," so
what could you expect? Well, yeah, they were both about toys that
come to life.
The latter left audiences with a bitter taste of glorified war,
torture and a heavy dose of random cruelty. And for only a few
bucks more, children can re-enact the brutality in the comfort of
their own living room with the "Small Soldiers" action figures.
Nail gun to shoot your enemy in the face sold separately.
Even more timely is "The Prince of Egypt." In an attempt to
revolutionize the public perception of animation – that it’s solely
for children – Dreamworks Pictures released "Antz" and "The Prince
of Egypt" with a more mature angle to hook in the entire family.
"Antz" innocently peppered its dialogue with allusions and vague
references that only older members of the audience could possibly
understand. Sure, children sat through the film bored and confused,
but the picture was basically innocuous.
However, "The Prince of Egypt" delved into touchy areas.
Religious morality aside, its portrayal of the Exodus remained
nobly true to the text. Thus, audiences saw everything from all
seven of the deadly plagues to the climactic parting of the Red
Sea.
Undoubtedly, such a dramatic shift in long-standing perceptions
will take time to develop. No matter how much executives feel that
animation can also be a powerful adult medium, they can’t and won’t
change the public’s mind overnight. Disney’s corner on the market
has only recently begun to crack, and audiences still expect to be
able to drop their children off for a matinee showing of "The
Prince of Egypt" for a pleasant afternoon.
Instead, this significant jump in subject matter and treatment
is jarring to the unsuspecting viewer. The intense drama, deep
spirituality and violent undertones had no place for any young
child, especially if not raised in a religious home.
And yet Dreamworks’ commercials for long-hyped masterpieces
featured children raving about the film, coupled with the comedic
scenes of the movie – all two of them. Despite initial buzz that
"Prince" took a more mature angle, it seemed easy to ignore
warnings, judging from the light-hearted commercial and
Disney-quality title song, "When You Believe."
Such films certainly deserve a place in the film market. "The
Prince of Egypt" was indeed a technological masterpiece, and
"Starship Troopers" provided good old "Alien"-style butchery. But
studios need to reevaluate their target audience. Knowing that
these films appeal to demographic gray areas, advertisers must
start targeting a more appropriate base of filmgoers.
Audiences are not that smart. The average filmgoer won’t read
dozens of reviews before seeing a show to find out if it’s right
for them and their children.
No, they’ll probably catch a few commercials on television and
make their decision.
There’s no doubt that kids will eventually drift past "Babe" and
be sneaking copies of "I Don’t Give a Damn What You Did Last
Summer" sooner than you think. But I reveled in my short-lived
world of peace and prosperity, where the protagonist was always
nice and even the bad guy found good in the end. It would be nice
if kids could hold on to that as long as they could.
At least Bambi didn’t get boils and kill her first-born son.
Chu is currently rallying for the re-release of "The Great
Chipmunk Adventure." You can reach her at lychu@ucla.edu.Louise
Chu
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