Leave it to Disney to kiss the ass of the MPAA and ban smoking in their films going forward.
Smoking in all Disney-branded films will soon be "non-existent," while smoking in Touchstone and Miramax films will be "discouraged."
I kind of secretly wish Harvey were still chained at the leg to the mouse. I picture him walking into CEO Bob Igers office to extinguish a cigar on Iger's forehead.
I guess I get the idea to not advocate the smoking in future projects, but think about the number of past productions where the smoking is integral?
Where would we be without Pinocchio's cigar smoking lesson on Pleasure Island?
What about Cruella's fabulous cigarette holder and that wicked green smoke that floats out of it?
And for god's sake, two of the best Miramax releases were calledSmoke and Holy Smoke!
They have caved into the pressure that the MPAA themselves tried to put forth recently, and rather than take a more strategic approach to how smoking plays a part in films, they flat out snuffed it out.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
