Popeye to be given 18 (R) certificate

[the_ultimate_evil]

NHS managers at Liverpool's Primary Care Trust says its plan to ban the promotion of smoking in films, including cartoons, could mean problems for the spinach-loving sailor if he ever makes a return to the screen.

Other cartoon favourites including Bugs Bunny and Herman the smoking baby from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? could also end up adult-rated if they turn up in any new films.

A consultation on the plan is already underway but city leaders say they are sceptical that the proposals are no more than "censorship".

Cllr Paula Keaveney, Liberal Democrat executive member for ethical governance, said she had fully supported the smoking ban but there was "no rational argument" that children and young people are likely to be seduced by smoking seen in films.

"It strikes me this is just interfering with artistic product and censorship and it doesn't strike me that it will have the desired effect. I haven't taken to the hills and become a revolutionary since I saw the film about Che Guevara."

A city council document states that the proposal would not apply to films which portray historical figures who actually smoked, or those which provide a "clear and unambiguous portrayal of the dangers of smoking, other tobacco use, or second-hand smoke".

Mark Wallace, of lobby group the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "PCTs are meant to focus on healing people, not on arbitrating against thought crimes.

"People have enough trouble getting doctors' appointments and the treatment they need without taxpayers' money being squandered on the NHS regulating the cinema. This would be a ludicrous restriction on harmless films."

A PCT spokesman said: "The PCT's stance would be exactly the same whether it be a cartoon character or not. Therefore if a new film is produced featuring a character who smokes the PCT would want this film classified as an 18.

"All films featuring smoking we would request be classified in this way unless it was depicting the harmful effect on people's health."

seriously do these people have nothing better to do with they're jobs

 

[Milu]

:facepalm

 

[Majic Walrus]

/thread

 

[Timstuff]

Give me a break. I don't smoke, and I think cigarettes are a disgusting habit, but the pro-censorship sect is out of control! It's bad enough when they try to use taxes as a means for controlling people's behavior, but now we won't even be able to show kids a freaking Popeye cartoon! I think these people need to light up a cigar and shut up.

 

[Lord Valumart]

i don't get this atall...

why do this to classic cartoons? hell tom and jerry should be 18 for the amount of times they brutally batter each other within inches of life! but they're not, they're calssic funny cartoons that kids love...or would love if they still showed them before 10pm...

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I have a love to spinach thanks to Popeye.

but he's probably to blame for my weed habit all the times he packed his pipe with green.

 

[Kane52630]

first with Watchmen not not smoking, even though it was rating R, now this!

 

[VampElvis]

More evidence to back up my claim that people are pricks.

 

[terry78]

Did he even have any tobaccy in those pipes? I think it was just like some kind of facial tic he had...he needed to have something in his mouth at all times.

 

[Sam Fisher]

This is stupid.

 

[enterthemadness]

Even if I didn't smoke, I would still say this is stupid. This is censorship. I could go on for a bit, but Conan is on soon....
​

 

[Kane52630]

i dont smoke and i think its stupid

 

[bullets]

i've watched all this stuff and was never inspired to smoke .

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i was listening to the radio and it's any film, cartoon, show that has a character smoking.

 

[SuperFerret]

The thing is, as much as I've seen Popeye with the pipe, I don't ever remember seeing him do anything except for eat spinach with it, which has got to be difficult.

 

[bullets]

they are also getting rid of those cigarette candies i hear.