Tuesday, January 23, 2007
"Hounddog" controversy
Having received a nomination this month at the Sundance Film Festival, a controversy is brewing regarding 12-year old Dakota Fanning's gritty role as a rape victim in "Hounddog," a drama about a troubled young girl (Fanning) finding a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.
Last night I watched an interview clip of Dakota Fanning on Fox News. During this interview, she said, ""It's a wonderful film, and I'm really proud to be in it. I can't wait for people to see it." She also stated that she did not find the sexual content of "Hounddog" upsetting.I'm curious, what are your thoughts on this nominated film? Do you feel her parents should have allowed her to take on such a role at her young age? Would you go see such a movie?
Here are some links to articles I've found on-line:
Dakota Fanning Tackles Sex Abuse in Controversial Role
Dakota Fanning: Some kid
All shook up over Dakota's 'Hounddog'
Labels: in the news, parenting
10 Comments:
OOHHH.....watched this one yesterday...I would have not have let Madison do it...I know its acting...but she would have had nightmares from it.....and it would have killed me to have watched it happen without attacking the guy. I mean I am the mom and I would have gone into mom mode.....I'll come back later to read your other responses....interesting
I haven't seen it. I did see an interview last night on Fox News between someone who did see it and someone who didn't. The person who saw it said it wasn't that bad. She wasn't naked, she wasn't touched and everything was done in the shadows. It was the "appearance" of rape. The person who didn't see it said he wanted to see what was on the cutting room floor that didn't make in the movie after all the controversy came out. As a parent, I don't care how "fake" it was. I wouldn't let my child do it. Just my opinion. I hope someone did look into it and I hope it really was put together in editing. If that were the case, then it really was the parents decision. If there was even the smallest amount of touching involved, then it was wrong on any level.
They would have had to be REALLY Careful in not only the editing, but also the original taping to avoid potential lawsuits, etc. so I think that the possibility of truly inappropriate touching, etc. is minimal. BUT. I wouldn't let my child do it. I don't think that I could personally watch that being done to my child, no matter how much I told myself it was fake. Dakota Fanning is a professional actress, no matter how young, so she has a totally different childhood than I am accustomed to. But she is STILL just a child. There are thousands of possibilities for her later on in life, to do such a role.
As people begin to actually see this movie, those who chose to condemn the makers of Hounddog before seeing it for themselves and getting all the facts are being shown for the idiots they truly are, many continuing to live in denial of the facts.
Sean Hannity is perhaps the best example, as last night he interviewed someone who saw the movie at its premiere at Sundance. I forget the lady's name, but I believe she is a conservative District Attorney and a child advocate for 30 years, so Hannity was a bit surprised when she revealed that all the negative claims about Dakota's infamous rape scene simply aren't true. According to her, all we see is Dakota from her shoulders on up and the guy's arm. There is no touching, and the rape is actually achieved through editing tricks, and not on the set as some have claimed. She explained that it occurs more in the viewer's mind than in the movie.
But Hannity was not satisfied, claiming that what she saw was a "sanitized" version, and that he wanted to see everything that was left on the cutting room floor. Um, right, Sean. You haven't see the movie, you weren't involved in the editing process, you weren't involved in the production whatsoever, yet you somehow know what "really" went on. What a jackass.
I sure wouldn't let my daughter do that. Talk about exposure to things at a young age...at her age I would think any kind ove sexual content would be upsetting. And rape is upsetting sexual content at any age!!
I haven't heard anything about this movie. 12 does seem like such a young age to portray a character going through something so awful like that. I guess it really depends on your own child though and whether you think they are mature enough to handle that type of role and how it might affect them. I would be leery about letting my 12-yr old, but hopefully her parents really talked to her about this role and all that went along with it.
Until now, I haven't heard anything about this film. Just reading your post and the comments, I would have to say no. I have a teenage son and a elementary age daughter. I think its the job of parents to guard their children's hearts and minds. Eventually the world will seep in but its our job to protect them as long as we can. This is one of the reasons why I homeschool.
I do not think I would put my child in acting. That being said this is not this young actor's first movie and therefore she has some experience with "pretend" and "reality". Acting is a job for her, like going to school is for other children. I am not convinced that it is the root of evil. I am not sure as a pregnant mother I would go see the movie, however I would not want the movie to be censored out either.
I am torn. Very interesting topic!
I think this little gal is a victim of neglect like so many TV and movie stars. I think of Drew Barrymore's years of alcohol and drugs, he Olson girls bout with anorexia, and there are so many more. A few years ago their was a special on TV about child stars and the things they had gone through. What is came down to was neglect by the parents. They live off of their children's money, plain and simple.
I think child labor laws in the movie and TV industry are very lax but many movies are also filmed out of the country where there are no laws at all.
Fanning is only 12 years old. The child is most likely just entering puberty. She is being manipulated and used. It is disgusting. And sadly she is not the first.
Also at the Sundance Film festival was a documentary on bestiality (Zoo). I haven't heard much about that but I mean just how perverted are people?
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