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Discussion: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
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jchilliard |
Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 21 2009, 10:32 PM EST
Did James Cameron accept money from the tobacco industry in order to have Sigourney Weaver smoke in his movie? It is pathetic to see gratuitous smoking in movies. I am disappointed in James and Sigourney. This has got to stop.
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Keyword tags:
smoking
tobacco industry
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Evolution13 |
1. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 22 2009, 2:31 AM EST
I don't think it had anything to do with the tobacco industry. There was exactly one cigarette smoked in the entire movie. I believe it was done as part of the introduction to her character. There's likely no smoking allowed in the science labs, and especially not in the.. uh, linking chambers? (I've only seen it once, forgive me.) But Grace Augustine gets Whatever the Hell She Wants Whenever the Hell She Wants it! She was the most respected and feared non-military person on the base. She deserves a smoke for that.
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jchilliard |
2. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 22 2009, 10:28 AM EST
Young people can be influenced to start smoking by movie scenes such as this, some statistics show 60% of new smokers were influenced by movies, and a surprising number of leading actors/ actresses are shown smoking.I understand the need for character development, but I do not think that smoking should be the choice for expressing this because of the harm it can do in encouraging smoking. I also find the presence of smoking in the future to be an anachronism. James and Sigourney must have considered this, but put smoking in the movie even though thr American Lung Association has worked long and hard to stop movies from encouraging youth to smoke. See their web site. Otherwise, I appreciated the jungle visuals, would have liked less war, and more scenes of jungle life. The fluorescence was so enchanting that I saw the 3D version two nights in a row. 2 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Evolution13 |
3. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 22 2009, 1:10 PM EST
| Post edited: Dec 22 2009, 2:49 PM EST
Movies are a form of art. Art is entitled to freedom of expression. If a character would smoke, they should be allowed to smoke on screen when it's appropriate to the scene or plot, as it was when Grace demanded a cigarette.Since the whole expedition to Pandora was a corporate venture. It's very likely that in the furture represented in the movie, Tobacco companies likely paid off goverments and organizations to relax smoking restrictions. (Of course, nothing like that would ever happen in the real world >.>) You can infer alot from that one cigarette, I feel it was both appropriate to the character and a statement of how our society had degenerated in the movie. If Grace had demanded a bottle of organic fruit juice instead, it would have set an entirely different mood. 0 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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jchilliard |
4. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 22 2009, 2:01 PM EST
There are two things that the smoking scene does: it expresses the nature of the Doctor's personality and it encourages kids to smoke. I think the first could be accomplished without the harm to society.
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Evolution13 |
5. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 22 2009, 2:08 PM EST
jchilliard, I hereby dub thee "The Non-Smoking Troll"This conversation can no longer serve a useful purpose. 2 out of 7 found this valuable. Do you? |
EywaWorshipper |
6. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 22 2009, 5:47 PM EST
Ah, the good 'ole smoking thing has got you twisted. Now, I've delt with my fair share of deaths from smoking tabacco, so don't think I'm being hypocritical. I honestly don't understand why this thread was even made. Weaver, of all people, is not trying to promote smoking just because she does in the movie. I see two things, and two things only. 1. She smokes in the lab because she's the chief of the science department. She can do so, because she has the authority. 2. She is probably stressed from the non-progression of the commune with the natives, the school being shut down and such, and the buisness man she is helping. The director of the corporation is the perfect epitemy of our current societal tyrany. Who wouldn't want some nicotine after that? Now, she is shown smoking twice in the movie, but that's just who her character is. If you can understand that, then you probably shouldn't be watching movies just to state statistics on how they are bad for "children". It is a grand movie, and if your on an actual /fansite/ to complain about some cigarretes in a beautiful movie, I advise you to leave.
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cmac73 |
7. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 27 2009, 7:05 PM EST
I'm with jchillard on this. And having spent some time in the tobacco industry I am very confident it was sponsored product placement. The tobacco marketers are getting it from all sides - they basically can not advertise at all. It's gone from TV ads and Billboards, to sponsorship of sporting events and fashion shows, to shop signage and currently rests with in-store placement (you'll find cigarettes in sponsored lockable cabinets at eye level behind the cashier - you can tell who sponsored it by which company's brands have the most facings) and product placement (i.e. in movies). Now that they've had to take their big ads off the cabinets and cashier mats etc., the primary strategy these days is create 'pull' from the potential customer base by associating smoking with admirable characters or hero's/heroines. That they would pay extraordinary dollars to place product in a high grossing movie like this, particularly as they're legislated against spending advertising money almost anywhere else is not too hard a concept to grasp. It is naive to believe anything else. Guys as clever as James Cameron could easily create and edgy, authoritative character without the use of cigarettes. No one here is saying it was a bad movie because of the smoking (and simply counting to two doesn't fairly represent the overt focus on it at the start of the movie) they are simply saying it was a shameful sell-out to promote carcinogenics in front of young audiences who are, highly influenced by these tactics. Believe me, we have the statistics to prove it.
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dude90039 |
8. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 27 2009, 9:09 PM EST
"Ah, the good 'ole smoking thing has got you twisted. Now, I've delt with my fair share of deaths from smoking tabacco, so don't think I'm being hypocritical. I honestly don't understand why this thread was even made. Weaver, of all people, is not trying to promote smoking just because she does in the movie. I see two things, and two things only. 1. She smokes in the lab because she's the chief of the science department. She can do so, because she has the authority. 2. She is probably stressed from the non-progression of the commune with the natives, the school being shut down and such, and the buisness man she is helping. The director of the corporation is the perfect epitemy of our current societal tyrany. Who wouldn't want some nicotine after that? Now, she is shown smoking twice in the movie, but that's just who her character is. If you can understand that, then you probably shouldn't be watching movies just to state statistics on how they are bad for "children". It is a grand movie, and if your on an actual /fansite/ to complain about some cigarretes in a beautiful movie, I advise you to leave."well, why not just have her give a blow job to some random lowly to demonstrate her power and anti-authoritarian authority? or pick her nose onscreen to show those little bugers who is boss? or just fart loudly in the presence of others without any modesty or concern? all of which are enjoyable, and none of which cause the kind of health problems that cigarettes do - or show her strapping on a dildo and hammering some young thing (male or female, your choice) in the arse to flesh out the irresponsible power of her character - or maybe even have her self-mutilate if doing something bad for oneself is a required aspect of her character - the fact is, smoking was in no way instrumental to understanding who she was - it was disappointingly gratuitous - where's the porn industry when you need their dollars? 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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navidude21 |
9. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 9:28 AM EST
I dont think there was anything wrong with her somking like others say she has that bad ass attitude and she does what she wants. On a interesting note sigourney smokes like in every movie LOL i found that interesting
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jchilliard |
10. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 11:07 AM EST
The following list identifies a number of movies that have brand-specific cigarette smoking:* Marlboro in Crocodile Dundee * Century in Legal Eagles * Chesterfield in Heaven Help Us * Lucky Strike, Kent in Beverly Hills Cop * Camel in Desperately Seeking Susan * Marlboro in Children of a Lesser God * Marlboro in Tin Men * Marlboro in White Knights * Benson and Hedges in Agnes of God * Pall Mall in Heavenly Kid * Marlboro in Superman II * Marlboro in Baby * Carlton in Splash * Lucky Strike, Camel in Who Framed Roger Rabbit * Marlboro in Crimes of the Heart * Marlboro in Risky Business * Salem in Batteries not Included In 1989, Ohio Congressman Tom Luken introduced a bill to ban cigarette companies from paying to have their brands in films. Luken claimed that Philip Morris and the Liggett Group paid $350,000 to place Lark cigarettes in the James Bond film License to Kill and $42,500 to have Marlboro appear in Superman II; that Liggett paid $30,000 for its Eve cigarette to appear in the movie Supergirl. See Consumer's Union. I wonder what if Sigorney Weaver or James Cameron were paid for smoking in this blockbuster? The benefits to the Tobacco Industry are substancial. It is reasonable to assume they sold us out for a few dollars more. 2 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
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navidude21 |
11. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 12:13 PM EST
dude she smoked once chill out and enjoy the rest of the movies its not like they put a bring brand and said smoke ciggarettes! nothing to do with the movie
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scrippsgirl |
12. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 1:30 PM EST
It's very important for big tobacco to place their products effectively. Weaver played an independent, assertive woman scientist. That is precisely why her character was picked for the gratuitous scene. Nobody else smoked. In real life, there would have been serious objections, especially in close quarters, or in a forested area.For those who think that smoking is a way to be assertive or powerful, bingo. You've been had by the tobacco industry. I'm an interior designer and all my clients are very successful and own or are building multi million dollar homes. Not one of my clients smokes. The tobacco industry reaps about four billion dollars in revenue from teenagers who identify with a character in a movie as an incentive to start smoking. They were supposed to have stopped this product placement, but either someone is corrupt, or the studios and actors are stupid enough to promote smoking for free. Which do you think it is? Smoking harms, and kills over 400,000 people a year. That's why this thread is important. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
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jchilliard |
13. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 3:27 PM EST
Consumer's Union says: Media critic Mark Crispin Miller expressed concern about the saturation of our environment with hidden advertising. These product plugs, writes Miller, "work as subliminal inducements because their context is ostensibly a movie, not an ad, so that each of them comes sidling toward us dressed up as non-advertising." Particularly in the case of children, such hidden advertising has great potential to mislead and deceive.Advertising invites skepticism. When others urge us to do what they want, one is alerted to the possibility that their wishes may not be in our best interest. But product placements and advertorials disarm children and keep their defenses down. Use of such techniques to advertise to kids demonstrates a failure of marketers to play fair, and a failure of self-monitoring by the media as a way of protecting kids from undue pressures to buy. As such, it invites regulation. Media critic Mark Crispin Miller expressed concern about the saturation of our environment with hidden advertising. These product plugs, writes Miller, "work as subliminal inducements because their context is ostensibly a movie, not an ad, so that each of them comes sidling toward us dressed up as non-advertising." Particularly in the case of children, such hidden advertising has great potential to mislead and deceive. Advertising invites skepticism. When others urge us to do what they want, one is alerted to the possibility that their wishes may not be in our best interest. But product placements and advertorials disarm children and keep their defenses down. Use of such techniques to advertise to kids demonstrates a failure of marketers to play fair, and a failure of self-monitoring by the media as a way of protecting kids from undue pressures to buy. As such, it invites regulation. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
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FilmEcon101 |
14. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 4:58 PM EST
| Post edited: Dec 29 2009, 5:06 PM EST
Movies with brands...For a more complete list, and great info about Hollywood and the tobacco industry's long, torrid commercial relationship, see http://www.smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu/problem/brand_id.html. It includes Marlboro in the modern-day scenes in James Cameron's Titanic. Not that brands really matter. It's the smoking that recruits teens to smoke. Like Kate Winslet taking her first smoke from Leo DiCaprio in, oh yes, James Cameron's Titanic. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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FilmEcon101 |
15. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 4:59 PM EST
| Post edited: Dec 29 2009, 5:01 PM EST
"Nothing to do with the movie..."That's the point. It had nothing to do with the movie. For all the talk about "showing character," if the cigarette had not been in Ms. Weaver's hand, nobody would have missed it. Only after it shows up do we get an elaborate rationale. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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scrippsgirl |
16. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 5:09 PM EST
"Ah, the good 'ole smoking thing has got you twisted. Now, I've delt with my fair share of deaths from smoking tabacco, so don't think I'm being hypocritical. I honestly don't understand why this thread was even made. Weaver, of all people, is not trying to promote smoking just because she does in the movie. I see two things, and two things only. 1. She smokes in the lab because she's the chief of the science department. She can do so, because she has the authority. 2. She is probably stressed from the non-progression of the commune with the natives, the school being shut down and such, and the buisness man she is helping. The director of the corporation is the perfect epitemy of our current societal tyrany. Who wouldn't want some nicotine after that? Now, she is shown smoking twice in the movie, but that's just who her character is. If you can understand that, then you probably shouldn't be watching movies just to state statistics on how they are bad for "children". It is a grand movie, and if your on an actual /fansite/ to complain about some cigarretes in a beautiful movie, I advise you to leave."People smoke because they're addicted. All else is excuses. The gratuitous smoking in the movie was unnecessary, and blatant advertising. It essentially marred an otherwise great movie experience. Get some education on big tobacco marketing, and please let us know why you think you can tell people to leave a thread. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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EywaWorshipper |
17. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 6:12 PM EST
Hm education? No. I believe I have easily attained that. People who complain about this just gets old. Even if they were advertising tabacco I wouldn't think any less of the movie. Why she is smoking? It can only be speculated. If you have some real cite-able facts from james cameron or anything from the movie, then please do show. But if your gunna sit here and talk about how advertising ciggarretes is bad, please, tell me something we don't know.
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FilmEcon101 |
18. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 6:32 PM EST
| Post edited: Dec 29 2009, 6:35 PM EST
"Hm education? No. I believe I have easily attained that. People who complain about this just gets old. Even if they were advertising tabacco I wouldn't think any less of the movie. Why she is smoking? It can only be speculated. If you have some real cite-able facts from james cameron or anything from the movie, then please do show. But if your gunna sit here and talk about how advertising ciggarretes is bad, please, tell me something we don't know. "How about these citable facts: • The tobacco industry has a documented history of pushing cigarettes (and cigars) through movies in six of the past eight decades. • More than a million current US smokers ages 12-17 were recruited to smoke by their repeated exposure to smoking on screen. Of this group, about 400,000 will eventually die of tobacco-induced diseases. • Avatar has delivered an estimated 100 million tobacco impressions to US audiences alone as of today. If the sales projections are valid, the advertising value of the film's tobacco impressions worldwide, theatrical and non-theatrical, can be conservatively estimated at $50 million. (That equals an entire Bud Light campaign.) • Tobacco will kill 5 million people worldwide this year. The toll is climbing toward 10 million. The fastest growth in smoking is among girls in emerging markets. Next to infectious disease, tobacco is the #1 cause of preventable death, globally. US movies are now the single most important vector of the tobacco epidemic. It's fun to fantasize about defending other cultures from commercial rapine. Stopping the major film studios from knowingly pushing tobacco addiction and death at kids around the world is the real thing. 5 out of 5 found this valuable. Do you? |
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scrippsgirl |
19. RE: Why is Sigourney Weaver smoking in Avatar?
Dec 29 2009, 9:32 PM EST
"How about these citable facts:The best post in this thread. People truly educated in marketing products, particularly cigarettes, know this already. This issue needs to be discussed as often as cigarette companies advertise their products, especially to our kids. 6 out of 6 found this valuable. Do you? |
