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Smoke Doesn't Get In Your Eyes
Not in front of the children
Liverpool is enjoying its stint as Europe's "City of Culture" for 2008. However, there's always someone who wants to undo some of the good work of the organisers. This time, it's anti-smoking group "SmokeFree Liverpool" who want to give films with smoking scenes an 18 adults only certificate.
Andy Hull, the city's "head of public protection" and chair of SmokeFree Liverpool says that half the 11-18 year olds who see smoking scenes in movies will be inspired to take up smoking themselves. The city council is said to support the move, though the British Board of Film Classification opposes it. A spokesman for the BBFC said that if a film aimed at youngsters appeared to be promoting cigarettes they would act, but that a "blanket" 18 certification for any films including smoking scenes would be heavy handed.
Indeed, it might keep the citizens of Europe's Cultural City away from some of the classics of the Seventh Art. Jimmy Stewart sparks up in It's a Wonderful Life: Does this merit an 18 certificate for one of the world's most heartwarming family films? Should young cinephiles be deprived of greats like Now, Voyager? What sort of idiot thinks Casablanca should be adults only?
The fanatical anti-smoking Taliban of Liverpool's city council, by the sound of things. The BBC reports that Mr Hull is unhappy with the BBFC's reponse to his complaints and says the council will consider its own stricter licensing laws for films screened locally.
City of culture? My arse, as one famous Scouser (albeit one playing a Mancunian) might say.
