Dakota Fanning: Child Porn Actress or Child Abuse Awareness Advocate?
Hounddog premiered at the Sundance Film Festival Monday, despite controversy over its depicted rape of a character played by 12-year-old Dakota Fanning. Online petitions have demanded the arrest of Fanning's mother and agent, alleging that the film could be considered child pornography and asking federal prosecutors to investigate the matter. Is Hounddog kiddie porn?
Of course, we know that child pornography is against federal law and thankfully, nearly all of society finds it morally reprehensible. However, from what I have read of the movie, as controversial as it is, it isn’t about turning the viewer on. Dakota never appears nude in the movie and her genitals are never displayed.
Rape and sexual abuse happens. That is what this movie is about. It’s about a little girl who is raped and sexually abused and then, as all rape and sexually abused victims do, struggles to maintain her sanity and make sense of life. Rape awareness is a noble banner to wave, and if (I haven’t seen this movie) it accurately portrays the life of a rape victim before, during, and afterwards I am generally for it, as long as it is intended for mature audiences.
Some people are calling for the prosecution of Dakota’s parents and the filmmakers, citing indecency law and various child rights violations. Obviously, a movie like this is taboo. Anything that deals with abuse of a child or an animal in Hollywood is taboo and apparently, this movie has both. But I say this is real-life stuff. It is good for a society to see just what moral depravity looks like even if it makes us squirm a little.
This film is set in the 1960’s when the plight of children was much less publicized and widely ignored. A deeply dramatic movie, it shows the horrors of humanity; it’s not about the exploitation of young Hollywood flesh. It isn’t about advocating violence or child pornography; it’s about the life of a little girl who is deeply abused.
As I said, I haven’t seen the movie or any trailers for it. In fact, until a friend suggested it as a topic for my blog I hadn’t even heard of it. If this movie is as I have described it, then I applaud the efforts of the film company in their effort to educate the public in how damaging, perverse and regretful the abuse of a child is.
Of course, we know that child pornography is against federal law and thankfully, nearly all of society finds it morally reprehensible. However, from what I have read of the movie, as controversial as it is, it isn’t about turning the viewer on. Dakota never appears nude in the movie and her genitals are never displayed.
Rape and sexual abuse happens. That is what this movie is about. It’s about a little girl who is raped and sexually abused and then, as all rape and sexually abused victims do, struggles to maintain her sanity and make sense of life. Rape awareness is a noble banner to wave, and if (I haven’t seen this movie) it accurately portrays the life of a rape victim before, during, and afterwards I am generally for it, as long as it is intended for mature audiences.
Some people are calling for the prosecution of Dakota’s parents and the filmmakers, citing indecency law and various child rights violations. Obviously, a movie like this is taboo. Anything that deals with abuse of a child or an animal in Hollywood is taboo and apparently, this movie has both. But I say this is real-life stuff. It is good for a society to see just what moral depravity looks like even if it makes us squirm a little.
This film is set in the 1960’s when the plight of children was much less publicized and widely ignored. A deeply dramatic movie, it shows the horrors of humanity; it’s not about the exploitation of young Hollywood flesh. It isn’t about advocating violence or child pornography; it’s about the life of a little girl who is deeply abused.
As I said, I haven’t seen the movie or any trailers for it. In fact, until a friend suggested it as a topic for my blog I hadn’t even heard of it. If this movie is as I have described it, then I applaud the efforts of the film company in their effort to educate the public in how damaging, perverse and regretful the abuse of a child is.
Labels: Moral/Social
posted by Troy at 9:15 AM
1 Comments:
I agree! It is a movie. Unless she was forced to do something that she didn't want to then there is no case. She is a very talented actress and she obviously wants more serious roles. It's not easy to see. But, instead of going after parents who's daughter did a movie scene, focus more time and attention on parents that are really doing these things to their own children. Crimes against children seem to be all you see these days. Most of them are by the parents, not strangers. So, lets help real life kids, not make believe ones!
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