A COLUMN BY Dick Rolfe Chairman, THE DOVE FOUNDATION
The Lost World Is
Not For Children
Are you about to give in to the whining of your pre-teens and
grudgingly agree to take them to see Hollywood’s latest
megahit, The Lost World? If so, I have only two words of advice
for you that is if you want to encourage film makers to create
wholesome movies "DON’T GO!!! There is little doubt
that this film has become the hot movie of the season. The Lost
World, for all its technological achievements, is action-packed
with horrifically graphic depictions of human death and
destruction. It relies solely on special effects and carnage to
entertain. There is no message in this film, much less a
redeeming one. At least its predecessor, Jurassic Park had that
much going for it. In fact, with the exception of a couple of
gratuitous man-eatings, the original film would have received the
Dove "Family Approved" Seal for those over 12 years of
age. I was especially disappointed when the sequel went for more
gore and less grist.
The marketing campaign for The Lost World reminds me of the
cigarette ads currently under fire by Congress. This PG-13 rated
movie is obviously targeted at an audience much younger than the
"recommended age of consumption." And, the resulting
peer pressure on these impressionable youngsters (and their
parents) to see this film is incredibly intense. Throngs of young
attendees, mostly between ages 3 and 8, are being scared out of
their wits. Spielberg reported that the gory nature of this
sequel was mostly due to the thousands of letters he received
from children who had seen Jurassic Park. If that is true, it
only goes to prove the adage, "That which interests a child
is not necessarily in the child’s interest."
Mr. Spielberg will inevitably make lots of money from this
venture. I only hope that the financial success of The Lost World
will not entice him to travel further down the road of
"cheap thrills" as he concentrates on his next project,
the first DreamWorks SKG release, Prince of the Desert, an
animated epic based on the life of Moses.
If you wish to pacify your children by taking them to a
family-friendly film with wild animals, I recommend Buddy
starring Rene’ Russo. It is based on a true story of a
wealthy lady who, in the early 1900’s, raised a gorilla from
infancy to full-grown adulthood. The Jim Henson Company of
Muppets fame provided the animatronics used to create Buddy at
various age. The effects are realistic, and at times a bit scary.
But Buddy doesn’t eat anyone, and the story has a happy
ending.
I guess I had more than two words of advice after all.
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Dick Rolfe is Chairman of The Dove Foundation a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and promote the creation, production and distribution of wholesome family entertainment. For more information about wholesome films and videos, write: 535 E. Fulton, Suite 1A, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or call (616)454-5024.
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Updated by: Scott RolfeCopyright © 1997, The Dove Foundation. All rights reserved.