The professionally cute and precocious Dakota Fanning will be stretching her acting range perhaps further than our stomachs can handle in her upcoming film Hounddog. She will appear in an explicit rape scene and then appear again almost naked in others. Her mother sees the film as a “possible Oscar vehicle,” thereby making the entire thing even more horrifying. (via PEN15 Club)
UPDATE: Dakota is okay! “It’s just acting,” she says. What a precocious little darling she is.
there is nothing wrong with this scene its a natural thing and a fact that things like this happen all the time in the world just because horror movies show killing it doesnt mean we consider the people acting in them as killers who are some dumb socialists to make whats right and wrong anyway threw out history things like this happened if it bothers you then there is most likely a problem with you not the film some people are just jelous if it was a ugly young girl being raped no one would care
I read the “Rape Scene” script online, Just That scene, and I have Several Comments, from Several different Views… First, I think an Older Actress that Looks Young Should’ve been used, Dakota IS too Young, OR, they Could have IMPLIED the scene, I like Dakota very much and have a problem with her leaping into this type of scene, I wonder if Her Parents’ or Her decision to Play it has Anything to do with her Younger sister starring in a new film? But, it Bothers me also, that NO One(Except Mike G. Above) seems to be bothered by the build-up to this “RAPE”, supposedly, “Lewellen” ( Dakota ) is perfectly ready and Willing to “DANCE” in a Seductive way IE:”GYRATING HER HIPS & MOANING”, Plus, Get ” NAKED” when Told to, ALL FOR A PAIR OF “TICKETS to see Elvis”… BUT everyone FREAKS out that HER BEHAVIOUR ( In THE SCENE )has PUT HER in THIS Position of POTENTIAL Danger! Folks, I was RAPED @ 13, and YES, it does Happen, So Yes, We as a Society Need to be AWARE of it, BUT…..WHEN are PARENTS in REAL LIFE, Going to Become AWARE that their Daughters are BEHAVING in an unacceptable manner? When does The GIRL, at WHAT AGE, does the Girl Start to be held Accountable for HER Behaviour??? NOT Dakota, The Scene is What I am referring to, When do WE as a SOCIETY start saying, NO, it IS NOT ok for our Daughters to BEHAVE this way and the GUY is ALWAYS to blame??? The GIRL has a RESPONSIBILITY at some point, to BEHAVE responsibly, DON’T place Themselves in those positions….. No, I am NOT saying That Rape is OK, but this SCENE is actually,(from READING it, and MY Opinion Only) ABOUT a Bit of PROSTITUTION as well as RAPE… If “LEWELLEN” had not “DANCED ETC.” She would NOT have BEEN Placing HERSELF in a Position To Be Raped, At least NOT so easily…. And I wonder WHY, No One looks @ it like that??? 12 Is CERTAINLY old enough to KNOW to Turn around and LEAVE when confronted w/ this SITUTATION, not, Dance, Gyrate, Moan and Get Naked, all the While asking Where are My Tickets!!
Dakota Fanning’s cute, wholesome image is the primary reason this scene draws such attention.
Another former child actress, the highly talented Jenna Malone, starred in a movie titled, “Bastard Out Of Carolina” in which her character was beaten, whipped, raped and abused throughout the film, with at least one scene of partial nudity. This movie didn’t even appear on the radar. Why not? Because young Ms. Malone was, at the time, just a regular looking kid, or perhaps even slightly homely (or made up & dressed to appear so).
So I guess the moral of this current to-do is that it’s terribly wrong to portray unsavory events, but only if the actress is simply too cute for it.
I agree that DF has shown more maturity and common sense than the people raising hell about this scene.
It used to be illegal to view or pay for images of young naked girls, especially ones depicted being raped. Now it’s legal and child pornagraphers don’t have to illegally download it. They can just go to the movie theatre and enjoy. Thanks a lot Hollywood.
she’s not 5 years old… she’s 12, and she chose to act in this role, most 12 year olds i know arn’t living under a rock, they know what sex is and they know what rape is. to be completely honest, she seems more mature than most of you posting here.
It’s really sad you all are trying to make a big deal out of something small. I believe unless you have seen the scene yourself, you aren’t obligated to speak on it. Yes everyone has an opinion, but how boring is your life that you have to get worked up over a movie that only has been seen by a selective few? sure rape is a crime…so is murder, robbery, drug possesion and a lot of things tha are depicted in movies. Also i think it is ignorant to say that her parents are only allowing it for money…how do you know? and Dakota Fanning’s previous movies have mad millions. So that’s not much of a valid reason, now is it…I think it’s relavent that Dakotas parents respected her decision on choosing the role.
Thank you Dorian!
Little Miss Fanning has impressed me with her acting in everything I’ve seen her in. She’s wonderful. I have chosen not to see her in this movie that depicts her being raped. I realize that it’s acting, and i realize that it might seem like a challenging charactor to play. But, I simply can’t condone any portrayal of a child being raped or molested for the sake of entertainment. I greive that things have come to this in hollywood. It’s discouraging to think that the moral climate of our time has dictated that this is what’s needed to entertain. A sad state of affairs. The fact that these thing really do happen in dark places is bad and sad enough. We shouldnt have to see it on the big screen. Praying for all concerned and involved with this.
Yes, what a disturbing thing. I do not know her actual age. I have come to understand she, in the movie, is 12. And to actually SHOW?! it, that’s insane. To make her go through it? All to prison, immediately.
should one be careful to argue against anti-porn while posting on this site? Look at the situation as thus: 1)Pushing envelope? big surprise, Morally wrong dictated by society? yes. Majority concensus? Wrong. As a felon in this North-American society(no mention of elsewhere in the world good or bad) the director may well be prosecuted aided by disgusted crewmen. 2)As a human disobeying *insert great entity of choice*, ** agnostics disregard** maybe yes maybe no. Anyone to argue this is criminal had better have an amount of postings (directly proportional) to the topic of teenage prostitution for every 1 prostitute. No one can argue that this is of greater moral detrement than a 10 year old prostutute (any sex), the world’s moral crisis is as severe as a chain being as strong as it’s weakest link, or mother as happy as her unhappiest child. For every person arguing against this movie, examine the relationship with your own children, Are you sheltering them to the point that a candy bar may draw them into strange vehicles? Is it correct(parallel to many faiths in our complex yet still very primitive society) to stop the pushing of the envelope due to the fact that a pedophile may purchase this movie? Do you condone other still morally wrong or deprevating acts(believed by certain circles)such as same abortion or euthanasia? Did your ancestors once believe the world was flat? This is an issue that will never be resolved as faith or spirituality are too great a shackle to allow complete consensus. Keep on debating, while keeping in mind that the destruction of this movie will not stop or even hinder the amount of travesties of this nature, in fact the opposite. As a pedophile grows with an urge that the pedophile may realize is morally wrong, and perhaps has morals in other respects, this movie could very well be a deterrent from seeking the real experience in the eyes of a pedophile. Whatever your belief on this topic, keep it real, im out
“Dorian Gray,” [That choice of name from a depraved homosexual as a nick speaks volumes] for is essentially justifying child pornography here and saying, that as long as it is produced by Hollywood; it’s ok.
These are the scenes in the movie:
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[QUOTE]Here we see one (maybe two!) scenes of simulated violent child molestation performed on the actual body of a twelve year old girl, portraying a child of nine. We see her dancing wildly, in real or simulated nudity, before two boys to “earn” an Elvis concert ticket! We see her “father” pleasuring himself in her presence and soliciting her as she lies semi-nude in her bed, referencing past sexual encounters. We see her engaged in inter-child sexplay and forcing the other two children in the film(!!) to do the same… at gunpoint. Then she murders them and, ultimately, her father with a poisonous snake! There is also a scene with Robin Wright (also an Executive Producer on this film) that hints of lesbianism. Lewellen (Dakota’s character name) also drinks, smokes, curses, has a history of promiscuity and, of course, avenges her abuses with cold-blooded murder.
This was all filmed on a fully lit and fully crewed set. Live crewmen, live actors… live children. It was produced, written and directed by Deborah Kampmeier, an independent filmmaker who’s darksome prior efforts are a matter of record. It was so horrific that some crewmen, hardened as they were by previous film excesses, quit the set in disgust. From them comes the witness and copies of the screenplay that brought this tragic affair to light.[/QUOTE]
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There are laws in North Carolina and there are Federal Laws, which in this case are even stricter.
To justify these scenes with minors is tantamount to arguing that such minors ARE able to consent to ACTUAL sex in their personal lives and that adults CAN have sexual relationships with these minors. There can NEVER be any justification for this and this isn’t “prudery,”…but nothing must come before the safety of children and of ensuring they grow up without being interfered with. Child sex and even mere nudity must ALWAYS and without exception, beyond innocent family naked baby pictures, must be prosecuted without mercy. The above scenes can never be justified for any film. This is not art; it is child pornography pure and simple and wrapped up and served up for public consumption–with the idea of pushing the envelope for even worse.
And you know what, Dorian—there is nothing wrong with good old-fashioned morality—and dare I say, it? Judeo-Christian values. And you know what? Just because some people don’t fully live up to their value system, doesn’t justify tearing down the values–it simply means we have to try harder to follow those good values. I’d tell you to go to Hell, but you’re already taking that advice.
I just saw Hannity and some idiot fundamentalist “family values” pimp slamming the rape scene — neither of whom, of course, had actually seen it. Which I suspect is the case here, and what makes this criticism so absurd.
To pick up on one thread of the argument, Jodie Foster was in at least three movies depicting her nude or in highly sexual situations (you forgot Taxi Driver & Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane) that were truly disturbing if you didn’t know how the scenes were shot, and even then people were up in arms. Foster seems to have grown into a very stable and successful adult with zero of the usual celebrity “incidents” so far, and managed to graduate from Yale magna cum laude with a degree in English Lit. Brooke Shields, you might recall, was the subject of huge debate — and her mother was savaged — over Blue Lagoon and Pretty Baby (in which she was a 10-yr-old child prostitute and did indeed appear frontally nude herself and in highly sexual scenes). She also did nude modeling when she was ten. Her apparent boringly normal transition to an adult — with a degree in French Literature from Princeton — must upset the Philistines mightily.
It is interesting to observe that these ladies avoided the usual limp-assed “Drama” or “Film History” degrees that most Hollywood types pursue, and actually took real courses and got real degrees.
Love scenes and sex scenes being filmed are so boring and mechanical, even rape scenes, that it is unlikely to affect Fanning in the slightest, assuming it isn’t shot by idiots. All you’re likely to see is shots of her from the shoulders up, writhing and screaming in about the same manner as if she were being “beaten,” or eaten by alien monsters — either of which depiction wouldn’t have generated this absurd discussion.
Embarrassingly enough, most of us just can’t seem to get past our own sexual guilt and hangups and look upon sex-related scenes in film as just routine Hollywood fakery that adults shouldn’t take too seriously.
Have I seen it? No. But at least I’m not so emotionally befuddled that I can’t easily see how such a scene could be done without the slightest emotional trauma or embarrassment to any normal 12-year-old. It’s the movies, remember? With slick cuts, blue screens, body suits and some guy just off-screen whispering ” Now yell just like I was pulling your hair hard,” the suckers in the audience swallow it whole.
Truly, have I wandered into the Baptist Ladies Forum here and bumped into some post-menopausal biddies who confuse movies with reality?
The mind boggles.
This is horrible. When is rape for entertainment going to stop! This poor little girl should not have her innocence ruined at her age. Even if it is acting it is traumatic and damaging. What sick parents to allow it. The media is awful. I saw a comedy skit on SNL that turned my stomach. It was about Nancy Grace and the Duke Rape Case. They were making a joke of the whole thing and opening saying that the girls lied before it even goes to trial. Voice the outrage on the SNL blog. http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showtopic=720319
I think using rape in any entertainment field is not only tacky, uncalled for, but it’s just plain wrong, and to every girl who had a creepy uncle, or who’s skirt was too short, it’s just too painful to think about. Dakota’s mother and publicist should go through what they are putting their daughter through. The fear. The pain. The memories. It’s sickening. I can’t even think about ever letting my daughter get a fake-rape for a grammy and money. This is her first exposure to sex. And it’s a rape scene. One that her own mother approves of. She should be ashamed of herself and how she is raising her daughter. A grammy is nothing compared to the trauma…
In response to those who accuse those of us who don’t think children should be used in nude or sex scenes in movies as being “close minded” or prudes, etc–go to Amazon and you’ll get this for every movie with this type of content–laws protecting minors from exploitation, be it in labor, physical or sexual abuse, are MODERN and PROGRESSIVE, not “old-fashioned”. Children have not been protected against such things historically–not even back in the days of the puritans.
And children cannot consent to such things, because their minds are biologically incapable of understanding the consequenses (that actually doesn’t fully develop until around 25, so DF isn’t half way there). And since “child actor” is pratically synonomous with “screwed-up adult”, I think we all know that their parents and agents don’t always have the best interest of the child in mind, either.
A side note on Amazon’s customer reviews. They have an interesting feature–they list what other movies have been purchased by those who bought the movie in question, and INVARIABLY you will see other movies which contain child nudity or sexual themes involving children (though the actors may or may not always be actual minors).
Not necessarily referring to anyone here, but this is ample evidence that people interested in movies like this aren’t just those who don’t have a problem if child sex/nudity “just happens” to be in the movie, but those who actively seek out this type of content.
It has to be remembered (and I say this again and again on blogspace, often to the same people!) that the issue here is what happened on the set of the picture. What HAD to happen to film the shots that are so graphically described in the revealed screenplay? We all know that there was no actual sex, for God’s sake. We DO know that there were several scenes of semi-nudity and one terrible scene where Dakota dances naked before two boys for a ticket to an Elvis concert and ends up being brutally molested by one.
This is called “Sexual Exploitation of a Minor” and it is a felony in North Carolina, where “Hounddog” was filmed. There are also federal laws dealing with this sort of thing. This film may serve on good purpose, anyway. It will show us just how well children (and common decency) are served by the laws of this country.
Kirsten Dunst Explores Her Decadent Side
What’s cuter than Kiki Dunst in a cheerleading outfit or being rescued by Superman? Maybe Dakota Fanning, but not much else. Like Miss Fanning, Kirsten is branching out into a more sophisticated role, though one that doesn’t involve anything…
Hello all. I think it is sick to portray a young girl in a rape/sex scene.But I alos think it should be wrong to portray an adult in a rape/sex scene. Why should Dakota be any different? Rape is a crime. Sowhy shouldnt all portrayals of rape be punished and not just this opne. Yes, she is a minor, but minoirs are raped, and have sex to. Maybe not at 12, but it is possible. It is just a scene, no sexuals happenings is goign on. It’s not different than playing cops and robbers and pretending to shot the bad guys. It is just acting she wasnt really raped, and I didnt really shot the robber.
jd, maybe YOU need professional help, sicko.
How beyond pathetic. What stupid, selfish parents Dakota must have.
Whoops! It might be time for Kathy Griffin to retract her apology for remarks made about Dakota…
http://freshnotes.com/StaticSite/Subjects/10153/12127/index.html
Get a grip people! It’s a movie and she is ACTING.
Why would a pretend rape be anymore harmful then a pretend death? or a pretend apocalypse. If I ACT like I died or I’m a serial killer do I need therapy, or should I be arrested ?
Nudiry has never killed anyone, not even the very young And all kids think about sexual things even if they don’t know what to call it. Most young kids rub themselves for pleasure at very early ages does that mean they are sex fiends?
Stop demonizing nudity and sex. Demonize abuse, FORCING someone to do something against their will IS wrong. which I think is possible what the scene addresses. Open your closed minds and grow up.
It’s just a matter of time, before we see & hear the effects of this particular role on her. Time will tell.
We never heard what happened to Jodie Foster in The Accused emotionally, after her very intense rape scene on a pool table. But you do hope there was a shrink on the set.
Dakota’s 12, so now, she’s become a ticking time bomb for how this role will effect her emotionally in public & in private. Let’s hope her parents grounded her well enough that we don’t have to hear of her going to a shrink when she’s forty!
She’s a good kid, and we’d hate to see her join the rest of those ne’r-do-wells, in Hollyweird. I just hope her parents & agents didn’t make the biggest mistake of their lives & totally fuck this kid up royally!!
Man, what parents won’t do for money is pathetic!!