The screening of a film with a traumatic death scene and a hallucinogenic drug scene terrifying to small children is preceded in Australia by an ad showing a woman rolling around on the floor in a “distressed” state. Oops.
Pixar’s animated film, The Good Dinosaur, had a good start in cinemas throughout the world. Early reviews were positive. Box office results over its launch weekend (Thanksgiving) in the US were good.
But by December 8, when it had opened in 59% of international markets it had accumulated just US$131.3 million in global box office receipts. Analysts began estimating that it would fail to reach US$400m, roughly equal to Pixar’s lowest grossing film, A Bug’s Life, which made just over US$363 million in 1998.
They also estimated that The Good Dinosaur would have to make US$500 million to break even for Disney.
Worse, a new set of reviews began to pour in. Social media reviews, from parents like, “Children were crying and leaving the theatre. My little one asked me to never see it again,” and “My husband’s sleeve was soaked from my 10-year-old’s tears, the 2-year-old was terrified.”
True to the Disney formula, the film is highly emotional. So many Disney films have been tear jerkers as far back as parents – and grandparents can remember. But, according to The Washington Post cinema critic, Jane Horowtiz, “The trials that Arlo and Spot survive are truly harrowing, especially in 3-D, from rushing rivers to landslides to lightning, huge storms and flying dinosaur predators eager to eat any small mammal, including Spot. The emotional traumas faced by Arlo and Spot, involving the loss of parents, the sheer difficulty of surviving and loneliness, are all portrayed unblinkingly.”
Hot spots include the death of a parent, drug-induced hallucinations and a boy who is treated like a dog.
“Less than a half hour into the movie I had two children in my lap scared senseless. Two of our children in our group were crying. When the main character was hallucinating from the fermented fruit, we decided to collect our belongings and head for the exit.”
“Children were crying and leaving the theatre. My little one asked me to never see it again. The movie’s message is beautiful but it’s not for young kids at all.’
The Good Dinosaur didn’t need to attract any more parental scorn. It got it anyway. When the film screened at Hoyts Millenium in Fremantle, West Australia, it was preceded by this Marc Jacobs ad for new fragrance, Decadence:
The Advertising Standards Board received a number of comlaints. Val Morgan has owned up to the error. It was meant to be shown around movies with a rating of M or above.
The ASA upheld the complaints, “The Board considered that the depiction of the woman rolling on the floor is sexualised and that whilst the overall tone is artistic, in the Board’s view this sexualised content is not appropriate in the context of a broad PG audience which would include children.”
