April 19, 2008
Matt Damon's particular brand of media violence is okay because he simply refuses to allow himself to be portrayed in a Jason Bourne action figure.Makes perfect sense, right?
Well, it does if you are Nancy Carlsson-Paige (aka Matt Damon's mom), whose theories on media violence were examined on GamePolitics a few weeks back (see: Matt Damon’s Mom Blasts Violent Video Games… Meanwhile, Bourne Conspiracy Ships in June).
This time around, Carlsson-Paige, a college professor, is interviewed by Boston TV station WBZ. Among her comments:
Matt and I have been talking about violence in the media since he was a little boy. We completely agree that violence should not be marketed to young children...
GP: But, Matt's movies are regulated by a voluntary content rating system (like that of video games). And Matt has apparently developed his own system to keep kids safe - the "no action figure" system:
Thankfully, [Matt won't allow any action figures] because if he did, there would be a whole line of Jason Bourne toys, which is a PG-13 movie that should have been R, marketed to little kids. It gives children the message that this movie is for you and it confuses parents.
Carlsson-Paige is also apparently of that group of (mostly middle-aged and older) people who don't understand that video games can truly spark one's imagination and creativity:
Children aren't getting the opportunity to cultivate their imaginations, and their creative thought process, like they need and society needs for them to develop.
GP: While his mom seems out of touch and a bit hypocritical, I should say that I really enjoy Matt Damon's work. Not a big fan of the Bourne films, mind you, but Rounders, Syriana and The Departed are all favorites. In fact, I was really hoping too see an Edward Wilson action figure from The Good Shepherd.
Oh, well...
Comments
Of couse it doesn't cary weight, but it is a prime example of people's warped views of gaming. That's the sucky thing about the first amendment is that while it kicks ass in court, it can't win over the people. Only WE can do that. Maybe we should call Anderson Cooper and get a news special like Planet in Peril?
Most of the people you'd be interested in educating, need to die off of old age instead of trying to educate them. The phrase "a leopard cannot change its spots" is very applicable to a lot of adults who are being made aware of video games through traditional media outlets and who will not change their generally ignorant opinion.
Some can, but I'd say a greater majority can't or won't.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PZNfOZXPJk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T23oNcCFriE&NR=1
In case you don't get it, I am joking, but watch those clips, they are hilarious...
Politics is a game you lose by ignoring opposition and hoping they go away.
“Matt and I have been talking about violence in the media since he was a little boy.”
I highly Doubt it. It was more like her talking to Matt and Matt just pretended he was listening, just like all kids do when parents talk about boring stuff.
Now the whole "No action figures" thing makes me laugh. Playing with action figures as a child help my imagination grow and helped me develop into the person I am today. I haven't killed anyone or torn the limbs from people I don't like. All Action figures do is the same thing dolls do for little girls, the help a child develop and let their imaginations grow.
The whole reason why there are no Jason Borne action figures, is not because Mr. Damon will not allow it. The reason is that no kid in their right mind would choose a Jason Borne action figure over an Optimus Prime or GI. Joe.
they were against star wars figures too I think.
I own a lot of them.
Matt Damon and his mom are stupid hypocrites.
The action figures will just make kids want to go see the movie. The parents are the ones who can decide if they can or not.
True, it's still up to parents to decide. But at the same time, the movie and game industries have generally said that they won't market R/M rated games/movies to kids. So if they find a roundabout way of doing that, they are breaking a pledge they made.
Of course, this is a PG-13 movie anyways, just one she feels should be R, so it's a different situation anyways.
in other breaking news: the sky is blue.
I wouldn't call her ''stupid", more like "misguided", or "misinformed".
Not to mention say, Halo 3 has tools that allow the player to get creative.
While I do see her idea of the no action figure policy for rated R movies (because there are associations with action figures being the cool thing. If Timmy wants a Neo action figure, he's either a) going to play with it in his own little way, or b) want to see the movie once he realizes his favorite action figure is from a movie.
But the whole if there's an action figure for a movie that's PG13/R meaning its ok for a kid to see and confusing parents part? Wow, if you're a parent who becomes confused if your kid can or can't see a movie based on the fact there's an action figure....you've really out done yourself and displayed just how bad of a parent you are.
Well, thing is, the Matrix action figures are made more for collectors than little kids.
Hell, anything produced my McFarlane studios is meant more for collectors.
I'd like to know Matt Damon's opinion on the matter. I know its family first and what not but if I was Matt Damon I'd have to sit down and ask her kindly not to speak to reporters anymore. Or maybe try to distract her with a different cause that she can express opinions about that perhaps hold a bit more merit. Not that I'm saying thats what he should do, but thats just what I would do. The Departed was BADASS, BTW. That was my favorite film with Matt Damon in it.
WEEEEEEELLLLLLLL...... (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Zvq-GZluxSQ&feature=related)
People were trying to wussify, er, I mean, protect their little angels then.
Police Sergeant:"What did you find, detective?"
Detective:"Plenty. He confessed to having collected Star Wars toys. Also the second we got in his place, the first thing we saw was a shelf full of Masters of the Universe figures; the really cool-looking ones too from the 2003 line sculpted by the Four Horsemen."
Police Sergeant: "Damn."
Detective: "And on his to-do list: he had just started collecting Mattel's new DC Universe figures, also sculpted by the Four Horsemen."
Police Sergeant: "Sounds like we've got our man."
Detective: "And by the looks of things, just in the nick of time too, before he went out on another spending spree."
Other than ALIEN and Predator, though, I can't recall any other toy lines based on R-rated movies being sold to kids. I do remember when the toys for the first ALIEN movie came out, yet I wasn't even old enough to see it at the time, so I could only wonder "What were they thinking?"
Interesting. I don't know much about action figures, but I figured there were probably plenty of adults who collected them, especially depending on the type of figure. That's why I was trying to focus on "if those action figures are focused on and marketed to kids." Then again, that's such a vague statement.
Anyways, I really just want to make sure people at least understand what it is she's complaining about, as some seemed to be acting like it was just action figures in general that she didn't like.
Shielding children from this stuff is more likely to fuck them up then over exposer to it. I don't believe that most kids are as stupid and impressionable as people (such as politicians, activist soccer mom parents, moralist prudes, violent media researchers) make them out to be.
Probably, but it wasn't as evident as it was today. I never remembered activist groups protesting these toys with this level of vigor. Although maybe that was because we didn't have the Internet back then, so communication wasn't as widespread, I don't know.
not to mention thanks to the net you can get these items even if no longer in circulation
Hella. If we're atacked by terrorists, who's gonna be better off: The kid who was raised in candyland and thinks you can solve all your problems by "believing", or the kid who knows how to hunt for food and kick ass on crazy ass terrorists? My bet's on kid #2.
"Matt Damon"
But Matrix figures weren´t really toys and more like dioramas to put on your desk or bookshelves.
Like videogames, not every toy is marketed for kids.
She sounds like the typical out of touch, ex-70's soccer mom. I'm always curious as to what they consider that children ought to be out doing instead of videogames and playing with action figures or toy guns. Probably out playing Soccer or Baseball... or something like that.
i simply HATE when people take the whole 'imagination' approach to things like this. I shouldn't even need to get into why.
@ jatone
Is this your blog? No? Then don't click on it. If something isn't newsworthy to you, then ignore it. Not rocket science, buddy.
LOLZ VIOLENT BOOKS ARE A-OK
LOLZ VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO MASTURBATE AND TO KILL
LOLZ ACTION FIGURES TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO MASTURBATE AND TO KILL
The argument that violent entertainment is intended for adults, not children, hinges on it not being literally marketed to children. When the MPAA slaps a PG-13 or R rating on a movie, or the ESRB slaps a T or M rating on a game, and then the developer proceeds to license tie-in products that are obviously targeting a younger audience, it hurts our case.
(Obviously I draw a distinction here between a $5 action figure marketed to 8-year-olds and a $15 action figure marketed to adult collectors.)