I’m Surprised Dakota Fanning Hasn’t Been Raped Already

There has been an uproar on the Internet recently about Dakota Fanning’s new film. Hound Dog, where she gets raped and has several scenes where she is naked or wearing underwear. Come on people! Is it just because its Dakota Fanning that this is news? Films have been made for years that have had great and gutsy performances by children, and no one seems to make a big deal of it. Probably because most of them are from other countries. Still there are some great ones in America, too.

This Dakota-worship has got to stop. She has been good in all the films I have seen her in, where she always plays the precocious strong-willed child that can speak very well for her age. This one is going to be the same, except that she gets raped. Her parents are touting it as an Oscar worthy performance. And that is what is at the heart of this whole thing. Awards! I bet she is going to get the Oscar nod, and that’s going to be just because of the press. Not that I care, I hate the Oscars anyway (I won’t rant on this just yet…) But I do feel obligated to rant on this celebrity worship, even if it is centered on a cute 12 year old child.

Anyway, the articles written online range from stupid, to even more stupid. There is one that actually talks about investigating the film to see if it constitutes child abuse.

Bottom line, movies with rough scenes involving children have been around for ages, but for some reason when it involves Dakota Fanning its headline news. If you want to see a film with great performances by children, go see Bastard Out of Carolina, L’Esquive, City of God, Scum, or especially Pixote.

Leave some comments if you can think of any others that put Dakota to shame.