Return
|
All rights reserved
|
Strike
"Shark Tale" Initiative is Getting the Message Across
Italic Istitute of America - 7 December 2003 |
 The
Italic Institute of America extends fervent congratulations to all Italian
American activists and organizations who participated in the successful
campaign against the film "Mafia Movie Madness". As Dona De
Sanctis, Manny Alfano, and other leaders and participants have noted, the
victory amply demonstrates the results of persistent effort coupled with
the strategic advantage of united front.
It is our shared hope that corporate America, Hollywood, and other repeat offenders are indeed "getting the message" that the Italian American image cannot continue to be so freely abused. Thanks to your diligence, Coca Cola certainly has. Regrettably, however, we must remind everyone that one powerful entity clearly has not gotten the message yet, as DreamWorks SKG (Steven Spielberg's production company) proceeds on schedule with its production of the children's animated film Shark Tale, which is expected to be released in October, 2004. The movie's theme centers around an underwater "mafia" depicted as a group of cartoon sharks. The mobster characters are given Italian names and voiceovers are provided by Robert De Niro and various cast members of the HBO Sopranos series. Two very significant distinctions separate Shark Tale from other offenses we have encountered and battled in the past. In the course of our joint anti-defamation efforts over the years, we have all frequently heard the "it's only entertainment" admonishment which argues that adults have the ability to distinguish fact from fiction. But Shark Tale is being targeted squarely at juvenile audiences, and virtually every authoritative study confirms that children generally accept what they see on television and in the theater as accurate reflections of reality. Further, we are mindful of the inevitable fact that millions of Italian American kids will also be among the Shark Tale viewers, and it is our firm conviction that they be spared what amounts to a mega-dose of the already pervasive images that associate their surnames with brutality, violence, and criminality. In short, we are demanding that our children be afforded the same "positive image" considerations that DreamWorks, Disney, Sesame Street, and other producers of children's entertainment fare take pains to provide for other ethnic and racial segments of society. Secondly, because it's still in production, Shark Tale does not present the usual "response-after-the-fact" situation, but affords us a fighting chance to intercept the unabashed propagation of defamatory imagery before it ever sees the light of day. But the clock is ticking. We emphatically urge all activists and organizations not to delay responsive action until the film is released next year. We need to act now to show Steven Spielberg , Jeffery Katzenberg, and the entire DreamWorks crew that Shark Tale, as currently scripted, is not a good idea. The Italic Institute thanks The American Italian Defense Association (AIDA), Dona De Sanctis of OSIA, The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, Franco Giannotti of Italy At St. Louis http://www.italystl.com/, and The National Organization of Italian American Women for their direct commitment to this cause, as well as those individuals who have contacted us to pledge support and assistance. But we once again urges all other activists and organizations to join us in a coordinated campaign against this film. Please visit the News Flash section of website for further information. You may also contact any of our regional representatives directly. Italic http://www.italic.org/ Institute of America (John Mancini, Chairman) - italicone@aol.com East Coast - Rosario Iaconis - raispqr7@msn.com Midwest - Bill Dal Cerro - bdcerro@yahoo.com or Don Fiore - donfiore@comcast.net West Coast - Renata Sdao - renatasdao@earthlink.net |
