I chose to talk about the picture of the illustrator of "Goodnight Moon", Clement Hurd. Originally, the illustrator's picture on the dust jacket of the book showed him smoking a cigarette, but apparently Harper Collins thought his cigarette was inappropriate and PRESTO! The cigarette is gone from newer copies of the popular children's book. Now, I understand covering up sexually explicit, racy imagery, like the bare bottom on a bicycle on a Queen poster in 1974, but I feel that covering up a cigarette seems like overkill. Does Harper Collins really think that kids are going to start smoking because of the illustrator of "Goodnight Moon" does? It was an awkward edit as well, since Mr.Hurd now looks like he's awkwardly groping the air! While this wasn't a harmful change, it seems really unnecessary! In fact, this reminds me of when American poster companies removed Paul McCartney's cigarette from his hand from the famous Abbey Road picture. Here's the edited version.http://www.allposters.com/View_HighZoomResPop.asp?apn=2687971&imgloc=7-791-ATCI000Z.jpg&imgwidth=949&imgheight=632&sc=False&ct=%20Aquarius%20Images&cw=20&ch=20
And here's the original! http://www.usageorge.com/Jokes/Jokes/Beatles_Abbey-Road.jpg
For more information on this Abbey Road touch up, see this article! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2681219.stm
Funny how companies can alter photos however they want to better suit their cause! We can't even trust what we see anymore! Well done.\
ReplyDeleteKendrus
I agree Lindsay! Its a bit much to try and change all these things in pictures. I'm sure plenty of children have seen a cigarette before. I'm not a fan of smoking, but it doen't change a person's character or how well they write. Good job girl!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! It seems a little neurotic and unnecessary....
ReplyDeleteHaha you're the first to think that the removal of the cigarette is "unnecessary overkill." Most considered it to be a wise move, and I'm going to have to say that considering the decade in which it was printed, that yes it would be highly influential to kids--for these means were some of the sole means of representation/advertisement (that's why picture ads were highly successful!) But, on a side note, you are also the first person I know that also knows about the "Abbey Road" alteration!! That made me very very proud :)
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