Pedophilia and politics: 'Lolita' stirs up old debate

By Sonny Inbaraj

DARWIN - ''How did they ever make a film of 'Lolita'?'' That line on movie posters was used to promote thecontroversial Vladimir Nabakov classic, shot by the late StanleyKubrick in 1962 and starring James Mason.

Now there's a new ''Lolita'' - complete with the old debate.

The French version of a story of a man falling in love with his14-year-old stepdaughter has been shown in 19 countries, includingBritain, Russia and Germany and now is on its way to Australianscreens - two years later. Only Prime Minister John Howard standsin its way.

The censors, after taking two weeks to assess the movie,classified it as ''R'' and described it as ''serious artisticwork."

''Lolita'' is scheduled to be screened in Australia from April 15 butHoward thinks otherwise. He says he will appeal the CensorshipBoard's decision to release the film and has labelled ''Lolita'' asa depiction of pedophilia.

Film critics say that move harks back to the '70s when classicslike ''The Wild Bunch'' and ''Bonnie and Clyde'' were viciously cutand others like Charles Larson's ''The Night of the Hunter'' werebanned altogether.

The irony is that the prime minister and other governmentpoliticians who are calling for a ban on ''Lolita'' haven't seen thefilm. And now there is danger that politicians are acting ascensors in the country.

South Australian Liberal MP Trish Draper described ''Lolita'' as''sick and bizarre,'' and is leading the call for Howard to ban themovie.

''What happens is that it'smainstreaming pedophilia and that sort of activity becomesacceptable,'' she told ABC TV.

''I hope pedophilia is never acceptable and I hope thatpedophiles are held in contempt for what they are doing tochildren,'' she said.

But here lies the irony. When questioned by the ABC whether shehad seen ''Lolita'', Draper replied no.

These new political pressures worry John Dickey, the man whoheld the job of chief censor for 10 years. ''I think it would bewiser for people to have a look at how the film deals with thesubject rather than just taking the topic itself and saying youcan't do anything about that,'' said Dickey.

Surprisingly, federal Attorney-General Daryl Williamssupported the censorship board's classification of ''Lolita''.

While supporting the right of critics to have the decisionreviewed, Williams said he had great faith in the office. ''Theyhave experience in classifying films that I don't have."

Williams told ABC radio that criticisms of the film ''mighthave greater validity if they're made after having seen thefilm."

The censorship board's director, Kathryn Paterson, told TheAge newspaper that the ''R'' classification followed consultation with apanel of experts from the Australian Institute of Criminology andthe New South Wales Child Protection Enforcement Agency, anacademic researcher and a clinical practitioner specializing inchild sexual abuse.

A spokesman for the attorney-general's office said once thecensorship board had made made its decision, anyone who feltaggrieved could ask their state or territory attorneys-general topass their complaint on to the federal attorney-general.

David Stratton, the renowned Australian movie critic, sees greatdangers if politicians are allowed to overturn censorship boarddecisions.

''I think this would be almost unprecedented and very worryingfor our democracy. The censorship board is supposed to be separatefrom the government, yet there is interference. I wouldn't havethought the government would attempt to overthrow its own agencyof censorship,'' he pointed out.

''Most Australians would not want to be going back to the timewhen the government was clamping down on what we can see or hearor read. 'Lolita' is a tragic story and itcertainly wouldn't encourage anyone to be a pedophile. It'sactually quite a cautionary tale."

The opposition Labor legal spokesman Robert McClelland warnedthat politicians should be careful about making knee-jerkreactions. ''At the end of the day all the ill-informed hype willonly promote the film that presumably they don't want Australiansto see,'' he said.