How they annihilated the Smurfs

By David Rennie
Brussels
October 9, 2005

THE people of Belgium are reeling at the first adults-only episode of The Smurfs, in which the blue-skinned cartoon characters' village is annihilated by warplanes.

The short but chilling film is the work of UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, and is to be broadcast on national television next week as a campaign advertisement.

The animation was approved by the family of the Smurfs' late creator, "Peyo".

Belgian TV viewers had a preview of the 25-second film last week, when it was shown on the main evening news. Reactions ranged from approval to shock and, in the case of small children who saw it by accident, wailing terror.

UNICEF and the family company IMPS, which controls rights to the Smurfs, have stipulated that it is not to be broadcast before 9pm.

The short film pulls no punches. It opens with the Smurfs dancing hand-in-hand around a campfire and singing the Smurf song. Bluebirds flutter by and rabbits gambol about their village until, without warning, bombs rain from the sky.

Smurfs scatter and run before being felled by blast waves and explosions. The final scene shows a scorched Baby Smurf sobbing inconsolably.

The final frame bears the message: "Don't let war affect the lives of children."

It is intended as the keystone of a fund-raising drive by UNICEF's Belgian arm to raise $A163,000 for the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Burundi.

UNICEF Belgium spokesman Philippe Henon said his agency had set out to shock, after concluding that traditional images of suffering in Third World war zones had lost their power to move television viewers. "It's controversial," he said. "We have never done something like this before, but we've learned over the years that the reaction to the more normal type of campaign is very limited."

Belgium prides itself on being the home of some of the world's most famous cartoon characters, from Tintin to Lucky Luke and the Smurfs.

The advertising agency behind the campaign decided the best way to convey the impact of war on children was to tap into the earliest, happiest memories of Belgian television viewers. They chose the Smurfs, who first appeared in a Belgian comic in 1958.

www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/10/08/1128563036327.html?from=top5

Sounds cool!

The only good smurf is a dead smurf!

ETA Charlie don't smurf...sorry.

I wanna' see this film!!!

A pre-emptive strike on a smurf training center...I like it!

The UN is just so....interesting.

I searched the Belgian UNICEF site, but found nothing.

this thread is wothless without video

I'd watch it.





I always hated that cartoon

Quoted: this thread is wothless without video

You could always go to Ebaum's World and watch the Papa Smurf video to hold you over...

"Don't let war affect the lives of children."

Soooooo............they made it in cartoon form to communicate the concept to adults?

Quoted: "Don't let war affect the lives of children." Soooooo............they made it in cartoon form to communicate the concept to adults?

It was either this or Crayon subtitles for the slower adults.

I wonder who flew the make-believe plane that rained imaginary hellfire onto those inanimate animations?

I sure hope no make believe characters were hurt during the filming of this piece of uhm... er...  uh... political.. uh..  thing.

Quoted: Quoted: this thread is wothless without video You could always go to Ebaum's World and watch the Papa Smurf video to hold you over...

Nope. The Families lawyers had them pull it

This would make a great avatar



www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/08/wsmurf08.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/08/ixhome.html

Who cares, the Smurf's were communists anyway.  

Too cool.  New Avatar inbound.

Quoted: Charlie don't smurf...

maybe they should show how dedicated to the cause they really are and rent their own kids out as hostages for terrorists and rogue nations to hide behind instead of volunteering the native kids?

Funny how they don't show them uncovering their huts to reveal anti aircraft guns. Shooting down the attackers and saving their children from domination and a life of slavery.

Quoted: "Don't let war affect the lives of children." Soooooo............they made it in cartoon form to communicate the concept to adults?

Well in most countries, cartoons are a legitmate form of adult entertainment.  Its mainly in the US that they are considered for children only

If we are going for realism, did they also have ad
showing Baby Smurf and Smurfette being gang
raped by UN peacekeepers?

If we are going for realism, did they also have ad showing Baby Smurf and Smurfette being gang raped by UN peacekeepers?

+1   LMAO

This only begs the question, what kind of bomb do you use on a smurf village.   Can you get by with a Mk 80 series GPLD bomb or do you have to break out the JDAMS?

Quoted: If we are going for realism, did they also have ad showing Baby Smurf and Smurfette being gang raped by UN peacekeepers?

fuck, that was funny...and true

Quoted: Funny how they don't show them uncovering their huts to reveal anti aircraft guns. Shooting down the attackers and saving their children from domination and a life of slavery.

Those smurfs were from Belgium. They only sell anti-aircraft guns, they don't use them.

All your Smurf are belong to us.

NAPALM STICKS TO SMURFS!!!

The whole concept of using feul-air explosives agasint Smurf villiages makes me smile.

I wonder if that's the effect they were going for?

Quoted: This only begs the question, what kind of bomb do you use on a smurf village.   Can you get by with a Mk 80 series GPLD bomb or do you have to break out the JDAMS?

You do realize that JDAMS just sticks modern guidance technology on the same ol' Mk 80 series and penetrator bombs, right?


as for the initial post...

Really, an air attack - in a  world where most villages are beat down with much more conventional means.  This couldn't by any chance be a subtle reference to the US, no - couldn't be.

There has to be a joke in this with Mushroom cloud / mushroom home thing - I'll leave it up to the wittier posters.

It's not the first time the Smurfs have been bombed or anything. Gargamel used to launch incindiary arty at thier village all the damn time. Smurfs getting bombed isn't a new thing. About the only thing they can do is make it more graphic......

Sounds cool!

The only good smurf is a dead smurf!

ETA Charlie don't smurf...sorry.

I wanna' see this film!!!

A pre-emptive strike on a smurf training center...I like it!


+1 !!!

Hopefully they'll have sequels wiping out Teletubbies, Power Rangers, and Speed Racer!


ETA:  There have been no really good cartoons since Pink Panther, Road Runner, and Popeye.

Brainy Smurf: "Papa Smurf! Bogeys inbound! White ones on the rails!"

Papa Smurf: " Sound the alarm and scramble the fighters!"

Brainy Smurf: "We don't have any smurfing fighters!"

Papa Smurf: "Whose idea was it to take responsibility for smurfing New York? I'll have his smurfing head on a smurfing platter!"

{sounds of explosions and jet engines. terrified screaming is heard}

Papa Smurf: "Somebody get Jane Fonda and Michael Moore on the smurfing phone!"

{scene cut to Susan Sarandon}


Have you been unfairly bombed by the evil United States for simply claiming responsibility for a supposed "Terrorist Act?"

We at the Film Actor's Guild can help!

Our crack team of whiny liberal film makers can present your third world dictatorship in a positive light, ensuring your country aid from the U.N.!
We can immediately begin an aggressive spin campaign denying any connection between your radical elements and any act of violence anywhere.

After all, in some countries, a suicide bombing campaign is the only real political discourse available.

So please, give the F.A.G. a call today!

{cut scene to hippies protesting demolition of smurf village}

[subtitle]

"Brought to you by the National Democratic Convention and Kim Jong Il"




GT

I wonder if it was Gargamel and Azriel in an F-4??

this thread got me in the mood to watch the fucking cartoon but i cant find any on netflix

That sounds like a great cartoon.

LA la lala laLA, la lala la LaAAAAA BOOOOOOOM!!!!

tag for vidieo  

smurf name generator.. sweet mine is.....Waspinator Smurf.....SWEET!!              


                                                             
www-personal.umich.edu/~mule/smurfgen.html                

Smurfette is a slut.  Bong!

Quoted: smurf name generator.. sweet mine is.....Waspinator Smurf.....SWEET!!                                                                             www-personal.umich.edu/~mule/smurfgen.html

Hahaha...mine was boozy.

Anyone see the smurf remake of se7en?

This is so bad ass that I am actually getting some respect for the UN.

I NEED a copy of this.

"We're really smurfed now!"

---Papa Smurf

Quoted: smurf name generator.. sweet mine is.....Waspinator Smurf.....SWEET!!                                                                             www-personal.umich.edu/~mule/smurfgen.html

Mine is Fundamentalist Smurf I shit you not. Maybe they bombed the village becuase they thought I was there or something. Those assholes will pay for this  I'm going to go jismurf on thier asses now.

"PBY streetgang this is Almighty...."

Quoted: Who cares, the Smurf's were communists anyway.

and that whole thing of 500 guys and one chick always struck me as odd

Where's the VID?

ROFLMAO

Quoted: smurf name generator.. sweet mine is.....Waspinator Smurf.....SWEET!!                                                                             www-personal.umich.edu/~mule/smurfgen.html

Kung Pao Smurf

Belgium eh? Wonder where the video of  smurfs being machine gunned for failing to meet rubber production quotas is?

WHERE IS THE DAMN VIDEO?  POST A LINK!!!

This whole story is too funny!

"News Flash; US President Bush bombs Surf  village, many casualties, picture's are just starting to come in.........."