Racing Stripes

This topic contains:

• overall comments and recommendations
• details about Racing Stripes' classification and consumer advice lines
• a review of Racing Stripes completed by Young Media Australia (YMA) on 6 January 2005.

Overall comments and recommendations

Racing Stripes tells the story of a zebra from the wrong side of the tracks who makes good. The style in which the tale is told bears much similarity to “Babe”, complete with talking, wisecracking and at times neurotic farm animals and less significant input from the human characters. While adults may find the plot to be yet another variation on a well-worn theme, younger children will enjoy the humour and the storyline. Although there were a couple of scenes that may be scary for younger viewers, this movie is suitable for all ages.

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) and the associated consumer advice lines.

YMA review

This review of the movie Racing Stripes contains the following information:

• a synopsis of the story
• use of violence
• material that may scare children
• product placement
• sexual references
• nudity and sexual activity
• use of substances
• coarse language
• the movie's message

A synopsis of the story

A travelling circus troupe get caught in a storm at night and accidentally leave a zebra foal behind on the road, separating him from his parents. A kindly farmer and former racehorse trainer, Nolan Walsh, happens to drive by and rescues the young zebra. To the delight of his daughter, Channing, the farmer agrees to keep and raise the foal, who has been given the name Stripes. Stripes gains a number of other surrogate parents, by way of the other farmyard animals, who encourage his desire to become a racehorse.

Years pass and the now adolescent Stripes has ambitions to race in the Kentucky Open, not realising he is in fact a zebra. He is constantly rejected, bullied and teased by the horses in the neighbouring racehorse training stables, but is undeterred and tries harder to reach his goal. He develops a crush on Sandy , the equestrian-trained filly next door.

Sixteen year old Channing Walsh (whose own mother died as a jockey in a race accident) must also overcome her father's objections to her riding horses, in order to train and race Stripes in the big race. She faces additional objections and taunts from her father's former boss and competing racehorse owner, Clara Dalrymple.

Further revelations and incidents gives rise to a loss of self-belief for Stripes, and threatens to undo all the gains of his hard work and training. His friends band together to give Stripes and Channing a chance to fulfil their ambitions and dreams.

Use of violence

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

There is some violence in this movie:

• Just before race day, Stripes is set upon by a large group of racehorses. We see Stripes encircled and then are shown a large horse jumping up to kick Stripes. We are never shown what actually happens, but in the next scene Stripes is unconscious and beaten on the ground.
• “Goose”, the pelican on the run from city thugs, is shown for comical effect to fly into a barnyard door. Later, while trying to damage a motor bike, he causes a small explosion and gets singed in the process.

Material that may scare children

Under eight

Children under eight are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations, the death of a parent or child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

In addition to the above mentioned scenes, the following scenes could disturb some very young children:

• As a young foal, Stripes is accidentally left behind on the road at night during an electrical storm. He watches on as the truck he had been on drives off, separating him from his parents.
• There are also brief shots of caged roaring lions, who give one of the circus artists a scare.
• Sir Trenton, the champion racehorse, is a somewhat menacing presence, seemingly scaring his own son and his friends.
• Stripes' first race takes place at night at the unofficial ‘Blue Moon Races'. There is a sense of danger and Stripes is clearly outsized and outnumbered by the other trained racehorses. He himself is not scared by the setting or the opposition.
• Channing falls off Stripes during time trials, but is not seriously hurt.
• While meeting with Sandy , the filly, at night, Stripes is set upon by a large group of racehorses led by Sir Trenton. Sandy is threatened and led away by two horses. Although not shown, Stripes is assaulted by the other horses. The scene is darkly lit and music is ominous. We next see Stripes in the morning, unconscious, dirty and battered.
• Stripes is bullied and jostled by the other horses, particularly at the race's starting gate. During the race, he and Channing are often pushed against the inside railings.

Aged over the age of eight

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.

Children over the age of eight would not be scared by this movie.

Product placement

Research shows that children, particularly children under the age of eight, are vulnerable to product placement in movies. Even if the child doesn't recall seeing a particular brand in the movie, they will choose that brand in preference to another, if they have just seen it used or displayed in a movie. This effect may be exacerbated if the product is highlighted as part of the story or if an actor or character they admire is seen to endorse or enjoy the product.

During the Kentucky Open, sponsorship boards from Kodak and Fed Ex express were noticeable.

Sexual references

There are no sexual references in this movie.

Nudity and sexual activity

There is no nudity or sexual activity.

Use of substances

There is no use of substances.

Coarse language

While there is no coarse language, the film contains many put-downs

• Sir Trenton calls Roughshod, one of his son's friends, ‘an idiot'.
• Stripes tells Trenton 's Pride (Sir Trenton's son) that he's going to “ kick your butt” during the Blue Moon Races.
• The farmyard animals occasionally tell each other to “shut up”.
• Channing refers to Clara Dalrymple as a “pain in the butt” during a conversation with her father.
• The phrase “pain in the butt” is also used between the comical flies, Buzz and Scuzz, and is by one of Stripes' farmyard friends to describe Goose.

The movie's message

The film's message is that it doesn't matter who you are or what others say, if you have enough self belief, courage and put in the hard work, you can achieve your dreams.

Values to encourage:

• Stripes and Channing show courage and determination to achieve their goals. They both persevere despite opposition and adversity.
• The importance of family and friends.
• The Walsh family, friends and farmyard animals show loyalty and faith in Stripes and each other's abilities. They cooperate well to get Stripes to and through the race.
• Sandy tells Stripes that she doesn't care what he is on the outside; she values his character on the inside. The farmyard animals accept Stripes for what he is.

The following content could be used by parents to discuss with their children what their own family's values are, and what the real life consequences can be of some actions and attitudes:

• Sir Trenton wants his son to win at any cost and uses violent means to get his way.
• The racehorses tease, bully and threaten Stripes because of his appearance.
• Sir Trenton doesn't want his son to associate with Stripes because he is “different”.
• Channing disobeys and at times, openly defies her father's instructions.
• Name-calling, albeit for comic effect, amongst the farmyard animals.