Exploiting a child

IT’S hard to believe Robin Abcarian couldn’t find anyone for her article [“The Fanning Fury and Now the Film,” Jan. 20] willing to state the obvious: Filming the rape of a young girl, no matter how artistic the editing, is not any kind of feminist victory. It is cynical exploitation, pure and simple.

As in previous films of this genre (“Thirteen,” “Kids”), the formula is to titillate your audience, promote and spin the controversy, then cover yourself by saying your movie is about art, or truth, or whatever. The worst part is that no one connected with “Hounddog,” not even Dakota Fanning’s parents, raised an objection. Is money really that important to you people?

BONNIE SLOANE

Los Angeles