A Movie By Any Other Name...
As anyone who has read most of my movie reviews will know, I like to look for deeper meaning behind films. It is not that I can't enjoy a film without analyzing it to death (What's to analyze in "Happy Gilmore"?), I think we often fail to recognize just how much these seemingly casual entertainment influence us and reflect who we are- socially, culturally and spiritually.
Perhaps the most basic theme in movie and television that sets my teeth on edge is its treatment of good and evil. With very few exceptions, people's moral character is almost absolute. The Bad Guy(s) attack/threaten/etc. The Good Guys. A Hero (or Heroes) appear to save the day. He/She almost certainly will get beaten at first, but will come back to defeat, and usually destroy, the Bad Guy(s).
Sounds pretty simple, but it reveals some disturbing underlying values. First, as there are usually the Good and Bad, the viewer is obviously going to identify with the hero, thus making themselves justified. At the same time, they can watch and vicariously enjoy the violence and evil of the Bad Guy, while pardoning themselves by cheering along with the hero when they win in the end.
Real life doesn't work this way. People are not just "Good" & "Bad". We are all somewhere in between. Rather, we are all the Potential of both. The myths of film teach us otherwise. Since we KNOW we aren't "Evil", then we must be good. And conversely, anyone who we don't agree with or have conflict with, must therefore NOT be "Good".
Of course, we do not function this way absolutely. Most of us can see that it isn't always that black & white, but it affects us more than we often realize. Why do think so many respond to concepts of "The Axis of Evil" and the "War On Terror". The issues are far more complex than they are conceptualized by the press or the government, but they had the desired impact.
The greatest loss, though, comes when you consider redemption. Can a Bad Guy become a Good Guy? I'm not talking jay walker, but the REAL Bad Guys. Most often, the Bad Guy is captured or killed. On the RARE occasion that they do have a change of heart, the almost invariably end up dying in the end anyway. Sure, we make it noble, dying to save others from the evil they caused.
Equally as rare, there are films and programs that portray people as they are- not entirely good or bad, but both. However, even then, they are largely sad, dark and often hopeless. A few exceptions exist ("Dead Man Walking" in film and "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" in television), but they are sadly few. I only hope that they will someday replace the dangerous mythology of our current cultures.
Another question is raised: Who is to blame? Do the movies shape the culture or merely reflect it? But that, my friends, is another topic for another Blog. For more on the topic, check out the writing of Walter Wink.
Perhaps the most basic theme in movie and television that sets my teeth on edge is its treatment of good and evil. With very few exceptions, people's moral character is almost absolute. The Bad Guy(s) attack/threaten/etc. The Good Guys. A Hero (or Heroes) appear to save the day. He/She almost certainly will get beaten at first, but will come back to defeat, and usually destroy, the Bad Guy(s).
Sounds pretty simple, but it reveals some disturbing underlying values. First, as there are usually the Good and Bad, the viewer is obviously going to identify with the hero, thus making themselves justified. At the same time, they can watch and vicariously enjoy the violence and evil of the Bad Guy, while pardoning themselves by cheering along with the hero when they win in the end.
Real life doesn't work this way. People are not just "Good" & "Bad". We are all somewhere in between. Rather, we are all the Potential of both. The myths of film teach us otherwise. Since we KNOW we aren't "Evil", then we must be good. And conversely, anyone who we don't agree with or have conflict with, must therefore NOT be "Good".
Of course, we do not function this way absolutely. Most of us can see that it isn't always that black & white, but it affects us more than we often realize. Why do think so many respond to concepts of "The Axis of Evil" and the "War On Terror". The issues are far more complex than they are conceptualized by the press or the government, but they had the desired impact.
The greatest loss, though, comes when you consider redemption. Can a Bad Guy become a Good Guy? I'm not talking jay walker, but the REAL Bad Guys. Most often, the Bad Guy is captured or killed. On the RARE occasion that they do have a change of heart, the almost invariably end up dying in the end anyway. Sure, we make it noble, dying to save others from the evil they caused.
Equally as rare, there are films and programs that portray people as they are- not entirely good or bad, but both. However, even then, they are largely sad, dark and often hopeless. A few exceptions exist ("Dead Man Walking" in film and "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" in television), but they are sadly few. I only hope that they will someday replace the dangerous mythology of our current cultures.
Another question is raised: Who is to blame? Do the movies shape the culture or merely reflect it? But that, my friends, is another topic for another Blog. For more on the topic, check out the writing of Walter Wink.
posted by Jamie at 4:04 p.m.
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