Ideaology in Film

Ideology in Film
Ideology describes the sets of beliefs or principles that are present within a film whether placed directly or seven subconsciously by people working on a film. Film can either be explicit, where the subject is directly stated by someone contributing to the film, or implicit, wherein it is of debatable knowledge of what the film really means, the subconscious intentions of the filmmakers, and can be left to analysis and debate

Ideology and Expectations;Give an example of an a actor that presents a predictable ideological package that studios are quick to use. List as many of their film roles as possible – noting the particular actions/dialogues associated with the character that they play. Make a list of the five adjectives that you think best capture their typical role. Produce a detailed description of what you think their next role will be like.

Arnold Schwarzenegger may be the most prolific actors of his genre. Schwarzenegger has starred in very similar films: rough, run-and-gun, action (and more often then not, scifi-fantasy with action elements, or vice versa). Films such as  Commando, Terminator, Conan, Total Recall, True Lies, Predator, Batman and Robin and even the self satiring Last Action Hero. All of these are also filled with cheesy/corny one liners that parody (or exploit) Arnold’s original success in The Terminator. From the classic “Ill Be back” to the cheesy following...
(As in Commando)
"Leave anything for us?"
"Just bodies."
(As Mr. Freeze)
[Bad guy gets killed by ice cream cone.]
"Iced that guy!"
"What killed the dinosaurs?! The ICE AGE!"
If you could describe Arnold’s roles in a few words they would be “Witty, humorous, fun, action, and violent.” If i were to predict  his next role, I would say it would probably be a scifi-action movie that preforms above average at the box office but lacks critical reception. It later goes on to sell big in the home video market. In it, Arnold is a government agent with previous military training, and in the near future, has to deal with some kind of threat from an otherworldly force.

Personal Ideologies and the Enjoyment of Film: Think of a film that you enjoy and know well. Consider which characters you like. Analyze your favorite character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cT_T3QVR80&feature=BFa&list=SPB157AB39E9A99D16&lf=list_related

1080p, Baby.

One of my favorite movies is Fellowship of the Ring. In it, a character named Boromir must resist the temptation to take the ring from Frodo. His mind is weak, a mind of man, easy to be corrupted. When he is killed, it is very emotional, because you are sympathetic for the character. First, he has gone through a recent redemption: he tried to take the ring form Frodo but later realizes what evil he has done and tries to help Frodo. In fact, he dies trying to save the Hobbits. Also, Peter Jackson presents another two cinflicts to the story: Boromir has come from far away to debate on what is to be done with the great ring of power. His idea is to use the ring as a weapon. Everyone finds this too aggressive; yet, from his perspective, his people have been on the front lines fighting and defending the rest of them and have lost many men and many of their cities have been destroyed. Peter Jackson makes you sympathize with the character because as an audience, we like redemption and we can also relate more to him then any other character (becasue he is the only human in the fellowship. He also conflicts with his father  Sean Bean is a semi-high profile actor and his death, despite probably negative views from the audience was critical in order to stay true to the book.

Changing Ideologies: Why would the ideologies of a given era or time period change the way a narrative is presented to its audience? Can you give an example of a film narrative that has changed over generations?

Society is forever changing into new ideas and standards. Some things that are acceptable one day may not be the next, and vice versa. Ideologies are developed from events happening at the time, a war we might be in, religious ideals, political changes, societal revolutions. For example, during the Vietnam era, many war movies were of the old “John Wayne pro-war shoot-em up” style, an unrealistic vision to try and convince the public that Vietnam “was the right thing”, borderline propaganda, such as movies like “The Green Berets”.  But after the war, as soldiers came back and told their horror stories, more movies came out with anti-war sentiments and many war movies had from that point on a anit-war message. Tensions and sensitivity about the war  were relived completely by late 80’s (Platoon, Born On The Fourth of July, Deer Hunter, Hamburger Hill, Good Morning Vietnam, Full Metal Jacket, Casualties of War) Similarly, the western genre has been effected by social changes in the Us. In the late 60’s and 70’s America began to loose faith in their government and after seeing war footage on TV live for the first time, they also began to question the nations history; they lost their innocence. The western genre also lost the “John Wayne shoot-em up” outlook . Movies before the war were classic westerns, ‘White man kill Indian Man, white actors.” Little Big Man (1970), is a story about the expansion of the Old West.  Paralleling the Vietnam tragedy, the film demythologized the past and revealed the genocidal atrocities  committed against ethnic Native Americans by US forces.” Thus, many genres may have been also changed by this change in US ideology and social change.

Ideology and the "Effects" Debate: Do you feel that films can affect you and your behavior without being conscience of it?

I feel that films can in fact influence people subconsciously. Vladamir Lenin learned this when he was trying to spread communist ideals around to villages in the far reaches of Russia. Similarly, Adolf Hitler produced Triumph of the Will, which some consider to be one of the best propaganda films of all time, glorifying the anti Semitic Nazis. Film has always been used to express ideas, explicit or implicit.

Ideology and Realism:Define Suspension of disbelief and give an example from a recent film you have watched.

Suspension of Disbelief is accepting the world or ideals that have been thrust into. In film, this can a scifi world, or even a world not different from our own. But when we watch a film we ‘suspend our disbelief” and believe in whatever  is thrown on the screen, except CG. (*Joking*)

Ideology & ownership: Does the financial support of a film or the ownership of a production company influence the ideology represented in a film? Explain with an example.

Yes the financial support of a film influence the ideology represented in the film. For example one can win an election due to the massive amounts of propaganda filled commercials that either bash other representatives or glorify themselves as an individual. By directly using themselves, it’s a great form of influential advertisement and filling the minds those that cannot be reached except though media.