Are Movies Important?

...more theology is conveyed in and remembered from one hour of television than from all the sermons preached in a given weekend. (Phyllis Tickle, God-Talk in America, 126)

What do you think about the quote above? Are movies important? Why or why not?

Comments

[Deborah]

I'm not sure that the movies themselves are as important as the feelings they invoke, and the shared experiences they provide.

[george]

Well, I think "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" very accurately portrayed 1/2 my family.

I tend to think that we seek after too much entertainment but I enjoy movies.

[Adam]

Sam Goldwyn once said: "Pictures are for entertainment, messages should be delivered by Western Union." I don't agree with him, I just thought it was funny. Actually, I think that in today's world, movies are becoming the most effective means of getting through to people, at least the vast majority of them. To Sam, I would say: Who wants to take the time to receive a message when you can have one quickly downloaded into you just by sitting in front of a screen?

[Bill]

You may be right about the entertainment thing, George, although I don't think entertainment is inherently a bad thing.

I agree with the Westminster catechism, where it says, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

I do question the way many people seek to "entertain" themselves, though.

[Deborah]

Since I am in question mode, so how much is too much entertainment? Are movies inherently entertaining? Is the movie the Matrix entertainment but the book the Chronicles of Narnia theology?

[ken]

I think it comes down to two things:
1) The intent of the director/writer-Is he/she writing to entertain or to push a political/religious agenda?
2) How you approach the movie.- My experience watching The Passion of Christ was very different than when I saw The Goonies. Why? They were both 'entertainment'. I came into them with different expectations.

I do think that many people draw more from television than many church services. Some of this is the delivery method. Some is the person delivering it (and any baggage they carry with them). The bottom line is taht the average American spends a lot more time watching television than going to church, so it is inevitable that the above quote will be accurate.

[Just Me]

I am at this moment proctoring an exam for a course entitled "Twentieth Century" which is taught almost exclusively by the use of film - popular film, not documentary. (Hopefully no one is cheating while I type.) Obviously movies reflect the culture in which they are created, they can also teach us about other times and cultures. Even as they entertain, they can't help but send out messages too. I also teach a unit entitled "Reading the Media" which includes "reading" films because they are one of the most significant means of communicating ideas in the 21st c. All of that to (very pedantically)_ say: 1. Good quote; 2. YES; 3. You really don't want to get me started!
P.S. Adam - Shouldn't you be working???

[ken]

Aaahh. Once a mother, always a mother. lol.

[george]

I'm probably in the minority here but the more I think about this the less I think "movies" are important, if you mean "movies" as a whole.

I think there are some important movies, I do agree they reflect the culture, they can also be used as propaganda to try and influence the culture.

I think something like "Band of Brothers" is very important but I would not say that "Goonies" or Farenheit 9/11" are important, one is foolish and the other is a good 80's kids movie.

I think the sad part is that most people spend more time watching TV or movies than they do reading and never learn to think.

[Just Me]

As someone who spends a LOT more time reading than watching TV and movies combined - like 100 x more - I still think movies are important. Not just when they have something to "say" but for entertainment purposes. Besides that, the very fact that, as you say, people spend more time watching movies than reading makes them an important cultural influence - even (esoecially?)the "kids" movies. In The Truman Show, Christof says: We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented. Whether we like it or not, whether it is as it should be, a reflection of what is, or ..., for many, the world on the screen is what they accept as real. That makes them very important.

[Bill]

I made the really dumb mistake of putting a quote about TV in a post that was meant to be about movies!

I think a lot of TV is pretty dumb and I'm not really into watching it. That doesn't mean it's unimportant to the rest of our culture of course!

One of the things I like about books compared to movies is that the books last longer. I actually prefer long movies to short ones in many ways. I like to get swept up in the alternate world of a story.

Movies combine story, visual images, sound, and music in a way that no other medium does (accept maybe video games). To me, there is definitely much more power in the medium of film than in a sermon, no matter how great the speaker (or message) is.

One key difference between most movies and most TV shows is that there is much more time and energy (and $$$) spent in the making of a movie. I think that's significant.

I'm just reading the quote from The Truman Show and thinking about hwy movies affect me so much. It's not because I'm completely fooled into thinking they represent reality. They do, however, provide a window into ideals, emotions, actions, etc. that only truly impact me as I see them lived out. Sometimes it's because I hate what someone has done. Sometimes it's because I've done the same thing. Sometimes it's because someone has stepped up to the plate and taken a swing when I don't even have my batting helmet on.

Okay that was a really lame analogy. I think my point is that there is a lot of power in story. We often miss that about the Bible. Seeing that story played out in technicolor, with surround sound (and a little help from your friendly neighborhood composer) makes that story that much more powerful.

This is not a very organized comment, but I think I'll just post it as is!

[george]

"for many, the world on the screen is what they accept as real. That makes them very important."

Or it just proves that people are nuts. Remember when Gilligan's Island was first broadcast the Coast Guard was getting 40 calls a week from people telling them to go rescue the castaways. (grin)

People read their horoscopes everyday in spite of the fact that we know the world is not flat, that the sun does not revolve around the earth and that the planets are not gods. Yet millions of people read their horoscope and base their daily decisions on what it says. That doesn't make them important (in my book) it just proves we're gullible.

But since you all think movies are important.

Which is more important

TV
Movies
Music
Books
Church
Internet
Fortune Cookies
Horoscopes
Jesus
Fellowship
Pornography
Nintendo (or PS2 etc)
Family

[Bill]

lol...cool list to choose from.

I say first fortune cookies because it's the only food you put on there. You have to have food to survive and focus on any of the other things.

[Just Me]

More important
Personally?
or in/to the world??
in my life?
or impact on my life?
The way one views your question will very much affect whether he/she gives the "right" answer.

Movies would be VERY far down the list for my personal life (people always come first), but in terms of impact on the culture I live in and am surrounded by? That's a tough one.

[Just Me]

I closed the internet and turned on Fox News to catch the headlines. The story at the moment I turned it on? "Dept of Homeland Security holds press conference to assure people that they are not '24'." I've never seen 24, but it must be pretty convincingly real!?!?! Pretty Funny.

[ken]

Jesus. To me personally, and as an evangelical Christian, I want him to be to everyone.

That said, your list fails to quantify your parameters. If all movies disappeared, it would be entirely irrelevant to my life, but it would be extremely significant to a lot of people and the surrounding culture.

As a historian, a culture's art is extremely important to defining/explaining the views/attitudes of that time. As a witness to history and an educational opportunity, Shindler’s List is very important. As a barometer of our culture, movies are very important. Silkwood is as much a reflection of the time it was produced as Rosie the Riveter is of its.

As a parent, what my child watches, wants to watch and knows his friends are watching is very important.

As a youthworker, the impact of movies on teenagers is very important. To the teenager who sees a voice given to their turmoil, movies are very important. To disregard that to the teen is the same as cutting off any voice you would have in their life.

So, movies are important, to some people, culture, history, art, shared experiences, and therefore, in the many roles and responsibilities I have, movies are important to me.

[Deborah]

Sorry, that last one was from me. Silly computer.

[Just Me]

Deb - Changing the direction of this post a little - a question you may have the answer to: What movie of 2005-06 would you say has had the most impact on the kids you work with. What are they/do they talk about the most? I know I need to watch more movies because my "kids" do - What should I have seen?

[Deborah]

Just Me: Sorry it took a little while to get back to you, but I wanted to noodle on your question for a bit. There haven't been any stand out films in the last year from a teen perspective (with Breakfast Club impact). The 3 biggies are Napeoleon Dynamite (spelled way off I guess), Chronicles of Narnia and Davinci Code.

[Deborah]

Bill, are all the images on your banner reversed? I was wondering why the STOP sign is backwards?

[Bill]

I think it's just because they are mirror images.

[Just Me]

Deb - To continue our private conversation, Thanks! I did at least see Chronicles - and might have read the books about 500 times to my own kids. Haven't see Da Vinci Code yet - did you? What did you think? I'm not so much "afraid" of its message as I'm afraid that the movie will ruin the book for me. I, too, was trying to think what my "kids" have been seeing - not remembering is part of why I asked you. If you think of any others, just pop me an e-mail. In two more days, I am "FREE" for the summer and should be able to watch a movie without falling asleep in the middle.

[deborah]

No, I haven't seen Da Vinci code. To be honest, I just don't want to throw money that direction, especially since most the reviews were bad. I believe that we (Christians) did more to market and promote that movie than the studio.

The funny thing is that there haven't been a lot of memorable movies recently. There also haven't been any unifying cultural ones either. At some point, I'll have to spend some time in thought about what that means about current history.

One that is comming up is Pirates 2, on July 7. Most jr highers are looking to see that one, so it would be a "don't miss".

[Bill]

I think Crash, Hotel Rwanda, and Walk the Line probably all had a pretty widespread cultural impact, but not necessarily amongst the younger crowds.

With Walk the Line, for example, all of a sudden everyone was listening to Johnny Cash's music. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of teenagers got into it, too.

[Bill]

Oh, and don't forget about Brokeback Mountain.

And King Kong. And X-Men 3.

I'm just kind of guessing on these, of course, as I am out of touch with what's popular among teens.