Ideology is used to describe a set of beliefs or principles, for example, socialism or capitalism. Ideology also refers to the values or viewpoints as well as messages that the media can communicate to the audience. There are two different types of ideology, explicit and implicit. Explicit is what the film or members of the film, such as director, producer and writer, think as the subject of the film. Implicit is when a director makes the audience think about the overall theme or message of the movie.
Ideology
and Expectations
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001): Video game adventurer Lara Croft comes to life in a movie where she
races against time and villains to recover powerful ancient artifacts.
Original Sin (2001): A young man is plunged into a life of subterfuge, deceit and mistaken
identity in pursuit of a femme fatale whose heart is never quite within
his grasp.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003): Lara Croft is on a quest to save Pandoras box.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005): A bored married couple is surprised to learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other.
A Mighty Heart (2007): Mariane Pearl embarks on a frantic search to locate her journalist husband, Daniel, when he goes missing in Pakistan.
Wanted (2008): Mariane Pearl embarks on a frantic search to locate her journalist husband, Daniel, when he goes missing in Pakistan.
Salt (2010): A CIA agent goes on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy.
The Tourist (2010): Revolves around Frank, an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a
broken heart. Elise is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses
his path.
Angelina Jolie is independent, brave, strong, mysterious, and beautiful. She usually plays a beautiful independent woman who gets herself into a bit of trouble. She is in action movies that require her to use her physical and strong side. Angelina Jolie grasps the typical role of
a strong indestructible woman.
Her next role will consist of her being a FBI agent who has to help find a man who has been wanted for years. Along the way she disguises herself in different ways and kills many people.
Personal Ideologies and the Enjoyment of Film
What is it that you like about them and what has the filmmaker done to encourage you to feel this way?
My favorite character is Nina and I like how she starts off as an innocent dedicated young woman but as the movie goes on she turns into a intimidating woman who will do anything to get what she wants.
What values am I being asked to share or reject?
How are my feelings being manipulated to prefer one viewpoint over another? (Camera placement/movement and editing are particularly important here.)
A value is that one person can take over his or herself to the point of destruction. Nina manages to hurt herself while in the process of trying to be perfect. Her own personalty turns on her to self destruction.
Why might a filmmaker want me to prefer one viewpoint to another?
The filmmaker wanted Nina's point of view to show how one's self strives for perfection while doing so they harm themselves. Nina was trying to be a perfect ballerina and tried to perfect her role as the Black Swan but in order to do that her whole personality had to change and ultimately that changed her into a mad woman.
What are the artistic/financial consequences of filmmakers trying to predict what an audience might approve/disapprove of?
Filmmakers might put a lot of money into their movies and the audience might not watch it or like it, thus, making the filmmakers lose money.
Ideology and the "Effects" Debate: Do you feel that films can affect you and your behavior without being conscience of it?
I feel movies can effect me and my behavior because while watching a movie you must accept the whole movie, whether it is realistic or not. When watching a movie some things do not seem realistic but in order to enjoy it you must get your whole mindset into the movie.
Ideology and Realism:Define Suspension of disbelief and give an example from a recent film you have watched.
The definition of suspension and disbelief is a formula for justifying the use of
fantastic or non-realistic elements in literary works of fiction. An example of a movie that shows how we need to believe the unrealistic parts of movies is Mr. and Mrs. Smith. This movie is most likely unrealistic because some parts of the movie there was intense fighting yet their neighbors did not respond to the loud explosions. But as the audience we accept the unrealistic part so that we can fully enjoy this "smart and sexy" movie.
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 influences the ideology because the people putting in a lot of money want to have some sort of control of the movie. Disney movies usually have a happy ending that leaves the characters happy and together. An example
Beauty and the Beast is a movie about a young girl who is alone and "nerdy" she tries to help her father but that leads her to the Beast who was once a handsome prince but in order to turn back into that he must get someone to love him and him love them back. Belle and Beast fall in love and the spell is broken.
