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movies: Buried (spoilers) Ideology

In

post last Tuesday, David Muñoz spoke of "Through Stranger Eyes" by David Brin, who analyzed "ideologically" some narrative structures, especially Myth of the Hero, discussed in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces " by Joseph Campbell, and charged that behind this narrative paradigm could be found ideas "fascist," a glorification of aristocracy, etc. Soil

get to shake every time someone looks at movies or series from the ideological point of view: it is like sitting in front of a commissioner who reviews the work of one, judging solely as politically effective or not. But I also think, as David in his post

, the writers make decisions instinctive in our scripts, never suspecting any political or ideological interpretations they may have. I would like to take a moment to consider this matter. I promise it will be less heavy than it seems. Take American commercial film studio. (A movie that will or will try to be) a great success. Here are some features that tend to recur with some frequency.

1 A hero (usually a man). Ordinary guy: smart, but not overly religious, good, but not a saint ready, but not a genius. 2 faces external constraints. Contrary to what many others would do in your situation, the hero decides to tackle the problem. He does it his way. Many times the decision leads him to confront the group who does not understand their rebellion.

3 Despite being basically alone, the hero does have the help of a friend or teacher who, in many cases, you are encouraged to connect with some kind of inner strength, more mystical than rational.

4 Thanks to their efforts, applying the teachings of the master and overcome their weaknesses, the protagonist manages to overcome the problem, conflict.

5 After this happy ending, the hero returns to the initial situation ... improved. Now is best known to himself, as he has learned something. Society, in gratitude, we also have more consideration: it's a little more that an ordinary guy. Moreover, its success comes from some form of secondary success (success sentimental and / or economic).

(I have extracted these general features of my experience as a film viewer. Surely I've left a few. Many of them coincide with the stages of the hero myth. It is not unusual, as this narrative paradigm has become the mold which are made by almost all commercial films. Obviously, there are many cases in which the scripts do not meet all these points. For example, it is very common for the modern hero is ... an anti-hero who does not achieve total victory or social insertion satisfactory even after success).

We step.

What ideological consequences can be drawn from these points? Item 1

- We are alone. The society is a group of individuals. - What's hot is normal, to quote Dante is rare. Do not make no sport is rare. Much care is rare. Do not care nothing is rare. There is an average. That's what's cool. There is the hero. The extraordinary thing is hidden in the ordinary. Item 2

- There are mystical forces, inner powers ... the reality is not only known through the senses and reason. There is something else. And faith is the door.

Item 4 - The effort to get rewarded. An ordinary person who strives to achieve its objective.

Item 5 - The best way to get social recognition is ... separate from the company, perform some act of rebellion.

- Individual success often means social recognition, emotional and economic.

In short, the commercial cinema of Hollywood, which continues to this type of scheme indent to emphasize is basically a thesis that could be summarized as follows: an ordinary person can overcome any obstacle if you work inside and find some inner strength . Do not expect much help from society. Stop believing in yourself is the way to defeat. Indeed, victory and defeat are clearly distinguishable.





As you see, basically, the commercial cinema of Hollywood, usually using the paradigm of the hero myth, conveys more traditional American values: individualism, meritocracy, successful search, the exaltation of work, of education as something very practical and somewhat "rebellious" constructive, belief in the existence of "supernatural forces" (religions, the forces of nature, ancient traditions) and a vision optimistic that invites trust in the inevitable triumph of truth and justice.

Personally, I share many of these values \u200b\u200b(but not all) and I imagine many of you (though perhaps not ye stop to think too much about it) you think of something.

Should commercial film success to it, it connects to the shared values most of the public o. .. have these values \u200b\u200bbecause the public has been indoctrinated for years by a fiction that sought to impose?