Films, books and their differing influences
Last night after dinner, Susan, Shannon and I relaxed in our living room and talked about our days. Then I said to Shannon, "You have information that neither I nor Mom have...and we need to hear it." I was referring to the fact that Sunday night she and some of her Brazil team buddies went to see the film, "Superman Returns." She loved it. After she described a few scenes, it made me want to see it. Of course, I have great memories of seeing director Richard Donner's rendition of Superman, released in 1978, starring Christopher Reeve.
After Shannon told us a bit about this film, I began to reflect on the difference between reading a book and watching a movie. So I asked Susan and Shannon, "Why is it that movies are so popular in our culture? And what does a movie have that a book doesn't offer?"
Here were their answers:
1. You can experience a story a lot quicker by watching a film than reading a book.
2. There is the added effect of sound and visualization (and in today's cinema of special effects, computer graphics and Dolby sound, the visual and audio experience have been bumped up to extreme levels).
3. You generally watch a movie with others -- you experience it together.
I added this: In a film, there is a synergy brought about by music, sound, and visuals. And when all of this is combined with a very dramatic moment in a movie, the impact on us is at times emotionally overwhelming. A few examples:
-- The last scene of "It's a Wonderful Life," when George Bailey is reunited with his family, with friends and family coming to his house and giving him money to bail him out of his financial crisis. There he is, Jimmy Stewart surrounded by Donna Reed and his kids, with the moving music, seeing this outpouring of love from the community. Director Frank Capra puts all the right elements together and when we watch this scene, most of us can't help but crying.
-- The climatic moment in the Lord of the Rings, "Return of the King," where Sam and Frodo are climbing that mountain with the goal of throwing the ring into the fire. When Sam realizes that Frodo is too exhausted to climb any more, he picks up his dear friend and carries him the rest of the way. Again, the visuals, Howard Shore's beautiful music, and the sweetness of this plot grips our hearts as we watch this scene (and likely watch it with other people in the theater or our living room).
Now I love movies like most others. I even made a few -- on surfing and skateboarding. I have always loved the combination of film and music.
And yet I love a good book also. There is usually a stack of them on my nightstand.
I'm just wondering how our film-saturated, DVD-addicted culture impacts us and how it influences the way we approach reading Scripture. Could it be that our children, even college age children, have a difficult time sitting down to read God's word on a regular basis partially because they are so used to the multi-sensing media?
I’m reminded of Neil Postman’s excellent book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, which I read some a few years ago. He described how media (particularly television) has impacted us. One quote from his book:
“In a print culture, to be intelligent you must be able to stay still for some time (to read), read, be somewhat objective to interpret the stance of the author, judge the quality of an argument over the duration of the work…”
If we read less and watch television and movies more, are we losing some of our ability to think things through for ourselves? Reading is so active. Watching a film or television is so passive. And if the majority of the films and T.V. that we watch are antithetical to a biblical world view (even if it’s a subtle message, which is even more dangerous), aren’t we being far too influenced by the enemy of our souls?
For example, is our culture more open to alternative lifestyles and sexual promiscuity not because we have thought through these moral issues but because our senses have been bombarded by images (and music and plots) in music videos/movies, T.V. ads and programs that tell our subconscience that immorality is okay, it’s normal, it’s acceptable)?
I want to keep enjoying good films. But I want to do so with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, and of course get a steady, daily diet of reading His word – to reshape my mind and soul. That’s the kind of “special effects” we Christ followers need each day.
Any thoughts on this topic, dear bloggers?
Jim
posted by Jim Clark @ 9:22 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I would agree with you that for young people (including myself), sitting still for too long to read, study, write -- whatever -- is counterintuitive.
Here's a question, though: Do we work tooth-and-nail trying to conform an entire generation to another generation's learning/studying style, or do we think of new and creative ways for study to happen?
For lots of young Christians I know, some of their more intimate times with God happen in small groups of other young people, talking about the Lord. Or it happens in worship gatherings. Or it happens through blogging or other Internet-based media.
Our society is becoming less literate, which isn't a good thing -- but it is something we'll have to deal with. Maybe movies/the internet/intimate community will, at some point, replace individualized Bible study as the primary mode of hearing from God?
Who knows, though...
Great ideas, guys.
I was just starting the conversation. I'm not trying to down media, but just pondering the impact it has on us. Nate, so glad you're joining in this discussion -- you're a first-timer. GReat insights.
Jim
It's all about discerning whether certain media are helping us to be transformed more into Christ's image.
Many, many movies have done this for me. Quite a few books have helped in this as well (though admittedly, probably not as many as for, say, you or my dad). Occasionally (..rarely...), television serves this purpose. (we are seeing less and less reason for us to keep our TV....)
Despite its obvious pitfalls, the Internet still provides for me daily nourishment and a word from God. I'm not saying it has replaced reading, but it does provide nourishment on a daily basis.
Thanks for starting the conversation, Jim!
Hey, Jim!
Some of what this 'conversation' you've started is about, I think, speaks to the different learning styles everyone has. I do not think it has anything to do, as Steve jr seems to imply at one point, with generational issues. I know people in their 80's who have preferred most of their lifetime to learn something aurally than to have to learn by reading. Possibly, for them, when they were younger, the wireless was the medium that redefined what is on the written page.
My husband and I are both film buffs, so 'watching' can be more of an active event than passive. My learning style is global, my husband's is both aural and visual.
There are many great elements that go into creating a story read from a book. And there are many great elements that go into crafting a story experienced through film. Whenever I read ‘Little Women’ and would come upon the passages that dealt with Beth playing the piano, I could – as a pianist and musician – ‘hear’ what it might have sounded like, and ‘feel’ her excitement and anticipation. Likewise, when I view a movie, such as the Harry Potter (and LOTR) movies we love to see, I can hear the music of John Williams and just absolutely gag. His scoring distracts from the viewing because if I’m not careful, the composer inside me is ‘hearing’ discarded musical motifs from Williams’ scoring notebooks – snatches of phrases he has thought about or used in other works he has done. His music has, therefore, just devalued the viewing experience for me. It is much more satisfying to read the Potter/LOTR books and imagine the sounds for myself. It is all so subjective. As a professional musician, I know when I am being manipulated to emote based on the scoring techniques another composer uses. Both John Williams and Howard Shore can be annoyingly overbearing in their scoring, and that will always affect to some degree how I rate what I watch.
As to getting back to reading the Bible, for those of us who work on the computer a lot, it is just magnificent to be able to use my software to read the Bible. I can cross reference a scripture I’m studying at the click of a mouse, and bring up the Hebrew or Greek translations at the very moment of curiosity. For a global learner, reading the Bible via computer programme is awesome! In addition, for those of us on the go, if we have a frequent commute by train or plane, having the Bible accessible on my PDA has been terrific. My husband, the aural learner, commutes by car and loves to listen to books and scripture on CD.
The key is discernment. No matter what medium we use, we must use it with the correct purpose in mind. If it's for fun and pleasure, that's okay, depending on how one’s moral code defines ‘fun and pleasure’. But we must still, as Christ followers, decide to determine the value for ourselves. There is way too much junk 'out there' (as my husband says, ‘It passes time.’). It has become increasingly easy to be swayed by all the angles and agendas of other's messages, some that wear down wholesome values and are harmful to a Godly lifestyle. Here in the UK, for example, Big Brother and Pop Idol (American Idol in the US) are two of the greatest time wasters that, IMO, promote vapid values and a warped sense of self. It is also important – especially for families with kids still at home – to spend time openly dialoguing about the things they view (TV, film, computer programmes, games, etc) and hear (concerts, wireless, CD’s, etc).
Books, film, wireless (still hugely popular here), CD’s, computers – all can be wonderful for expanding the mind, stirring the emotions, and convicting the soul. We are, ultimately, accountable for how we respond and act with the information we take in.
All I know is that the last thing I want is for someone else’s creative and political agenda to turn me into a sloth.
:)
Wow! What excellent comments by all of you. I agree with you, Deb, that learning style has something to do with all of this. I am a reader -- listening to tapes, unlike your husband, don't feed me as much as seeing words on a page. "Watching" a play tends to bore me and make me restless because I'm hearing a bunch of words but not seeing much. In contrast, my wife loves plays. I'd prefer a film (more visual) except for films that are mainly conversation (I cannot relate to my daughter's ravenous hunger for "The Gilmore Girls" -- heavy laden with dialogue).
As Steve seems to be saying, we need to be careful that we don't impose upon others our preferences for learning more about God and growing in Christ. I would add that evangelism can be done in a variety of ways and using varying mediums. The point is to exalt Christ and get the message of the cross before others -- whatever means possible.
And I think Nate makes a very good point (as do you Deb) that we need to be critical thinkers as Christians as we are engaging in any sort of medium of communication.
Jim
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