LITERATURE 02

Film &
Society
 CHAPTER 1
THEMATIC APPROACHES IN FILM ANALYSIS USING
IDEOLOGIES
Rationale
Chapter 1 will enable you to learn the different themes in analyzing film.
We will use ideology as a guide in this lesson.

Learning Objectives
At the end of Chapter 1, the learner should:

a. identify the different thematic approaches and sub-themes in analyzing

film,
b. demonstrate the ability to use thematic approaches in analyzing short
films; and
c. critique films using any of the thematic approaches.

General Objective
The learner should be able to use the different thematic approaches and
recognize their uses in film analysis.

Schedule of Class Discussion for Chapter 1

Date Covered Topic Output Task Deadline

August 26 Introduction to - -
the Course
September 2 Ideology - -
September 4 Film Theories -
September 7 Exam Long Exam for Unit 1 September 7
 Welcome to LIT02Film and Society
A pleasant day to everyone!
Today, we shall start our class in LIT02.

We shall start by discussing Ideology first.

So, what is Ideology? Does the word sound familiar? Or is this the first time you
heard it? Let’s see how information books define ideology.

Merriam-Webster (2020) online dictionary defines ideology as:

o a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group,
or culture
o the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical
program
o a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
o visionary theorizing

Whereas, Your Dictionary (2020) defines ideology as:

Ideology is a set of shared beliefs within a group, such as a nation or social
class. This body of beliefs influence the way individuals think, act, and view
the world.

Let us get the key words from the definitions given; thinking, assertions, body of
concepts, theorizing, beliefs within a group, and act and view of the world.

In other words, ideology is how we think collectively as a person,

as a member of our family, and even as citizens of our land.
Ideology makes up what we think, what we believe, how we act,
how we respond, and how we decide things in our lives.
Let us now study three Types of Ideologies:

1. Religion as an Ideology

A religious ideology can be defined as a set of ideas that refer to religious

and secular tools and accompany political actions and processes in a
sustained and systematic way (Taylor & Francis Group, 2010).

When we use religion as an ideology, we are concerned on how people

establish a social and living system in light of basic principles of morality.
We are concerned on the rightfulness or wrongfulness of an act, a thought,
or even words uttered.

Using religion in film analysis is mirrored through the belief system

portrayed by an individual or group in the film. This includes thinking about
the ceremonies, rules and manifestation of worship to gods/God or deities.
This is even manifested to the notion of morality which we may connect
with norms. Thus, we are able to decide which is right from wrong.

We think of faith and how this is manifested in the movie

through the characters. Using religion as an ideology makes
us more aware of how other profess worship, and thus,
enable us to show respect towards each other even if we
do not share the same faith with them.

2. Political and Economic Ideologies

In social studies, a political ideology is a certain ethical set of ideals,

principles, doctrines, myths, or symbols of a social movement, institution,
class, or large group that explains how society should work, offering some
political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order (Politics, n.d).

A political ideology largely concerns itself with how to allocate power and
to what ends it should be used (Kisak, 2016).

Some parties follow a certain ideology very closely, while others may take
broad inspiration from a group of related ideologies without specifically
embracing any one of them.
When we use political ideology in film analysis, we are mostly concerned
on how power and authority is portrayed.

Let us look further at some specific political ideologies. YourDictionary

(n.d.) offers political ideologies and their definitions:

o Social or modern liberalism is liberalism which focuses on social and

economic issues while ensuring individual freedom. It believes in
equality and individual liberty, supporting private property and
individual rights, and supporting the idea of limited constitutional
government.

o Capitalism is an economic and political system in which a country's

trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather
than by the state.

o Socialism is a political and economic theory of social organization

which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and
exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a
whole.

o Social democracy advocates a peaceful change from capitalism to

socialism with a representative democracy including collective
bargaining and public services.

o Marxism is socialism with the goal of a classless society. It forwards

that society's classes are the cause of struggle and that society
should have no classes. An example of Marxism is replacing private
ownership with co-operative ownership.

o Totalitarianism, form of government that theoretically permits no

individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of
individual life to the authority of the state (Encyclopaedia Britannica,
n.d.). This is a system of government that is centralized and
dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.

How are the weak treated? How is authority depicted? What specific
actions were caused by these? What do these scenes imply?
 When answering these questions, we look within the
perspective of a believing in equality and individual liberty,
supporting private property and individual rights, supporting
the idea of limited constitutional government, or a group in
the film.

3. Sociology as an Ideology

We have learned that Ideology is the lens through which a person views
the world (Cole, 2019). Within the field of sociology, ideology is broadly
understood to refer to the sum total of a person's values, beliefs,
assumptions, and expectations (Ibid.). Ideology exists within society, within
groups, and between people. It shapes our thoughts, actions, and
interactions, along with what happens in society at large.

Cole (2019) further forwards that ideology is a fundamental concept in

sociology. Sociologists study it because it plays such a powerful role in
shaping how society is organized and how it functions. Ideology is directly
related to the social structure, economic system of production, and
political structure. It both emerges out of these things and shapes them.

Because our societies continue to change throughout our history, so did

the ideologies that justified systems of inequality. Sociological ideologies
include: racism; sexism; heterosexism; ableism; and ethnocentrism.
Google Dictionary (2020) offers the following definitions:

o Racism
Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person
or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or
ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. It is the
belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities,
or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or
superior to one another.

o Sexism
This means prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically
against women, on the basis of sex. Merriam-Webster (n.d.) adds
especially discrimination against women. These are behaviors,
conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based
on sex.
 o Heterosexism
The discrimination or prejudice against homosexuals on the
assumption that heterosexuality is the normal sexual orientation.

o Ableism
This is the discrimination in favor of able-bodied people. It forwards
discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities
(Merriam-Webster, n.d.)

o Ethnocentrism
This is the evaluation of other cultures in according to
preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's
own culture. Merriam-Webster (n.d.) adds that this is the attitude
that one's own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to others.

Sociology as an ideology lets us analyze how people behave, what

attitudes they manifest towards each other, and how are these
reflected or formed in their relationships with each other as
members of the community.

Film Theories

Film theory, theory developed to explain the nature of motion pictures and how
they produce emotional and mental effects on the audience (Britannica, 2020).
Film theory recognizes the cinema as a distinct art form (Ibid.).

1. Realism

Realism, sometimes called naturalism, in the arts is generally the attempt

to represent subject matter truthfully, without artificiality and avoiding
artistic conventions, or implausible, exotic, and supernatural elements
(Toppr, n.d.). Realism has been prevalent in the arts at many periods, and
can be in large part a matter of technique and training, and the avoidance
of stylization (Ibid.).

Stylized is a term that refers to the artificial exaggeration or elimination of

details in order to deliberately create an effect - in other words, to make
(or interpret) a person, a face, a tree, a figure, or something as 'grotesque,'
'disturbing,' or 'over-bright' as opposed to realistic or naturalistic (Reddit,
2016).
2. Formalism
Formalist film theory is a theory of film study that is focused on the formal,
or technical, elements of a film: i.e., the lighting, scoring, sound and set
design, use of color, shot composition, and editing (Simhadri, 2009).

Simhadri (2009) further explains that formalism, at its most general,

considers the synthesis (or lack of synthesis) of the multiple elements of
film production, and the effects, emotional and intellectual, of that
synthesis and of the individual elements.

3. Gender Criticism

This approach "examines how sexual identity influences the creation and
reception of literary works." Originally an offshoot of feminist movements,
gender criticism today includes a number of approaches (English 205:
Masterworks of English Literature Handouts, n.d.).

The bulk of gender criticism, however, is feminist and takes as a central

precept that the patriarchal attitudes that have dominated western
thought have resulted, consciously or unconsciously, in literature "full of
unexamined 'male-produced' assumptions."

Feminist criticism attempts to correct this imbalance by analyzing and

combatting such attitudes -- by questioning.

Other goals of feminist critics include "analyzing how sexual identity

influences the reader of a text" and "examin[ing] how the images of men
and women in imaginative literature reflect or reject the social forces that
have historically kept the sexes from achieving total equality."
You are almost done with Chapter 1. Congratulations!

Now, we have common understanding of the thematic approaches in film

analysis. We have learned that ideology lens through which a person views the
world (Cole, 2019). It is the collective actions, thoughts and behavior of
individuals and groups.

We also studied three types of ideologies; please know that there are other types,
we only studied three, as to cover the themes we shall be using specifically for
film analysis. The three ideologies we studied are religion, political and economic,
and sociology as an ideology.

Furthermore, we also discussed three film theories which would help us explain
the messages in films and how film, in a general sense, affects us, as viewers.

In the last Chapter of this module, we shall intertwine these approaches for us to
be able to critically view films and get the messages of these art forms.

Before proceeding to Chapter 2, let us review the concepts we studied in this

Chapter. Please answer honestly on your own and do not look at the answers
right away. This will enable you to review the lesson and check if you understood
the topics discussed.
 Self-check Quiz for Chapter 1 Score: ___________

1. A word that makes up what we think, what we believe, how we act, how
we respond, and how we decide things in our lives.
2. This ideology is concerned on how people establish a social and living
system in light of basic principles of morality.
3. This ideology largely concerns itself with how to allocate power and to
what ends it should be used.
4. A type of sociological ideology that believes different races possess distinct
characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as
inferior or superior to one another.
5. A term that means the discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.
6. The attitude that one's own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to
others.
7. The discrimination or prejudice against homosexuals on the assumption
that heterosexuality is the normal sexual orientation.
8. This word means prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically
against women, on the basis of sex.
9. This is a set of shared beliefs within a group, such as a nation or social class.
10. A theory of film study that is focused on the formal, or technical, elements
of a film.
11. A theory of film which examines how sexual identity influences the
creation and reception of literary works.
12. A term that refers to the artificial exaggeration or elimination of details in
order to deliberately create an effect.
13. The arts form which generally the attempt to represent subject matter
truthfully.
14. Another word for your answer in number 13.
15.What is your LIT02 teacher’s complete name?

Chapter 1: Long Exam

Watch the short film “Get Out” (2009)

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMKcThzud-A
The aim of the long exam is for students to be able to correctly use the
thematic approaches; singly or a mixture of all, in a short film analysis.
Questions shall be given on the date of the long examination.