"Doubt can be a bond as powerful as certainty." "You have no right to act on your own." Prominent phrases that in certain contexts (or frames) will cause questions to people conviction and schema's. The film Doubt is a direct link between film media and religion, and tries to tackle an issue that may or may not have happened through out the film. Film has the ability to capture emotions, events, situations that spurred strong reactions throughout history, the present, or the future. Religion has long been a part of communication with the masses. So it makes sense for film and entertainment to have some connection to each other. Usually a film will be a window to a certain event, and allow us to be a part of that mind set.
The film Doubt had a powerhouse cast that without them, I believe this film wouldn't have recieved as much attention. What I would like to focus on is the possible impact on all of us subconciously through priming, and creating connections between one thing to another. I'll do this by first, a basic overview of priming with examples, second hopefully showing links that could be associated between the film and religion. Of course there are other valid methods, or theories that could easily be applied to this film as well.
Priming essentially connects nodes to each other in the brain. It is connecting a stimulus with another activity or thing, thus creating a associtive pathway, creating correlations between objects, ideas, people, places. When you think middle east, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe war in Iraq, oil, Terrorist. Essentially what we have been exposed to in the media, or in our own environments will help establish the associtive pathway to the way we think. The film doubt pushes this theme that "something" may have happened between a priest and some new alter boy, and the head principle nun wants to know for sure what happened. for the nodes and pathways to connect we rely mostly on, the dialogue, and the shots of the film (the way they frame the picture that you see), and the music that you hear. The film doesn't outright say one thing or another of what happened with the priest and the boy, but the fact remains that, this is the whole central focus connects, that something very easily could have happened. Whether we like it or not, subconsciously we are picking up things creating new connections on how we view the world, and trying to bring organization to our lives by connecting certain things. Why do we do this? So that we are safe, success lots of reasons. I just feel that putting issues like this in the film Doubt can bring negative ramifications to religious faith in general. Even though we know that the majority of Priests, monks, etc, of all faiths are true legit and inherently good, by displaying moments of weakness, or casting doubt puts into our heads the what ifs? Maybe thats good or maybe thats bad, it's not up to me to say. Frankly it could be both.
As I said earlier the film used music, filming process, and dialogue to establish uncertainty of what was happening between the priest and the boy. The Dialogue was used with the nuns discussing in a round about way what happened. The Priest in his dialogue to the nuns, and the children. The filming, had lots of shots in a close up, and sinister fashion, very clear, but you don't see whats happening in the shot. The camera would cut to shots of gray sky, dead branches, shots of the priest being alone with one of the boys that doesn't fit in. The music would be slightly eerie and not something you'd think to hear with a religious school. Or no music at all which can be unsettling to the viewer. All the time the viewer (myself included, so you don't mistake that the third person effect) is wondering if something really did happen. And if so, does that happen in our communities. The priming model is in the form of "priming stereotype approach: where you associate a type of person with an activity. When this film came out there were a handful of stories throughout the country of missapropriate behaviors of priests and alter boys, So in a sense this film helped reinforce the concerns of the day, and not just painting a picture of our society.
The questions I have for you:
1. In regards to film & religion would you say film generates a positive outlook and associations or more of a negative outlook and associations? or both?
2. In what way has priming influenced your life? And more particularily with film & religion? (example: The best two years: the first thing that comes to my mind is my own mission).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnrmWLp1Ub8
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Question 2: How has priming influenced me, particularly in regards to film and/or religion?
ReplyDeleteAbout four years ago, I moved into an apartment and never got around to plugging in the TV. Eventually, I lost interest in movies. I read the newspaper everyday for a year, then realizing that it was way too much time for too little value, I stopped following the news altogether. All told, I've been at the far fringes of popular culture for most of my adulthood, and I'm perfectly happy here.
This means that my media priming is very low, and there are two major overall effects. First, I find TV, movies and the news less interesting than ever and only last 10 to 20 minutes before boredom sets in and I move on to something else. Second, I lack a common experience people across the nation use to relate and build relationships because I can't discuss the newest movies or what happened last night on "Glee".
On the flip side, this time has been saturated with religion, including attending BYU, serving a mission and seeing close friends get baptized. What results is an inability to relate to the populace at large in their perspectives on faith and religion. I don't know how it's portrayed to the nonpracticing masses, but I know what it looks like from the inside.