| Papers [1-15] of 100 :: [Page 1 of 7] | | Go to page : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 —> | Search results on "SEMIOTIC ROLE VIOLENCE AMERICAN FILMS": |
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The Semiotic Role of Violence in American Films, 2008.
An analysis of film violence and its semiotic significance in American popular culture.
1,725 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper examines cultural conflict through dramatic recreations or presentations of these conflicts in American film narrative. The paper holds that, in the popular media, violence has a semiotic role. To much of the world, the paper adds, film violence is a mark of American culture, and many social critics within the U.S. find the same to be true. The paper points out that many filmmakers state that they are not fostering violence but only exploring it, and with some films, the issue of using violence in popular culture is itself examined either directly as a subject or as an inherent element in the structure of the film. The paper concludes that violence is a particular sign in the film, a sign that may mean its direct cause, like anger and fear, or that may reflect something larger about society, such as alienation or lack of empathy.
From the Paper
"Consider Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs", a film that takes a satiric look at itself, at the genre of the caper film and the dynamics of betrayal and the criminal code seen in such films. The film is extremely violent, which for many viewers may mask the satiric thrust of the story and the way the interplay of characters involves a twisted sense of morality, the so-called "honor among thieves" that here is a palpable presence holding together a group of professional criminals who have nothing else to believe in except that they will be able to rely on each other. As the film unfolds, though, they can rely on nothing in a universe of random events over which they have no control."
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The Role of Television Violence on Real Life Violence, 2004.
This paper discusses many studies that show the media violence and vulgarity on TV shows have severe and adverse effects on children and culture.
3,450 words (approx. 13.8 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 97.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, considering the gravity of the issue, many child-experts, psychologists, and the medical community are treating TV-induced violence as an issue of serious public health concern. The author points out that the media, without reducing the drama, could depict violence as the last resort for heroes and show criminals as fools and their use of weapons as shortsighted and weak; they could describe the impact of violence on the victims, the witnesses, and the criminals themselves. The paper relates that ratings and advertisers are the primary concern of commercial television, not public interest groups that want to restrict the sex and violence on network television.
From the Paper
"Certain studies suggest the positive use of TV. From the so-called reality TV programs, we can learn a lot if only we put them in proper order. Is the TV so corruptive as they seem to be? Critic Michael Medved gives a negative answer. If it were so, then film critics would have made the largest number of murders in the country. The TV elects mayors, senators and presidents, and influence or cause warfare, as in Iraq, Somalia and Yugoslavia. Sen. Brownback writes, television rules the society because it is invasive, because it has its influence on people and it has the dominant influence on the culture. On the other hand, some studies show that TV programs can make children more considerate and kind by demonstrating caring, helping programs that show cooperation. Stanford University studies state less TV equals less violence. This university earlier this year, releasing its landmark study, stated of a 40% decrease in physical aggression and a 50%decreace in verbal aggression merely encouraging children to switch off video games and TVs."
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Violence in Films, 2002.
This paper discusses violence in films as looked at in the book "Racism and the Aesthetic of Hyper-Real Violence: Pulp Fiction and other Visual Tragedies ".
850 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 30.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at violence in films and discusses the three types of violence: ritualistic, symbolic and hyper-real violence. The author discusses why violence is used in films and whether it does its job effectively. Furthermore censorship and film-makers responsibility is examined and the writer concludes saying that a humanistic morality is just as important in the content of a film as it is in the content of a life.
From the Paper
"Ritualistic violence is the unrelenting violence in given films. Natural Born Killers provides ample examples of this mindless violence, the most disturbing being when Woody Harrelson shoots the man on the bicycle. There is no purpose behind the violence, and many audiences that had already become desensitized to the violence in the film found this sequence to be funny.
Full Metal Jacket is a film that dwells in the world of symbolic violence. The violent episodes exist in the film so that an audience might journey inside a degenerative boot-camp and then later to the Vietnam War. When Pyle kills his Sergeant and then commits suicide, the audience understands why. They?ve been given a look into a different world and they see the repercussions of the Sergeant?s mental and emotional violence."
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Film Violence, 2005.
A discussion on the role of violence in film and video games and its effect on society.
920 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the role of violence in film and video games and its effect on society. It uses Oliver Stone's film, "Natural Born Killers" as an example. The paper also explores the argument of novelist/lawyer John Grisham presented in "Unnatural Killers" that calls for litigation against Hollywood and other producers of violent materials.
From the Paper
"When Oliver Stone's film "Natural Born Killers" was released into the theaters audiences were presented with an image of two young people whose adolescent lives were damaged by abuse and brutality and who ..."
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The Impact of Television and Film Violence on Adolescents, 2002.
This paper considers the impact of movies on the adolescent, while relating this to the potential violent behavior of the adolescent and suggests that there is a link between the two.
3,654 words (approx. 14.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 101.95
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Abstract
This paper begins by providing an overview of findings in research related to the problem of teenagers and violence related to TV watching. This is followed by a thorough consideration of the psychology of adolescence and how this relates to the problem of violence and the impact of violence in films. The next step considers some research studies to determine if there is evidence of a link. The final stage provides some practical considerations.
From the Paper
"The level of violence in society is considered to be a major problem. Some of the problems that are associated with violence include road rage, shootings, violent crimes, rapes, domestic abuse, and assaults. One area that is receiving particular emphasis is the violent tendencies of adolescents. Some problems observed that relate to adolescent violence include date rape, bashings, school shootings, and gang violence. The problem has become so significant that secondary schools have become known as dangerous and violent places. In response to this, there have been various ideas presented on the reasons for increased violence. These range from parents not spending enough times with their children, to the world being so fast-paced and stressful that people turn to violence for relief. Out of all of these possible contributors, there is one that seems especially significance. This contributor is violence in television and films."
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Violence in Film, 2005.
A comparison of the issues of violence in two movies - "Bowling for Columbine" and "Elephant".
1,036 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 0 sources, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the different approaches of persuasion in the two movies "Bowling for Columbine" and "Elephant". Particular emphasis is placed on poetic and argumentative rhetoric. The paper focuses on the way that the movies deal with the issue of violence in society.
From the Paper
"Violence is a problem that every society has experienced as far back as we have any evidence of humans living in groups; ancient man with their skulls bashed in, the crusades, world wars and many others are just a few examples. One may even argue that it is in human nature to commit violence upon one another to create a hierarchy such as many animals do, however living in a society requires to get rid of the impulses driving such behavior because the essential reason for the existence of societies is to achieve a level of safety and security that can otherwise not be reached. The question that logically follows from this is how does society affect the level of violence of all its members? Assuming that one can consider different countries as different societies it is legitimate to compare different countries in order to try to answer this question."
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Mao vs. the Mahatma: Violence vs. Non-Violence, 2002.
A study of the issues of violence vs. non-violence in the cases of Mao Tse Dung and Mohandas K. Gandhi.
1,230 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
The paper weighs the issues of violence vs. non-violence and shows the lives and histories of Mao Tse Dung of China and Gandhi of India as examples. The paper discusses these two leaders who dealt extensively in their lifetimes with the struggle between violence and non-violence. It shows that on the surface, Chairman Mao espoused violence and used it as a tool to defeat an army of four million, gain power over a country with a trillion dollar economy and hold power for 25 years, and that Gandhi rose to ?power? while leading a peaceful revolution among the 600 million Indian citizens -- Hindus and Muslims alike -- that resulted in tens of thousands of Indian deaths, very few British deaths, but eventually in Indian independence and creation of the largest democracy in the world.
From the Paper
"But indeed, Gandhi knew there was a place for violence as well. In a much forgotten move, Gandhi essentially postponed India?s peaceful revolution at the onset of World War II. He recognized Nazi Germany as a much more malevolent force than the British Empire, in all their imperial misery, could ever be. As a result, he led the movement for Indians not only to stop resisting the British during World War II, but to actually comply with their orders. In fact, India entered the war itself and was particularly helpful to Britain in the North African campaigns."
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The Role of Women in Film, 2002.
The roles of women in film with a focus on three specific films: "His Girl Friday" "Semi-Tough" and "Flirting With Disaster."
1,078 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the roles of women in three films, starting with "His Girl Friday" from the 1940's, "Semi-Tough" from the 1970's and "Flirting With Disaster" from the 1990's. The various roles and stereotypes played by the female stars of these films are contrasted and compared as to their characters and their motivations.
From the Paper
"The history of women in the cinema can be traced back to the early days of film production, beginning ca. 1896 with films by director Alice Guy Blache, such as ?The Cabbage Fairy? and ?The Bewitched Fianc?.? With the advent and popularity of the so-called ?silent era? of film production, women began to be depicted as various stereotypes, such as ?damsels in distress,? weak-minded, timid city girls and impoverished ?white trash,? while men played an overwhelming majority of lead roles, usually as heroic figures who rescue these ?damsels? from a plethora of dangerous situations. In a study of one hundred films released between 1930 and 1940, part of the ?Golden Age? of American cinema, ?eighty percent focused on the love/hate of a man with a good/bad girl, while fifty percent had the good/bad girl opposing another bad girl? (Doane 134)."
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Violence vs. Non-Violence, 2002.
Discusses the merits of using non-violent methods to promote social change and justice instead of militant methods.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 5 sources, $ 44.95
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Abstract
Nonviolence as a method of resistance has a long history that precedes the modern examples of Ghandi and King. As Martin Luther King stated, it is not the choice between nonviolence and violence, it is the choice between nonviolence and non-existence. Some activists believe that nonviolent methods are too weak, that more militant forms of disruption are needed to bring about social change. During the civil rights movement and other historical campaigns for justice, disruptive tactics were crucial to political effectiveness. Only by preserving nonviolent discipline can the movement occupy and hold the moral high ground and win political support for necessary social change.
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Semiotics and the American Marine Corps, 2005.
An analysis of the marine motto "The Few, The Proud, The Marines".
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 3 sources, $ 35.95
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Abstract
The following paper examines the semiotic messages being delivered by the American Marine Corps' "The Few, The Proud, The Marines". The paper argues that the Corps cleverly appeals to people's inward desire to be something more than themselves - and their equally potent desire to serve a great cause. More than that, the paper argues that the phrase appeals to notions of American exceptionalism.
From the Paper
"It is entirely possible that no government slogan is more freighted with meaning and connotation than the hallowed Marine slogan, "The Few, The Proud, The Marines". The following paper will examine what this slogan means and what it is saying about American culture by employing a semiotic analysis of the expression. Ultimately, what should emerge is an appreciation and understanding that the aforementioned expression taps into a popular deep-seated yearning to be one part of an elite unit readily distinguished from other groups in society; no less importantly, the popular slogan taps into equally popular notions of American exceptionalism. With that in mind, it is to a discussion of the American marines' inimitable slogan that this paper now turns. Simply put, semiotics is the study of signs - both individually and as they are grouped in "sign systems" - and how metaphorically-laden meaning is transmitted and understood through the use of signs."
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Semiotics in Science Fiction Films, 2008.
An analysis of visual semiotics and popular culture in modern science fiction films.
2,277 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper explores science fiction films. It particularly discusses semiotics and how it expands our understanding of popular culture and visual signs in our mass media culture. The paper argues that modern cinematic technologies allow directors an unprecedented capability to shape the visual cinematic codes and iconography of their works and thereby multiply the levels of signification upon which their films operate.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Cinema of the Mind's Eye
Special Effects and the Post-modern
Conclusion
From the Paper
"In this regard, the assertion that "films are metaphorical mirrors of life" (Danesi 88) is placed under significant pressure as the "real-life activities" (Danesi 88) that are represented in the science fiction film increasingly bear no connection at all to real-life as we understand it in the modern world. In particular, with the advent of digital technologies, entire cinematic environments can be created in which - while the characters are still recognizably human and have human concerns - the visual signification is alien to anything in our existence. In this way, science fiction films can be seen as visual signs of postmodernity, simulating a reality so perfect that it is indistinguishable from our own and yet, at the same time, utterly alien, that it calls into question our understanding of reality itself."
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The Art Film and the Genre Film, 2004.
Art and genre criticism in four classic films.
3,048 words (approx. 12.2 pages), 48 sources, MLA, $ 89.95
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Abstract
An analysis of two genre films and two art films - Antonioni's "Blow Up," Kelly/Donen's "Singin' in the Rain", Truffaut's "The 400 Blows", and Sirk's "All That Heaven Allows". The validity of both genre and art film criticism are examined.
From the Paper
"By its failure to accommodate the excess generated by its subject matter, All That Heaven Allows is not only critiquing the genre of melodrama, it also exposes the contradictions and conflicts present in American bourgeois society (Bourget, 1995, 45). However the subversive excess and contradictions present in the film prevent it from being ?just another melodrama?. Sirk worked within yet against the constraints of the Hollywood studio system to subvert the genre, and although the film is superficially a generic 1950s Hollywood melodrama, Sirk?s characteristic stylistic technique marks him as an auteur, a position usually associated with the art rather than the genre film."
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Seventies Films Versus Today's Films, 2001.
A comparison between films from different periods in time, and the differences in their entertainment methods.
2,625 words (approx. 10.5 pages), 8 sources, $ 79.95
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Abstract
A comparison of three honored films from the seventies, "Easy Rider", "Five Easy Pieces", and "The Godfather" and two films from the the year 2000, "The Gladiator" and "Erin Brokovich". The paper considers how they differ in the realm of providing distracting entertainment versus probing consideration of timely issues, concluding that seventies films left a more lasting vision.
From the Paper
"What do we want from our movies? Do we seek simple escape or deeper understanding of our lives? Can a movie be both probing and entertaining? Are entertainment, eye candy and special effects enough, or do we seek something deeper? Do we want to look inside ourselves and ask questions, or to merely stay on the surface, distract ourselves, and deny that there is anything more to be considered? These questions arise when comparing three movies from the 1970s with two films nominated for Academy Awards in the 2000. The films considered are: from the seventies, Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and The Godfather, and from 2000, Gladiator and, Erin Brokovich. Pauline Kael, the well-know New Yorker film critic, commenting on how she got hooked on films, agrees another critic, Paul Coates, that in its ideal form, ?Cinema is the dream of an afterlife from which to comprehend this one? (Kael 63). In light of this quote, the films from the seventies embody elements which through the focused vision of the director offer mythic qualities that provide not only entertainment but an opportunity for viewers to examine their lives. That in accomplishing this, they provide images that remain in the mind?s eye could be considered the tradition of the seventies. In contrast, recent films Gladiator and Erin Brokovich are entertaining distractions, providing no lasting vision."
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Domestic Violence and the Child: The Effects of Exposure of Domestic Violence in Children., 2002.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 5 sources, $ 71.95
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Abstract
This paper addresses the effects of domestic violence on children living in households where such events occur. It is known that being witness to domestic abuse or being abused has a negative impact on the child's psyche, but the extent of this is not known. This paper works to find the extent of damage that domestic violence has on children and adolescents. 8 pgs. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
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The Role of Music in Modern Horror Films., 2001.
A look at the effects that music has on viewers' expectations during horror movies.
2,800 words (approx. 11.2 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 83.95
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Abstract
Many horror movies musical techniques are discussed in this paper. The writer shows how this music effects the audience's viewing experience and builds up hype and expectations. Different styles are discussed - creepy, tense, supernatural, fear etc.
From the Paper
"To fully utilize sound in a film it must be more than just neat sound effects added in as an after thought. The first crews to utilize this new mind set was the ever famous team of Ben Burtt and Walter Murch in Star Wars and then again in Apocalypse Now. They realized that the sound shaped the picture as much as the picture shaped the sound. The result was a powerful effect that forever changed the way sound is used in a film (Thom, 1999). It takes more than loud, high fidelity, and well executed sound effects to make a great movie. The soundtrack must be integrated into the entire film as a whole. It should enhance and change as the mood changes. In this way the soundtrack becomes a valuable part of the team (Thom, 1999). Many directors overlook the potential that sound has in storytelling and often do not consider it in relation to the other elements of the film. This philosophy embraces the idea that good sound embraces and is considered by the other crafts, as well. It is not just a product of the other crafts."
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