Motion Pictures, Social Theory and Contemporary Film: A Thematic Content Analysis of Values.

A content analysis of the ten top-grossing films of 1993 was conducted examining the depiction of the family, the portrayal of violence, and the representation of religion. The results were compared with the rhetorical vision of popular motion pictures by film critic Michael Medved. Medved\u27s 1992 Hollywood VS America attacked the entertainment industry for its anti­ family, pro-violence, and anti-religious messages in film. A thematic comparison indicated that, across the three categories, Medved\u27s criticisms were supported about half of the time by the film sample. A deeper look at the results shows that Medved\u27s criticisms regarding the depiction of the family and the portrayal of violence were largely unsupported by the sample. His observations about anti-family messages were not found in any of the seven films evaluated for family content. The pro-violence content was reported in two of the six films studied for violence. Medved\u27s contention that religion is not represented in popular film was strongly supported, showing agreement in nine of the ten films in the sample. The thesis concludes that, in the areas of family and violence, his criticisms focus on the film content outside of their narrative context. That is, actual anti family and pro-violence issues are present in the films, but are treated in such a way as to reaffirm the traditional values of contemporary society. It is concluded that, overall, this reflection of accepted ideals is validated by the top-grossing box office status of the films. That popular motion picture content may be an indication of current social standards is discussed. Future areas of research and criticism within the context of social responsibility are considered