Week 14 Is Hollywood Responsible for 9-11?

Robert Roten

Dr. Peih-ying Lu

May. 27, 2010

Pre-reading Questions1. Who is Robert Altman?

2. What kinds of movies does Altman think film-makers should make? Why?

3. What is “Hollywood”?

4. Altman thinks action movies are prone to hit the box office. Why?

Pre-reading Questions

5. In paragraph 7, Roten discusses the images of America in Hollywood films that he says are projected to viewers all over the world.

6. Please state, in your own words, what that image is.

7. Can you give examples of films that illustrate Roten’s viewpoint?

Pre-reading Questions

8. How do those images influence people (religious extremists in the case of 9-11)?

9. Roten ends his essay by saying, “So be careful what films you support with your money.” What films do you like to view?

10. What movies have you refused to spend your money on in your experience?

Reality or Reflection

• We think of our lives through the filter of television and film. Although most films do not represent reality, they seem like reality, and they produce real emotions, and tangible emotional responses, such as laughing and crying, in the audience. This creates a powerful illusion of reality which become part of the emotional experience of each audience member.

• In other words, film does not merely reflect reality by interacting with the minds of the viewers.

Hollywood and American

• Hollywood films show America in a very bad light.

• The image of America projects overseas in films is perfectly suited to the purposes of Islamic extremists who stir up hatred against the U.S.

• So American deserve ……….?

Images of American

We are depicted as • Dangerous• violent,• vengeful,• corrupt people• preoccupied with sex• violence and money.

• seldom depicted as • Spiritual religious,• Generous• loving• family-oriented• giving or caring

people

?

Hollywood and Global Market

• Foreign markets make up a big percentage of the profit made on films nowadays.

• The movies that translate well across different cultures are … you guessed it, movies that are:

short on dialogue and

long on spectacle: big, mindless action movie.

In-Class Discussion

1. What is your response to Robert Altman’s statement that movies are responsible for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon?

2. What’s the central controversy over the effect of violent Hollywood films on behavior? What is your position on that controversy?

In-Class Discussion

3. Roten also says that films seldom portray Americans as “spiritual, religious generous, loving, family-oriented, giving or caring people” (paragraph 7). Can you give examples of films that support that statement? What about examples that refute the statement?

4. What’s your personal reaction after receiving images/messages in those Hollywood movies? For example, analyzing, imitating…

In-Class Discussion

5. Movies are part of popular culture. Have you even see Monga (艋舺 )? Through it, the director expresses thoughts of “brothers” which cause lots of issues, for example, teenagers gathering around, fighting for the so-called “yichi” (義氣 ). How do movies influence the society?

6. In your opinion, should a director be subject to his ideals, the viewers, the financial supporter, or anything else?