1) Reality TV and Found Footage Movies
In the last decade or so, reality tv has infiltrated the airwaves and has become by far the most popular style of television show. But why? Why are people so hooked on these shows? I mean, we all know that they are scripted in some sense and aren’t really that “real”, but nonetheless, they continue to be immensely popular. What is it that is so appealing about them? I have several theories.
Some have suggested that they are popular because we, the viewer, can live vicariously through others. People fanaticize about what it would be like if they had the same opportunity. In essence, it gives them hope that the common man or woman can make it big. Fair assessment, I think; and though this may be true, I don’t feel it gets to the real heart of the matter. Furthermore, others have suggested that their popularity stems from the inspiration people draw from shows like The Biggest Loser, or the sense of self - righteousness we get from stating “my life is not as messed up as ________ on that show.” Again, this is possible, but I think there is something deeper.
I think the reason reality tv is so popular is because though it may be somewhat scripted, there is still drama, shock value, and raw human emotion. Reality tv also pushes the bounds of ethics, moral codes, and social situations, which causes us, the viewers, to think about how we would react in similar situations. To sum it up, I think reality tv is so popular because when people see these shows, they can see a hint of themselves. In other words, they connect more with the people on reality tv than they do on other, more scripted shows. In our culture of isolation, people are screaming for connectedness.
Found footage movies are the reality tv of cinema. By definition, a found footage film is a genre of film in which a movie is partially or entirely presented as a video or recording of an event, which is left behind by someone who is supposedly missing or dead. These types of movies are filmed on handheld cameras, or any other device such as cell phones, internet, etc. The films are also presented as true events.
The movie that started this recent craze was the Blair Witch Project, which came out in 1999. Since then, other movies such as the Paranormal Activity franchise have followed suit. Other popular found footage (from now on FF) movies include Cloverfield, Chronicle, and Apollo 18.
Why are they so popular? In an interview with ScreenRant, screenwriter John Swetnam (who has written the screenplay for two found footage films) talks about why FF films are so popular in the horror genre. He states, “Initially, I think FF just makes sense for horror because it puts you in the shoes of the story. You get to experience those scares in a more visceral and direct way. I used to love those choose your own adventure books, and FF has that sort of feeling at its core. It’s like 3D in that it’s another way to get the audience closer to your story; to immerse them in the world you’ve created. “
I think Swetnam is on to something. Everything is fake in movies; all the way down to the pretty looking men and women. CGI, makeup, and lighting, all make things appear better than they actually are. Not so in FF movies. Furthermore, when we see famous actors and actresses, we know the movies are going to be fake. However, when we see a FF movie with unknown actors and actresses, suddenly, the movie becomes more believable.
FF movies are popular because they put the mystery and magic back into movies. In FF movies there is a sense of realness, rawness, and mystery. Much depends on storytelling and suspense, not on visual tactics. Like reality tv, people love found footage movies because in a world of isolation and unauthentic relationships, these movies give a sense of reality, connectedness, and wonder that we all long for.
2) Ghost, Demons, and the Supernatural
When I was growing up, it was really hard to find a good movie on the supernatural. Now, movies and tv shows that deal with ghost, hauntings, demon possession, and other elements of the supernatural are a dime a dozen. What has happened? Why, in the past twenty years, have shows and movies dealing with these things become so popular? The Paranormal Activity franchise has earned hundreds and millions of dollars at the box office. Shows about ghost hunting can be found on many networks such as the Travel Channel, A&E, Discovery, etc. The increase of interest is simply staggering.
The cause? It could be that people just like being scared. However, I think it goes much deeper. I find it interesting that as much as militant atheism tries to stomp the supernatural flavor out of our society, interest and belief in things unseen continues to flourish. The reason atheism will never win is because human beings are created in the image of God. This means that humanity craves to be in relation to the divine. This means that the fascination and curiosity will always be prevalent.
The fall has marred and cracked the image of God within us. The interest and pursuit of ghost, demons, and things supernatural is a broken expression of the image of God. We crave the supernatural because we were created with the capacity to be related to God. Sin has entered and distorted that view, but it has not killed it. Every attempt by naturalistic and atheistic philosophy to discredit the existence of the supernatural has failed, and will continue to fail.
The interest in our culture of these things also stems from a rejection of modernism, and an embracing of postmodernism. Indeed, postmodernism has its dangers, but one thing about it that the Church should be thankful for is that it has opened people back up to things spiritual.
3) Zombie Apocalypse
Whether you like it or not, zombies are in. From video games, to movies, to television, zombies rule. Yes, it is the proverbial “the nerd shows up to prom with the prom queen” scenario. When I was growing up, zombie movies were for dorks like me who had to go to the back of the video store to find them. Well, the dorks are having their day, and now everyone seems to be on the bandwagon. Again, we ask the question, “why?”
The love for zombie movies is indicative of how people are feeling about the state of our country and the state of the world in general. First off, people love stories of survival in the midst of social upheaval, and essentially, this is what zombie movies offer. A mass upheaval of class subversion comes as the race of zombies takes over the race of humans, and there are a few pockets of resistance trying to survive.
The wrecked cars, scattered, and empty on the highways, the ravished and war torn skyscrapers of corporate America, all serve to show that those things that have drained Americans of their livelihood by milking them financially for all they are worth, now mean nothing in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. In essence, there is a longing to be free from “big brother” and the extortion of big American companies.
Another imagery in zombie movies that expresses the state of our culture is that of the empty neighborhoods and suburbs. Seeing a neighborhood empty and overrun by zombies echo the real life situation of the immense foreclosure in America. The economic state of our country, unwise financial decisions, and the big spending of Uncle Sam has left many desolate. In essence, the zombies then become a metaphor of all those things that have contributed to our financial collapse.
Furthermore, zombies are us. They represent the true state of humanity- we are truly the walking dead. For the most part, the mass of American culture act as mindless, thoughtless zombies, who can only focus on feeding their own insatiable desires. For zombies its human flesh, for humanity it is greed and idolatry.
Finally, zombie movies play on our fears and fascinations. It plays on our fear of an apocalypse and how we would survive, fear of poverty, fear of loneliness, and fear of death. Yet it also appeals to our fascination, namely, the fascination of surviving the apocalypse. There is an appeal to the human psyche of playing the odds and winning. There is the appeal that now that the establishment has come to naught, we can make our own rules. Now, people don’t have to report to that job that they hate so much anymore. They don’t have to pay for food or gas or anything else. You are now in control and able to establish your own rules for your own little world. Zombies are popular because of the state of the world in which we live. We long to be free from our current way of life.
Christians and Cultural Engagement
1) Reality TV and Found Footage Movies
People long for something real- real experiences, real connectedness. In essence, people are looking for relationships that are authentic. In a culture where everything is fake, and we live such isolated lives, realty tv and FF movies have hit a nerve. The church has the answer to this God given desire. Humans are relational creatures, meant to live out life with God and one another. Part of being in community with one another is doing life together. It is connecting, it is having authentic relationships. This type of life is found only in Christ and in relationship with his body. Are we so blind that we cannot see how much our culture is craving this? People are sucked into these shows and love these movies because they are longing for something genuine. We have the answer. We need to share it with them.
2) Ghost, Demons, and the Supernatural
People are curious about the supernatural. They are curious about demons and communicating with the realm of the unseen. This is a God given desire, but because of sin, people are seeking it through the wrong avenues and with the wrong entities. With such a craving for the supernatural, we as Christians should see this as a gift of God, and be ready and willing in the sharing of our faith. We have the answers to these things! All of these shows have made it so easy for us to bring up spiritual things. Are you looking for an inroad to share the gospel are start a conversation about things spiritual? Simply mention one of the millions of shows on the subject and go from there.
3) Zombie Apocalypse
The angst and frustration with life, government and society, along with the desire to be free from it all is also part of the image of God within us. We long for justice, we long for freedom from the things that oppress. Grant it, this desire has been twisted by sin to reflect itself in anarchy and the establishment of our own rules. However, the longing for freedom from this oppressive world is something that can only be found when Christ returns. The appeal to surviving the end of the world also shows that there is a God given desire for man to establish his dominion back over creation again. This too will happen at the return of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom.
In essence, our culture is screaming out for the gospel. I know that some may dismiss this article as me just reading too much into things. However, I would say that you are simply ignoring the fact that film, in our day and age, is one of the greatest teachers on culture and the psyche of modern man that we have. Movies are an expression of ideals, ethics, hopes and dreams. The questions we have to ask is “why are certain films so popular?” It is because they are appealing to something in the human psyche.
What our culture is telling us today is that they are crying out for the gospel, but they are looking for it in all the wrong places. The fields are white unto harvest, and it is our duty to point these hungry people to the Bread of Life.
In the final post, I will give some guidelines on movie viewing for the Christian, as well as for children.