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Illusions
Propaganda &
Film AUTHOR
Mainstream of American
Feature Movies
(from last decade of 20th century to nowdays)
Basic Human right - The Right on Opinion?
Research Plan
Hypothetic frame
- Feature film is a propaganda weapon in modern society
- Feature film contributes and comes before the promotion of American society
- American way of life propagated through the American cinematography is an inclusive part of the globalization of society
- Feature film manipulates, educates and controls human behavior
- American feature film is the preparation for wanted social behavior, opinion and problems
Subject of the research
Manners and possibilities for feature film propaganda actions and preparation for political unification and globalization
of the world under the American cover
Time of the research
- ten years: 1992-2003 that is 90-s and the beginning of the 21st century in American cinematography
- review on film development, genres (thriller, spy drama and action movies, author’s film, soap-opera series)
and style types from 1922
- first three months of 2001 – research of BHTV broadcast program and a poll conducted among students of the fourth
grade in the Bosniac Gymnasium and Teacher’s High School in Sarajevo
Methods of the research
Methods of examining; analysis of contents; quantitative and qualitative analysis of data; film essay analysis of feature
movies according to the intentionally chosen sample in accordance with previously established parameters;
comparison; poll; statistic method; historic method and deduction in the analysis of feature movies
“more subtle” and “more precise” methods of social control,
avoiding those “rough, obvious and direct”… Aggression and
state terror in the Third World became “the defense of
democracy and human rights”, and “democracy” is successfully
realized when a government is in safe hands of “the rich who
live in peace with their citizens”…The rein of those privileged
must be guaranteed and population placed on the status of
passive watchers! Noam Chomsky
“Necessary illusions” 2000
Goals of the Research
• To establish the level of film propaganda possibilities
• To establish parameters that enable the functioning of presented propaganda
messages
• To establish the methods for the “free democratic” society propagation and for
the promotion of a nation and country through propaganda messages
• To establish the film propaganda patterns
• To prove that the American feature movies make systematic preparation for
political propaganda intending the real goals to be realized
• To show the frame of the American cinematography mainstream during the last
decade and to compare it with the theory of being under threat for the purpose
that political goals or patriot hysteria are realized.
• To find out the manners in which feature movies psychically influence their
consumers.
• To find out the ways in which American feature movies explain and foresee
social and political problems and in which they contribute that “freedom and
equality” function in American democratic society.
C o n t e n t
REALISM FANTASY
documentary, film genre, TV NEWS feature movie, film as an independent art
(does not recognize Lessing categories according the space and time)
SF (Science
(Science and Fiction)
Fiction)
Historic Spectacle
Film is(spy/
Thriller(
Thriller a media
spy (lat.) Medius – middle, a mediator, an interpreter, a mean for transmission of messages
/detective)
detective
Film – media or art
Artistic and technological aspects of the development of film as media
Message RECIPIENT
SENDER
(set of data) (Consumer)
Film Communication Principle – How it communicates with Consumers
Principles used in media – selection and interpretation of reality – are same in the film making process
According to the definition (Tucakovic: 199, Spahic: 1987) - Informative action represents the spreading of
information having the goal to inform about current social events and it includes relationship with propaganda
action, which is planned, systematic and thought-out spreading of some ideas with intention to win over
political and other public opinion for the purpose to realize strategically made goals of a certain activity
(politics, economy and similar). These is a spectrum of interventions having the aim to suggest the information
(to interpret it, cut it) or to influence the actions of an individual. Where is the limit?
Planed emotions,
Money Transmission media
film Cinema DVD VHS PC users behavior, stands
Further sale
Idea
Art
SOCIETY FILM
reality fiction
Art shapes social attitudes, stands, fashion, (no) revolutionary positions and similar
•Florence painting (coping Arabian Renaissance) made influence on the European Renaissance and the
history of 13th century
Art Society
•Leni fon Riefenstal’s films and Goebbels’ propaganda (hypodermic needle efect method, on which the
Coca Cola campaign was based in 70-s) made influence on the world in 20th century. The World at the
beginning of 20th century is characterized by German expressionism. (Metropilis, Dr. Caligary Cabinet)
Art Society
•Telenovela Por estas calles (Venecuela 1993) – covers the President Collon;s Government and brings the
President’s Government to crash - coup de etat broadcast live within telenovela – the first LIVE telenovela)
Art Society
•Telenovela Ricos y famosos (Argentine) deals with the real corruptive Argentina entrepreneur, which
results in investigation and bringing the charges against him. The entrepreneur runs away into the USA and,
in Argentina, he fabricates his murder – the action in telenovela. His massacred corpse was found in
Argentina but few years later the signature of this man appeared in Miami - the the action in real life event.
Art Society
Film – media or art
Artistic and technological aspects of the development of film as media
Executive Decision – Islamic terrorist kidnaps an airplane and intends to destroy Washington with chemical weapons
The Siege – Islamists terrorize New York
Hannibal – Most wanted terrorist in the World Osama bin Laden (his picture is on the computer screen in a scene in the film)
Peacemaker – Serb terrorists want to destroy New York with nuclear bomb
Three Kings – devotedness and humanism of American soldiers in Iraq
Saving Private Rian – American successes in the World War II
Pearl Harbour – American vulnerability and endangerment in the World War II
Patriot, Alamo, Indepandance Day – fight for American independence and freedom through history (the last two
centuries!)
Black Hawk Down – brutality of Islamic fundamentalists in Somalia; Americans came as educators bringing light”
Behind the Enemy Lines – justification for American spending money of its own tax payers for interventions
The Sum of All Fears – European secret association make plots against America (the French and German are most frequently heard)
Collateral Damage – Members of Columbia guerilla kill Americans in the streets of America
America is in danger of terrorist actions originating from the zones of American interventions
• Human perception
• Psychological factors of the influence of feature movies on which the
means of manipulation are based
• Identification – phenomenon of the “receipting” and of the
persuasiveness of film
• Catharsis – “cleaning out” by feature movie
• Mechanism of defense – illusion
• Film and marketing
• Human being the kitsch – homo consumenicus
• Telenovela – mass manipulation with population
Means of Manipulation Used by Film
Psychological, marketing and kitsch factors that enable manipulation through means of the film language
Yes
Psychological, marketing and kitsch factors that enable manipulation through means of the film language
5 Horses?
Means of Manipulation Used by Film
Psychological, marketing and kitsch factors that enable manipulation through the film language
Face or Liar?
Means of Manipulation Used by Film
Psychological, marketing and kitsch factors that enable manipulation through the film language
Means of Manipulation Used by Film
Psychological, marketing and kitsch factors that enable manipulation through the film language
Perspective in Painting
Buying a product = catharsis (watching films, soap operas, mass media products)
Advertisement (mean of marketing) and film have the mutual media language,
but also the means of functioning (sale of products)
An advertisement shows a problem and offers the solution in the form of product. A feature movie shows a
problem and offers the solution in the form of a product. A feature movie points to a problem
(plot) and offers the solution of a given equation in the from of a “Super-American” – a Greek
ancient hero. The solution made by identification becomes a recipe for solution of problems in real
life.
Filma and marketinga relationship (propaganda discipline)
1. Marketing of film – the goal – the sale of film
2. Marketing from film: private marketing which derives from popularity of a feature movie
3. Marketing in film (product as a part of action: dress, food, residence, job and similar)
a.) Idea marketing (hidden) in film: I) direct (visible)
Casablanca, Deep Blue See - public (smoking in 30-s and in 90-s)or
Peacemaker, Jurassik Park - private (visible advertising of a product within the action in a feature movie –
cars,
airway company and similar)
Arlington Road, Executive Decision, JFK II) Indirect public propaganda
Means of Manipulation Used by Film
Psychological, marketing and kitsch factors that enable manipulation through means of the film language
Censorship in Hollywood
1. OWI activities (the principles of film propaganda were established by this office during the World War II)
2. Activities of MPAA, Motion Pictures Export Association, Motion Pictures Producers and Distributors of
America
3. Tele-voting systems in the Organization for Polling the Audience in USA
(a viewer watches some scenes from un unfinished film, starts the lamp hand and
in accordance with the scale made by the lamp the poll organizers get the results
how viewers react to some scenes in the feature movie. The emotion reaction of
the audience are transmitted to the computer which process data and gives the
profile of the future reaction of the audience to the feature movie)
Antagonist – Protagonist
Protagonist is a main hero, a savior. His enemy is the antagonist, who represents the real haven for
propaganda messages.
The advertisement of the protagonist and his goals, which are just and justified is made through
evilness of the antagonist and the wanted result is an identification with PROTAGONIST.
The more the antagonist is bad the better we like protagonist.
consent
Spreading of Fear,
justification
endangerment Hegemony of nation
propaganda PATRIOTISM CONFLICT
profit
American Propaganda in Feature Movies
Propaganda Parameters in Feature Movies
The British Production of feature movies like Mission Imposible, Johnny English, as the balance
to James Bond and the Queen's domination over the intelligence world - The Patriot,
Braveheart
The Germans and anti-Semitism Feature movies showing the World War II and the Germans as creasy scientists and
militant Nazis
The Russians and communism All spy thrillers in 70-s and 80-s about Cold War and communism
The Japans and technological superiority Majority of feature movies about the World War II
Vietnam Big production at the beginning of 80-s and 90-s - Born on the 4 July, Dear Hunter,
Heaven and Earth
The Chinese and Chinese mafia Leathal Weapon 3, The Art of the War, Payback
Church Godfather and other produced in 80-s when the Church was a barrier for
“democratization” of Latin America
Serbia – justifying the taking part Behind the Enemy Lines, Peacemaker
Iraq, Islam and oil, gas, minerals* Feature Movies about the Gulf War and Desert Storm – war action feature movies in 90-s
See slides 12, 42, 43
The French Johnny English, Pirates of the Caribbean, Matrix Reloded & Revolutions, Master and Commander
American Propaganda in Feature Movies
Propaganda Parameters in Feature Movies
Propaganda Principles
• Accessibility
• Used at right time
• Interest
• Engagement
• Persuasiveness
• Directing (Tucaković:1999)
Direct Propaganda
- American Savior
- American values
- America under threat
Analysis of Feature Movies
Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave
Science Fiction
Rules of Engagement 2000 The Hunt for Red October 1990 Space Cowboys 2000
Windtalkers 2002 City Hall 1996 Mission to Mars 2000
The Patriot 2000 The Pelican Brief 1993 Mission Imposible 1996
Patriot Games 1992 LA Confidential 1997 The Saint 1997
Pearl Harbour 2001 Air Force One 1997 Amistad 1997
Postman 1997 Contact 1997 The People vs. Larry Flynt 1996
Saving Private Rian 1998 Devils Advocate 1997 JFK 1991
Schindler’s List 1993 The Net 1995 Spy Game 2001
Enemy at the Gates 2000 Enemy of the State 1998 The Hunt for Red October 1990
Black Hawk Down 2001 Minority Raport 2002 City Hall 1996
Thin Red Line 1998 Matrix 1999 The Pelican Brief 1993
Heaven and Earth 1993 Conspiracy Theory 1997 Independance Day 1996
Three Kings 1999 Arlington Road 1999 Storm 1999
Men of Honor 2000 Wag the Dog 1997 X Files 1998
Executive Decision 1996 Volcano 1997 Armagedon 1998
The Siege 1998 Twister 1996 Deep Impact 1998
The Sum of All Fears 2002 Perfect Storm 2000 Collateral Damage 2002
Primary Colors 1998 Arturo Sandoval Story 2000 Alamo 2003
Swordfish 2001 K-19: The Widowmaker 2002 Simone 2002
5
Good Conspiracy is Unprovable One!
Anti-propaganda – the double propaganda effect of the free, just, democratic,
American society
Manufacturing Consent
- Propaganda is connected to the notions of communism, fascism dictatorships of Stalin, Hitler,
Castro, Tito
- It is not known much that Germany lost the World War I because the Great Britain had better
organized propaganda
- On Joseph Goebbels’s shelf there was the book “Criystallising Public Opinion” by Edward L.
Bernays, the father of public relations - (Pizzitola 2000)
Public relations (American terminology for propaganda) are techniques for persuasion
and selling of things (products and ideas) that people are not in NEED for
We can manufacture
consent and provide
Public
PublicOpinion
Opinion that their choice and
Advertisment
Advertisment Manufacturing opinions be structured
Manufacturing Edutainment
Edutainment in a manner that suits
consent
consent us. We’ll have a real
democracy! In
democracy, it is
necessary not only to
Profit
Profit control what people
do but also what they
think. The establishing
of the allowed opinion
frame, limited within
the principles of state
Good Conspiracy is Unprovable One!
Anti-propaganda – the double propaganda effect of free, just, democratic, American society
GOAL?
Manufacturing of concepts – justification of the past actions and manufacturing consent for the future
actions – “humanitarian interventions”
MANNER?
Manufacturing the feeling of endangerment Why?
To justify actions
ENDARGENMENT undertaken by the USA
in the World
To prepare those actions
Believe to Don’t believe
USA FEAR To create an enemy –
to anyone development factor
Government
Hegemony To control domestic
population
To control privacy
Action Repression (spying for human aims)
Justification Status Quo
Consent Paranoia To show to the foreign
market the idea about
free America
Denomination: Islamic terrorists – the threat for America and the World
Analyzed movies
Good Conspiracy is Unprovable One!
Anti-propaganda – the double propaganda effect of free, just, democratic, American society
American mainstream is aware (and it uses this) that film resolves the
problems multi-functionally: pro domo USA (sua), industry of capital,
creation of the American society image and its values, propagating of
domestic and foreign policy, education, entertainment, advertising,
propagating of the themes that are important for individual and public
health, of social issues and similar.