5 movies about ideology

What to see on the political currents and ideological power over society

Before we talk about movies, let me make a few introductory remarks. Firstly, in the paintings in question is shown, not only ideology, but also the way it works. Secondly, it is necessary to describe the subject of our conversation. I propose to take as a working definition of the term is quite broad concept of the French Marxists Louis Althusser: "Ideology - a system (which has its own logic and rigor) of representations (which may take the form of images, myths, ideas or concepts), has a certain historical existence and certain historical role within a particular community." Thirdly, I tried to choose not the most famous paintings. With the exception of "The Big Lebowski", the rest are likely to be surprising to readers. Fourth, you need to list sequentially each next recommended film reveals the ideology of a new, unexpected direction. That's why I advise you to watch movies in that order, as given in the list.

• 1.The Last Supper, 1995 (Director:Stacy Title)

Group University graduates are satisfied with the Sunday gatherings for dinner and revels in his liberal views. Once it gets to the house of human rights convictions - racist, militarist, a fan of weapons and, apparently, a man with a criminal record. Squabbled on the basis of political opinion, the Liberals kill conservative guest. Understanding the essence of its mission, the Liberals invited to imagine different people to argue with them on the subject of ecology and sexual freedoms. So a group of young open-minded people and spent Sunday night while on a visit to them did not go the eminent conservative, which is often shown on television and which, by the way, is able to rise to the position of the opposing party, if not to take it, then at least understandable. An unpleasant surprise for them is the fact that right - it is quite adequate, it is against the extremists of any kind - it left that right - and decides to convince most of the enemy in a dialogue, rather than deprive him of his life. The film does not exalt the right views and is not a statement against the liberals. It shows the one-dimensionality, which is so often characteristic of carriers of any ideological consciousness.

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• 2.The Big Lebowski, 1998 (Director: Joel David Coen, Ethan Jesse Coen)

Most likely, this film in Russia perceives as a few movies about ideology. Meanwhile, scientists are engaged in Lebowski Studies, of course, deeply studied and the issue as well. For example, one of the authors of the Western attempts to interpret this picture, so try to understand how the ideology of the New Left respective positions Dude (The Year's Work in Lebowski Studies. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2009. P. 124–148). Although Dude - the main character played by Jeff Bridges - really rather could preach the ideology of the left than any other, in general, almost all ideological currents represented in the film and served as superficial. They are national-socialism, nihilism, feminism, pacifism, militarism, patriotism, and so on. Try to see the movie and find all of these ideological trends. The authors explicitly refer to the "people with convictions," ironic.

What is remarkable in this film can be for political theorist, so this is to understand whether all these ideologies are swept aside as something superficial, or to some of them authors of the movies themselves are more sympathetic. Roughly speaking, this picture - of course, with certain conventions - it is possible to study the political preferences of the Coen brothers and even build their range of ideologies - from a less to a more preferred. Go in at your leisure.

• 3.Tribulation 99: Alien Anomalies Under America, 1992 (Director: Craig Baldwin)

Craig Baldwin - unknown to us filmmaker who enjoys a certain reputation in the West. First of all in the United States. He works in the genre of "pseudo-pseudo-documentary film." His films - is a mixture of fiction and facts, mixed with each other and very original cast. Baldwin takes material for his films from everywhere: from commercials, pictures of the "B" category, television programs, and other documentaries. His hallmark remain "99 Disasters: anomalies of foreign origin under the United States of America." The film begins with a warning that "this is not fiction. This is the shocking truth of the coming of the Apocalypse. " The author says, if the aliens have long settled by the United States of America the land, experiencing hostility towards the US and lead them against the subversive activities in the world. For example, it is explained that the secret services were not able to get rid of at the time of a serious enemy of America, Fidel Castro, who in fact is supposedly a replicant. Speaking some incredible things known author in some way reveals his view of the United States policy, as well as the ideology of colonialism and imperialism in general. The painting is interesting as "implicit ideological statement," which goes far beyond where conventional ideology stop. Watch Baldwin’s movies difficult. In the sense that they are not at all entertaining. They are akin to the famous "Report" Bruce Conner, to which, incidentally, is associated Baldwin good relations and common views on the creation of this film, so to speak, of the genre.

• 4.Harrison Bergeron, 1995 (Director: Bruce Pittman)

Very interesting film, delivered based on a short story by Kurt Vonnegut. In the American democracy of the future are all intellectually - that is, rather are silly, that no one was hurt. However, there is a secret organization that controls everything in the country - sees to it that the state to function properly. Harrison, a very intelligent man, who may not hide your mind, recruited into this secret elite, and he, instead of working in their specialty, trying to make a revolution and to show people that happen to have Shakespeare, Orson Welles and others yet inaccessible to them things. All the charm of the film is difficult to explain in a short paragraph. In general, it is a vivid illustration of the ideas of Slavoj Zizek, that ideology can not function without cynicism. The system almost collapsing from what Harrison wondered if Orson Welles might be someone interesting. It turns out that society as a whole is not very important culture. The problem is that of chief executive officer for many years felt remorse, instead of being understanding human psychology cynic. But in the film, of course, it is much more likely.

• 5.Virtual Nightmare, 2000 (Director: Michael Pattinson)

The film begins where the stops "Harrison Bergeron".
The ideology of consumers is not very different from the ideology of the resistance, who wants to destroy the conspiracy of the elite, holding the general population in the world of virtual illusions. In other words, the resistance wants to turn off the virtual reality and the elite, living in a luxurious place, want to maintain the status quo, with the most well-guided by certain ideals. However, their view of the world as an illusion. It turns out that somewhere there is a machine that translates the different signals for all types of ideological consciousness. The machine also has long existed in itself - that is no secret forces, which would be beneficial to her work. There is no single center, and there is only the operator who sees to it that it runs properly.
Not casually write that it is necessary to watch this movie, along with a picture of John Carpenter's "They Live". But if in "Aliens Among Us" true ideological statement is hidden behind posters containing appeals to consume it in this movie hostage to ideology are its own carriers. Ultimately, we see the absurdity of the ideology in the broadest sense. She, being broadcasted through certain technical means, there is not because it is necessary to someone. It just opened. But in the absence of those technical means ideology is precisely what it was with them. This is about as if in "Aliens Among Us" People put on magic glasses, but in fact have seen exactly the same thing, and that in them, but for sure the viewer would know that the reality contemplated by them, just not real. Very deep.