HAVE CHRISTIANS BECOME HOLLYWOOD'S NEW FAVOURITE VILLAINS?
May 12th 2008 09:24
In the past year, a vast number of high profile productions have featured villains with strong Christian leanings. The majority of these films feature said Christian villains as fundamentalist whackos, who often stand in the way of reason and progress, and often use (or encourage) violent means whilst doing so.
And while it is true that some Christians do fall in line with this stereotype, what is often ignored is that said individuals do not represent the Christian faith, and are extreme in nature and ideology.
The following are films from 2007 which contain said Christian villains:
There Will Be Blood: Paul Dano turns in an incredible performance as Evangelical preacher Eli Sunday. His character is bludgeoned to death with a bowling pin by Daniel Day Lewis’ atheist oil man Daniel Plainview, at the delight of many message board posters at IMDB.
The Mist: Frank Darabont’s poor adaptation of Stephen King’s The Mist features a ferocious performance by Marcia Gay Harden as the hellfire preaching Mrs. Carmody, who quickly gathers a blood thirsty mob of devout followers to bring about human sacrifice in order to appease what she believes to be a vengeful God who has brought on the apocalypse.
Hairspray: Director/choreographer Adam Shankman’s big screen adaptation of John Waters’ camp classic contains the always in form Alison Janney, who portrays a devout Catholic mother that forbids her daughter (Amanda Bynes) from hanging with the black kids in her neighbourhood.
Sunshine: Danny Boyle’s atheistic ode to science fiction sees a team of scientists venture though outer space in a bid to jump start a dying Sun and save planet Earth. However, plans go astray when a deranged crew member - who believes it is God’s will that the Earth be destroyed – begins to sabotage their mission.
Breach: An espionage thriller based on the true story of Robert Hanson (Chris Cooper), a deeply Catholic, ultra conservative FBI Agent, who also happened to be the biggest traitor in the history of the FBI. The screenplay took liberties and exploited his Catholic faith, placing him in situations that did not happen so he can look like a bible bashing moralist on top of a traitor.
The Golden Compass: The first adaptation from atheist writer Phillip Pullman’s fantasy series has the Catholic Church (here known as the Magesterium) abducting and torturing young children.
It is easy to see why such characters have popped up in so many films, what with the worldwide scorn of George W. Bush and the predominantly Christian Right in America, the popularity of God denouncing literature by the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, and with popular TV personalities Bill Maher and Penn Jillette spewing anti-Christian rhetoric at any given moment.
Yet, much like the portrayals of Native Americans as savage brutes in the 1950s (The Searchers), Asian Americans as bumbling dolts in the 1960s (Breakfast at Tiffany’s), Russians as killing machines in the 1980s (Rocky IV), and the negative portrayals of African Americans, Jews, and Homosexuals during every other era, I have faith that most people would look past the stereotype, and be able to separate fiction from reality.
After all, Hollywood loves to exploit what we fear, and prejudice along with caricature goes a long way into creating an easily despised bad guy. Just remember, a truly memorable villain is born out of contempt for their behaviour, not their skin colour, sexuality, or their faith.
And while it is true that some Christians do fall in line with this stereotype, what is often ignored is that said individuals do not represent the Christian faith, and are extreme in nature and ideology.
The following are films from 2007 which contain said Christian villains:
There Will Be Blood: Paul Dano turns in an incredible performance as Evangelical preacher Eli Sunday. His character is bludgeoned to death with a bowling pin by Daniel Day Lewis’ atheist oil man Daniel Plainview, at the delight of many message board posters at IMDB.
The Mist: Frank Darabont’s poor adaptation of Stephen King’s The Mist features a ferocious performance by Marcia Gay Harden as the hellfire preaching Mrs. Carmody, who quickly gathers a blood thirsty mob of devout followers to bring about human sacrifice in order to appease what she believes to be a vengeful God who has brought on the apocalypse.
Hairspray: Director/choreographer Adam Shankman’s big screen adaptation of John Waters’ camp classic contains the always in form Alison Janney, who portrays a devout Catholic mother that forbids her daughter (Amanda Bynes) from hanging with the black kids in her neighbourhood.
Sunshine: Danny Boyle’s atheistic ode to science fiction sees a team of scientists venture though outer space in a bid to jump start a dying Sun and save planet Earth. However, plans go astray when a deranged crew member - who believes it is God’s will that the Earth be destroyed – begins to sabotage their mission.
Breach: An espionage thriller based on the true story of Robert Hanson (Chris Cooper), a deeply Catholic, ultra conservative FBI Agent, who also happened to be the biggest traitor in the history of the FBI. The screenplay took liberties and exploited his Catholic faith, placing him in situations that did not happen so he can look like a bible bashing moralist on top of a traitor.
The Golden Compass: The first adaptation from atheist writer Phillip Pullman’s fantasy series has the Catholic Church (here known as the Magesterium) abducting and torturing young children.
It is easy to see why such characters have popped up in so many films, what with the worldwide scorn of George W. Bush and the predominantly Christian Right in America, the popularity of God denouncing literature by the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, and with popular TV personalities Bill Maher and Penn Jillette spewing anti-Christian rhetoric at any given moment.
Yet, much like the portrayals of Native Americans as savage brutes in the 1950s (The Searchers), Asian Americans as bumbling dolts in the 1960s (Breakfast at Tiffany’s), Russians as killing machines in the 1980s (Rocky IV), and the negative portrayals of African Americans, Jews, and Homosexuals during every other era, I have faith that most people would look past the stereotype, and be able to separate fiction from reality.
After all, Hollywood loves to exploit what we fear, and prejudice along with caricature goes a long way into creating an easily despised bad guy. Just remember, a truly memorable villain is born out of contempt for their behaviour, not their skin colour, sexuality, or their faith.
| 189 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Hey, maybe Hollywood is getting revenge on the fundies for websites like this one:
www.hollywoodandgod.com
Yes that is hollywoodandgod.com
A website dedicated to removing all blasphemy from hollywood movies and tv shows...
Comment by Harry
Sydney Diary
Personals
Brisbane Diarystar
Zoo Parent
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Cinema Three
But like you say, most people would be smart enough and distinguish reality from fiction.
I would just like to add though that Christians are by default regarded as peaceful and the versions of them potrayed in Hollywood movies are obviously of the fundamentalist type. This doesn't apply to actual minority groups who by default are shown as extremist.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
So a stereo typical enemy play that plays to their prejudices will always find a market.
Usually such films do not become classics.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I don't think having Christians as the enemy is new for Hollywood there are plenty of films from the 40's - the 70's that had religious zealots as a catalyst for primal frenzy and hypocritical villainy.
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I think it's an interesting trend, and probably of therapeutic value for a lot of people, as the church has evaded critique for most of the past centuries. I guess we're more open to the idea of dysfunctional Christinaity these days.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i found the statistic and the open mocking of christians surprising as i thought it was more like 90% and i presumed the entertainment industry still pandered to the majority . . .
Comment by samaritan
Fringe Faith
Samaritan's Stories
It's not a movie, but my favourite television Christian is the Vicar of Dibley. I would love to see more Christians like these in movies. But considering I have absolutely no sway in Hollywood, I think I'll just have to keep hoping.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
is that a real statistic?
or are you having fun with me? haha
i obviously have no idea about american demographics . . .
30% evangelical actually sounds high!
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
The 2004 survey of Religion and politics in the United States identified the Evangelical percentage of the population at 26.3%; while Catholics are 22% and Mainline Protestants make up 16%. In the 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States, the figures for these same groups are 28.6% (Evangelical), 24.5% (Catholics), and 13.9% (Mainline Protestant.) The latter figures are based on a 2001 study of the self-described religious identification of the adult population for 1990 and 2001 from the Graduate School and University Center at the City University of New York.
Pretty close to 30%. How do you think Bush won the last election?
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
thanks for the stats!
28.6 24.5 13.9 = 67% christian . . . thats a LOT!
funny how they see themselves as persecuted when they are clearly the majority!
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
yeah...persecuted Christians in America...well they have to pretend they are, otherwise they wouldn't be true Christians would they?
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak