Films, through its images, represent our society into something the director wants these representations to be. Although movies communicate messages about our reality, it has a limited way of presenting reality. There is always more to reality than what this medium can present. Each viewer decides his own meaning. We bring our own ideas to media messages. These ideas and biases influence our interpretation. Therefore, none of us sees exactly the same movie. However, because human beings create movies, they always contain the biases that these filmmakers possess or want to convey.  

            Films are a significant medium for the communication of ideas. It can influence public opinion, behavior and thinking, lifestyle and the commercial taste of viewers. It can change us significantly or slightly. For example, American films always show famous stars drinking Starbucks coffee or Coke. It affects the product choice of viewers when it comes to buying a certain product. We imitate what we see on the movies because we want to relate or be like our favorite stars.  Furthermore, it provides a new consciousness about sexist stereotypes, changes our attitudes about a certain issue and alters our thinking about the world and our selves.

            Movies show a particular view of the world and a particular set of values. It indirectly tells us what we should or should not do. Films make sweeping generalizations about people and places. It tells our culture to transform into a culture these movies portray. For example, America most of the time is depicted as “the coolest place on earth” while men are always conveyed as leaders and problem solvers. Women, on the other hand, are given with traditional roles-housewives, nurses and assistants to male characters. All movies send messages of one sort or another. More than a source of entertainment, it communicates ideas that viewers instantly absorb. Sometimes we build up images of a particular race as a result of the way we see them in movies. These stereotypes sometimes make us think about people in ways that are not true. 

            But then, our culture and stereotypes have changed just as filmmaking conventions have changed. We may appreciate a movie today but maybe after ten years we may not regard it as a good movie anymore. Citizen Kane, as an example, was considered a bad movie when it was first released. After a few years, it was suddenly recognized as a masterpiece possessing stunning shots and film techniques. I can also relate my own personal experience as an example of changing views on films. When I was a kid, I find I.T. as a very frightening movie but after eight years, I find myself strange for actually being scared of this movie. Our culture plays a role in our standards for films. If these films portray the dominant view or popular culture of our world, we instantly look at it as real and acceptable. Walter Benjamin argues that popular culture is not necessarily disadvantageous for it makes the viewers be involved. It makes the viewers have their own intimate interpretation, thereby molding the popular to everyone’s needs (Kolker, 72).

Some movies also portray subcultures of a dominant culture. In Velvet Goldmine, repressed thoughts and issues were told. It portrays the subculture of bisexuality and glam-rock as dominant than the dominant culture. It illustrates that what is repressed cannot be repressed forever. It shows an era of full-out embracing of nonconformity, where there was willingness to be bisexual and to have men possess characteristics usually attributed with female characters. It illustrates an era when people were deviant to social conventions and norms and when males can wear lipsticks, eye shadows, etc. More than that, it looks at the impact of singers and stars to society. When Brian Slade kissed passionately and unashamedly in public, fans from just watching that event were indirectly influenced. Suddenly, men kissed men and women. A change of the youth’s attitude was evident in that radical period. Movies, like rock stars, can also influence the viewer’s thinking.

Movies consistently portray a number of societies in a negative or stereotypical manner. Specific groups like Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Iraqis, Arabs, Italian-Americans, the elderly, women, homosexuals, Christians and Muslims are often victimized by the powerful and prejudicial hands of films. I think that most of Hollywood moviemakers intentionally send these messages containing prejudices to keep their dominating culture alive and superior. Another reason is that viewers like to see movies with conventional and acceptable culture offering them nothing but the ordinary popular culture. Therefore, filmmakers have to express these stereotypes in accordance to this pop culture. Adolf Hitler, as an example, used mass media to control his people (Kolker). He used radios and films as propaganda in persuading the Germans his mindset and culture he wants to have for his people. I believe that films, more than it mirrors our society, set standards for our culture. Usual Hollywood films portray the cool ideal American life. Because we have few appreciable Filipino movies, we are usually forced to watch American movies in cinemas. Even though the messages conveyed are originally for American audiences, Filipinos understand and welcome it as our culture. We are stuffed with Made-in-U.S.A. dreams that Philippine society can never fully satisfy. As a result, American movies indirectly make us think the American way.

            Why is this happening? Why do movies continue to portray these misleading stereotypes and such limited views of the world? Just as movies affect our culture, our culture also affects movies. It mirrors the values, interests, cultural perspectives and prejudices of the filmmakers. The culture that a filmmaker wants to portray exists through films. Culture, therefore is important to films. Without it, films can never tell a story and show images. In Velvet Goldmine, the sub-culture of glam-rock and bisexuality of the 1950’s comes alive. Velvet Goldmine depicts how Glam artists opposed history and traditional sex roles. The Glam-rock subculture turned into a popular culture was completely repressed afterwards and was forgotten by people with denial, embarrassment and regret. The reason why this subculture only existed as popular in a short-run is because people do not like pop culture to be changed. Also, people are not open to cultural changes. As an example, Pleasantville shows how a society fears changes on the existing culture. It compares the 1950’s from our modern society through the use of black and white and colored. Black and white people hated and feared colored people because it threatens their dominant culture. The patriarchal structure of families was suddenly questioned and the roles of women were elevated. Lover’s Lane and Soda Shop became the center of action and passion for the people. After realizing that their culture is in danger, the unchanged isolated the changed people. It shows how people look at the radical as extreme and unacceptable. Until now, people are unwilling to accept cultural changes but these are not always harmful. Cultural changes may help in solving race and gender inequality. In Pleasantville, it shows that being open to change makes people see beauty and makes equality prevail. It does not only part us with the message of change as the essential but it tells us that change can also be damaging. It shows how the typical breakfast meal was before—families eat together and have the chance to communicate with each other. Nowadays, we rarely have time for our families.

         Similar to the people in Pleasantville, film viewers do not like the dominant culture to be threatened. Therefore, only some people appreciate films that depict the subculture. As Kolker said, what viewers want to see are stories that were repeated because we find security in these stories (Kolker, 96).

         If popular culture is the only culture that viewers want to see in the movies they are watching, complete hegemony of our culture will exist in our society. In Pleasantville, the small town symbolizes hegemony in a society. People do the same things that they were accustomed to do, without question and thought if it was indeed perfectly normal or right. The movie portrays the character of David as a fanatic of old re-runs of Pleasantville. He, similar to a moviegoer, forgets the actual reality of life for he is enthralled with the perfect picture of society (as what the television show stereotypes it to be) where every basketball shot goes inside the ring. What we, as viewers, need is to open ourselves into welcoming color, subcultures and ideologies not presented in popular culture and movies so that our society will not be hegemonized into what the popular culture suggests us to become.