To begin with I just want to explain the purpose of this blog and what I am trying to accomplish with the research I have done. I will be researching and exploring how recent films as well as some older films represent drugs. Now, I want this to be clear that this is NOT a blog about whether or drugs in movies influence viewers in anyway, this blog will be more concentrated on the portrayal of drugs in the film industry. I will be comparing and contrasting different films to each other and I will be exploring different aspects of the film industry and applying it to the topic of my blog, which is entitled, “Hollywood’s Representation of Drugs in Film”.
Some of the film theories that I will be exploring throughout this blog include; a genre analysis, form and meaning with a focus on implicit and symptomatic meaning, narrative function on mise-en-scene, focus on framing, and editing. I will include different scenes from different films that I have either seen or have done research on in order to further elaborate on the points that I am making and in order for you as a viewer to get a sense of what I am talking about if you have not seen or heard of the film that I am blogging about. Over the years there have been many examples of drug use or a drug-related films that have hit the main screen and many have become very popular movies over the years. It seems as if drug-related movies have become socially acceptable and more and more common in popular culture over the years especially in recent years.
According to Hall, “cinematic depictions of addiction have been a feature of American movies since their beginning. From early silent films lo recent blockbusters, treatment shifts to reflect societal values at the time of their release”. Even though drug-use or drug-related movies are not uncommon it does not mean each and every one of the movies are alike. Some films take the route of being a drama and main goal and focus of the film would be to dramatisize the drug and the impact that drugs have on the characters in the film and other movies focus on the comedy side of drug use. I am not saying that using or abusing drugs is funny in any way, but in some cases what the film industry does is look at the lighter side of drug use and try to depict humorous comedies that are not aimed to move people towards drug use, but simply do something outside of the norm in order to get a wide range of viewers to come see the film. Films throughout the years have incorporated many different things that have had to do with drugs including drug addiction, drug sales, and other drug-related concentrations when it comes to the different focuses that different films have made over the years. I have included below a video clip of movies that fall under this category and focus on drugs. Some of these films have become very popular over the years, while others have not, but I will be including some of these films mentioned in this clip in some of my later posts.
Some of the film theories that I will be exploring throughout this blog include; a genre analysis, form and meaning with a focus on implicit and symptomatic meaning, narrative function on mise-en-scene, focus on framing, and editing. I will include different scenes from different films that I have either seen or have done research on in order to further elaborate on the points that I am making and in order for you as a viewer to get a sense of what I am talking about if you have not seen or heard of the film that I am blogging about. Over the years there have been many examples of drug use or a drug-related films that have hit the main screen and many have become very popular movies over the years. It seems as if drug-related movies have become socially acceptable and more and more common in popular culture over the years especially in recent years.
According to Hall, “cinematic depictions of addiction have been a feature of American movies since their beginning. From early silent films lo recent blockbusters, treatment shifts to reflect societal values at the time of their release”. Even though drug-use or drug-related movies are not uncommon it does not mean each and every one of the movies are alike. Some films take the route of being a drama and main goal and focus of the film would be to dramatisize the drug and the impact that drugs have on the characters in the film and other movies focus on the comedy side of drug use. I am not saying that using or abusing drugs is funny in any way, but in some cases what the film industry does is look at the lighter side of drug use and try to depict humorous comedies that are not aimed to move people towards drug use, but simply do something outside of the norm in order to get a wide range of viewers to come see the film. Films throughout the years have incorporated many different things that have had to do with drugs including drug addiction, drug sales, and other drug-related concentrations when it comes to the different focuses that different films have made over the years. I have included below a video clip of movies that fall under this category and focus on drugs. Some of these films have become very popular over the years, while others have not, but I will be including some of these films mentioned in this clip in some of my later posts.
Hall, S. (2010). Fade in, Fade out Addiction, Recovery in American Film. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 90 Issue 2, p20-21.
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