Movie Subliminals -- The Rate of God (Accident? Purposeful?)

12/04/01 | MarkWar

[MarkWar]

1996 111 minutes Mentions of God/Jesus/Christ: 45 Rate of God (apprx.): 1 mention every 2.46 minutes

1997 101 minutes Mentions of God/Jesus/Christ: 28 Rate of God (apprx.): 1 mention every 3.60 minutes

2000 92 minutes Mentions of God/Jesus/Christ: 17 Rate of God (apprx.): 1 mention every 5.41 minutes

[MarkWar]

I singled out these three movies because they are so similar. Each is about teenagers trying to figure out why some psycho killer is killing teenagers. None is specifically, overtly, about religion or features a religious character. I chose to count words because it is an objective criteria. I chose to count religious references because they are emotional, "hot button" sounds in and of themselves. And I chose this project because it is my favorite kind of "subliminal" -- the words are there for everyone to hear, but because they're so common, we seldom notice them.

I notice that the highest grossing, most popular movie (SCREAM) contained the highest "rate of God." The second most popular, second highest grossing film (I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER) contained the second highest "rate of God."

CHERRY FALLS with the lowest "rate of God" went directly to video. (However, cinematically, CHERRY FALLS may objectively be the highest "quality" movie of the three.) The "rate of God" in this third place movie is nearly 1/2 that of the first place movie (1:2.46 versus 1:5.41)

Does anyone have any comments on this?

Are movie makers using these words to exploit their emotional content? Are movie makers using splatter movies to de-sensitize us to religion? Are these rates just accidental artifacts?

Mark W.

[Spiff]

So, the number of times the Lord's name is used in vain or is spoken in a defamatory manner is somehow a measure of how subliminally religious a movie is?

You, sir, need to get a life. I think this is just an excuse for you to watch teen slasher movies. Don't forget to wear your tin-foil hat next time.

[gcruse]

Well, based on the statistically insignificant number of three movies as submitted here, I see a trend over time of a falloff in religious scatology such that it will cease to exist soon.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I would hardly call the use of God's name in vain in a slasher movie as a way to get teens to think about religion.

Matthew 7
22 Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

[drstevej]

Maybe Joe Bob Briggs will add this to his count of exposed breasts, severed heads, karate chops, etc. Your stats are about as helpful as JBB's.

[Heyworth]

How many times does "Harry Potter" mention God?

(ducking now)

[ArGee]

Are movie makers using these words to exploit their emotional content? Are movie makers using splatter movies to de-sensitize us to religion? Are these rates just accidental artifacts?

Statistics are so interesting precisely because they are so difficult to interpret.

Based on your descriptions, I am guessing that none of the words G-d, Jesus, or Christ, was used in its religious context but rather as either an expression of fear (Oh, my G-d!) or as profanity. Therefore, one interesting correlation would be the rate of all swearing in expression of fear or profanity. If the rates have similar decline, then you are just seeing a correlation between profane words and the movie gross. There is still a lot of work to be done if you make that correlation, but that's where I'd start.

Shalom.

[catonsville]

Your making a crappy slasher movie, you want to give it more status, some pseudo-profundity, so you add references to God. You may even include a scene in a church, a good priest who is killed by the slasher and some digitilzed "Carmina Burina" in the backgound.

Still crap

[JoeSchem]

The scariest horror movies tap into Judeo-Christian myth, because Judeo-Christian myth happens to be true.

[MarkWar]

How many times does "Harry Potter" mention God?

[laughs] Hey, psycho killers and slashers are one thing. That black magic stuff scares me.

Mark W.

[MarkWar]

>So, the number of times the Lord's name is used in vain or is spoken in a defamatory manner is somehow a measure of how subliminally religious a movie is? ... I think this is just an excuse for you to watch teen slasher movies.

[laughs] Hey, nobody needs an "excuse" to watch any kind of movie they want.

And I never said the occurance of lots of the God words made the movie subliminally "religious." That, in fact, was my question. Why would some film makers include so many utterances of God/Jesus/Christ in movies that weren't religious? Would your guess be that they are they TRYING to make the movies subliminally religious?

One point I would make is that _many_ modern movies use all sorts of subliminal effects _very similar_ to this heavy repetition of God words (or low reps of God words). These are _content_ choices that entertainment creators are making. As CONSUMERS of this stuff, we have a choice -- are we going to be aware and MAKE THE ATTEMPT to NOTICE this kind of stuff, or are we just going to sit back and let the media biz create stuff that influences us in ways we are not conscious of?

And this kind of thing is in no way limited to teen slasher movies. (I just picked these three movies because the genre cranks out so many movies that are both different yet similar.)

Mark W.

[MarkWar]

>The scariest horror movies tap into Judeo-Christian myth, because Judeo-Christian myth happens to be true.

I tend to agree with this. And in most polls, "The Exorcist" is voted the scariest movie of all time.

However, if this is true, then I can't help but wonder why more movies don't deal with Judeo-Christian reality _explicitly_. ("The Exorcist" was _more_ explicitly religious than most movies, however even that movie had little in common with the way exorcisms are depicted in Scripture.)

Mark W.

[MarkWar]

>Your stats are about as helpful as JBB's.

Helpful?

[shrugs] This business of God words was just an easy example of something that was easy to put into numbers.

There are any number of interesting creative choices that film makers engage in which raise the same questions.

For instance, in SCREAM (for example) from the very start to the very end there are numerous _background_ shots of SNACK FOODS. Often these shots occur right before or immediately after scenes of INTENSE EMOTION.

Are the film makers taking product placement money for these shots? Are the film makers explicitly linking snack food to the experiential feelings of strong emotions?

These things influence us whether we are conscious of them or not. (In theory, even better if we're not aware of them.) Isn't it better to call attention to such stuff? Isn't that "helpful?"

Mark W.

[JoeSchem]

However, if this is true, then I can't help but wonder why more movies don't deal with Judeo-Christian reality _explicitly_.

Because it scares the moviemakers.

[drstevej]

What's_up_with the _underline_ usage?

Is this some kind of psycho-_subliminal_brain washing?

Help_I've started_doing it _Myself_!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

An interesting experiment.

Movies have always been filled with subliminal messages; besides money, that is the reason they are made. The public has no idea who's making movies or why. Those who control the world control the movies, and thus, they are able to manipulate what people think and feel.

I believe the name of God is invoked so many times in slasher movies because the godless, arrogant fools who make movies wish to equate God with terror and destruction.

[NatureGirl]

For instance, in SCREAM (for example) from the very start to the very end there are numerous _background_ shots of SNACK FOODS. Often these shots occur right before or immediately after scenes of INTENSE EMOTION.

Fascinating. Many women who eat too much (I was going to say "who have eating disorders", then realized I was being 'PC') also have emotional issues - not being able to deal with anger, or fear, etc. So here are films that teen girls will see that connect an intense feeling of horror and snacking.

I seem to recall that TV dramas used to use a similar structure. You'd be "on the edge of your seat", all caught up in what was happening, then BOOM! - cut to a commercial. I wouldn't be surprised if the movies made for the teen market used the same techniques.

About the use of "God" in these films - if people are depicted as saying, "Oh, my God!" and then getting slaughtered anyway, isn't the underlying message "God can't/won't help you"? Plenty of people calling on him, and He ain't answering, so to speak. Have you contrasted this with movies that have a more "upbeat" message?

[babyfreep]

Maybe he is _underlining_ the text-only way instead of underlining the HTML way. (?)