Ideology in Film - Explicity and Implicity

For many years, ideology in film has been recognised in the structure of film making, presenting certain ideologies to viewers, impplying how they should conform in society and have that perfect life or relationship but in reality. Every film may have a politcial meaning with different ideologies that may include capitalism, religion, feminism, romance and racism on how the world should operate. Benshoff and Griffin describes ideology as, 'a concept that expresses values and beliefs of a group or nation which affect human lives and cultures which is conveyed through language, sound, image and all cultural aspects' (Benshoff & Griffin, 2004).

Films can either show explicit ideology, that precisely and clearly expresses the obvious message to the audience or the opposite, implicit ideology which is expressed indirectly with a hidden meaning behind the film, that not all viewers will be able to interpret.

Miss Congeniality (2000)

This film expresses explicit ideology starring Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart. Gracie is an undercover FBI agent which you could say she is the Calamity Jane of the police force who shows no signs of femininity in her appearance, is undomesticated and definitely not the norm of society’s female form. Gracie is forced to go undercover at a beauty pageant, to catch a killer. Tomboy Gracie is totally against pageants which are part of America’s national identity on how women should be. Feminist author Gill agrees, 'with the representation of women being portrayed as demeaning stereotypes especially with Miss World Competitions which are degrading to women' (Gill, 2010).

Gracie gets a dramatic makeover and etiquette lessons from stylist (Michael Caine) which shows the female having to change to fit into society.  Also, solving the case leads to finally earning respect from her colleagues and because she becomes feminine at last, she finds love, friendship and lives happily ever after with 'world peace'. The message is quite clear that the film is aimed to the female demographic depicting how women should be in society, prim and proper and that women can succeed in a male orientated world individually or as a team.

The Lion King (1994)

A good example of implicit ideology is, The Lion King which tells the story of Simba, a young lion cub who will take his father Mufasa's place as king (patriarchal privilege). However, after Simba's uncle Scar kills Mufasa, he must stop his uncle from taking over the land and avenge his father's death. Most viewers would simply see it as an innocent animated family Walt Disney film of escapism but critics say it has underlying hidden political meanings which is full of racism, feminism and homosexuality connotations that does not conform to ideology of society (Benshoff & Griffin, 2004).

The messages behind The Lion King are, although, set in Africa some of the African culture was lost with white musicians creating the African music (Elton John & Tim Rice). There was a lack of African American voiceovers but the cartoon characters that did, replicated racial stereotypes, for example, Rafiki the baboon acts 'foolish and half-crazed' and the hyenas 'linking minority status to both stupidity and anti-social behaviour'. The female lions are shown not important which is opposite to real animal structure which 'minimises the importance of females in human society' (feminism). Finally, Scarface is linked to homosexual traits of a lisp, weak, limp-wristed and feminine (Benhsoff & Griffin, 2004, p.18-21).

In conclusion, ideologies explored in film, be it explicitly or implicitly of the film maker's narrative is, ultimately up to the viewer’s interpretation. Althusser (1971), 'implies that while individuals may experience themselves as possessing a consciousness which enables them to freely form the ideas in which they believe, in the fact this experience is an imaginary or ideological one' (Cook & Bernink, 1999, p.283)

References

BENSHOFF, H. M. & GRIFFIN, S., 2004. America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. 1st ed. Blackwell.

COOK, P. & BERNINK, M., 1999. The Cinema Book. 2nd ed. London: British Institute Film.

FORGOTTENTRAILERS, 2009. The Lion King. [Online]
Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sj1MT05lAA
[Accessed 12 April 2012].

GILL, R., 2007. Gender and the Media. 1st ed. Polity.

SANDY99, 2006. Miss Congeniality. [Online]
Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgv9tX7BE44
[Accessed 12 April 2012].