God in Movies
Instructions:
Prompt: Thinking about how Greeley describes “religious imaginations” (Catholic, Protestant, or other), compare and contrast this week’s four films: All That Jazz, Field of Dreams, Stranger than Fiction, and Princess Mononoke. Which “imaginations” does each film represent? How so? Possible elements to consider include: the relative presence or absence of God, love, judgment, work, loneliness, forgiveness, and redemption, among other things.
Demonstrate an understanding of the assigned readings and each film’s main themes/points/metaphors about God, including:
At least one CLEAR example from each film
At least two CLEAR references to assigned readings
Solution
God in Movies
Introduction
According to Greeley, religious imaginations depends on our social observations. He explains further by saying that imagination is the source of religion because individuals tend to experience, order and reflect beings (Bergesen and Greeley 89). This paper transcends how four movies All That Jazz, Stranger Than Fiction, Field of Dreams and Princess Mononoke reveal religious imaginations especially in bringing out the presence of God aspect, love, work, judgment, loneliness, forgiveness, and redemption.
Body
To begin with, in the movie All that Jazz, it reveals some elements of the image of God (Greeley 2). For example, the main character Bob Fosse spends most of his time driving and using others to win acclaim and complete his projects. Bob Fosse is an addict, especially to drugs., cigarettes, alcohol, and women. As Bob’s life nears death, he encounters Angelique, appeared in a vision of white. She is a savior to Bob. In the Christian life, it is obvious that a life that Bob lives is a sinful life, and he needs a savior to his life. In the movie, even though he likes women, Angelique appears more sexually attractive to him. Such a scene exposes the image of God in Angelique.
Additionally, in the movie, Field of Dreams, many religious themes are revealed in the film such as redemption, love, perseverance and religion as a whole. To begin with, Catholic have imaginations that we actively communicate with God in our day-to-day activities. It is evident in the movie, Field of Dreams; there are flesh and blood communication, God speaking through our friends and responding to what God communicates. First, flesh and blood communication refers to where an individual communicates without words but with body language. This is demonstrated where Graham and Ray look at each other, and Graham passes the line to save Karin, who had fallen off the stand seats and was choking to death. Also, as Christian, we have the imagination of listening to God as a sacramental awareness skill. This concept is evident when Ray Listens to God. “If you build it will come, ease his pain and go the distance.” Lastly, the movie reveals Christian imagination that we respond to God; it is a sacramental awareness, as Christians, we listen to what God tells us and respond to his call. It is evident in the movie when Ray when he sets up a baseball field after hearing a voice. Also, he responds to Gods’ voice by going to Boston to take Terence Mann’s pain by taking him to baseball game even though he had no cash for the tickets. Additionally, at Minnesota the voice told him to find Moonlight Graham, Ray responded to the voice adequately.
Thirdly, in the movie, Stranger Than Fiction, it reveals several Christian doctrines such as sin, atonement and incarnation and revelation. These are prominent religious imaginations even with other religions. First, Christian figure out life as controlled by the Author, God. We cannot change the course of life if God has planned it. If we try to change, we call it sin. Consequently, in the movie mentioned above it is evident that Harold cannot modify the course of the story as when wreckers begin to dismantle his apartment. Additionally, Karen sees Harold as an ordinary man being brought out the fact that Harold is like Jesus, he does something unselfish knowing the fact that he is going to die. In Christian teachings, it is evident that Jesus was aware that he was going to die, and he prepares his followers for his coming death.
Lastly, in the movie, Princess Mononoke, depicts Shintoism, the death of culture and greed. Shintoism is a religion originating from Japan; its sole purpose is to unite the paths of man and gods or nature. The religion is focused on faith in higher powers. In the movie, “kami” are nature spirits and Princess Mononoke. Also, as Prince Ashitaka holds prayers with the village elders is shows how Ashitaka portrays respect and awareness for nature spirituality as the Shintoism culture
Conclusion.
Overall, Greeley explains that religious imaginations are
what movies are trying to depict the small aspects of what religions around the
world are representing (Bergesen and
Greeley 98).
Religion at times shapes our behaviors
and how we behave in a normal life. The four movies clearly represent the nature of God in many religions
across the world. It is evident that sin and prayers are common to each and
every religion. The only thing that differs with religion is the pathway we
follow towards serving God.
Works Cited
All That Jazz. Dir. Bob Fosse. Perf. Roy Scheider. 1979.
Bergesen, Albert J and Andrew M. Greeley. God in the Movies. Piscataway: ransaction Publishers, 2003.
Field of Dreams. Dir. Phil Alden Robinson. Perf. Kevin Costner. 1989.
Greeley, Andrew M. “Images of God in the Movies.” Journal of Religion and Film 1.1 (1997): 1-5.
Princess Mononoke. Dir. Hayao Miyazaki. Perf. Yuriko Ishida, et al. 1999.
Stranger Than Fiction. Dir. Marc Forster. Perf. Will Ferrel. 2006.