Ideology

What does ideology mean?

a system of values, beliefs and ideas

What is hegemony?

the dominant or ruling ideology of society

What is the power group in our society?

straight, white, middle class, middle aged men

What is associated with left wing?

socialism, working class, group unity, collective power, civil rights, equality, higher tax

What is associated with right wing?

personal freedom, traditional values, family, patriotism, individualism, fewer rules, money

What is City of God’s message?

the director said that the film is about a ‘waste of lives’

How does Alien challenge society’s dominant ideology?

female lead, anti-big corporation message

Is Vertigo left wing or right wing?

mainly right wing as it is individualistic and most characters have money, their portrayal of mental health issues is more left wing

How does Carol challenge dominant ideologies?

two female leads, queer storyline, the female characters sort out their own problems, the men are portrayed as pathetic and week, wealth is portrayed positively which is a right wing feature

What does ideological critical approach mean?

looking at the film from a different perspective (e.g. political, feminist, etc.)

Describe Marxist film theory

American capitalism is reflected in American cinema, Hollywood’s traditional narrative structures should be challenged, filmmakers should avoid dictating the spectator’s response, praises films that analyse and contextualise hierarchical relationships