Moderation in All Things

 

 

      

 

     Owing to the fact that the topic of language in film has been coming up quite frequently as of late, I have decided to present my opinion on the subject.

     I would say that personally I do not find that foul language adds much to a typical film, whether it be a large scale blockbuster or a small indie film. It also does not seem to add anything to video games, music, or books, in my mind. I think that oftentimes filmmakers use 'colorful' language as an excuse to say that they have made a 'mature' film. For those of you that never realized this, token violence and language do not a mature film make. An R rating does not mean a film is 'mature', and the discerning moviegoer should realize this. A mature film (or story, for that matter), is a well-told tale that oftentimes deals with a hard subject in a way that is realistic (even if it is a fantasy), and is not afraid to be frank on a subject. A good example of this is Pan's Labyrinth, in which the subject of war and sacrifice is handled in a very realistic way, even though the story is a traditional fantasy. This movie has both violence and language, but it is used in a way that furthers the story, for the most part.

     Another thing to keep in mind is that oftentimes language for language sake is out of place in a movie, and comes across as silly, evn though the filmmaker meant for it to be 'mature.' A good example of this would be a fair amount of scenes in movies based on history. Using the F word a hundred times in a movie set in the 15th century is not likely to get the effect you want. Also, I tend to find that violence is a better way to get across a mature story, than language. A good example of this is The Lord of the Rings.

     I think that as Christian filmmakers, we may use such things, but only in a way that furthers the story. These things should also be used in moderation, as Professor Leeper said when he mentioned that language is a powerful tool to be used sparingly. Going with the tool idea, if one tries to hammer a nail in the wall with a jackhammer, one runs the risk of looking like a fool.