The critically acclaimed Millions heads a new list of “religious” films that focus as much on values as saviors and saints.
When Millions director Danny Boyle decided to make a film about an English boy and his relationship with the saints, he wanted to bring the same realism he had achieved in his earlier films about addicts and zombies.
In Millions, which opened in March 2005, a young boy has a vision of a cranky St. Clare smoking a hand-rolled cigarette. But the film is ultimately about his understanding of richness beyond money and his determination to do good.
Films such as Constantine, the recut The Passion of the Christ and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy present overtly religious symbols. Scholars consider Million Dollar Baby and The Sea Inside religious films in part because they grapple with the moral dilemma of assisted suicide. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ film office gave both movies an “O” rating – for morally offensive – because they offer sympathetic views of euthanasia.
Recent films with implicit religious themes include: Their Eyes Were Watching God (spiritual awakening), The Motorcycle Diaries (spiritual journey), Sideways (search for identity), Shrek 2 (hero myth), Lost in Translation (rite of passage) and I Heart Huckabees (existential angst).
Some scholars say filmmakers have been dealing with the same life and death themes since the dawn of movies. But Bucknell University religion professor Eric Michael Mazur sees an ongoing evolution in Jesus films; a focus on new religious “enemies,” such as Muslim fundamentalists; a greater interest in the spirit world; and more willingness to accept ambiguity.
Why it Matters
Since the early days of movies, films have reflected how society grapples with questions about the existence of God and the meaning of life. Millions and Million Dollar Baby are among the films that explore religious questions for a new generation of moviegoers, such as: What does it mean to be good? And who has the right to end a life?
Questions for reporters
• What new films raise religious and spiritual themes?
• What themes are most popular?
• How do the new films differ from a previous generation in subject matter and point of view?
• How do they reflect societal values?
• How do films portray God, gods, devils, saints and biblical figures?
• How do they portray devout people?
• How have such films been received by religious leaders and organizations?
• Why are some films considered morally offensive?
• Do religious films have popular appeal with moviegoers?
• Which filmmakers have shown a particular sensitivity to religious subjects?
• Which filmmakers have mishandled or exploited religious themes?
• What new foreign films are dealing with religious themes?
Skip to background
National sources
• John C. Lyden, professor of religion at Dana College in Blair, Neb., is the author of Film as Religion: Myths, Morals and Rituals (New York University Press, 2003). He says that any popular film that affects people’s understanding of war, life and death is arguably religious. Movies, he says, can function religiously, providing a ritualized form of “meaning-making activity” through stories that express values and beliefs about the world. Contact 402-426-7247, jlyden@acad2.dana.edu.
• Eric Michael Mazur, Bucknell University religion professor, is the editor of the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Religion and Film (Greenwood, expected 2006). He says that if Americans are looking for spiritual expressions as opposed to institutional forms of religion, it’s logical they will seek spiritual themes in film. Contact 570-577-3525, mazur@bucknell.edu.
• S. Brent Plate, professor of religion and visual arts at Texas Christian University, has written about religion, art and visual culture. Religions, he notes, discuss the creation of the world, and films work on re-creating the world. He’s interested in how film has “come down” off the screen and infiltrated rituals so people have Matrix-style weddings. Contact 817-257-6444, b.plate@tcu.edu.
• George Aichele, professor of philosophy and religion at Adrian College in Adrian, Mich., has written about connections between Scripture and film, and about culture, entertainment and the Bible. He’s not so much interested in “Bible movies” that focus on overtly religious or theological themes. He’s interested in the points where biblical text, images, languages and themes appear in popular movies that are otherwise quite “secular,” such as Pleasantville and Minority Report. Contact 517-265-3959, gaichele@adrian.edu.
• Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University, has written about “re-viewing” Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and images of women in contemporary religious film. Contact 202-687-0289, apostold@georgetown.edu.
• The Rev. Richard A. Blake, co-director of film studies at Boston College, is a film historian and author of Afterimage: The Indelible Catholic Imagination of Six American Filmmakers (Loyola, 2000). Much of his writing has centered on religious themes and imagery in mainstream filmmaking. Contact 617-552-4295, blakeri@bc.edu.
Background
• Read The Journal of Religion and Film, with articles on old and new films and film reviews.
• Read the Journal of Religion and Popular Culture.
• Check out the Movie Theology: Movie Reviews & Resources web site, which lists movie reviews, movie theology blogs, film discussion groups and articles on faith and film.
• Read movie reviews on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of Film and Broadcasting web site.
• Read the movie blog of Sister Rose Pacatte, director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies at Culver City, Calif.
• Read Christianity Today’s movie reviews.
• Read a transcript from the May 16, 2003, episode of Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, titled “Spiritual Themes of The Matrix Reloaded.”
• See Hollywood Jesus: Pop Culture from a Spiritual Point of View, a web site that posts movie reviews and explores the “profound meaning” behind film, music and pop culture.
• See INTERFILM, an international network that brings together individuals and institutions interested in film and theology.
• See Reel Spirituality: An Institute for Moving Images, which offers study guides, reviews and essays.
See past ReligionLink tips about films:
• ‘Passion’ plays out locally Jan. 20, 2004
• Hope on screen: religious themes in The Lord of the Rings Nov. 18, 2003
• Screen saviors: beyond ‘Passion’ Sept. 29, 2003
Regional sources
• John Michalczyk, documentary filmmaker and co-director of film studies at Boston College, is interested in the intersection of politics and religions during conflict. He has filmed documentaries on conflict resolution in Bosnia and Croatia, South Africa, Jerusalem and Northern Ireland; Jews, Christians and the Holocaust; Nazi medicine; Boston’s Jews and Irish; and the dilemma of interfaith holidays. Contact 617-552-3895, john.michalczyk@bc.edu.
• Bryan Stone, Boston University school of theology evangelism professor, teaches a course on faith and film that presents movies as a window to understanding and communicating the Christian faith in contemporary culture. Contact 617-353-2456, bpstone@bu.edu (on sabbatical spring semester).
• Omer Bartov, Brown University professor of European history, is the author of The “Jew” in Cinema: From the Golem to Don’t Touch My Holocaust (Indiana University Press, 2005). The book looks at how stereotypical portrayals of the “Jew” have informed European, American and Israeli cinema since the 1920s. Contact 401-863-1375, Omer_Bartov@brown.edu.
• M. Gail Hamner, Syracuse University religion professor, specializes in religion and culture, with an emphasis on film. Contact 315-443-5716, mghamner@syr.edu.
• Erin Runions, theology professor at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., has written about the connections between Scripture and film. Contact 716-375-2077, erunions@sbu.edu.
• Bjorn Krondorfer, professor of religious studies at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, teaches a course on religion and film. Contact 240-895-4219, bhkrondorfer@smcm.edu.
• Robert D. Benne, director of the Center for Religion and Society at Roanoke College in Salem, Va., has written about visions of life through film. Contact 540-375-2378, benne@roanoke.edu.
• Conrad Ostwalt is professor of religion at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. He co-edited a book with Joel Martin, Screening the Sacred: Religion, Myth and Ideology in Popular American Film (Westview Press, 1995). Contact 828-262-3089, ostwaltc@appstate.edu.
• Richard Walsh, professor of religion at Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C., writes about portrayals of Jesus in film. He says there have always been implicitly Christian movies because the Christian narrative and vision of life is so deeply ingrained. Contact 910-630-7077, rwalsh@methodist.edu.
• John R. May, professor of English and religious studies at Louisiana State University, has written about Hollywood and religion at the Millennium, contemporary theories on the interpretation of religious film and religious visions in American classics. Contact 225-578-3129, jmay2@lsu.edu.
• Theodore L. Trost, University of Alabama American religions professor, teaches a course about religious themes and rituals in popular film. Contact 205-348-7534, ttrost@bama.ua.edu.
• Frances Flannery-Dailey, professor of religion at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., teaches a course on religion and film and has presented numerous papers on the subject. Contact 501-450-1445, dailey@hendrix.edu.
• The Rev. Richard C. Stern, homiletics professor at St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind., is co-author of the book Savior on the Silver Screen (Paulist Press, 1999). Contact 812-357-6611, Rstern@saintmeinrad.edu.
• Roy M. Anker, professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., is the author of Catching Light: Looking for God in the Movies (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2004). He says it’s a mistake to think that religious means proselytizing rather than paying attention to humanity as it tries to get a clear grasp on the divine. Contact 616-526-6530, anker@calvin.edu.
• Gregory A. Robbins, University of Denver religious studies professor, has taught the course “Jesus on the Silver Screen.” Contact 303-861-0723, grobbins@du.edu.
• Esther Fuchs, University of Arizona professor of Judaic studies, has written about women in Holocaust films. Contact 520-626-5745, fuchs@email.arizona.edu.
• Richard Hecht, religious studies professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, teaches a course about religious themes in American films. Contact 805-893-4552, ariel@religion.ucsb.edu.
• Amir Hussain, professor of religious studies at California State University, Northridge, teaches on religion and film. Contact 818-677-2741, amir.hussain@csun.edu.
• Paul V.M. Flesher, University of Wyoming professor of religious studies, team-teaches a course on religion and film. Contact 307-766-2616, pflesher@uwyo.edu.
• Andrew Flescher, religion professor at California State University, Chico, teaches a course in religion and film that looks at religion and self in contemporary American society; religion, redemption and recovery; and religion and ethnicity. Contact 530-898-5534, aflescher@csuchico.edu.
