They are in control. And we've allowed it. Who are 'they'? How can we break free from their control or avoid it altogether? And exactly why are they interested in control? Teri Haux endeavors to answer such things in her book, Movie Viewer Extraordinaire.
First, let's all admit that cinema is a big part of American life. Jonathan Culpeper discussed the similarities between British and American English in his book History of English. He made the observation that the two were growing closer, due to improved communications and "the impact of American culture, notably through television and film."
I've been a junkie since I was young, and I fear I'm passing that legacy on to my children. With the advent of Netflix, it has become easier (and less expensive) to watch movies — and even TV. Yes, I ditched my satellite subscription and happily watch TV shows on DVD commercial free, albeit a little late.
However, we don't watch just anything that comes our way. Our family feels it's important to be discriminating; we're not just mentally gobbling up everything put in front of us. That is basically what the book advocates. Watch movies, learn from them, but be discriminating.
According to her, the media is out to get us and the media is controlled by the rich and powerful with socialist agendas. She drags in Communism, Nazism and even the Illuminati — all these groups have used film to launch attacks and promote their own form of domination. Today, the modern disciples of these groups and others are still attempting to control the masses by telling them what morals are acceptable and by creating an atmosphere of fear — fear of increasing violence or just fear of making judgments. Whether that conspiracy exists is left for you to decide, but she may not be far from the truth.
She writes with conviction, even if she gets a little vehement at times and a little too nostalgic regarding the films of yesteryear. She's done a decent analysis of some films. Here again, you'll have to make your own decision as to whether the analysis is a little overboard or not. She is a screenwriter and does have some experience in the media that she's writing about.
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