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A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR28017  (2008), PG-13 [Lite PG-13*] (1hr 51min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1200 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): BBC Films, Focus Features, Relativity Media, Ruby Films, Scott Rudin Productions Distribution (US): Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director(s): Justin Chadwick Producer(s): Mark Cooper, Alison Owen, Jane Robertson, Scott Rudin, Faye Ward Screenplay: Peter Morgan Novel: Philippa Gregory Cinematography/Camera: Kieran McGuigan Music: Paul Cantelon Film Editing: Paul Knight Casting: Karen Lindsay-Stewart Production Design: John Paul Kelly Art Direction: David Allday, Matthew Gray, Emma MacDevitt Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD A tale of royal sex. Little more. The entire film is about immoral sex in adultery to provide the King of England with a son. That The Other Boleyn Girl may be "based on a true story" does not excuse it from God's law. Even if it is "based on a true story," after 16 years of education I have not found a history text book yet that tells us of such stories in living color with 1000 watts of audio power and larger-than-life motion pictures to demonstrate immorality far beyond the limitations of text with a few small illustrations freckling a few of the pages. There appears to be at least two subplots in The Other Boleyn Girl. The first subplot seems to be a sort of romantic warfare between the single Boleyn sisters Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johanssen) who vie for the affections of King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) who, though married, is looking for a mistress to give him a son. His wife, Katherine (Ana Torrent) has had children but all died. This subplot establishes the sexual theme of this film. What seems to be a second subplot tries to establish some historical accuracy to the film culminating in the birth and early adolescence of Henry and Anne's daughter, Elizabeth (Maisie Smith) -- the future Queen of England. Though I am not a film critic it seems that there are indeed multiple subplots. Two subplots could be the life of Anne Boleyn and the life of Mary Boleyn with their relatives, King Henry VIII and Katherine thrown in for plot connectivity. Though married, Mary is the one chosen to bear the son of King Henry. It would seem that since this is a story about the sexual antics of King Henry VIII that the film would have him as a key character. While he is given considerable screen time, his part feels more like a plot device. He is there but almost could have been left out and replaced with a few carefully engineered paragraphs of monologue. But since the story is more about the personal lives of Anne and Mary, the Boleyn girls, King Henry VIII takes a back seat. While Mary serves her "royal calling" (and the king) well, when she is "used up" the king replaces Mary with the other Boleyn girl. The Other Boleyn Girl earned a CAP final score of 66 which places it toward the top of the scoring range earned by PG-13 films (68 to 86 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database, making it equivalent to a "lite" PG-13. But please note the scoring distribution displayed in the CAP thermometers! With a Sexual Immorality investigation area score of zero, this film is clearly equivalent to most R-rated films in sexually oriented content. The film is PG (68 to 86 out of 100) or G-equivalent (87 to 100 out of 100) in all the five other investigation areas but clearly equivalent to R-rated films (54 and below out of 100) in sexual matters. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 70 out of 100 The violence in the film, as infrequent as it is, is quite brutal. Two beheadings and a rape. The drop of the disembodied heads is not seen but the swing of the axe and sword are seen. No heads fell into a basket but after Queen Anne's head was separated from her body, a screen shot from about fifty feet above showed the blood-stained execution stage floor and her corpse as the sparse crowd stood about and stared. At the decapitation of Anne, memory resurfaced of the Reginald Denny incident where, during the 1992 LA riots, Damian Williams dragged Denny out of his truck, nearly crushed his head with a brick then danced with pride and arrogance. And I recalled how, though quite some time after that incident was televised, I received a threat of the same with a reference to the Denny incident. I am telling you folks that seeing violence (or any other behavior choice, good or bad) on screen -- whether big screen or TV, whether fantasy or reality -- plants ideas, emboldens risk-taking and entices to do likewise. Monkey see, monkey do! God Himself has told us that in 1 Cor. 15:33, Rom. 1:32, Prov. 16:29 and many other verses. But do we listen? Sidebar Note: As I was typing the above paragraph, I received another email death threat! How uncanny! It has been quite some time since we received one of those. By the way folks, I have ten days to live if I don't cough up $8000. The CAP has $79. 77 in the bank. I guess I am going to The rape is physically brutal. The king gets fed up with Anne's continued refusal to submit until one day he forces himself on her. I think they were married at the time (Anne refused to submit until the two were married) but that is no excuse. While it is the wife's and husband's duty to submit themselves to one another, [Eph. 5:21] never is force condoned. Impudence/Hate (I) - 73 out of 100 There were only four uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary noted. But that, according to God's Word, is four too many. [Col 3:8] In addition, a nearly constant theme of cruelty and treachery was expensive to the Impudence/Hate investigation area scoring. Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 This is going to be hard to summarize beyond "A tale of royal sex. Little more." Newlywed intercourse. Talk of wedding night behaviors. Man and woman in bed nude making out (repeatedly). Man and woman in bed the morning after. Just plain man and woman in bed. Repeatedly Much talk about sexual desires and designs. Use of married women just for sex. Adulterous intentions throughout. Want of intercourse throughout. Anne attempting intercourse with her brother, George (Jim Sturgess). More. A lot more. [Mark 7:21 - 22, Ezek. 16:58, 1 Ths. 4:7] About the intercourse between a married man and woman. Maybe some of the characters in the story were married but the actors and actresses were not. Even if they were, that which a husband and wife do in the privacy of their bedroom is not for public display. And maybe no private parts were exposed in this film but sometimes suggestion is more influential than exhibition. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 82 out of 100 Drinking was noted only twice and without any drunkenness. Offense to God (O) - 70 out of 100 Three times God's name is used in vain and without the four letter expletive [Deut. 5:11] but one of the women said about God "He turned His back on this." Though each of us, even we believers, sometimes feel God has abandoned us, He will never do so. [Deut. 31:8] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 The beheadings were incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 70 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 73 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 82 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 70 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 |
| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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