Michael Mann's The Insider - History Redefined

2955 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of media on youth

Michael Mann's The Insider - History Redefined

[1] Growing up, I had always been a gullible child. If someone had told me the sky was falling, I would inevitably look up. As my naivety led me to be the butt of many jokes, I grew less and less trusting. I learned that if something looks too good to be true, then it probably is. I learned not to buy products from infomercials. I even had to sadly face the reality that the WWF wrestling matches I so faithfully watched each weekend were fake. My eyes had been forced open and made to look at the light. But when I looked back down at the world around me, my vision was blurred. I had become cynical.

[2] In retrospect, this change was a somewhat positive one. I began questioning everything, taking nothing for granted. I watched movies and television shows with a look of disgust, knowing that the unlikely scenarios portrayed on the screen could never happen in real life. When the Reel American History project came my way, I knew it was the perfect playground for my inquisitive mind and distrustful nature. I thought about how I would be a detective, uncovering the real facts about what happened. Nothing would get by me! I imagined myself picking apart the film, scene by scene, and raking the filmmaker over the coals for daring to manipulate history.

[3] After choosing to study The Insider, I sat down to watch it. For close to three hours I was riveted by the drama unfolding on the screen. I was completely swept up in the story. As the last scene faded away, I sat silently with my emotions: sadness for Jeffrey Wigand's losses, an utter hatred for the entire tobacco industry (at that point, synonymous with "evil" in my mind), and a deep sense of admiration for my new hero, Lowell Bergman. But then a new frame came up on the screen and interrupted my thoughts. I squinted to see what the small print said: "Subsequent to the events dramatized here, the tobacco industry in 1998 settled the lawsuits filed against it by Mississippi and 49 other states for $246 billion.

Show More
Related

  • Fallacies In Oliver Stone's JFK

    1515 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today's day and age, it's rare to see famous historical events and societal disasters not be picked apart by film directors and then transformed into a box office hit. What these films do is put a visual perspective on these events, sometimes leaving viewers speculating if whatever was depicted is in fact entirely true. I have never felt that feeling more than after I finished watching Oliver Stone’s JFK.

    Read More

  • The Outsiders Book Report Essay

    507 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Published 1967 Published by: Puffin Books Genre: fiction The book The Outsiders is the realistic story about this between two very different groups in a town in the United States: the poor Greasers from the east side, and the Socs, whitch is what the greasers call the socials, the richer boys from the other side of the town. Ponyboy Curtis is the narrator of the story, a 14-year-old boy who lives with his two older brothers, Darry and Soda. He is a pretty good athlete and student, but is not treated the same as the richer students at his school. Ponyboy uses to have long hair that he greases back, a symbol of being in the outsider gang. He is unhappy with his situation, because Darry is too protective of him

    Read More

  • The Insider, directed by Michael Mann and Animal Farm, by George Orwell: Aspects of Powerplay

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    Michael Mann's "The Insider" revolves around one whistle blower's true story. Jeffrey Wigand, a former Brown and Williamsons research scientist's justice. He is fired as a consequence for his poor communication skills, but he was actually dismissed because he disagreed to the method of manipulating the nicotine content in cigarettes to enhance addiction. ‘The Insider’ is predominantly an individual’s struggle for predominance, idealism, and is a reflection of Wigand’s intrinsic moral values. At the beginning of the film, Mann has used Misen-en-scene to establish Wigand's character without vocally articulating it through the frame work of spoken dialogue. Wigand is sitting in his office, completely disorientated from the work, packing boxes, juxtaposed against the busy office environment. This aids in establishing his character as well as reflects his inner feelings in this scene.

    Read More

  • Oliver Stone's JFK

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...s at that time who have come of age. Perhaps no film in recent history has captured more attention and generated more controversial debate. This film resonates the feeling and question that common people had about the JFK assassination in the 60s. As a result, the debate about the validity of JFK extended much further into the war-torn cultural landscape of America in the 1990s than most observers noted. The JFK was a telling incident demonstrating the larger cultural conflict over values and meaning in America and the competition to define national identity. The whole affair demonstrated how effective a motion picture can be as a transmitter of knowledge, history, and culture. As a result, the debate about the validity of JFK extended much further into the war-torn cultural landscape of America in the 1990s than most observers have noted.

    Read More

  • Tobacco Companies in Our Society

    2010 Words  | 5 Pages

    The tobacco industry seems like a beneficial addition to our economy. It has basically been a socially acceptable business in the past because it brings jobs to our people and tax money to the government to redistribute; but consider the cost of tobacco related treatment, mortality and disability- it exceeds the benefit to the producer by two hundred billion dollars US. (4) Tobacco is a very profitable industry determined to grow despite government loss or public health. Its history has demonstrated how money can blind morals like an addiction that is never satisfied. Past lawsuits were mostly unsuccessful because the juries blamed the smoker even though the definition of criminal negligence fits the industry’s acts perfectly. Some may argue for the industry in the name of free enterprise but since they have had such a clear understanding of the dangers of their product it changes the understanding of their business tactics and motives. The success of the industry has merely been a reflection of its immoral practices. These practices have been observed through its use of the media in regards to children, the tests that used underage smokers, the use of revenue to avoid the law, the use of nicotine manipulation and the suppression of research.

    Read More

  • Crash Tragedy Analysis

    976 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although, it is proven difficult to completely change your point of view from the society you are brought up in. The characters in this film go through a lot of self-reevaluation to find their place in society, as well as a reevaluation of their initial prejudicial

    Read More

  • The Quiz Show

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ctual roles, or adding in exciting events that revise the storyline. These changes are beneficial to producers because they engage a large audience and generate massive profits. In contrast, they do not always have a positive effect on viewers. Although they are entertaining which is an important aspect of theatre culture, they also are often misguiding. Many spectators take movies at face value, without considering that they may not exactly qualify as primary source material. Even when an historical event is fabricated to teach or enhance a moral message, it still doesn’t compensate for bending the truth. Moviegoer’s may have a positive experience and gain some skewed historical perspective, perhaps better than what they knew before the movie, but they loose out on the truth and therefore, a genuine understanding of the historical event, and its significance.

    Read More

  • Birdman Film Analysis Essay

    1875 Words  | 4 Pages

    First and foremost, the way I pick movies have changed. I am now a little more open to watching an older, black and white film. I am also more likely to select a foreign film with subtitles. However, I still have a hard time picking films that aren’t critically acclaimed. I am more willing to watch a black and white film but only if it is directed by Alfred Hitchcock or Orson Welles. The same goes for foreign films. I have also changed the way I analyze films. Now when I critically looks at a movie I find that I judge a movie based on more than the story and acting. I will looks and what goes on to getting that shot or how hard it must’ve been to edit some of the scenes. I think that it has made me a little more lenient when I review a movie. In the past I would think a movie wasn’t good if I didn’t like the story but now I can look past things and judge it by the cinematography and set design. I think I have started to understand that film is an art form and deserves to be treated more carefully than most people treat it. I now understand just how hard it is to make and be a part of a movie. I am still working on fixing my flaws as a viewer and I believe that it will come as I take the time to view more

    Read More

  • The Outsiders Book Report Essay

    968 Words  | 2 Pages

    Book Report On The Outsiders Character Analysis: Ponyboy Curtis - Ponyboy is a fourteen-year-old member of a gang called the Greasers. His parents died in a car accident, so he lives alone with his two older brothers, Darry and Soda. He is a good student and athlete, but most people at school consider him a vagrant like his Greaser friends. Sodapop Curtis - Soda is Pony's handsome, charming older brother. He dropped out of school to work at a gas station, and does not share his brothers' interest in studying and sports.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of College Sports

    1372 Words  | 3 Pages

    From its controversial student-run beginnings to its carefully controlled and monitored big-business attraction, college sports have evolved into an increasingly popular and demanding phenomenon in the United States. Along with the publicity and reputation that is created for the institution, many have found that intercollegiate sports serve several functions for the participants and community as well. While these functions also help balance and maintain the social order of the institution, unequal opportunities and distribution of power is found among the participants and non-participants, and the athletes themselves. Furthermore, with the new popularity and demand for victorious, competitive teams, colleges have lost their goal between balancing academics and athletics and using sports as an aid to help improve the athletes’ educational experience and opportunity.

    Read More

  • Harry Potter and A Life Changed

    994 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people can name a specific experience that changed their world view, whether it be a significant event, a piece of art, an influential coach, or a religious experience. My view of the world changed significantly when I began to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. This wonderful work of literature opened my eyes to the power of imagination and allowed me to develop my passion for reading. However, it also brought me to a realization, one that every young child must face: that every word an adult says is not necessarily true. After becoming aware of the ability for adults to be mistaken—or even to lie—I began to understand and realize that to be trusted by others, one must have respected reputation, and that trust in adults begins with a knowledge of their integrity.

    Read More

  • The Outsiders Book Review Essay

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Outsiders is about the life of a 14-year-old boy. The book tells the story of Ponyboy “Curtis” and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. Ponyboy and his two brothers, Darrel (Darry), who is 20, and Sodapop, who is 16, have recently lost their parents in an automobile accident. Pony and Soda are allowed to stay under Darry's guardianship as long as they all behave themselves. The boys are greasers, a class term that refers to the young men on the East Side, the poor side of town. The greasers' rivals are the Socs, short for Socials, who are the "West-side rich kids."

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Film Scarface

    2327 Words  | 5 Pages

    One can learn from Tony’s mistakes. One can learn that family comes first. Society can also learn that taking shortcuts in life sometimes lead to a dead ends with no u-turns. This film showcases the time line of how a drug lord could rise to power from nothing. This film also shows how that same power one gets from becoming a drug lord could be taken at any time. Studying how to analyze a movie has definitely changed my perspective on how I view movies. I actually look at all the detailing in movies. I look at the camera angles and how they affect the scene. I even start to question why the director did not use a different angle for certain shots. By using film theories and criticism one can generate enough ideas in order to understand the movie better. When a film is being captured the director focuses on certain angles and lights to get the meaning of the scene to the audience. Just like everything in life has a meaning, everything in film also has a comparison meaning. This course has widen my intellect on how movies affect our societies. Movies can play a major role in how we act or how laws are even created. Movies has the same power as music. I say movies has the same power because one can look at a movie and want to become whatever he or she saw in the movie. One major skills that I developed in this course is being able to focus. Before this course, I could not focus on anything at all. I was the type to focus on three or

    Read More

  • Tobacco Advertising

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, you can clearly see how the Tobacco Industries warp society's minds, through the various types of propaganda they pursue. In the future, hopefully, the government will put a stop to their way completely, even though Tobacco Industries have paid enormous fines for their damage. If advertisement is put to a stop then most of the problems will decrease. It is hard to terminate an organization with such power. As we gain more information about the harmful effects of tobacco products, the Tobacco Organization will hopefully fall.

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Movie, The Insider

    1442 Words  | 3 Pages

    that never aired. The plot puts Dr. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) at odds with Brown & Williamson, the third largest tobacco companies in the country. Wigand was fired from his position as Vice President of Research and Development, at which he was instructed to hide information related to the addictive nature of nicotine. The plot takes off when Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), producer for 60 Minutes, discovers that Wigand has a story to tell. The best way for Wigand to tell that story is with the help of Bergman, via an interview aired on 60 Minutes. However, tobacco companies have a history of viciously defending their profits, by whatever means necessary, and Brown & Williamson does just that. The story hits a climax as the interests and incentives of the television station CBS, 60 Minutes, Dr. Wigand and Brown & Williamson are played out.

    Read More

More about Michael Mann's The Insider - History Redefined

Open Document