Frame: Questions to Ask of a Film
Here are the sorts of questions John Frame thinks about when watching a film:
  
- Who wrote the film? Who produced   it? Who directed it? Do we know through the writings and previous work of   these people anything about their philosophy of life? The previous works   of actors are also important. Actors contribute much to the   quality of a film, little to its fundamental conception. But actors   do tend to sign on to projects with which they have some   ideological affinity (assuming financial rewards are not   otherwise determinative). Mel Gibson almost never takes on films with a heavy sexual   element; Mickey Rourke almost always does.   The presence of certain actors, granting that they sometimes   go "against type," can tell you something about the message of   a film.
 - Is it well-made, aesthetically?   Are the production and acting values of high quality? These factors may   have little to do with the "message." But they do tend to   determine the extent of the film's cultural impact, and that is important   for our purposes. If a film is well-made, it can have a large   impact upon the culture for good or ill. (Of course some bad films   also have a major impact!)
 - Is it honest, true to its own   position? This is another mark of "quality." Generally speaking,   an honest film, regardless of its point of view, will have a larger cultural impact   than one which blunts its points.
 - What kind of film is it? Fantasy?   Biography? Realistic drama? Comedy? Obviously each film must be judged   according to its purpose and genre. We don't demand of a fantasy the kind   of historical accuracy we demand of a supposedly literal biography.
 - What is the world view of the   film? Is it theistic or atheistic? Christian or non-Christian? If   non-Christian, is its main thrust relativistic or dogmatic? How does it   employ the theme of "equality?" Is there any role for   providence, for God? Is the film pessimistic or optimistic? Does the   action move in deterministic fashion, or is there a significant role for   human choice?
 - What is the plot? What problems   do the characters face? Can these problems be correlated in some way with   the Fall of mankind in Adam? Does the film in effect deny the Fall,   or does it affirm it in some way?
 - Are the problems soluble? If so,   how? What methods are available to the characters so that they can find   the answers they need?
 - What is the moral stance of the   film? Is the film relativistic, dogmatic, or both in some combination?   What are its attitudes toward sex, family, human life, property,   truth, heart-attitudes? What is the source of moral norms, if any? Does justice   prevail?
 - In comedy, what is it that is   funny? What are the typical incongruities? Who is the butt of the jokes?   (Christians? traditional values? the wicked? the righteous? God? Satan?)   Is the humor anarchic? Is it rationality gone awry? Is it bitter   or gentle? Does it rely on caricatures? If so, of whom?
 - Are there allusions to   historical events, literary works, other films, famous people, Scripture,   etc. that would give us some idea where the filmmakers are coming from? We   should remember, of course, that allusions may be negative, positive, ironic,   or merely decorative. A biblical allusion does not necessarily indicate   acceptance of biblical values. 
 - What are the chief images of the   film? Is there anything interesting about the lighting, the camera angles,   the sound, the timing which would reinforce a particular theme?   Are there significant symbols?
 - Are there any explicit religious themes? Christ-figures? Does the film express significant attitudes toward Christ, the clergy, or the church? Does it distort Christianity or present it at its worst? Or does it present it with some insight and/or sympathy? Does it recognize the element of personal piety in people's lives? There are exceptions. If so, does it approve or disapprove of it? What about Satan, the demons, the occult? Does the film recognize their activity in some way? Is the devil taken seriously? If so, how is he dealt with?
 
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