Mauro D’Alessandro
Burgos
HSB 4U1
January 13, 2017
Society Film Analysis
Throughout the course of the semester, various films were introduced and watched over a number of days. Films such as, American Graffiti, Crash and American History X. As I began to analyze the plot of each story, I realized that all these films portray and share similar issues that reflect the ones present in today’s society. In many ways movies are a reflection of the world.
American Graffiti, is a 1973 American comedy-drama film set in Modesto, California and directed by George Lucas. The film takes place in what seems like one evening and the morning after as a group of friends spend their last day of summer together, pondering the decision of leaving for college or to stay at home to be with a cute girl. The theme progressed throughout the motion picture revolves around the multiple characters experiencing the “coming-of-age” phase, such as the decision of going to college or not as mentioned earlier. This issue within the plot is present in the real world as many teens are contemplative throughout their decision to leave for post-secondary education or to stay home with the ones they love.
Crash, is a film produced in 2004 that emphasizes the racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, California. The plot of crash consists of a series of inter-related vignettes about people of assorted ethnicities and socio-economic groups who come into contact with each other, the interaction with the characters throughout the movie causes the viewers to question stereotypes while acknowledging the truth within the stereotype as well. The movie connote contact and contrast as well, contrasts between characters are highlighted by the contact that occurs when disparate people cross in a large urban setting. The term, Crash, does not simply refer to the car collisions within the film, however as it also explains the collisions between ethnic groups, classes, ideologies and even age groups. These collisions in the movie portray the different societal and historical that have occurred in the past and still exist today within the world.
The movie, American History X, is a 1998 American crime drama film directed by Tiny Kaye. The film tells the story of two Venice, Los Angeles brothers who have become involved in the neo-Nazi movement. A few years prior, the father Dennis Vineyard was murdered by black drug dealers after being sent to fight a fire in a drug den. Hence, creating his two sons, Derek and Danny Vineyard, to become violent and ferocious racists. The main issue presented throughout the movie is the struggle to change as the older brother, Derek goes to prison for manslaughter and is given the opportunity to change his ways in order to save his younger brother, Danny from continuing his neo-Nazi endeavors. The idea of change and conformity is something that many people find very difficult as they are not willing to change their ways to conform within society. However, this movie presents the fact that it is possible if you are willing to sacrifice to protect the ones you love.
 Many themes were presented throughout each film and many are shared between each movie. According to the urban dictionary, "A gender role is a set of societal norms dictating the types of behaviors which are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for people based on their actual or perceived sex or sexuality. In American Graffiti, George Lucas provides an analytic and critical lens throughout the gender role aspect within the late 1950’s, early 1970’s, primarily through the over dramatization of female roles in the film. The females are portrayed as sex objects towards the leading male roles and when characters such as Lori and Carol tried to rebel, they were emotionally and physically punished throughout the plot. Crash presents many cases of gender role as well. An example of this is when the black couple, Cameron and Christine is pulled over by Officer Ryan and he physically assaults Christine as he "frisks" her. This situation represents the dominance that men show over women as a part of their culture of the male species. Finally, American History X consists of many gender role associated situations as well throughout the plot. The strongest presentation of gender role in the movie was when Derek was arguing with his parents and sister at the dinner table and as the situation escalated, he strangled his sister and pushed his mother to the floor. The short temperament of Derek represents males again and their dominance over the female due to their strength mentally and physically.
 Another theme present in each of these films is the idea of conformity and alienation. American Graffiti presents theme throughout the character Terry “The Toad” Fields, played by Charles Martin Smith. He is first perceived to be just a simple nerd who stays away from girls and trouble. However, he slowly conforms to the actions of his friends as he takes his friend’s car, tries to buy alcohol under age, and has an intimate affair with a beautiful blonde woman named Debbie. Terry was alienated at the beginning of the film, however conformed to the society around him to simply fit in with the culture. The movie Crash is not as easy to find conformity but is still displayed. Officer Hansen is a character who conforms over the course of the movie as he begins the film as a respectful gentleman towards black people but as he encounters Officer Ryan's assaulting of the pretty black woman, he slowly conforms as he views the black race stereotypically. At the end of the film as he is driving a black hitchhiker home, he goes to reach for his pocket and Officer Ryan shoots him as he thought it was danger when really he was pulling a little doll from his pocket. The conformity of Officer Ryan created a murderer over his stereotypical thought and beliefs he encountered from earlier situations he experienced. American History X is full of conformity, mostly through Derek after his father was killed by black men at a fire fighting call. This changed Derek's entire view towards the black race and what leaned him towards becoming neo-Nazi, as well his younger brother Danny.
Change in human behavior is also a major theme progressed throughout each film. Many characters throughout American Graffiti changed with regards to relation of human behavior. As mentioned in the paragraph earlier, Terry is first displayed as a regular school nerd, though he slowly becomes a “player” as he steals alcohol and has an affair with Debbie. However, another character named John Milner, changes in human behavior the opposite way. He is first perceived as a jock with a muscle car who races and intervenes with attractive young women. These are a couple examples of the many characters who altered their behaviour as the film progressed. Crash is displayed through many characters as well, however Officer Ryan presents the most change as he begins the movie as a dominant white male over the black race but as the move progresses and he is helped by a black insurance women to help his father, he becomes grateful and caring towards black people, leading to his heroic rescue to Christine in a deadly car crash. The change in human behaviour throughout American History X is evident as Derek becomes a neo-Nazi and after going to prison and becoming friends with a black prisoner who does the laundry, he ends his violent ways and comes home a new man in the hopes of changing his little brothers neo-Nazi ways as well.