Fantasy And Films

Man, as a species, is creative and has been throughout the ages. They put their creativity to use in the making of fantasy stories and films, many of which have made both positive and negative impacts on society today. The question is: are fantasy stories and films merely an escape from reality? Or do they offer us something more? I am of the view that fantasy stories and films are appealing and do have value in today’s society. The interesting storylines, their role in bringing hope and positivity to the world and their economic value all play a part in the appeal and value of fantasy stories and films.

Fantasy stories and films have managed to pique the interest of children worldwide due to the colourful graphics and often amusing and unique

Turn any news channel on and one will be bombarded with horrific accounts of school shootings, gang fights, child slavery, rape and robbery all around the world, just to name a few. Everyday, more and more incidents of people mistreating their fellow human beings arise and these create an environment where negativity is abundant. However, fantasy stories and films are able to provide some comfort and security to the world by showing the good side of people and what can be of the world. Films and books like the well-known Harry Potter series and the Lord of the Rings trilogy depict people who take action against villains who seek to sow discord amongst people and these heroes are able to make a positive change in the affected characters’ lives. Disney’s film ‘The Incredibles’ also shows a family coming together to fight evil and ultimately triumph. These books and films are able to provide at least a small beacon of hope and positivity, amidst all the gloom and despair around the world, for people to seek comfort and also possibly spark a change in them to become a better person. Thus, these books and films do not just have entertainment value to them but also have a positive impact on a larger social scale, which makes it appealing to the young and old

In the majority of Disney’s older animated films, the female characters are often depicted to be weak, fragile and exhibit a “princess-like” trait where they have to wait for a man to rescue them. The infamous Twilight series, both in print and on the screen, portray the female character that is unable to take care of herself without her significant other, Edward Cullen, implying that women do not have much worth to them until men add meaning to their lives. This enforces the stereotype that females are totally dependent on man and need them in order to literally survive. Aside from just gender stereotyping, there is also racial profiling evident in certain fantasy stories and films as well, like ‘The Fairly Oddparents’. In the show, the Asian girl is the nerdy bespectacled Math geek while the black lad is the bully who torments the protagonist and his friends. These older stories and animated films perpetuate and enforce the often misleading and oppressive mindset the world has about these minority groups and lead to further marginalisation of these groups. Thus, with such a negative influence on the masses, one surely has to consider that fantasy stories and films have little appeal and value. Nonetheless, despite the presence of stereotypical films and stories, I believe that as society continues to develop, there is less of such prejudice and