How Do Films Influence American Culture

Throughout this semester, we have watched many films and discussed them in depth during class. Many of the films were unique, entertaining and fast paced, boring and slow, but nevertheless, each film reflected cultural and social influence of its country. There are many films that have a social cultural influence, but for this essay I will be talking specifically about: Tampopo, Spirited Away, Pather Panchali, and Raise the Red Lantern. Through this film selection I will encompass important social contexts from Japan, China, and India. Each film I will talk about key futures that illustrate social and cultural components of each country, and how they are illustrated the cinema.

Japan has played a large influence on the idea of what Asian cinema pertains to be. Many western viewers idealize Asian cinema as anime. However, throughout this class, we discovered that Japanese film industry much larger than just anime, and has played a key role in the international film industry. Many Japanese directors, such as Hayao Miyazki and Jûzô Itami , illustrate through their films symbolism and a depth that illustrates social issues, and cultural influences.

In the

This leads to the majority of the spirit bath house workers to frantically feeding No-Face in return for gold. However, this did not last for long, as No-Face eventually was angered and began eating the bath house workers. This is another example that Miyazki used food to address social issues. The act of the bathhouse workers frantically feeding No-Face for gold can be seen as a form of corrupt capitalism. The bathhouse workers let greed take over, and they would do anything in return of gold. However, this ended badly for many of the workers, as No-Face ate them. This is a clear example of the director Miyazki illustrating how greed within can lead down a corrupted path which ends