-Deva Narayan

Movies are the ultimate form of art, but with the advent of the talkies, movies have also become one of the most popular forms of entertainment. There’s no mistaking the appeal that movies can have on the average person. Put simply, watching a film can be a means of escapism which allows us to forget about our everyday troubles and get lost in another world for a couple of hours.

Emotional Influence

One of the most evident effects that movies have on any person is the ability to evoke emotions. Movie makers particularly seek to provoke a reaction in their audience using various techniques and tools. Music, lighting, cinematography, and many other elements can be used simultaneously or separately to create an emotional response in the viewer. These responses do not easily fade away but rather stay with a person for some time after they have watched a film. For example, it’s possible to feel excited, nervous, or even energized after watching an action movie while a deep sense of sadness or loss might be experienced when watching a tragic movie. Comedy films always make us laugh and never leave us depressed while sometimes after watching a horror film we feel nervous about having seen something strange, or unknown.

Beyond the Screen

Films are more than just entertainment. They also have the power to influence our thoughts and shape our beliefs. Oftentimes, movies deal with serious and important topics such as social issues, historical events, and human rights. Watching a good film can act as an eye-opener or it can expose you to new ways of thinking or seeing the world. A documentary on deforestation, for instance, might motivate viewers to look for ways to lead a greener lifestyle in their community while a biographical drama about Martin Luther King Jr. may prompt reflection on racial inequality and civil rights today.

Behavioral Influence

Films impact more than our thoughts and emotions. Psychologists and sociologists have dedicated decades to studying the effects of media on behavior, especially violence and aggression. Whether or not you believe that watching violent films directly leads to violent behavior (I’m skeptical), there’s no question that films influence what we do. Anyone who’s ever walked out of a movie theater pretending to be a superhero knows this is true. Movies that glamorize certain lifestyles or behaviors, even if they don’t involve violence pure and simple, can cause viewers to imitate them.

On the other hand, films can also be used to do good. Watching inspiring movies, especially those based on true stories of people’s resilience and determination, can inspire us to pursue our own goals with renewed vigor. Films that tell stories about kindness and generosity can motivate us to be more compassionate in our own lives. The power of film is so strong that it has been employed as a form of therapy – cinematherapy – where therapists use particular films to help people work through their emotions, conquer their fears, and even develop better-coping mechanisms.

Social and Cultural Influence

Films are a powerful tool to influence the minds of people, and this can be rooted back to the times when films were sent out as propaganda material during wartime to motivate and unite people. They have been an excellent source of both entertainment and education. Films are also created to represent cultures from all over the world. This is done by representing contexts within that culture such as clothing, language speaking, where it takes place geographically, and so on. Films essentially reflect society in ways that we want them to be reflected on us.

Context has always played a key role in how movies are made, but now more than ever filmmakers seem much more prone to making what’s happening around them part of what winds up on screen. With time the spotlight shifted slightly towards social issues while keeping intact several already explored themes under new lenses. Also, films are made to be seen by a crowd. Whether you rent or go to the cinema, the communal experience of being there with other people has an impact on you. It shapes you and your reactions in certain ways, both tiny and tremendous.

The power of films lies in their ability to evoke emotions, influence thoughts, shape behaviors, and reflect societal values. As a medium, cinema offers more than just entertainment; it serves as a tool for education, reflection, and even change. Understanding the impact that films can have on viewers allows us to be more mindful of the content we consume and the potential effects it may have on our lives. Whether we seek to be entertained, educated, or inspired, the films we choose to watch will inevitably leave a mark on our emotions, thoughts, and actions.