ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)
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Entertainment Media Analysis Report

MAR03498
Babe: Pig in the City (1998), (G)
CAP Score: 90, CAP ID: 0.17

Thomas A. Carder
CAP President


Executive Summary/Commentary
Findings/Scoring
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY/COMMENTARY:

Babe: Pig in the City was a delightful romp into fantasy. To help the farmer out of financial collapse, Babe and the farmer's wife traveled to the city to perform for money to save the farm. A truly righteous and commendable goal. But then...

The big city presented `big city' ethics. Women skating around in thong bikinis, if I know what thong bikinis look like, with the sides of their breasts and much of the buttocks hanging out. Punks and hoods trying to steal purses. The "take care of number 1" distortion of unselfishness. And adult underwear -- twice. There was even token gunfire...at the pig's best friend, the duck. The movie could have been as good if portrayal of animal control police as brutal and adults hanging onto an ambulance while riding a bike were left out. Efficient portrayal of the sorrows caused by the loss of a caregiver due to a medical emergency (ostensibly death) might have planted emotions in the heart of the younger viewer which could be better handled and understood by adults. Atypical of movies nowadays, Babe: Pig in the City presented only one use of God's name in vain, and without the four letter word expletive.

Of significant importance to the Christian viewer, Babe presented an out-of-body experience and resurrection. A dog, both rear legs paralyzed riding around in a special wheeled prosthetic, was seen quivering after a trauma with the next scene of the dog jumping around after butterflies in a colorful meadow. Then the other animals called to the dog and he recovered. Only Jesus can resurrect. And the only resurrections were those performed by Jesus, including His own.

While there was no programming in Babe: Pig in the City which was particularly invasive, the sum of all that was questionable might confuse wholesome behavioral development. As with all movies, you kids will need your guidance with some issues presented in Babe: Pig in the City.

Now that I have painted a somewhat dark picture of Babe: Pig in the City, please note that this is indeed a rare movie -- it is the first in as long as I can remember that the Impunity/Hate score WAS NOT the lowest of all Investigation Areas scores. It is defintely NOT an up-yours movie: there are NO FOUL LANGUAGE NOR ADOLESCENT ARROGANCE!




FINDINGS/SCORING: Babe: Pig in the City (1998) CAP Thermometers

No programming was noted which warranted the loss of intermediate or maximum level points in any CAP Investigation Area: Wanton Violence/Crime (W), Impunity/Hate (I)(1), Sex/Homosexuality (S), Drugs/Alcohol (D), Offense to God (O)(2), and Murder/Suicide(M)(3).

Programming presenting questionable material warranting the loss of minumum level points included:

  • realistic trauma and injury
  • inappropriate dress
  • punk/hood manerisms, purse snatching
  • "Take care of #1"
  • sadness from loss of caregiver
  • gunfire at a story character
  • threats to achieve good favor
  • the use of God's name in vain without the four letter expletive
  • imagery of animal control police as brutal
  • imagery of out of body experience, resurrection
  • adult underwear twice
  • hanging onto an ambulance while riding a bike

    In accordance with the numeric comparative baseline database of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model, Babe: Pig in the City (1998) presented no programming equivalent to R-rated or PG-13 material. The movie was equivalent to PG programming in Wanton Violence/Crime and, Sex/Homosexuality, and was equivalent to G-rated programming in Impunity/Hate, Drugs/Alcohol, and Offense to God, and Murder/Suicide. Thus, Babe: Pig in the City is equivalent to 17% PG-rated programming and 83% G-rated programming.


    (1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend," of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impunity/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

    (2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary without God's name is incorporated into the Impunity/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the three/four letter word vocabulary is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no duplication. As required of the Holy Scriptures, unless God's name is used with reverence to His glory and praise, its use is considered in vain, whether literal or euphemistic.

    (3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Presentation of attempts to commit murder or suicide, deaths by police action, and deaths by war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.

    Please remember we believe that if even one of the six Investigation Area scores for a movie is equivalent to the CAP comparative baseline database scoring range for R, PG-13, or PG material, the entire movie should be regarded as so rated.  For example, if only Wanton Violence/Crime earns a score equivalent to R but all other Investigation Areas earn a score equivalent to G, THERE IS R-RATED MATERIAL IN THE MOVIE AND YOUR KIDS WILL SEE IT AND HEAR IT IF THEY WATCH THE MOVIE!




    Additional reviews of this movie may be located at "Movie Review Query Engine at Telerama."




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    In the name of Jesus:
    Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.

    Thomas A. Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

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