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A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR25083  With Comparative (2005), PG-13 [R-13*] (2hr 23min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1000 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(This section may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Cast/Crew Details Courtesy imdb.com Production (US): Warner Bros., Heyday Films, WWE Films Distribution (US): Warner Bros., IMAX Corporation Director(s): Mike Newell Producer(s): David Barron, David Heyman, Peter MacDonald, Tanya Seghatchian Novel by: J.K. Rowling Screenplay by: Steven Kloves Cinematography/Camera: Roger Pratt Music: Patrick Doyle, John Williams Film Editing: Mick Audsley Casting: Shaheen Baig, Stéphane Foenkinos, Mary Selway, Fiona Weir Production Design: Stuart Craig Art Direction: Mark Bartholomew, Alastair Bullock, Alan Gilmore, Neil Lamont, Gary Tomkins Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 At last! I finally got to provide one more analysis report to you before the first show on opening day! The members of our email distribution list received the scoring distribution and a short commentary about 1:30 AM this morning. It is said the antiChrist will be appealing to all except those who recognize him for what he is. He will seem to be a uniquely fine and noble kingly man with all the answers but will have a dark and sinister heart whose only interest is to steal, kill and destroy [John 10:10]. That is a good "metaphor" for this, yet another installment in the Harry Potter thief of minds and hearts -- and maybe souls of they who do not recognize it for what it is. To say to your kids (or yourself) "It's all fantasy" just might not be enough. A bad influence [1 Cor. 15:33] does not have to be real to influence badly. Besides, there comes in the lives of many children a time when your words become no more than that ... words. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has one of the finest packages I have seen in film. It presents outstanding organization, intense imagery, wondrous technical achievements and ingenious creativity. It is truly a painstaking work of art. But it is dark art with a dark and sinister heart. It has many lures to confound and confuse the inexperienced and uninformed. [Eph. 4:14] It glorifies the practice of witchcraft and sorcery by presenting them not only as a goal of youth but as a noble behavior. This film has great power to desensitize many into accepting that using witchcraft and sorcery for "good" is noble while God says otherwise [Isa. 5:20]. It is not the user of magic nor the use of it which determines its holiness or unholiness. The source of the power determines its holiness ... or UNholiness. The manner of magic portrayed in this film is not from God. The only place God appears in the script is the use of His name in vain. Jesus does not appear at all even though the story involves Christmas. A word on "magic." Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a practicing clinical psychologist and licensed school counselor has this to say about "magic" in and as entertainment: "Kids who revere Harry can't help to notice their own impotence by comparison, and yearn for the antidote that having "magical powers" would provide." Such dissonance can cause and has caused children to not only have unclean thoughts but to dabble and experiment with dark evil matters. If Jesus had thrown Himself off the pinnacle at Satan's tease would the angels in Matt. 4:5-6, who would have lifted Him up from being dashed on the rocks, have sinned with their "magic?" Did Jesus sin as He used His "magic" to cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, make the blind see and the lame walk? There is a great deal of difference between the "magic" of witchcraft and sorcery and "magic" from God. Angels and angel-possessed people use holy power from God. Witches, wizards , sorcerers. etc. use power from Satan which makes it unholy, even if it is called "white magic." Again, the source of the power determines the holiness or unholiness of it, not the user or the use. And to practice, experiment with, dabble in or even embrace unholy magic (or "magik" to some) is sinful. [Deut. 18:10 - 11, Rev. 21:8] R-rated films in the comparative baseline database earned scores of 54 and below out of 100. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire earned a final score of 52 which certainly makes it a "R-13" but a "lite" R-13. It is heavy with and clearly equivalent to many R-rated films in violence and witchcraft and sorcery. The content of this film was also equivalent to some lite R-rated films in impudence and/or hate because of an instructor being physically abusive of a few of his students and because of seven uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary (all by an adolescent), cheating, cruelty and name-calling and other ignoble behaviors. But regarding sexually immoral behaviors this film is equivalent to some "hardcore" G-rated films. Many G-rated films present non-graphic murder. So, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, with its only one non-graphic murder, is easily equivalent to G-rated programming in this area. In this version of the Potter phenomenon, Hogwarts students vie for the coveted honor of being one of three champions in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Selection of champions is made by the Goblet of Fire. A hopeful, 17 years or more old, tosses his/her name on a piece of paper into the flame of the Goblet of Fire. Once names are tossed into the Goblet of Fire they cannot be retracted. Selection is final once the goblet selects a name by spewing out a piece of paper with a name on it. There is no backing out. And kids die in this tournament ... without any mention of parental consent, of course. Though it may cost a champion his/her life, each champion is to use his/her wizard and witchcraft skills to do three Tournament tasks, each with a specific goal. The winner will earn the right of eternal glory. Can you see it yet? Just these two paragraphs are filled with evidence of the dark and sinister heart of the Potter franchise. Though a condition for vying for status of one of the three champions is being 17 years old or older Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), who is 14, somehow gets named. Not only is he too young according to the rules, he is a fourth in a tournament of three champions. Potter is accused of cheating but the selections of the goblet are final. The tournament involves fighting a fire-breathing dragon to fetch a golden egg the dragon is guarding, an underwater battle with hordes of creatures to rescue friends and a living maze doing what it can to stop the champions from reaching the prize. In each task, the lives of the champions are at risk. Some of the champions die. By the way, death eaters get involved, too. Since this report is being provided on opening day of the movie, I will not spoil anymore of the plot or story. But I beseech you to inspect closely the listing of direct observations in the Findings/Scoring section. As promised, below is a scoring comparative of the four Harry Potter films.  The Harry Potter films are pretty much peas in the same pod, each earning a final score of 59 plus or minus 7 points, the three PG films in the PG-13 scoring range (13-PG*) and the one PG-13 in the R scoring range (R-13). One of the great features of the CAP Analysis Model is its usefulness in making truly objective comparisons. It is fairly self-explanatory but if you do have questions, email us. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary/ Commentary section.)  Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
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| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our more than eight years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
| In the name of Jesus: Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God. Tom Carder President ChildCare Action Project (CAP): Christian Analysis of American Culture 100% dependent on your tax-deductible financial support |  |
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