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MAR2012.058

(2012), PG [13-PG*] (98.7min)

Final Score
Analysis Date
Date Posted
Influence Density
MinMax
July 4, 2012
July 9, 2012
62
0.69
-74

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SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:
(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary.



(2012), PG [13-PG*] ... the seven dwarfs are now thieves, not jewel miners


Production (US): ©Snow White Productions, LLC. A Relativity Media Presentation in association with Yucaipa Films, a Goldmann Pictures, Relativity Media, Rat Entertainment and Misher Flms Production. Filmnation Entertainment
Distribution (US): Fox Pictures
Director(s): Jarsem Singh Dhandwar
Producer(s): Bernie Goldmann, Ryan Kavanaugh, Bret Ratner, Tucker Tooley, Kevin Mishner, Jeff Waxman, Robbie Brenner, Jamie Marshall, Jason Colbeck, Tommy Turtle, Josh Pate, John Cheng, Kenneth Halsband, Nico Soultanakis, Rjit Singh
Screenplay by: Marc Klein, Jason Keller
Screen Story by: Melisa Wallack
Cinematography/Camera: Brendan Galvin
Music: Alan Menken
Film Editing: Nick Moorse, Robert Duffy
Casting: Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee
Production Design: Tom Foden
Viewed on Fox Home Entertainment DVD


While we have shown you (four full years before Harvard University) how the "ratings creep" has decayed over the years allowing more and more raunchy behavior and imagery as "permissible" content in films permitted to bear the PG-13 label, Mirror Mirror is a good example of how the "ratings creep" has eaten away at the wholesomeness of permissible content in PG as well. Just a few years ago a film for children would not have included some of the content in Mirror Mirror. So, this film is evidence that what once was PG has become 13-PG, meaning a film rated PG by the MPAA but earning PG-13 equivalence under the CAP analysis model. The final score for this film is 62 which is in the upper end of the scoring range earned by the content of PG-13 films (67 to 55 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database. It is, at times, a violent show with a strong presence of unholy matters such as the portrayal of "evil magic" to kill, do harm or manipulate repeatedly.

The story is a cinematic caricature, a "fractured fairy tale" version of the world-famous 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated classic by the early, then family-friendly Disney based on the German fairy tale classic by the Grimm Brothers (Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm). This caricature uses devices of contemporary performance which reveals how "things" have changed since the early Disney days. I may feed the original SNow White and the Seven Dwarfs (if I can find it) to the CAP model just to do a comparative between the two versions.

Snow White (Lily Collins) is still the daughter of a noble King (Sean Bean) but this time he is banished by his evil enchantress queen wife (Julia Roberts) and doomed to live a life as a beast. The now power-hungry and money-hungry stepmother queen is still jealous of Snow White's beauty so much she wishes Snow White dead but this time Snow White does not bite the poisoned apple and does not fall into a long sleep until true love's kiss awakens her. Nor does the evil witch queen offer the poisoned apple to Snow White at the dwarfs' woodland home but at Snow White's wedding to Prince Alcott (Armie Hammer) of Valencia.

In this butchering of the original, the seven dwarfs are now thieves on pogo stilts, not jewel miners. Nor are they Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Bashful, Doc, Happy and Sneezy. They are Butcher (Martin Klebra), Will Grimm (Danny Woodburn), Half Pint (Mark Povinelli), Naploleon (Jordan Prentice), Grub (Joey Gnoffo), Chuckles (Ronald Lee Clark) and Wolf (Sebastian Saraceno).

Further, in this caricature the queen, who has squandered the kingdom's money, tries to woo Prince Alcott to marry him to soothe her poorness with his richness but the Prince has fallen in love with Snow White ... and she with him.

This film is not Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs but it still answers the question "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all." I will add that I feel that Collins, Roberts and Hammer do an excellent job. Collins has a tough job being in the shadow of her father, the phenomenal star Phil Collins but shows strong promise that she is not only a top-notch singer but is a better actress than her father is an actor. And let us not ignore the dazzling performances of the seven dwarfs without whom this film would not have been what is is.

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Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film.

Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 26 out of 100
Though there is no gore, Mirror Mirror is sometimes intense in violence for a PG film. Swordplay abounds. Attempted murder by blade, blade threat to the face, repeated assault to rob, orders to kill, physical assault repeatedly and a number of other matters of violence combine to make the overall magnitude of the content applicable to this investigation area equivalent to the violence content in some R-rated features in the comparative baseline database. That violence such as is in this film is presented for the most part as comical, it is still violence and the influence can be as damaging, maybe more so since the assaults in the film produce no harm where they could produce death if mimicked in real life.

That which I said in the last sentence above can seem to be rather bold or uneducated since we have all been inundated with violence of diverse intensity for years in all forms of entertainment and have gotten so used to it that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible. God has told us about the enticing properties of violence and I will share His feelings about violence with you.

God admonishes us against violence more than 50 times from the Old Testament to the New testament. Proverb 16:29 puts the matter succinctly enough to use it as a representative of His total Word about violence. In Proverb 16:29 God warns that violence is enticing: that it can lead one "into the way that is not good."

Since God "published" His "findings" about violence, man has plagiarized God's Word, probably without knowing, by four professional public health agencies publishing their findings which warn, among other things, that violence in and as entertainment can lead the observer, especially the young, to real life violence and can lead the observer to believe violence is an effective means of settling conflict.

Impudence/Hate (I) - 56 out of 100
While there are no findings of profanity in the entire 98.7 minutes of the program, there are enough matters of impudence and/or hatred for the content applicable to this investigation area to lose almost half of the starting 100 points for this investigation area: jealousy; derogatory name-calling; lying repeatedly; justifying theft; more. [2 Cor. 12:20, Exod. 20:16, Rev. 21:8]

Sexual Immorality (S) - 73 out of 100
Just so you will know... Something that was shown often enough to be obvious was Lilly Collins on her hands and knees looking upward or other posing so as to center her cleavage in the camera focus field. Such scenes were hardly noble but they were not so bold as to warrant point loss yet prevalent enough to be noteworthy for your viewing discernment. Demonstrations applicable to this investigation area which require point loss include a few swats on Collin's behind by Hammer with a sword (inappropriate touch), a woman repeatedly showing/expressing arousal at a shirtless male and a male character slipping under the puffy dress of a woman. [Col. 3:5]

Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 73 out of 100
There are an instance of drinking and drunkenness plus a number of references to and drugging of characters with potions. The issue here is the use of drugs to control others and the influence of imbibing alcohol, especially to such a young age as is expected of PG rating.

A 2002 study by the American College of Physicians (ACP) revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The report entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was

  • 46% for those with no viewing restrictions
  • 16% for those with partial viewing restrictions
  • four percent for those with complete viewing restrictions. [Eph. 5:18]

    There is nothing to say that viewing smoking or possession/consumption of drugs in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking and drunkenness. Actually, the same matter of behavior implantation applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior.

    Offense to God (O) - 43 out of 100
    Among other matters of the evil nature, this film presents frequent use of "evil magic" to kill, to manipulate others or to do harm. "Fantasy" does not absolve the production of negative influence. A bad influence does not have to be real to influence badly. Further, God has told us about calling others "fool." [Matt. 5:22] This film does that twice. God's name is abused twice but each time without the four letter expletive. I wonder who decided that it is not okay for a "kid's show" (or any other show) to utter His name in vain with the four letter expletive but is okay to utter His name in vain without it. It wasn't God. [Deut. 5:11]

    Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100
    There are no portrayals of murder and/or suicide in the entire 98.7 minutes of the program. There are many attempts to murder but attempts of murder and suicide and deaths by acts of war or police or defensive killings are incorporated by the Wanton Violence/Crime content investigation area.

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    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

  • Prov. 16:29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. [The issue is the violence, the 'way that is not good' no matter how "small" or "fantasy" or "justified" the violence might seem, and its "leading" effect on the observer. "A violent man" can be any character of any age, any gender, human or not in the act of committing (demonstrating in the case of entertainment) violent behavior/action whether for good or evil OR the violent behaviors/actions themselves. Such exposure can and does embolden the viewer into aggression, especially youth. It took years for the American professional health community to finally affirm, probably without knowing it, that which God told us in 1 Cor. 15:33 below. See also Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children: Congressional Public Health Summit for more information. Their findings include:
    --> Children who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts. Children exposed to violence are more likely to assume the acts of violence are acceptable behavior.
    --> Viewing violence can lead to emotional desensitization towards violence in real life. It can decease the likelihood that one will take action on behalf of a victim when violence occurs.
    --> Entertainment violence feeds a perception that the world is a violent and mean place. Viewing violence increases fear of becoming a victim of violence, with a resultant increase in self-protective behavior and a mistrust of others.
    --> Viewing violence may lead to real life violence. Children exposed to violent programming at a young age have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than children who are not so exposed.
    Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV.]
  • 2 Cor. 12:20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
  • Exod. 20:16 You shall not bear false witness [lie] against your neighbor. [This is the 7th of the Ten Commandments!]
  • Rev. 21:8 But the [unforgiven] fearful [deilos {di-los'}; timid, cowardly], and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers [sexually immoral], and sorcerers [all forms of evil/magic to force or do harm], and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. ["Timid" and "cowardly" as used in this verse does not mean humble or meek. It means cowering in fear when, e.g., someone threatens you and your loved one and you hide in the shadows to save yourself as your loved one is victimized.]
  • Col. 3:5 Put to death [defeat, expunge, deprive of power, destroy the strength of], therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
  • Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. [Since "drunk" is methusko {meth-oos'-ko}: to intoxicate; make drunk; to get drunk; become intoxicated, "wine" can be any intoxicating substance including illegal drugs or abuse of prescription drugs. The issue is do not abuse the body by intoxicating it [1 Cor. 6:19]. Though it is not a sin to drink, it is a sin to get drunk OR to influence to get drunk OR to drink in defiance such as underage drinking.
  • 1 Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
  • Matt. 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment [krisis: accusation, trial]: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [senseless, empty headed: a term of reproach among Jews at the time of Christ], shall be in danger of the council [any session or assembly or people deliberating or adjudicating]: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool [moros: impious, godless], shall be in danger of hell fire.
  • Deut. 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. [Vain is shav {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity, such as in slang or profanity. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or responsible discussion and in praise and prayer is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name or title even if as a euphemism. So, trying to excuse such expressions with "I was talking TO God/Jesus when I said that" or "It's just words" or "I was acting" will not work with Him. Nor will "Everybody says that" excuse the sin of using His name in vain. If everyone on the planet who has ever drawn a breath used His name in vain, it would still be a sin to do so. If no one ever did, it would still be a sin to do so. Whether we believe it or not. Whether we like it or not. Whether we care or not.]

    Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry

  • Jer. 37:9 - 10 This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, 'The Babylonians [the destroyers from within] will surely leave us.' They will not! Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down. [The "destroyers form within" do not have to be army warriors. They can be the ones who destroy through corruption of moral standards as well, such as filmmakers who perpetuate desensitization against wholesome standards. They aren't going anywhere, folks. Not until Jesus comes again.]
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend what is vile, embrace it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it.]
  • Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man [by his influence] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 Be not deceived: evil [kakov: of a bad nature, not such as it ought to be] communications corrupt good manners.
  • Rom. 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
  • Jude 1:4 For there are certain men* crept in unawares [secretly slipped in among us], who were before of old ordained to this condemnation [whose condemnation was written about long ago], ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [a license for immorality], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
  • Matt. 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
  • Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. [Offend: skandalizo {skan-dal-id'-zo} - scandalize, to entice to sin. And remember, mom/dad, "little ones" is mikros, meaning less by birth; younger. All of your children are younger than you and less by birth than you. So, "little ones" includes at-home teens.]
  • Ps. 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me [let no sin rule over me].
  • John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  • 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. ["Evil" includes all things that are sinful.]

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    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.
  • FINDINGS / SCORING:
    (The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)

    Mirror Mirror (2012) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 26 out of 100
  • attempted murder by blade
  • assault to rob with weapons, repeatedly
  • sword fighting, repeatedly
  • order to kill, repeatedly
  • theft
  • blade threat to face
  • action violence to kill, repeatedly
  • assault to unconsciousness
  • long sequence of hits to face/head
  • teaching to steal/thieve
  • slapstick violence, repeatedly
  • attempted murder by beast
  • long sequence of battle with the beast

    Impudence/Hate (I) - 56 out of 100
  • decree to kill
  • jealously
  • derogatory terms (name-calling)
  • "I won't say anything (tell) if you don't"
  • lying, repeatedly
  • greed by taxation
  • sequence of admissions of doing wrong
  • justifying theft

    Sexual Immorality (S) - 73 out of 100
  • woman showing/expressing arousal at shirtless man, repeatedly
  • male character slipping under woman's dress

    Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 73 out of 100
  • drinking
  • admission of drugging another with "love potion"
  • drugging by potion
  • drunkenness

    Offense to God (O) - 43 out of 100
  • usurpation by evil magic
  • evil magic to do harm, to kill or manipulate, repeatedly
  • "Fool"
  • "You fools"
  • abuse of God's name without the four letter expletive, twice
  • shape shifting, three times
  • ritual dance
  • evil beast doing the bidding of an evil enchantress
  • unholy aging

    Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100
  • none noted















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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 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.





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    * CAP Equivalence to MPAA Rating Scale:
    Please note our new manner of indicating a film's Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating in comparison with the CAP equivalence such as "PG-13 [R-13]." The first term is the Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) rating. The second term [in brackets] indicates that which the film earned under the CAP analysis model. In the example, "PG-13 [R-13]" indicates the MPAA rated the film PG-13 but the film earned a CAP final score in the scoring range earned by R-rated movies in the comparative baseline database. Other comparative terms used might be "PG [13-PG]", "G [PG-G] or even 'PG-13 [PG]" as was the case for Alien vs Predator. I doubt there will ever be a "G [R]" used, but only time will tell. The CAP analysis model is Rock-solid. The MPAA is not.

    The current CAP to MPAA** nomenclature is:

    For G rated Films with
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    PG equivalence: PG-G
    PG-13 equivalence: 13-G
    R equivalence: R-G<
    For PG rated Films with
    G equivalence: G-PG
    PG equivalence: PG
    PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG
    R equivalence: R-PG
    For PG-13 rated Films with
    G equivalence: G-13
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    PG-13 equivalence: PG-13
    R equivalence: R-13
    For R rated Films with
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    PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR
    R equivalence: R-NR
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