1.Introduction

Film, which is a medium for visually telling stories, continues to play an important part in the culture of the modern day. It is remarkable in its capacity to traverse barriers of geography, language, and culture, and as a consequence, it has the power to alter people’s perspectives on the world that surrounds them [1-3]. The impact that films have had on culture is such a complex and ever-changing phenomenon that those who study it need to be able to examine and analyse it on a very deep level in order to make sense of it [4, 5].

This investigation delves into the plethora of ways in which film may have an effect on society. Specifically, it examines the significant influence that cinema may have on cultural identities, in addition to values, beliefs, and social standards. The inquiry is specifically centred on the ways in which Hollywood has influenced the culture of the United States. The purpose of this research is to investigate the complex relationship that exists between film and culture in order to shed light on the transformational ability of film as both a mirror and shaper of societal ideals.

2.The Tradition of Violent Portrayal

There are a few well-known films that are notorious for having violent sequences in them. These kinds of films include but are not limited to: The Godfather Trilogy (1972, 1974, and 1990), Goodfellas (1990), The Departed (2006), and Scarface (1983) [6-8]. There are a handful of them that may also be categorised as crime thrillers in their own right. It is largely agreed upon that Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy is one of the very greatest film series that has ever been made. Coppola was the director of all three films in the series. The Corleone family, which is notorious for its connections to organized crime, serves as the primary subject of this three-part work.

The movie “Goodfellas” was helmed by Martin Scorsese as its director. The storyline of this film is based on the life of Henry Hill, a criminal who did time in jail, and it provides a fascinating look into the underground of organised crime. The film was inspired by Henry Hill’s life.

An undercover cop and a mole in the police force try to ascertain whether or not they are the same person throughout the course of Martin Scorsese’s film The Departed, which revolves on their investigation of this question. Al Pacino portrays the part of Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who travels to Miami and ultimately becomes a major drug king there, in the 1983 picture Scarface, which was directed by Brian De Palma. Montana is portrayed as becoming a powerful drug king in Miami.

It is heartening to realize that the medium of television drama offers chances for people’s creative qualities to be employed in unique ways, and this is something that may be found to be quite encouraging [9]. The idea is that there was an excessive amount of violence and criminal elements becoming involved. Producing the critically acclaimed and Emmy Award–winning television series The Sopranos was David Chase, who was responsible for the show’s run on HBO from 1999 to 2007. The Sopranos aired for a total of ten seasons.

The programme centres on Tony Soprano, a well-known figure in the criminal underground, and gives an in-depth look at the obstacles he experienced in both his personal and professional life. These challenges include trying to balance his personal life with his work life. This investigation will focus on both facets of his life, so please be prepared. Beginning in 1999 and running all the way through 2007, the television programme had a total run time of 10 years by the time it was cancelled. Breaking Bad, a critically acclaimed and Emmy Award–winning television series, was broadcast on AMC from 2008 to 2013 and consisted of a total of six seasons. Vince Gilligan is credited with the creation of the programme, which ran for a total of six seasons. The television show aired for a cumulative total of six years. The main character of the series, Walter White, a former high school chemistry teacher who is now a criminal, takes to the creation of meth in order to earn a livelihood after sliding into a life of crime and in order to support for himself.

Narcos was a television show that aired for a combined total of four years, beginning in 2015 and continuing all the way through 2017. It depicted the emergence and collapse of notorious drug lords from Colombia during that time period, such as Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel, and it was set in the 1980s.

The Shelby criminal family in Birmingham, England, in the years immediately after World War I serves as the heart of the British crime drama Peaky Blinders (2013-2022), which follows the Shelby family as they attempt to solidify their dominance while evading law enforcement organisations. Peaky Blinders will air on BBC One from 2013 until 2022. In the United Kingdom, Peaky Blinders will be shown on BBC One from the years 2013 to 2022.

Better Call Saul, which premiered on AMC in 2015 as a prequel to the critically renowned television series Breaking Bad and has been airing ever since, has garnered a lot of attention from viewers all over the world. A probe into Jimmy McGill’s history is carried out before it is revealed that he is in reality the dishonest attorney Saul Goodman. Since the year 2015, individual episodes of this series have been made available to the public via the transmission of irregular broadcasts.

3.Beyond Violence

People do find positive effect from it, even if there is a question about how to keep the hint of violence inside the confines of the film industry. To provide just a few instances, the social function of motion pictures is useful in at the very least four distinct ways. This is only to name a few of the methods. They impart the social reality in a way that is true to it, shape the cultural horizon, and foster cultural awareness. In order to act as a reflection of society, film has the ability to act as a mirror, reflecting the prevalent values, aims, and concerns of a particular society or historical era. Because movies create stories that are intended to connect with the audience’s own experiences and sentiments, they are able to become imaginative portrayals of the human condition. They are able to capture the core of cultural attitudes, practises, and concerns, which enables them to deliver priceless insights into the collective psyche of a culture.

Concerning the development of individual cultural identities would be another task to illustrate the function of movie. The entertainment industry, particularly the film business, is very important to the development and maintenance of cultural identities. The depiction of local customs, traditions, languages, and historical events in motion pictures makes a significant contribution to the maintenance and dissemination of cultural heritage by virtue of the manner in which these elements are portrayed. In addition to this, they foster a better sense of belonging and pride in one’s cultural heritage, which, in turn, assists communities in developing stronger links with one another.

Films may be much more than just a source of entertainment; they may also be powerful instruments for improving social awareness. It is essential to mention this while addressing the development of social consciousness because it is vital to notice that films may be much more than simply a source of entertainment. They discuss pressing social issues and injustices, which helps to start dialogues and enables individuals to think about issues from a range of perspectives, which is a positive outcome. When they draw attention to important issues, films have the power to motivate individuals and communities to take action, which, in turn, may promote positive social change.

There are a lot of different things that might influence someone’s conduct, such as: What gives films their persuasive power is their ability to alter people’s perspectives and the manner in which they act in their everyday lives. Films have the capacity to affect the belief systems of individuals and drive the adoption of new ideas or lifestyles shown on screen, particularly among younger viewers. This is especially true of the potential for films to have this effect on younger viewers. Movies that provide good images of role models have the potential to serve as sources of motivation, while movies that show negative depictions of role models might contribute to the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes.

Film is able to reach people all over the globe, enabling individuals from a range of different backgrounds to get insights into other cultures. As a result, films play a vital role in public discourse through encouraging intercultural understanding. This contributes to increased understanding and empathy across different cultures. Films produced in other nations have the potential to break down artificial barriers and develop a sense of shared humanity, so serving as a bridge between the many cultures that exist in the world.

After  doing  research  into  the  ways  in  which  films  have  an  effect  on  society,  it  became  clear  that  films  do  more  than  just  entertain;  they  are  a  powerful  cultural  force  that  alters  the  beliefs  and  principles  that  are  shared  by  the  majority  of  people.

Figure 1: A fan art of Star War movie artist, promoting same value of movie the Sound of Freedom, accessed from visual artist 2Oriona2’s gallery [10].

4.Sound  of  Freedom

The more we discover about the ways in which films may both reflect and modify cultural norms, the more persuaded we become that this is, in fact, the case. Because of the role that it has played not only in maintaining cultural traditions over the course of time but also in developing them further, the relevance of religion in today’s society has grown as a direct result of this function that religion has served. In order to make effective use of the transformative potential of film and contribute to the development of a nicer and more peaceful society, we need to have a better understanding of the complicated web of linkages that penetrates cinema and culture. After that, and only after that, will we be in a position to study the capacity of the cinematic medium to bring about a change in society. It’s probable that the movie was instrumental in making more people aware of the issue of human trafficking, shedding light on the horrific reality of modern-day slavery and the abuse of children in the process. Tim Ballard’s story might have been a source of motivation for activism: The narrative of Tim Ballard’s dedication and bravery in rescuing victims could have inspired viewers to take action against human trafficking and support initiatives against the practise or provide money to charities that are related to the issue [11]. It’s possible that the movie “Sound of Freedom” sparked talks about cross-cultural cooperation, which may have, in turn, stimulated discussions on a personal, community, and policy level to find a solution to this pressing societal issue. This is quite a phenomenon which can be illustrated in Figure 1 and 2. For people from different communities join the civil discussion with their own perspectives.

Figure 2: Quora accounts debate on political beef raised by The Sound of Freedom, attracting social-media opinion leaders. Data accessed on 15th August, 2023, from What-is-the-political-beef-against-The-Sound-of-Freedom [12].

The film’s portrayal of the importance of humanity may have influenced politicians and lawmakers to prioritise more effective laws and procedures to address this crime, if they had watched it. The movie uses various visual and dramatic techniques to communicate feelings of empathy and compassion to viewers. Viewers may have experienced emotions such as empathy and pity due to the emotional journeys of the film’s characters, which could have helped them better understand the challenges faced by victims of human trafficking. This understanding led to a deeper understanding of the challenges that individuals affected by human trafficking face. The movie’s message resonated with viewers globally, inspiring collaboration to address the issue of human trafficking, which impacts people worldwide. If that is the case, then the movie achieved its goals. Determining the complete extent of a film’s influence can be challenging, but it is expected that “Sound of Freedom” will have diverse effects experienced differently by various populations.

5.Conclusions

It is impossible to overstate how important it is to keep this in mind; it simply cannot be stressed enough. The reactions of the general population as a whole, the reviews published by critics and members of the media, and the subsequent actions done by groups are all good indicators of the impact that the film has had on society as a whole. Reading post-release reviews, academic evaluations, and news articles can give one with an appraisal of the film’s influence that is more up to date and accurate than any other way possible. This is owing to the fact that reviews of this sort are typically carried out a large length of time after the film has been made available to the general public. The reason for this is that evaluations of this nature are commonly carried out after a significant amount of time.