culture, film, and shock

several months ago we watched I Am Legend. pretty sweet flick. of the many scenes that stick with you when the credits roll, one of them (below) had virtually nothing to do with the plot:

$6.63/gallon? wow. remember, this represents the going price for a gallon. the massive exodus and overwhelming number of deaths shake the city suddenly. the gas stations don’t really have the time to plan out their extortion. this is just your everyday, average extortion. God bless ‘em.

just a few days ago, we watched the original Die Hard. what a classic. of the many scenes that made us chuckle (remember, it released in 1988…TWENTY years ago), one of them clearly takes the prize.

the actual shot in the film shows Regular Unleaded for $0.74. WOW. we busted up laughing, half from amusement and half from shock. my mind still has not recovered.

sadly, between the two films, the shock factor for Die Hard flew off the scale compared to I Am Legend. I can see gas hitting $7/gallon, but the thought of enjoying gas for less than $1/gallon, ever, again, remains unfathomable.

now, to my point. the visceral, sustained reaction I and my three friends experienced during Die Hard caught my attention. it’s more than just, “films can affect us.” I would say, “films reflect us.” literally and metaphorically. they reflect the times, as in Die Hard, and our fears, as in I Am Legend.

this points out a basic element of the role of film in, of, and being culture. much more awaits discussion, however. if the mere mention of gas prices, off-handedly and inconsequentially, garners this amount of attention, how much more does/should the theological threads of the films receive our attention?