IDEOLOGY:
"1. The body or doctrine of thought that guides an individual, social movement, institution, or group.  2. such a body of doctrine or thought forming a political or social program, along with the devices for putting it into operation.  3. theorizing of a visionary or impractical nature.  4. the study of the nature of ideas.  5. a philosophical system that derives ideas exclusively from sensation."
- Random House Webster's College Dictionary. McGraw Hill Edition, 1991.

Ideology: "A system of social or political beliefs characteristic of a society or social community. Ideological film theory examines the ways in which films represent and express various ideologies."
- Stephen Prince, Movies and Meaning

"Ideology is usually defined as a body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture. The term is generally associated with politics and party platforms, but it can also mean a given set of values that are implicit in any human enterprise -- including filmmaking. 
- Louis Giannetti,  Understanding Movies.  

"Ideology: A relatively coherent system of values, beliefs, or ideas shared by some social group and often taken [by members of that group] as natural or inherently true. "
- David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction

"Ideology is a social process that works on and through every social subject [every individual; every member of a social group] that, like every social process, everyone is "in," whether or not they "know" or understand it. It has the function of producing an obvious reality that social subjects can assume and accept, precisely as if it had not been socially produced [through systems of representation] and did not need to be "known" at all. "
- James H. Kavanagh, "Ideology." In  Critical Terms for Literary Study 

Ideology is a term that refers to the labyrinthine system of values and beliefs each of us ascribes to about the world, the way it operates, and our place within it.  Think of it as a sophisticated "filter" through which we view, ponder and interact with the outside world, thus giving us a way to make sense of it. Our ideologies incorporate our prejudices (racism, sexism, nationalism, ethnic intolerance, greed, desire for and abuse of power, etc.), our ideals (justice, progress, liberty, equality, the pursuit of happiness, democracy, the pursuit of wealth, etc.), as well as our hopes and dreams.   

Ideological values are sometimes referred to as "assumptions."   This is due to the fact that ideological beliefs and values are so fundamental to our self-image (both as individuals and as cultures), that they are taken as "natural and" "inevitable."  In other words, we generally assume that the tenets we hold are true, natural, and universal.  Indeed, there are ideologies that uphold the status quo and thus are deemed "dominant" ideologies. On the other hand, there are also ideologies that are not mainstream, and these are sometimes labeled "alternative" or, in a pejorative light,  "subversive.")   However, because each of us is unique, no set of ideological beliefs is absolute.

Some Examples of Ideological Assumptions:        

  Native Americans are closer to nature than Americans of other ethnic backgrounds.

  A woman is meant -- both biologically and psychologically -- to be a wife and mother, and thus there is something aberrant about women who choose not to marry and/or remain childless.

  Whites are biologically superior to other races.

  African Americans don't make good swimmers or ballet dancers.

  If we work real hard, we will make it up the ladder of success.  Thus, poor people have so little material means because they don't work hard enough.  

  Individuals can't be held responsible for their actions (whether good or bad) because they are at the mercy of environmental factors that determine their behavior.

  A family consists of a man, a woman, and one or more children.
 

Ideological assumptions operate, for the most part, on an unconscious level, and are therefore rarely questioned or closely examined. It's often difficult, but always rewarding, to become aware of your own ideological filter, to seek to understand your own positioning, your own received ways of thinking, your own limited perspective and point-of-view, by exploring alternatives to your own ideological beliefs and values, the other ways of looking, of other people.

In addition to providing entertainment, Hollywood cinema proffers a significant number of ideological views. In fact, film scholar Gerald Mast claimed  "there are few cultural products more influential in contemporary American life than" movies.  They provide familiar stories that help us make meaning of our own lives and provide order to the chaos of our world.  They suggest to us what and whom we should value, as well as what and who we should give short shrift to. (Mast, "How To Watch Movies Intelligently").

One movie with a definite ideology is Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  Some critics believe John Hughes' 1986 film about high schoolers in a wealthy Chicago suburb showcases the Reagan era's conservative views.  (See http://www.montana.edu/metz/filmamer/reagan.htm and http://members.tripod.co.uk/louisaparry/youth.txt for this perspective.)

Here are some basic issues regarding ideology for you to consider when you watch a film:

1.  What is the film's attitude toward the society in which it was produced and shown? Toward history, work, political engagement?

2. Is change portrayed as necessary, desirable, or even possible? Who or what has to be transformed --  society, an individual, and/or institutions?

3. Are there representation of the Other in this film? What characteristics (e.g.  class, gender, ethnicity, etc.) distinguish them from the norm? Does the film side with either the Other(s) or with mainstream society, or do you feel it is an objective portrait?

4. Who is powerful, and who is powerless?  Do the power relations change in the course of the film? How?

5. Is conflict generalized or universalized, or is it instead culturally specific? Is this conflict still  unresolved today?

6. Who do you think would be the ideal audience for this film?  Can you see your own views being voiced in the film? Did this film encourage you to see something in a different light?