Film Discussion – The Promised Land

Film Discussion – The Promised Land

The ‘Promised Land’ is a film set in an unnamed rural town in Pennsylvania that pits the townspeople against an exploration company Global Crosspower Solutions. In this film, there are two categories of people. On the one hand, we have the workers of Global who deem themselves as the saviors of the people by convincing them to hand over their land to the exploration company so that natural gas and oil can be extracted (Pletan, 2013). These are led by Steve Butler, who eloquently and effectively campaigns for the gains of landowners signing over their lands so that gas can be extracted from the shale formations underground through fracking. The oil exploration company employees hold an assumption that the people are gullible and less informed. Butler’s belief is fueled by the corporate greed of his employer, and he does not care about the en environmental impact of fracking. Then there is Noble, the environmental advocate who campaigns against landowners who give away their land. Even though he is hypocritical in his intentions as an employee of Global seeking to discredit it, he has good intentions for the people (Pletan, 2013).

Butler holds his belief as the savior of the people by seeing his effort to help them change their lives through compensation as warranting their need to sign over their lands. This is despite the knowledge that there are negative impacts on the environment. However, Noble’s campaign helps him see the long-term effects of Global exploration, and he changes his mind after people have signed the leases on their lands. He starts talking them out of the deal in a bid to save the environment.

Through reflection of the impact of the actions that he has led the townspeople into as well as the attack on the intentions of Global Crosspower by Noble, Butler comes back to his senses and changes his beliefs about the landowners. I identify with the character of Butler as it is a depiction of the growth that humans go through every day.

Reference

Pletan, C. (2013, April 7). Why Promised Land Doesn’t Deliver. Harvard Political Review. Retrieved from Cory Pletan

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Discuss the assumptions of the characters in a film.

Now’s your chance to be a film critic! In this Discussion, pick one film to write about and answer questions about the film’s characters. For details about selections, descriptions, online sources, and discussion expectations, refer to the Instructions for Film Discussion ORGL 3000. It’s Showtime!.pdf

• Promised Land(2012).
• Nobody’s Fool(1994).
• How to Make an American Quilt(1995)
• Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood(2002)

In your initial post, answer these questions about the characters in the film. (A brief paragraph per question.)

1. Describe the specific assumptions or beliefs the characters have at the beginning of the film. Why do they hold these assumptions/beliefs?
2. What do they learn about other people or about the world that challenges their long-held beliefs? Describe an incident (or series of incidents) that causes a revelation to the character(s).
3. How do the goals or desires of the characters change by the end of the film?
4. In your view, describe the learning/reflective concept from the course readings that best represents the development of a major character.
5. In the film, with which character did you most identify (in terms of how his/her attitude or assumptions changed)?