After taking this class, looking at one of my favorite comedies was a little different. Happy Gilmore is a movie I would watch all the time everytime I saw it if would just laugh even harder. Now that I've been given the tools to bread down a sport movie like this its not so funny anymore. Adam Sandler plays Happy, a hockey player turned golfer, when he discoveres he can drive a ball to extream distance and with good accuracy. He turns his game into a profit making machine, to help supplement his low income, and after winning a tournament is excepted in to the PGA Tour. While many of us would think this is great, a chance for the little guy to compete with the pros, the members of the game weren't to excited. Happy's antics brought a different feel to the game, he was an entertainer as well as a player which brought fans from lower income areas who acted a bit out of character to be golf fans. Why do we have to try and seperate certain people from sports, golf is a fun game that everyone should get a chance to play, so why in Happy Gilmore did Shooter McGavin act so disdainfully towards the new crowd, why not accept with open arms the crowd thats coming and letting your sport grow. Then to try and get Happy to leave the sport Shooter buys his grandmothers house and makes it a wager for the final tournament. If Happy won he got his Grandmothers house back, if Shooter won Happy had to leave the tour. Its funny how introducing people to outsiders who dont fit there comfort zone will make them do some of the most evil things to get there way.

There are many things that I wouldn t have thought of prior to taking this class while watching Happy Gilmore. The advertising for Subway would have been obvious, however, what it was really advertisting for would not have been so evident. Subaway had its own interest in my mind, which was to be able to reach a broader audience and show that Adam Sandler, not Happy Gilmore, was eating Subway subs. Another is the story of rags to riches and the pursuit of the American dream. Happy Gilmore started out as a loser hockey player that wasn t going anywhere in his life. After being contacted by his sweet old grandmother who was in need of his help did he really begin to shape of his life. He began to work harder at golf by attending more tournaments, using the help of a coach, and by going to a mini golf course to practice his putting. Sure enough, because of his hard work, he won the Player s Championship and the gold jacket. The gold jacket can be seen as a simple of accomplishment, wealth, and power. Not only did Happy achieve success, but he also ended up getting the girl, which apparently only came with his success. At the beginning of the movie, Happy had asked Virginia on a date, but she told him, I don t date golfers.� Only when Happy became more successful and popular did she choose to go on a date with him and spend more time with him. What was interesting to me though was a particular scene in the movie where Shooter was speaking with Doug, the tournament director, complaining of the crowd Happy was bringing in. After much deliberation, Doug simply told Shooter, Our ratings are up, and we are attracting new and youthful sponsors.� This is probably no less true in the real world of sports. I imagine that whatever draws a crowd, sponsors, or any type of income to a sport, it is going to be used as advantage for sports teams owners and corporations.

In the beginning, we have the acknowledgment of race. Chubbs is a retired, black golfer that offers to help Happy with his golfing game. However, Happy refuses his offer and makes a statement that assumes Chubbs inability to be on the tour is due to him being black. The mere fact that he is black and playing golf would have some questioning, whether the reason he is not on the tour is due to race. Another distinguishing aspect of the movie related to social class. Happy is a lower class individual that makes himself a name, playing a supposed upper class sport. This is evident in the clothing and attire Happy wears throughout the film compared to his golfing opponent Shooter McGavin. Shooter is seen wearing dress pants, vests, and sweaters during play. On the opposing side, Happy wears shorts, jeans with holes, and cut-off flannel shirts. In another regard to class, the crowd that Happy draws to the tour is of the lower class. Their presence total changes the sport of golf. The increased crowd draws upon another issue. The only reason Happy Gilmore was not removed from the tour, were due to the increased ratings they were receiving. For the sole reason of making money, Happy was not removed. In class, we also discussed sponsorship. This was clearly evident, and a good example of product placement. Each new tour Happy received a check that was sponsored by a different organization. Also, Happy s putter was made by Odyssey. And not to mention, Happy s advertisement for Subway. These are all effective ways to advertise even in film. Lastly, Happy Gilmore clearly portrayed the idea of gender roles, another hot topic throughout our course. In one scene, Shooter McGavin orders the journalist, Virginia, to go get him a Pepsi. Another incidence occurs when Happy is told to think of a happy place� and he pictures Virginia in lingerie, as if she is there to serve and please him. Gender roles are evident in many, if not, most films. Even Disney movies suggest gender roles. According to Giroux:
The construction of gender identity roles for girls and women represents one of the most
controversial issues in Disney s animated films...All of the female characters in these
films are ultimately subordinate to males and define their power and desire almost
exclusively in terms of dominate male narratives (Giroux, 1999, p. 98-99)
It is interesting to find these same characteristics even in Disney films. Films that we allow our children to view. Analyzing a film like Happy Gilmore has allowed me to incorporate everything I have learned over the semester and enhance my skills in analyzing film.

In the film Happy Gilmore� there were plenty of examples of subjects that we have discussed in class that appear throughout the production. For starters, there was plenty of product-placement during course of the movie. The Subway logo was a constant whether it was via Happy Gilmore t-shirt or a box full of Subway sandwiches. Odyssey Golf made sure that their name was seen by putting their logo on Happy s infamous gold hockey-golf club. On his final put there was an extreme close up on the club with the words Odyssey Golf shoved in the viewer s eyes.
In essay about the societal inferences of Disney movies by Giroux he states [Disneyland] provides the image on which America constructs itself.� This idea is not bound to the animated world. All films are used as a constructive tool for the society we live in as Americans. Along with the obvious marketing ploys there were heavy implications about class in Happy Gilmore�. The clothes that Happy wore were distinctly different from those of his upper class counterparts. On the golf course Happy would play in work boots, jeans and an un-tucked plaid button down shirt to rather than the traditional golf attire. These kinds of images serve as illustrations that people of Happy s class (working class) generally do not belong at upper class places like a golf course.
One part of the movie that is interesting to note is the part where Shooter is having a meeting with the professional tour president to get Happy removed from the tour. Shooter tells the president that Happy is a disgrace to the game� but the president replies, Even though he may be a disgrace to the game the ratings are way up so I can not take him off the tour.� This is a clear example of neoliberalism. Although the president felt the same prejudice towards Happy Gilmore and his class making the most money was the deciding factor in the final decision of Happy s career as a golfer.

Now that I a more knowledgeable about the affects of sports on society (and vise versa) I took a new approach to watching a sport films. When watching Happy Gilmore, by the way one of my favorite sports movies, I noticed certain aspects to the film that I would not have normally noticed.
One major issue in this movie is that of class in society. Class is referred to and depicted in many ways throughout the movie. Class is illustrated by the people on the golf course, how they dress, act, and their mannerisms. When Happy first appears on the golf course he is looked at and speculated by the members on the golf course since he is not of their class and background. Through out the movie it is Happy v. the golf league. As the movie progresses a new class of people are starting to attend these golf events.
Another aspect that I noticed was that of race. Race is referred to many times in the movie. For example the character of Cubbs represents the only black man in the golf world. I found this to be ironic in dealing with the similarities of Tiger Woods. Cubbs also had an unfortunate accident which resulted in him not being able to compete in the Pro-Tour. However, when Happy found out he could not play on the tour he immediately assumed that it was because he was black. I also noticed that throughout the movie an Indian character would appear in times of comic relief. I later found out that this character is an actual famous golfer but would not have known that just by watching the movie.
In the movie Happy Gilmore it is also shown how sex and objectification affect sport. In the movie characters of the female sex do not play major roles. The characters of Virginia and Grandma are in fact the only female characters. Their role in the movie is to be there for the male hero character (Happy) to show how men support women. Objectification is used when the character Happy goes to his Happy Place.�

Movies are an integral part of American culture and society, they are viewed by millions of people, and often help set or persuade social trends and popular culture. In our class we watched "Happy Gilmore". One of the main focal points I thought was interesting was how Happy seemed to be in the lower class of society, and he played golf which is usually revered as a high class sport, played by mostly wealthy individuals. He added excitement to the game and in turn added many more viewers and spectators. Another trend I saw in the movie was the use of advertisement and product palcement. As stated by many other posts, Happy was constantly refering to Subway, even wearing a Subway shirt at one point. Advertisement plays a huge role in cinema, and it is evident in Happy Gilmore.

Ashley Pirro discussed the use of Subway advertisement throughout the movie Happy Gilmore. Before reading her post, I had never realized how much advertising there was in this movie but I have since noticed that there are other movies that use plenty of product placement.

As I was watching Happy Gilmore, with a critics eye instead of as a comedic performance, I noticed for the first time how much class bias there is during the movie. Instead of seeing Happy as lower or middle class, I had always seen him as the hockey screw-up that just could not admit to himself that he would never make the team. After watching this again though, it is fairly plain to see some of the same sporting habitus� that we talked about earlier this semester. The ability to play golf would have been considered part of the upper-class habitus and is something that is played merely for enjoyment. This is not the case with Happy. His main motive for playing golf is to make money in order to pay for something he cannot afford. In this case it is his Grandmother s house that will be auctioned off because she has failed to pay her taxes. He enters the tour dressed inappropriately, cursing, and physically hitting those around him as if he were still in the hockey rink. Being from the lower-middle class, Happy is used to using his body to obtain what is necessary to live and so it is less than ironic that the sport that he prefers is one that involves much physical strength and also some level of barbaric nature. And from what we know about the lower-class habitus, this is to be expected because the body is the means by which both pleasure and profit come about. What keeps him restrained from repeating his outbursts from the beginning of the movie is again the main reason he decided to play on the tour in the first place, money. I found it interesting when watching this movie that something usually looked at as an off-the-wall comedy can present us, purposefully or not, with many of the same barriers that hold us back from growth in our society.
Thinking about other movies that could present us with many of the same barriers, it is easy to look at the way Disney movies have been falsely portraying themselves as wholesome and innocent works of the imagination. Movies such as Aladdin are overwhelmed with racist connotations beginning with the opening song, Arabian Nights, portraying Arab countries as barbaric. Throughout the movie, the bad guys,� such as the castle guards and Jafar, speak with thick, foreign accents,� and the good guys,� Aladdin and Jasmine, speak standard American English,� (Giroux, 1999, 104-105). Examples such as this emphasize the need to examine closely what is really being said in the movies and television shows that flood our lives.

I agree that Happy Gilmore used a lot of advertisement. I think it has some of the most advertisement that I have ever seen in a movie.

By watching Major League it made me realize a few things that I did not notice prior to analyzing it in this class. In my opinion movies are certainly teaching machines�. (Girous, 1999). By looking at them critically we can learn what we really see when we are watching a movie. The movie showed stereotyping with the Indian mascot, what most of society thinks of a woman in power of a male dominated sport, and advertising. One of the most noticeable aspects of the movie was the amount of advertisement. The advertisement that I thought was the most dominant was the American Express commercial that they did. The team did the entire commercial with certain teammates having different parts. They tied it into baseball very well and closed it off by saying never steal home with out it.� (Major League).
Major League and other sport movies also have many other influences in them besides advertisements. The current position of politics and the economy affect sporting Hollywood. For example, we discussed in class the types of movies that were made post September eleventh. These movies helped to reinforce the strength of America and gave hope by portraying heroes. They also made the United States look good. Patriotic themes were very prevalent at the time. Examples of these movies are Seabiscut�, Cinderella Man�, and the infamous movie that depicted the ultimate American rags to riches story Miracle�. Miracle� helped to reinforce pride for our country and what we had achieved in previous years. Another influence is the power of corporations who control movies and the people who make them. Just like the government controlled the type of movies post September eleventh, corporation s interests control the type of movies they want to be produced. One major corporation that has an enormous amount of control over movie productions is Disney. Disney portrays themselves to have innocence, which is what most of us think when we think of Disney. No matter the topic they can shape it to form movies and topics that are nicer than the entire truth. Movies that are very popular are the Based on a true story� movies. We all know that the movie might not be one-hundred percent correct, but we rely on the story to have a fairy-tale ending. For example, Remember the Titans� was made into a nicer� movie than what happened in real life. The relationships between the players certainly did not change just over the course of camp, it took much longer. But Disney does not want us to feel like the problem was not solved. In general sports in Hollywood and all movies are affected by many aspects. Whether it is corporations, politics, or too good to be true stories, movies will always have influences in them that many people do not take notice to.

I agree that this film is quite the eye opener and that there are many underlying issues that we as a society have to deal with on a daily basis. There is constantly controversy in sports and with that, there will always be issues of gender and class swarming.

Alright here we are at the last week for the semester, and I m happy to say it was quite a successful one. This year we finished by watching two films Happy Gilmore, and Major League. Both of them brought to light several issues we brought up during class and tightened up loose ends quite nicely. As such, what I d like you each to do this week is write about what you learned from watching either film that you would not have thought of prior to taking the class. If you did not attend class, and don t own one of these two movies then write about a different sport film.
Watching Happy Gilmore in class would be my first time seeing the film. I think it s good that I have a fresh slate to analyze and critique the move for the reasons it s being shown rather than for the sole purpose of entertainment. I can honestly say that after seeing the film, I can really examine and understand the meanings in the film in depth.
One thing that was consistent through the film was the massive amounts of product placement. Subway was referred to constantly throughout the film. Gilmore was not only a sponsor for Subway, continuously referring to Subway and eating the sandwiches, he was wearing a Subway t-shirt though a majority of the film. Since taking this class, I have learned to easily spot product placement and sponsoring.
Another issue that was frequently brought up was class. The main basis for the movie was class and how a low class man goes into a sport that is socially accepted as a high class sport. After the movie, the class had a discussion about what characteristics made Gilmore stand out within the golf community. The way he dressed along with the way he spoke and carried himself made other characters offended that he was playing golf (White, 2007). There are different levels of class and many people play sports for different reasons. The working class, which Gilmore falls under, may participate in sports to use their body as an instrument, which is exactly what Gilmore did. He played hockey for fun but he found that he could make a lot of money playing golf and he played it solely for that reason; not because he enjoyed it. The upper class will ply sports for enjoyment or for business. Golf is considered an upper class sport considering that everything that comes along with it is expensive. Several characters including Shooter McGavin were extremely upset that someone that presents themselves in a low class manor. He was angry that Gilmore was attracting people that he referred to as rebels and made them sound like they were inferior to him and his fans.
Another ongoing issue that our society deals with that is shown in the movie is gender issues. Shooter presented himself as an egotistic man who felt he was superior to everyone, especially women. When Virginia introduced herself, he quickly put her to work instead of talking with her. He degraded her by getting her to fetch him a soda instead of treating her like the professional she is. Men are constantly portrayed as being superior to women. All types of films play on the stereotype that women are merely objects and men are greater, even films for children.
Disney s negative stereotypes about women and girls gain force through the way in which similar messages are consistently circulated and reproduced, to varying degrees, in many of Disney s animated films. For example, in Aladdin the issue of agency and power is centered primarily on the role of the young street tramp, Aladdin. Jasmine, the princess he falls in love with, is simply an object of his immediate desire as well as a social stepping-stone. Jasmines life is almost completely defined by men, and, in the end, her happiness is ensured by Aladdin, who is finally given permission to marry her.�
This film obviously shows the evil side of Shooter, frowning upon this kind of behavior. Overall, I think this was a great film to observe and critique because of its many issues that are brought up in sports.

In class we watched the movie Happy Gilmore, and from watching it many times before I never noticed how the movie was put together in ways we learned in class. Many parts of this film stuck out to me from a society standpoint. These parts would not stick out as much before taking this class.
The one part that stuck out more than others was how Happy was looked at as a lower class person, but started playing a Higher class sport. It even showed that a completely different fan group was coming to watch, and it showed bikers, boozers, and loud fans there. In the movie the president of the tour and Shooter talk about booting Happy off the tour, but the president says he is bringing in money. It shows that even if something happens in a sport, money means more than anything. Also looking at the advertising part of it, I think this is one of the first movies I remember seeing that. Now almost every film has a lot of advertising in it.
The gender portion of it was not as easy to point out, but it definetly showed a role of the male and female. During his "happy place" he pictured him kind of making the money which showed his grandmother happy, and his girlfriend serving him beer. Im not sure if it is trying to show a man and womens role in society.
I know now that taking the class and watching sport films have a lot of things in common with each other.

As marialisa5 said, Happy Gilmore was also used to commercialize corporate sponsors such as Subway and Michelob.

In class we watched the movie Happy Gilmore, which is a movie I have seen many times. However, this was the first time that I actually critically analyzed the film and realized how many issues were presented in a simple Universal Studios film. Most people just think it is a comedy that does not include any societal issues, which is completely wrong.

The first issue that came to my attention rather quickly was the underlying gender roles. Every female that appeared in this film was inferior to a male. The construction of gender identity for girls and women represents one of the most controversial issues All of the female characters in these films are ultimately subordinate to males and define their power and desire almost in terms on dominant male narratives� (Giroux, 1999, p. 98-99). The main female character, Virginia Venit, was constantly placed in the traditional female roles, even though she was the head public relations representative for the tournament. For instance, she had to fetch a drink for one of the golfers and she ended up being the romantic interest for Happy Gilmore, so by the end of the film her job position was no longer important.

Another issue was the obvious class divisions in the film. Country Clubs are known for the being highly expensive, so their members are normally high class citizens. Happy Gilmore did not fit in with this mold and this irritated the normal members. He, also, brought a very different crowd of people to the course and these people were looked down upon by the members. So, class division was very evident.

Now after taking this class, I will cannot help but view all films with a critical eye. Many films have underlying political and societal issues that people fail to realize. This film is a great example of that because of simple things like gender roles and class standings.

I also agree with marc ingerma in that there are many different hidden messages in sport movies. This class is a real eye opener to societal issues which are delt with in movies but not always seen after first look.

In class we watched the movie "Major League". It is a movie that I have seen mutiple times, but a few things about the movie became evident after taking this sport and society class. One of the more obvious things about the movie was all the beer and cigarette advertisements. It seemed like every scene had an ad for a beer or cigarette company. Another aspect of Major League that was apparent after our gender and gender roles in sport class was in the begining when they said a showgirl woman has no business being the owner of a sports team. The owner, who is female, wanted the team to finish the season in last place so she could move them to a new city and stadium with luxury boxes for more money. Money was also being made in the movie off the "wild thing" t-shirts after the team started playing well. The whole team was also in a commercial to sell "American Express" credit cards. On top of all that, I think the biggest thing in the movie that was brought up in class after the movie was the fact that the Indians major rival opponent was the Yankees. This may have been done on purpose because the yankee are most corporatized and well trained team and they got beat in the movie by the Indians who essentually were a bunch of scrubs. Also, the movie producers could have used the Yankees as they were seen in the civil war days (as the union or the team of the union). They had the Indians (who had their land taken away by those who may have called themselves yankees) beat the Yankees maybe as a form of revenge. After watching this movie under a different light and seeing all of the things that were before obivious to me, I want to watch more sports movies that i have seen before in order to analyse them in the same way as we did "Major League".

Watching Happy Gilmore in class, I noticed many things that had never caught my eye before. Although I have been taught, even at a young age to read and watch with more interpretation the most people I know, I paid alot of attention because I knew that at the end of this semester I would have learned more than I would have ever thought.
The blatant commercialism is obvious and something that I had noticed in the past, similar to most television shows and movies. The ESPN broadcast of the golf tournament and the advertising that has in some cases made so in your face that it becomes humorous, like the Subway commercials Happy stars in. Halfway through the movie, I didn t know what I wanted more: laughs, or mustard� (Ebert, 1996).
One of the main differences that I had never noticed before was the class distinctions between Happy Gilmore playing the upper class sport of golf. In retrospect I see that this is basically the main point of the movie but I never saw it in this light. Happy brings a new type of lower class crowd to the game of golf and no one seems to be happy about it except the people that are making money off the sales. Shooter McGavin says time and time again how Happy is bringing trash to the sport, such as beer-chugging helmets, and boisterous fans to an otherwise quiet and classy game.
As I remember again, I now see the distinct sexism involved in the storyline. Happy's "Happy Place" dream sequence involved his girlfriend in lingerie holding two large mugs of beer. This women is seen as the object of mans desire and sexual happiness. Men are seen as more powerful in this film, for example when Shooter rudely inturreupts the female and orders her to get him a Pepsi. All of the female characters in these films are ultimately subordinate to males and define their power and desire almost exclusively in terms of dominant male narratives� (Giroux, 1999).
I never thought this film to be a Disney picture, and while looking back, all these things I stated above are examples why it should not be deemed appropriate for children. Taking a look at most Disney movies, not too many of them have good values involved in the storyline. One can t help wondering what is wholesome about Disney s overt racism toward Arabs displayed in Aladdin, the retrograde gender roles at work in The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, and the undisguised celebration of antidemocratic governments and racism evident in The Lion King� (Giroux, Page 86).
As Giroux has stated, entertainment films appear to fall outside of the worlds values, meaning, and knowledge,� and this is indeed evident in a movie like Happy Gilmore, even if I do enjoy the movie,

another example i left out of my response but i feel is also an extremely good example of stereotypic Hollywood, is in Major League when they bring Pedro fried chicken. Also, by portraying him as a voodoo and the white guy (Harris) as a God loving catholic.

All year long in this class we have been learning about the different ways to look at sport. From live games to tv broadcasts to movies and television shows. When our class watched Major League, this opportunity to look beyond what is just on the surface, was present again. During the movie there were numerous counts of scenes which portrayed the information that we learned this semester. One scene was when the owner (an ex showgirl) takes over the team and want to relocate it to the luxury filled Miami area. This stereotype's what a team would resemble if a "woman" ran it. Another example lies within announcer "Harry Doyle" and his almost constant stereotypic responses. Phrases like "off the reservation" and his different references to indians fans make his character a big topic for discussion. Finally, the dressing up of fans as indians during games. These are all examples of things we have learned this semester, but what i feel is the major difference is that now we are living in 2007, times have changed since the late 80's, early 90's. I was only around 5-6 years old back then and not really sure as to what the big issues were then, but i feel as if the consequences and meanings of those "jokes" then were not as socially corrupting as they are now a days. People could get away with them more as it seems in todays world, we are much more cautious and careful as to how we approach such things. Back then it was like explained in Giroux's (1999) column where it states "entertainment films appear to fall outside of the worlds values, meaning, and knowledge." Again, today people are a little more sensative to what is shown in media and entertainment, so there must be some thought as to what is being put into these scenes.

After taking this class I have learned to look at sports and our society in a more critical way rather then just accepting something as I see it. Having a critical view allowed me to watch Happy Gilmore in a different way rather than just the comedic view. There were many hidden prejudices and meanings throughout the movie but two that were most apparent to me were the sexism and the sponsorship.

Throughout the movie there were forms of advertising sponsors whether it was during the tour with posters or when Happy Gilmore was the spokesperson for Subway. It was obvious that Gilmore did not live up to societies standards as to what a professional golfer should be. Society has proven that golf is a mostly middle to upper class, white sport. Even though Gilmore did not live up to those standards and was making a joke of the game it didn t matter because he was bringing in money. It was proof that it doesn t matter who plays the sport as long as money is being made. It also showed that money is the main goal in professional sport.

Another major them in the movie was sexism and how women are treated whether they are in high powered positions or not. The movie showed that even though Virginia was the publicist for the tour she was seen by the men as lower than them and of little importance. For example when she asked if she could help Shooter with anything during the tour and he replied by asking her to go get him a soda. Women are often looked at as assistants by men even if that is not there title and are often treated like one as well.

This was especially disturbing to me because I want to pursue a career in sports and public relations. I think it is hard enough to be taken seriously in a high powered position as a woman let alone in the sports industry that is predominantly men.

While watching Happy Gilmore after taking this class, the biggest thing that I noticed was the excessive advertising used throughout the movie. Although the movie did parody the fact that Gilmore was in a Subway commercial, the images used throughout the film were certainly paid endorsements. To begin with, the Subway sandwich logo appeared in almost every scene of the film. Even Gilmore's shirt through most of the movie held the Subway title. Additionally, various sports equipment brands, credit card companies, and Pepsi products were featured. This shows just how overrun our society is with the drive to sell. Even a product (the movie itself) is filled with dozens of ways to get people to buy other products. To me, this seems somewhat ironic. While the movie insults the greedy and glorifies non-monetary values, it is constantly driving the public to spend their money on dozens of different commodities.

I agree with Mongo and his views on this movie. He made very strong points on the sport and religion issues, the sport and gender issues, and the point on the announcer. This wasnt an easy movie to watch critically, but he did a good job on it.

We watched a movie I have seen numerous times in Major League. Before this semester I would have never watched the movie and notice the issues we brought up in class. For example, when the owner of the team was a woman, also a formal erotic dancer. As a society we figure that men are the dominant gender in any position with a franchise, especially in the ownership of one. Her actions in this movie may be a portrait of what it would be like if a woman owned a team so this actually keeps the mindset of the viewers that woman have no business in sport. In this movie she tried to get the team to lose just so she could move the team to Miami, where the weather is warm and they offered her free membership at a country club. Another issue present in this film is when the black Pedro Cerano, who practices the voodoo religion argues constantly with the veteran white pitcher that is a very religous man in practicing the religion of christianity. Eventually, they get along but the issue of discrimination was clearly evident in this film. What was really uncalled for was the mocking of the voodoo religion. Cerano gave up on his religion because he wasnt hitting home runs as he hoped. When he quit his religion, he then hits a home run and that just isnt right when refferring to that religion. These are only a few of the issues we covered in class that were evident in this film, but it was neat to watch this movie from a different perpective rather than just watching for funny lines.

Mconn makes a great point when they discuss how Gilmore's "Happy Place" also diminishies Veronica's female character. Gender plays a huge part in the movie Happy Gilmore and I never realized this the other twenty times I watched this film before.

After watching and analyzing the movie Happy Gilmore, there were several things I never would have noticed before taking this course. Golf is considered to be an upper class sport to be an upper class sport and is portrayed as one in the film. Shooter McGavin is portrayed as a white, upper class male that belongs on the golf course because of his social status. Happy brings a different element to the game of golf in the film, because he is not your stereotypical upper class, well mannered, well dressed golfer most would expect. Gender and race are discussed through out the film as well. The woman reporter feels threatened to cater to the male golfers in to keep her job. There is a comment made referring to the race of one person and that fact that they are black. This shows that stereotypes of race and class still exist today. First, it is crucial that the realm of popular culture that Disney increasingly invades to teach values and to sell goods to children be taken seriously as a site of learning and construction (Giroux, 1999, 108). Why should society be getting an education from Disney movies when if they analyzed, one will realize they are biased and based off of stereotypes. Racism in Disney s animated films is also evident in racially coded language and accents. For example, Aladdin portrays the bad� Arabs with thick foreign accents, while the Anglicized Jasmine and Aladdin steak in standard American English (Giroux, 1999, 105). This quote expands on my point that films still have stereotypes in them and even big name companies like Disney that aim their movies toward children, have racist concepts throughout.

Francesca Terrano makes a good point about genderization in movies. It is rare for a person to not be depicted in a specifically gender oriented role that is dictated by society.

Prior to this class, all of the society effects and stereotypes would not have been as apparent. Major League stereotypes by race and religion to a high degree. A black Cuban who celebrate the Voodoo religion has issues with the Southern Christian on a team where the captain is a washed up but knowledgeable catcher. Women are also typified as sexual object in the movie. The director used the female owner sexually by having the team take patches of clothes off of her every game they win. It uses the female body to attract attention to a part of the movie that may not be as interesting. The people written into the movie are so text book that it is easy to use them to fulfill time in the movie. Also, the commoditization of things in the movies is becoming more apparent. Only certain products were used and though they were not placed as obviously as things are in some movies now, it was made obvious enough to be noticed. There is also use of the underdog story, which is the main them of the movie. The players are has beens� or never had a shot� type of guys in a team that is supposed to be designed to lose. However, they win the pennant over one of the most storied franchises in sport history, the Yankees.

I agree with G. Shaw on how corporations spend so much money to push there products to appear in movies. It was overwelming the amount that Subway and Espn were shown. Happy Gilmore not only made a commericial about Subway but he wore t-shirts to remind viewers as the movie went along.

Happy Gilmore is a movie that is filled with hilarious antics and humor. I ve watched this movie countless times before and have never realized the blatant stereotypes. When we are first introduced to Happy Gilmore s character he is dressed in old t-shirts and baggy jeans or slacks. As he decides to compete on the golf tour he is surrounded by the typical golf stereotype of a clean cut, polo and dress slacks. Even Gilmore s golf equipment is aged. Instead of the typical titanium golf clubs he used the wooden. As his popularity increased his fan base did as well. His fans included a more lower class population such as people bringing beer hats and beach balls to throw around in the crowd. Normally golf is a very quiet and concentrated sport but his fans consisted of all the total opposites. Another example appeared in this movie dealing with male superiority. Shooter McGavin a famous golfer while at one of the tournaments was talking to a woman named Virginia. She was in charge of the marketing and sales of the golf tours. While talking to Shooter, she was interrupted as he asked her to just go get him a Diet Pepsi. He gave no regard to what she had to say and prompted himself as being better. All of the female characters in these films are ultimately subordinate to males and define their power and desire almost exclusively in terms of dominant male narratives� (Giroux, 1999). These two aspects, stereotypes and male supremacy were quite apparent in this comedy and I m quite sure many more movies hold the same subtle issues.

I also agree with moconn7. The scene where Shooter asks Virginia to get him a drink is a perfect example of how women are viewed.

My class watched Happy Gilmore� for the last week. This movie presented many stereotypes throughout the movie. Many of these stereotypes revolved around money. A prominent stereotype was that all golfers are rich and snobby. Shooter McGavin is the epitome of this. He believes that Happy Gilmore is ruining the game of golf because he is bringing excitement to the game. The truth is though, that not all golfers are like that. I golf and I like to get excited when I play and there are even a couple professional golfers who would be considered a little on the wild side� for golf. Another stereotype was that people who did not have as much money had better personalities or were better people. Happy Gilmore definitely fit into this description. Everyone rallied around him and took to him because he was exciting and going against what was accepted as the norm.
Another thing that I would have never noticed before dealt with the bending of the rules of golf. Happy got into a fight on national television. This should have gotten him kicked off the tour, but because he was making golf so much money, they just suspended him. This conveys that it doesn t matter how you act as long as you are valuable. This is not a good message to be sending out to people, especially kids. Giroux says that Given the influence that the Disney ideology has on children, it is imperative for parents, teachers, and other adults to understand how such films influence the values of the children who view them.� I think this is true for every movie, not just Disney. Kids can learn things from any movie that they watch.

I know that my class did not watch Happy Gilmore, but I agree with moconn7, the women in that movie were protrayed in a lesser light compared to the men. Another movie which has underlying gender roles.

I have seen Major League many times before and after watching it during this class I have noticed a lot of things that I hadn t really picked up before. Sponsorship and brand advertisement was much more apparent than before. I never noticed all the small ads and logos everywhere. The subtle name drops or mentions of different products are something that we often over look and realizing how important those ads are made them more apparent. I was also unaware of how much religion was brought up in Major League. They discriminated against one player because he wasn t Christian. There were many arguments and tense moments because of the different religions. Something that really surprised me from this movie was at the end. When Serrano stopped believing in his Voodoo god because he had not helped him hit better, Serrano hit a homerun! It made it seem as though he would not be a good player until he left his Voodoo religion. Gender roles were also very apparent with the actions of Dohrn s wife. She was very soft-spoken and only acted out in response to her husband s cheating. It was also kind of surprising to see so many controversial issues hidden in a comedy. This just proves that these topics and aspects of society are everywhere and impact everything. Major League had a lot of, if not all of our topics that we discussed in class in the movie. It helped reinforce everything that we went over and really bring everything together.

Due to the fact that Happy Gilmore has brought such joy to me over the years in viewing it and just plain enjoying it, it came as a shock to me that there could be so many issues within a humorous sports film like Happy Gilmore. One of the issues that was brought to my attention is the idea that it is not natural� for people from a lower class to play golf. In my personal life I come from a middle to lower middle class background but somehow I was still able to participate in playing golf. It is made quite apparent in the movie through the use of white trash� people to portray how uncivilized people look from Happy s tax bracket. Obviously this is not the case due to the fact that anyone can buy cheap golf clubs and hit the links for a round and be perfectly civilized during their play.
Another huge issue that was brought up was the idea that even sports movies are being used by corporations to push their goods and services to the public that is watching. In a world already full of print, radio, and television advertisements it is hard to believe that this vulgar use of a comedy movie to publicize their company. The first of which is Subway. As if Jared from Subway isn t in the face of Americans enough it is even being promoted in the movie. ESPN is also shown as the media covering golf. This isn t entirely true due to the fact that ESPN doesn t usually carry golf on their networks. So basically this is a corporate ploy to infuse their product in your mind during a simple viewing of the movie Happy Gilmore. Disney also uses corporations to shape the views of children in the same way that is present in this movie.

Questions of ownership, control, and public participation in deciding how cultural resources are used should become a central issue in addressing the world of Disney and other corporate conglomerates that shape cultural policy. (Giroux 1999)

Unfortunately this is the society in which we live. Nothing is sacred in this day and age including movies.

I agree with anyone who talked about how women were portrayed in "Happy Gilmore" and that men superior to all women. But this idea is seen in many other films as well. Also that in many disney films this concept is offten used.

While watching the movie Happy Gilmore� in class last week, not for the first time mind you, it was definitely a different experience and I noticed things that I wouldn t have since taking this course. One of the first issues I noticed touched on sport and class which we discussed in the third week of our class. The situation in the movie was a lower class individual, Happy Gilmore, playing a high class game against an individual of higher class. Evidence of Gilmore s lower class standing was the new demographic he was attracting to the game. His fans were typically loud and obnoxious, while drinking beer and making the event more like a party then a golf tournament. Another thing that I noticed in the movie was how women were represented. Early on in the movie when Virginia was introduced to Shooter, he didn t pay any attention to her all he did was ask her for a diet Pepsi demoralizing the female character. It was almost as if that all Shooter thought she was good for. Another example of was women being portrayed as sex objects. This was shown when Happy imagined his happy place�. In this happy place� it showed Virginia in lingerie waiting for Happy with pitchers of beer. One other thing that I noticed was how Corporate the movie was with many different sponsors show throughout the movie. One which was not so easily noticed was the golf brand Odyssey. This was seen on Happy s new putter that Chubbs gave to him as a gift. Another sponsor that was very easy to pick out was Subway. Happy got sponsored by this food venue for a golf tournament by doing a commercial for the company. This seemed very odd to see a non golf related sponsor but when you see other non golf related sponsors like Michelob at the golfing event it was more acceptable.

Not just in sports movies are aspects of social class, corporatization, and how the female image is portrayed. These can also be found in many Disney films. From Pocahontas to the Little Mermaid, the female image is seen much like in Happy Gilmore�. But Disney is so innocent right? Arial becomes a metaphor for the traditional housewife in the making. When Ursula tells Ariel that taking away her voice is not so bad because men don t like women who talk, the message is dramatized when the prince attempts to bestow the kiss of true love on Arial even thought she has never spoken to him.� (Giroux, 1999) This section from the reading by Giroux explains what kind of messages Disney is sending to the children that watch these films and what these children are learning from these movies.

As many have stated one of the main issues that is presented is the fact that Shooter shows he is superior to Virginia. I agree with that assessment and would also add that he is show higher than Virginia in some of the shots within the film.

If having a new, more critical approach to watching sporting events was not enough, now I have a new outlook on many of my favorite movies. Movies such as Remember the Titans, Glory Road, The Might Ducks, and Happy Gilmore have always been staples within my DVD collection. I have seen each of these movies on many occasions, but there is a sense of hesitation in watching them again due to my new critical approach. There is a lurking fear within that I will view these movies again and not have the same sense of joy that occurred before. The only movie that has been watched since taking this critical approach to watching movies has been Happy Gilmore.

Happy Gilmore is entertaining for many to watch because it is filled with comedy, absurdity, and a story of an underdog. Well, that used to be the reason I enjoyed the movie, but not anymore. After strapping on my critical goggles it became apparent that there are many societal issues that are intertwined throughout the movie. This movie depicts a false notion, which is prevalent in today s society. It shows that males are more superior to females. This is seen when Shooter McGavin tells female, Virginia Venet, to go and get him a soda. What is also interesting about this part in the movie is that Shooter McGavin is standing up on a platform looking down at Virginia. This tries to depict that he is higher or better than her. The other most apparent societal issue in this movie is the issue of class. For the most part, all of the golfers in the movie act dress well, act proper, and talk in a presentable manner. These characters are displaying that they are upper class, well educated citizens. Happy Gilmore on the other hand is modeled after a middle class citizen. He uses lewd language, dresses in baggy or rugged clothing, and does not carry himself like the other golfers. This movie tries to show the vast differences between upper and middle class.

This movie, much like many others, act as teaching tools for many of the children in our society. Disney, in particular, does this more than any other production company. Disney films combine enchantment and innocence I narrating stories that help children who they are, what societies are about, and what it means to construct a world of play and fantasy in an adult environment�. (Giroux, 1999, 84). These movies are telling children values that are stereotypical throughout society. Even though, Disney did not produce Happy Gilmore, this same idea can be applied in looking at the movie. Happy Gilmore is teaching children, if even subconsciously, that males are more powerful than females and that if you are middle class (or upper class), you must act like the characters depicted in the movie. After diving deeper into the viewing of movies, it becomes clear there are many underlying meanings that are present.

To conclude the semester, we chose to watch Happy Gilmore. I've seen this movie a thousand times before, but never actually sat back and analyzed it. There were several things that we discussed in class that were very subtle in the movie. Way back in week 6, we discussed gender differences in sports and what it meant to be a man. The first thing that I noticed in the movie was when Happy was first introduced to golf when the movers were betting him he couldn't do any better than them. He said that golf was a sissy's sport. It seemed as if he felt this way because golf is not a contact sport like hockey. Therefore in the beginning, Happy saw golf as an inappropriate sport for men to be playing. In the first week, we talked about how sports mattered to us. To Happy it was obvious that he was only playing golf for money, but he would always call himself a hockey player. This demonstrated how much the sport meant to him. Another thing was what everyone else has already got to, when Shooter was Happy off the tour because he is ruining the sport. So it goes to show on the other side just how much the sport of golf meant to shooter.

I said it in my post but i do agree with marc ingerma in that it is just amazing how many hidden msgs in sports movies. This class really helps to look deeper at them and see them.

I would like to start off by saying thank you for the pizza and the class; I learned a lot of new information this semester. Now on to this week s response, I love the movie Happy Gilmore Adam Sandler is just hilarious I have seen this movie several times but never looked at in a critical way, I think that is because I just viewed it as a family move like how Giroux talks about Disney films, how critics don t critize them any more, they are a sort of off limits because of the fantasy and meanings of the movies, how they are meant for kids to just have fun and enjoy watching�(Giroux, 1999). But when I watched the movie in class and really thought about what was going on in the film I noticed a couple of things. He was not liked or welcome in the golf industry because he was different he had the attitude of a hockey player, and that is what the fans loved about him. It also showed how money is such a huge part of sports. I mean he would have never been allowed on or even allowed to stay on the PGA tour if it wasn t for the fact that he was a huge ratings boost. He was changing how golf was watched and it was making the golf industry more popular and successful. Its amazing how there is so many hidden underlying issues and not just this movie but almost all movies and TV shows too. Almost any movie out now if you really look hard and pay attention to the little things you will find a deeper issue there.

I agree with Marc Ingerman. It is crazy how many things I have noticed now after taking this class. I guess it might not be quite as entertaining but I feel a lot smarter being able to figure out deeper things.

In Happy Gilmore I noted a few things that I don't think I would have ever thought about before taking this class. Happy Gilmore was extremely inappropriate on the golf course. He would break many rules, including hurting other people and using profanity in front of the cameras. However because of the high ratings that he was bringing to the Pro tour they allowed him to stay. This is a perfect example of our economy because advertisements and making money is most important for major corporations. Morality is not so important as long as the money is flowing in. Speaking of wealth, Shooter McGavin portrayed the typical wealthy white male in our country that is considered in the upper class. He would boss people around, dominate others, and feel superior simply because he had more money than everybody else. He felt very highly of himself and when Happy began to take his popularity away from Shooter, he felt threatened. This stereotype of the high class not wanting the middle class to look better than them was portrayed throughout the entire movie. Another issue that I noticed in the movie was the portrayal of a woman. Shooter made sure that the woman did as he asked. One scene in particular was when he cut her off in the middle of a sentence to ask for a Pepsi. This portrayal showed that men are better than women. This is also seen in Disney movies. Disney movies are known to be extremely symbolic pertaining to world issues. For example, "Jasmine, the princess he (Aladdin) falls in love with, is simply an object of his immediate desire as well as a social stepping-stone. Jasmine's life is almost completely defined by men, and in the end, her happiness is ensured by Aladdin, who is finally give permission to marry her (Giroux, 100)." This obviously is a good example of gender roles, and how men are perceived better than women.

I agree with nychik1021 on the comment about Happy Gilmore and the display of the American dream. Happy was given the opportunity and took it. He pushed himself from middle class to the upper class by the end of the movie which is the dream of ever American to be happy and financially secure.

In watching Major League I have learned to look deeper into movies. I am not saying I don t watch movies for enjoyment and humor. However I am now more aware of things with taking this class and watched the movie form a different perspective. I have seen in television, media and Hollywood putting advertisements into movies and media is a way corporations get a head in the business world. I remember from the movie that the owner wanted to make the team, so bad she could move to the team to Miami getting a stadium and mansion of her own. In trying to achieve this she did everything in her power to make the team give up. She made them fly on their road trip in very old airplane.
This can be put as an example of how the owner being the top of the organization and the players being the bottom of it over came all odds and one. It showed that the little guys even though the players were not over can the adversity of there owner and won. This shows what can happen in the United States people have the opportunities to overcome all things and get what they want in life. The stereotype of the owner and the players is shown very often in films.
Disney portrays this kind of thing in most of their movies. Disney try s to show the good part of life with families. Disney now provides prototypes for families, schools and communities. From the seedy urban haunts of New York City to the spatial monuments of consumption shaping Florida (Giroux, 1999, pg.87).�
I state this because it happens in movies like Major League and is picked up by the public. People will see a movie and they will immediately try and portray what goes on in those movies. They will go and buy the products being advertised in the movie or try and live like those characters in the movie. Movies encompass what I believe society has come to be. We are pushed with movies and media in the world today, yet we a blinded by the actuality of society itself that is effecting each and every one of us. The movies shows the things that are good in the world and the good part and puts the things that are not good that happen in life into the movies but are foreshadowed by the better things.

I also agree with nychik1021's comment on the portrayal of women in Happy Gilmore. Virginia, throughout the entirety of the movie, was simply used as a sex symbol (Example from Happy's daydreams). She also was severaly mistreated right away by Shooter and was treated as a servant.

Having watched Happy Gilmore several times before I already knew that it is known to be a really funny, sarcastic film, as the majority of Adam Sandler movies are. Prior to taking this class, I would have looked at this movie simply as another comedy that is fun to watch. I will admit I did not exactly enjoy watching the movie through such a critical eye, and to an extent, it did kind of ruin the fun of watching it. Forcing myself to look at the film a bit deeper and to see the other side of it did make me realize and recognize some things that I would not have before. One of the biggest trends that I saw in the movie was social status or class in a society. All the other golfers besides Happy wore nice pants like khakis and dressed up formally to play, as is expected. The whole sport of Golf in general is seen as a higher class sport. Happy s rival, Shooter, as an example, wore sweater vests very often, and his attire in general was much dressier than what Happy was wearing. I also noted that people complained about the fans that Happy was attracting, and they made those people look like punk-rockers and rebels, while the others were seen as sophisticated. The film makes it seem like those who do not really play golf or know the sport are trashy and a disturbance to those who do play. The other thing that really stood out to me was how, despite Happy s swearing and outlandish behavior, they kept him in the tournament because their ratings were going up and it was good publicity. It just shows what the media will do to keep their business progressing. Other films that are easy to pick out things by looking at them critically are the Disney films that people all over have come to love. Giroux states, One can t help wondering what is wholesome about Disney s overt racism toward Arabs displayed in Aladdin, the retrograde gender roles at work in The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, and the undisguised celebration of antidemocratic governments and racism evident in The Lion King� (Giroux, Page 86). In several Disney films there are hidden messages and objects that are easy to pick up on. In The Little Mermaid for example, there are phallic symbols that rise from the kingdom that are evident just by looking at the movie cover. It is incredible that just by looking at something like a movie more critically can show you things that you would have never noticed before.

mgenn1 has good points with peopel finding their places in life. Happy gilmore is just one character who learns hockey isnt for him despite trying to. The rags to rches story is a famous one people want to see relating to them. It shows that gilmore trying to win money for his grandma to get her huse back. People wanted to see those kind of stories as it ends happy and in a hilarious manor.

Mike V has god points using different advertisements on the checks paid to the golfers the fake subway comercial. It also showed that happy gilmore didnt get kicked off because ratings increased because of him. This shows the capitalist idea

I agree with Mongo,Race is still shown as important in the movie as well as coiety, but shows events like this help bring people together. It gets different peoples perpectives and views of opinons and behavior as the team progresses.

learned from watching either film that you would not have thought of prior to taking the class. Watching the film Major league for educational purposes made anyone think different. For me I though about how the owner would hope to do anything she could to move the team from cleveland to Miami becuase it offere a stadium, and gave her her own manshion. Personal gain over the public loss. The whole marketing of tee shirts of "Wild thing" and the coming together of the city becuase of the change of sucess of the team. That a team of nobodies came together and put aside personal differences and gains to give to the team. That people of all cultures, and backgrounds were able to come together. The big voodoo slugger and the smart mouthed players and people that were only out for themselves originally came together. The fans also constantly whore and tribal names were used all throughout the movie which was trying to make humor. Some people say its racist. Even the old lady and announcers and new crew dressed upp with indian pride. Everyone got caught up in the excitement. .

I agree with Mongo, that even in these comedic "realistic" movies, there are underlying lessons; such that race is still relevant today and there is still work to be done to remove some of these stereotypes from jokes.

As a conclusion to the semester, our class took upon the task to put everything we ve learned in the course to watch a sport film critically. Using this, I was able to find instances of capitalism and race intertwined with sport movie, and thus, was able to examine Happy Gilmore in a new light. Not only did I feel that my movie experience had changed, I actually felt it was enhanced. As stated before, looking critically at something does not deem it to be in a negative connotation, and in this case, I felt that by looking at the little details of a movie I received much more in return than a simple laugh. For example, one theme portrayed under the comical plot was the use of capitalisms role in sports. Michelob, Visa, AT&T, and ESPN all have roles in the film, either as quick one second screenshots such as ESPN was, or as in the most visible case, each tournament was only a corporate sponsored event. Though this sponsorship was clearly visible, it added realism to a movie where a hard-hitting hockey player somehow becomes the best golfer in America.
Subway restaurants however did take the product placement to a new extreme. Featured initially as a joke for Happy Gilmore to receive monetary funds due to a sponsorship, Subway received more than amble coverage. In the last hour alone, Happy Gilmore wore a Subway t-shirt, ate a sub, and mentioned the restaurant on several occasions. Whether this product placement was paid for or not, it was interesting to see how much a corporate sponsor could intertwine their way into an actual movie. As famed movie reviewer Roger Ebert put it best, Halfway through the movie, I didn't know what I wanted more: laughs, or mustard� (Ebert, 1996).
Another interesting connotation from the movie was its use of race. Early on, Happy asked his soon-to-be mentor Chubbs whether the fact Chubbs was black kept him off the tour in the 1960 s. Chubbs clearly said it was only due to the fact he had lost his hand to a alligator bite, making light of the clear race related issue for the audience. This type of cover up or parenting� of a difficult topic has been a common theme in the past for movies centered toward a younger audience. For example, Disney movies in the past have used its characters such as the Arabic Aladdin during difficult times such as the Gulf War (White, 2007). Disney films combine enchantment and innocence in narrating stories that help children understand who they are, what societies are about, and what it means to construct a world of play and fantasy in an adult environment� (Klein, p.84). This theme was also visible at Chubbs funeral, where Happy shook Chubbs wooden hand (a scene akin to the famous Animal House parade scene where white and black hands shake to symbol unity) and at the ending, where Chubbs appears in heaven with Abraham Lincoln himself.

I agree with Marc when he says watching sporting movies critically basically ruins the experience for the audience. It is hard not to see issues involved, but Hollywood has the ability to make whatever they want.

In class last week we watched Major League. This was a movie about the Cleveland Indians and their run to make the postseason. Although portrayed as comical, when watching this movie critically it was not a comedy anymore. What I mean by this is that the movie Major League depicted several issues For example; all the Indian actions and sayings were stereotypical of Native Americans. The announcer of the Indians would say that s off the reservations� every time a player hit a home run at Jacobs field. The prime example of how Indians are perceived stereotypically in Major League is when the reporter and fans would dress up as what society thinks a typical Indian would look like. The reporter and fans would dance and howl like what is perceived as an Indian dance. They called it Indian Fever�. Another example of a stereotypical issue involved in Major League is the woman that owned the Cleveland Indians. In the beginning of the movie the newspaper portrayed this woman as a showgirl from Vegas that does not know anything about baseball. This is how our woman is perceived today. They do not belong in sports, sports is a male dominated area. Major League showed exactly what society then and now believes about woman in power. The final example depicted in Major League involves the outfielder Pedro Cerrano. Cerrano asks for chicken before a game and what is brought to him, nothing else but KFC. Fried chicken is a stereotypical food for African Americans and this is what was showed in the movie Major League. In the book Children s Culture and Disney s Animated Films it is stated that, needless to say, animated films operate on many registers, but one of the most persuasive is the role they play as the new teaching machines � (Giroux, 1999, pg. 84). However I believe that animated films are not the only films that can be considered as teaching machines�. Realistic movies like Major League, teaches us that discrimination is relevant. All in all, when I first saw Major League I enjoyed it, but after watching it critically proved that discrimination even exists in Hollywood.

Marc Ingerman says exactly what I thought when we finished watching our movie....watching it critically is not fun and it ruins the movie. The problem is I can't help but to notice those things now.

From watching Happy Gilmore, I noticed a few aspects in the film that I would not have typically paid attention. The one main thing is the way the women were portrayed in the film, especially Virginia. The moment she introduced herself to Shooter he resumed the superior wealthy male role dismissing her credibility in public relations and having her serve him with a drink, the typical submissive woman s role.
Shooter who played several of the film s stereotypes discussed in class. He used his wealthy power and status to dominate over Happy when his title was jeopardized. As discussed in class, those with the power make the decisions and rule over those with less money and power. As mentioned previously, the way Shooter treated Virginia as a women meant to serve and not to have a position in the work world. Not only did Shooter portray these images in the way he acted but also in the way he dressed with status and importance. He made others believe he deserves special treatment and should get what he wants such as the fans Happy brought into the stadium.
Happy displayed the American dream in the film by having the opportunity and taking advantage of it to build himself up from middle class to a higher status in money and respect. By the end of the film, everything worked out in his favor and he was better off than in the beginning. He was an average person that treated people with respect which he was acknowledged for.
The film displayed men s dominance over women, the idea wealth equals powers, and the American dream which everyone aims for. If it was not for this class non of these aspects would have been noticed since it is intended to be a silly film.

I agree with Francesca that in alot of sports movies, such as Remember the Titans, there are alot of instances where men should act like men and women like women. Alot of gender issues are seen in movies that make the men superior to women.

In class we watched Happy Gilmore and I noticed some things that I have never realized. When you first watch the movie, you don t realize all the little things that go on that reflect our society. One thing is all the sponsors in the movie. The movie takes place on a golf course most of the time, and corporate sponsors are all over the place, such as Michelob, ESPN and Visa. Corporate sponsors will do anything to advertise and promote their products by putting them in these movies. After watching it in class from a critical view, I realize these little things that go on that people would never notice.
Another thing I noticed was how the gender roles were portrayed in the movie. When Shooter told the woman to stop talking and go get him a diet Pepsi, it made him superior to her. All of the female characters in these films are ultimately subordinate to males and define their power and desire almost exclusively in terms of dominant male narratives� (Giroux, 1999).
Corporate only cares about ratings and making money, as seen in this movie. When Happy acts out in bad behavior, Shooter wants Happy to be kicked out of the tournament, but they keep him on only because corporate says the ratings has never been this high. Social classes are also seen in this movie. Shooter is a man of upper class and is very proper as opposed to Happy who relates to the average working class man. Shooter says Happy is a disgrace to the game because he is not breaking rules but he is not treating the game with the respect that it should.
I am sure there are a lot more things that are not noticed in the film at first glance, but they are there. From now on, I am going to critically look at these sport films and point them out.

I also agreew ith Marc Ingerma,v there are so many hidden messages that we do not see until we critically look at film and in my opinion, this class/approach has helped us greatly to do so.

One of my favorite sport movies of all time is Remember the Titans.� Throughout this semester we have constantly looked at sports in a critical way. This week we continue with that same approach when taking a deeper look at sport films. We can learn a lot from movies, and I feel that they are great to be used as teaching machines� (Girous, 1999). Remember the Titans� is a movie about the game of football. I feel as though this movie is a great way of concluding this class because of all the other subplots involved in this film.
One of the subplots (that we previously talked about in class) is race, and it plays an important role in this movie. The movie takes place at a time where blacks and whites are just starting to be integrated. It discusses the battle that these players had to fight through so they could learn the true meaning of a team.
Gender qualities also play an important role in this movie. In the locker room scene, they call one of the guys sunshine� because he has long hair and is more feminine than most guys. They ignore the fact that he can throw the ball the farthest on the team, and only concentrate on his appearance. This is a common stereotype in sports.
Another important lesson is taught when Coach Boone takes the players to the fields where the battle of Gettysburg took place in order to symbolize that we are one. This covers the part of nationalism we learned about in class. It shows that even when you think you have nothing in common, we are Americans and share that same sense of pride.
I really enjoy sports and I enjoy movies, so I appreciate a good sports film. I have watched Remember the Titans� countless times before this class and this week. However, now with the state of mind and background knowledge I have developed throughout the semester, I realize how many topics covered in class are represented through this movie. Critically looking at this film, it was easy to pick out race, gender and nationalism were all incorporated (just to name a few). I had never realized this before when watching this movie in my leisure time. Overall, it was a good experience to take a deeper look at this film.

I agree with marc ingerman when he says I relaized that sport films have so many hidden messages. This is very true and I did not realize this until taking this class.

After watching the film Happy Gilmore, I have learned certain pieces of information in which without this class I would have not been able to acquire. One of the main things brought up in class was how to critique a movie, to look deeper into the movie than just the plot itself. By learning to look deeper into a movie, I was able to detect more ideas about the film. There were two main occurrences I discovered in the film. First, is when Gilmore repeatedly tries out for the hockey team, attempting to make it, but constantly gets denied by the coaches. One would think after being denied ten times they would get the idea that there is a reason for not making the team. Secondly, the coaches did not care about Gilmore trying out at all since they already had a predetermined list of kids who were going to make the team. The coaches would just laugh at Gilmore and say better luck next year,� even though Happy Gilmore would never make the team because of the coaches predetermined list. Disney movies are known to be teaching tools for little kids. To a little kid watching this Disney movie, they would hear the coaches say better luck next time� and interpret as if they had a chance to make it next year when in reality, he had no chance. In reference to the reading for this week, Disney films combine enchantment and innocence in narrating stories that help children understand who they are, what societies are about, and what it means to construct a world of play and fantasy in an adult environment� (Klein 84). Although Disney films portray positive learning experiences for little children, some scenes have more of a negative meaning than it appears on the surface. Such scenes include the two described earlier in this paper. With Disney films being a key learning component for little kids, it is important for Disney to demonstrate positive scenes and plots, keeping the pessimistic scenes to a minimal. By adhering to encouraging and positive scenes, Disney will be sure to promote constructive learning for young children.

In our class we watched major league. It was a movie that I had never seen before and watching it critically was not to fun becasue it ruined the movie but in the end I relaized that sport films have so many hidden messages. For example when they were in the locker room after a game there was a female reporter. Why wasn' t there a male reporter.It was interesting becasue you never really look at these things but when I did I noticed that on the sidelines and in most locker rooms there are female reporters. This is how gender plays a role in sports and in this movie in particular. There was also a scene where the team was eating. The the table you could find the most sterotypical foods. They had cut up watermelon and fried chicken two of the most sterotypical foods for African Americans. This is something if I was just watching the movie I would not have picked up on at all. I would have merely glanced over it as I would many other parts of the play. Also there was an example of how the women wanted the team to move to florida I believe. This was mostly based on her postion in the front office and what she would gain from the move. She would have gotten a new mashion of a house or something really nice by the move. I also noticed in the front office the people were all white. This is still mainly true today but it is starting to turn over and there are some minorites up there. Overall the movie was a good experience and looking at it critically proved a good thing.