What drives Hollywood? Are they driven by profits, or by something else? World reported (August 20, 2005) on a study of movie profits done by the Dove Foundation. They found that in 1989 to 2003 that G-rated films released during that period generated an average of $80 million per movie. On the other hand, R-rated movies released during that period generated an average of $7 million per film. So naturally, Hollywood wanted to produce more G-rated films? Of course not. G-rated films accounted for 4 percent of the films, and R-rated films accounted for 52 percent of the films.

            It kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it. If G-rated movies are more profitable, why are they still producing so many R-rated movies? I realize the statistics above end in 2003, but I don’t see any evidence of a change since then. Even The Passion of the Christ was rated R. At Sam’s Club recently I noticed that the critically acclaimed pro-homosexual film Brokeback Mountain (rated R) was bundled with another movie so that people would buy it.

            Why doesn’t Hollywood get it? I believe it is partly due to laziness or lack of ability among those who make movies. It is a whole lot easier to throw in some sex and get the movie to the theaters than to put in the effort and talent needed to produce something that is really worthwhile and worth watching.

            And then there is the fact of the one who controls our secular world (and Hollywood). “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). We can rejoice that we belong to God, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

If Not Profits, What?
By Bob Prichard
www.oxfordchurchofchrist.com