CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Film is a story recorded as a set of moving pictures to be shown on the television or at the cinema. It is also a roll on shut of flexible plastic that is sensitive to light for the use of in photography. Film also known as movie or motion pictures is series of still moving image. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects. It is considered to be important for a source of popular entertainment, a power method for educating or indoctrinating people especially children.
According to Cook (2007) Films are mad up of sources of individual images called frames. When these images are show rapidly in succession, a viewer has the illusion. Film as medium of mass communication has its major role to play in the society which to educate, entertain and inform the audience.
According to Chamber Dictionary of twentieth century “film is a thin skin of mainframe coated with a very sensitive substances for taking photographs of a ribbon of celluloid prepared with such a coating for instantaneous photographs for protection by cinematography a motion pictures series.
According to Balogun (1987)”Film can be classified in Europe film, American, Chinese film, Nigerian film length feature films.
All these classification can produce violent films, comic films, entertainment film etc.
By “Violence” we mean any form of aggressiveness or use of physical force such as boxing, fighting, rape, killing, stealing, shooting and wrestling to mention but a few which are displayed on our television screen or recorded by our film industries on video tape recorder.
According to Concise Oxford Dictionary of current English, violence can be defined as unlawful exercise of physical force, intimidation. It adds that violence has to do with conduct or treatment, outrage, injury. Children are young boys or girls, sons and daughters, babies or infants who are under the influence of their parent or guardians, children can be influenced by other factors such as films or peer groups.
According to the American Academy of paediatrics (APA) [2005] “Children are influenced by media, they learn by observing, imitating and making behaviours on their own.
It is quite depression to note that since inception of violent films, there has been increased incident of violent behaviours in children. For instance, a child after watching violent film is seen as imitating the models by using his fellow play mate for demonstration. This has led to a child injuring another in the process of imitating his ideal hero. Few movies found to be capable of injecting violence acts into children includes: House of wax, Scarface commando, pretty woman etc. these movies all displayed horrible series, rape and illicit taking hard drugs. Children learn from what they see, even if it is on big screen. Children spend a substantial amount of time in watching the television, he or she catch a glimpse of violent act which goes contrary to the ethics of the society.
In Nigeria, there are audience member of home video films who are influenced in one way or another by the subjects treated in Nigerian films which involves subjects that are detrimental to the well being Nigerian society. They portray cases of virtual killings, armed robbery, prostitution, rapes, disease, and other immoral behaviours and it is shown in such a way that viewers are confused abut whether they are right norms or not that is why Frank Aig Imoukhuede in Opubor (1995) confirms that “many Nigerians have complained of the poisonous content of films shown on the screen in Nigeria. A great number of people have criticised the nation’s television for featuring materials which contradicts r erode the quality of life and undermine the peoples value and norms, saying that what is needed as films for self projection which present the facts and figures of life in Nigeria.