EXAMPLES:
12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)
A ‘free’ black man is kidnapped into slavery and battles to survive the cruelty of his owner.
The Insider (Michael Mann, 1999)
A whistle-blower tries to expose the corruption within the tobacco industry but faces huge obstacles.
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (Marc Rothemund, 2005)
During World War II a small group of German students begins to question the Hitler regime. Inevitably, this leads to a reaction from the Gestapo that has fatal consequences.
In its original form, Polti identified this situation as ‘Conflicts with Gods’ in which ‘Gods’ would have been defined as:
A designated symbolic deity that the population could revere, obey, thank or blame, thus creating a unity.
EXAMPLE:
Clash of the Titans (Desmond Davis, 1981)
The ‘Mortals’ struggle to resist the power of the gods over their lives.
The invention of gods or God was a politically motivated idea aimed at pointing large populations in the same direction, thus making them easier to unify and, therefore, control. By creating an abstract leader (whom the majority agreed was the boss), it also dispensed with the problematic issues of continuity of power. Mortal leaders were chosen by the gods through theatrical ritual.
When we refer to God and gods in a religious context, we are in fact referring to the politics of power and control, the very stuff of good drama!
At the time of the publication of Polti’s book, huge scientific discoveries were already challenging the existence of God as the Creator of life and our world, but drama was slow to absorb these changes in perception. In the 21st century scientific evidence has changed our perceptive landscape to such an extent that religions can function only as a result of faith – in other words, a deeply rooted trust and belief in matters that are without scientific foundation.
How to redefine ‘Conflicts with Gods’? If we substitute for ‘Gods’ any person elevated by the majority of the community to ‘godlike’ status, we can have interesting variations.
We are also implying a kind of straitjacket, a situation where (unlike (8) REVOLT) there is no possibility of a radical change within the status quo and the struggle will be within a contained set of rules.
(1) Hitler, at his peak, was a god to the majority of the German population. To a greater or lesser extent Mao, Stalin and Mussolini were also ‘gods’. Their photographs were widely posted in every public building and individuals were encouraged to display the images in their houses – a pattern common to most religions. What all ‘gods’ seem to have in common is the use of power and force as an essential element in their status.
(2) Power of society. For hundreds of years the power of the state in the American south was based on slavery. 12 Years a Slave shows one man’s conflict with this ‘godlike’ power.
(3) Moguls, capitalists and oligarchs. While they are not universally worshipped, within their vast financial empires they wield great power, command respect and are feared. Their financial power gives them control over many lives and families.
EXAMPLE:
Erin Brockovich (Steven Soderbergh, 2000)
Erin Brockovich takes on the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and wins. Based on a true story.
(4) Struggle with a DEITY. Any struggle with these ‘gods’ will involve the fierce loyalty of the deity’s followers and disciples. And as with all of the other possible scenarios of situation 31, there is a large element of ‘blind faith’, something that is hard to turn around.