Theatrical Interest and its Relation to Intellectual Capacity: Should Musical and Cinematic Analysis Possess a Greater Role in the Academic World?

            Marshall McLuhan, a famed English professor most noted for his work in media theory, once said, “Anyone who tries to make a distinction between education and entertainment doesn’t know the first thing about either” (Johnson). His rash approach at identifying the direct relationship between entertainment and its educative potential introduces a curiously astonishing notion: the analytic review of movies, music, or other forms of theatrical pleasure may offer a similar intellectual experience as the study of prototypical academic subjects like literature, mathematics, or science. McLuhan simultaneously implies that an interest in theatrical material is suggestive of one’s cognitive capabilities, indicating mental capacity and aptitude. Stereotypically, entertainment is viewed as a mere past time or hobby, but, upon further reflection, this field of study offers a wealth of informative and enlightening knowledge, likely having the ability to boost one’s personal acumen and proficiency. In this brief investigation of the correlation between mental capacity and the study of entertainment, I intend to discuss the colossal influence of music and film on the intellect.

            It was approximately 1994, and I had just witnessed greatness, at least that’s what my three-year old mind told me. I had never seen a 112-minute piece of such “brilliant” acting or cleverly constructed scenes, especially since my mother forced me to watch such juvenile shows as Barney, Mr. Rogers, and, most horrifyingly, Lamb Chop. Despite my distaste for these infantile programs, I sucked it up and watched, and watched, and watched. It was only at the peak of my despair was I introduced to pure movie magic, also known as “Free Willy.” Through the movie, I was introduced to a place of tranquility and peace, a feeling, even as a child, I rarely attained, but found through the movie. Then, in addition to my sensations of cinematic bliss, I was introduced to an object even more powerful, the ultimate nursery rhyme, I should say. I am referring to the theme song of the film: Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There.” I became obsessed. I would eat, sleep, and breathe the song. I would make my mother play it on repeat in the car and I would throw tantrums if she didn’t (I still know all of the words!). I really cannot say where my intrigue with the ballad stemmed from or why it resonated with me so much, but I am certain that it had a major effect on the way I view entertainment. Specifically, even at such a young age, I understood, in some way, that there is a beautiful, cognitive synthesis between a viewer and a film, or between a listener and a song. This type of unification, I have personally discovered, parallels the type of intellectual relationship a student might have with a piece of literature or mathematical proof. Watching a movie and listening to a song both require the mind to comprehend the artistic or directorial vision, very similar to the conditions of reading a book through an analytic lens, or completing an arithmetical problem.

            The apparent cognitive relationship between the arts and the individual’s mind has obviously been a subject of intense debate among scholars, politicians, and, of course, students. According to Richard Allen Baker Jr.’s dissertation, “The Relationship between Music and Visual Arts Formal Study and Academic Achievement on the Eighth-Grade Louisiana Assessment Program (LEAP) Test,” students may attain greater academic success through the study of the arts. Baker explains that students who have received insufficient grades on standardized tests in the Louisiana public schooling system are excused from musical and performance study, only given study time for English and math (Baker 1). Though he makes it clear that such artistic study may not necessarily boost or dramatically increase test scores, he concludes that, “Allocated arts instructional time, dance and theatre included, is essential to develop an educated citizenry and support a civilized society. Allocation of arts instruction does not detract from effective curriculum delivery in English and mathematics” (170). Meaning, by taking away musical or theatrical study, there is no particular advantage given to struggling students and, in some ways, taking this type of study away may be more of a detriment to a student’s success.

            Baker offers a brief history of various educators who endorsed the idea of arts in education, exposing its ability to improve, advance, and cultivate cognition. He explains, “Arts integration was viewed as the guiding principle to develop necessary decision making to guide all aspects of the learners’ lives” (26). He continues, “The laws of design, i.e., rhythm, balance, harmony, coherence, dominance, and subordination, guided all experiences of schooling. Creative activities developed an intelligent appreciation of the best in literature and art, and the habits of intelligent discrimination guided decision-making” (26).

            Now, I won’t go into thorough detail about Baker’s study at the risk of boring you to tears, but I will say he discovered that students who studied music scored noticeably higher on standardized tests than those who did not. In regard to students who study visual arts, he found no significant information differentiating them from students who do not study visual arts. Despite this, there was no information suggesting that the study of visual arts is detrimental to a student’s academic performance (Baker). If you would like to see specific numbers, I invite you to look at my works cited and retrieve the dissertation yourself through an academic or university database.

            Though Baker offers incredible support for the need of artistic study in an academic setting, some of the greatest and most influential minds have earnestly endorsed this notion. In the article, “Einstein on Creative Thinking: Music and the Intuitive Art of Scientific Imagination,” Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein propose the idea that musical and artistic study provide a foundation for creative and professional achievement, using Einstein as the prime example. (I discovered this article a couple of months ago and I fell completely in love with it, mainly for its diligent portrayal of Einsten’s passion for music and his admission of music’s influence on his professional work.) The Bernsteins explain, “Einstein shows us how it all connects. But what do our students typically get, especially in high school and college? They get math without music. They get science without images, feelings and intuition. They get knowledge without imagination” (Bernstein 3). Clearly, the study of music in an academic setting is only beneficial to a student, especially in other areas of his or her learning environment.

            Transitioning from the effect of musical study on the mind to that of film, Elizabeth van Hess suggests that a degree in film studies may generate a personal skill set that could possibly benefit an individual in a political or even business-like arena. In her article for the New York Times, “Is a Cinema Studies Degree the New M.B.A.?.,” Hess exposes the flexibility of this degree type, interviewing various collegiate film studies faculty members and film majors who have continued on to law school and even advertisement. Hess states, “At a time when street gangs warn informers with DVD productions about the fate of ‘snitches’ [while]…terrorists…communicate in…staged videos, it is not altogether surprising that film school - promoted as a shot at an entertainment industry job - is beginning to attract those who believe that cinema isn’t so much a profession as the professional language of the future” (Hess 1). Evidently, the study of film is worth more than a silly hope to strike it big in the world of entertainment, it could possibly increase the welfare and integrity of our culture and nation. The study of film should not be a choice; it should be a general requirement in schooling systems, much like math, science, or literature.

            I’ve discussed the overall benefits of music and film on the individual. I’ve even offered concrete proof of its advantages in the real and academic world. Now, I propose a challenge to you, the reader: by the end of the month, or week, for that matter, watch 3 or more new movies you’ve never seen before and listen to music that you’re not normally inclined to listen to. If you’re someone who likes country, listen to some Jay-Z or Kanye, if you’re someone who likes pop, listen to some alternative music like The Kooks or The Black Keys (two of my favorite bands!). Please, let me know if you’re up to the challenge! I would love to hear back from you and, most importantly, good luck!

WORKS CITED

Baker, Richard Allen, Jr. "The Relationship between Music and Visual Arts Formal

Study and Academic Achievement on the Eighth-Grade Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) Test." Online Submission (2011). ERIC. Web. 13 Jan. 2012.

Johnson , Leslie. "Marshall McLuhan: How a Pre-Internet Academic Changed the Way

We Think About the Web." Behavior Change & Technology. N.p., 09/06/2011. Web. 13 Jan 2012. <http://www.behaviourchangeandtechnology.org/2011/06/marshall-mcluhan-how-a-pre-internet-academic-changed-the-way-we-think-about-the-web/>.

Root-Bernstein, Michele, and Robert Root-Bernstein. "Einstein on Creative Thinking:

Music and the Intuitive Art of Scientific Imagination." Psychology Today. 31 3 2010: n. page. Web. 13 Jan. 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/imagine/201003/einstein-creative-thinking-music-and-the-intuitive-art-scientific-imagination>.

Van Ness, Elizabeth. "Is a Cinema Studies Degree the New M.B.A.?." New York Times

6 /3/ 2005, n.pag. Web. 13 Jan. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/movies/06vann.html?pagewanted=print&position=>.