|
Documentary about Massillon, Ohio, a town obsessed with
their high school football team, the Tigers, self-described as "the greatest show in
high school football." For instance, townspeople are buried in Tiger adorned caskets,
and when boys are born in Massilon a tiny football is put in their bassinet before they
leave the hospital. A blue-collar steel town, many who live there say that the Tigers are
all that gives them hope, but citizens may just vote against a crucial tax levy for the
school if the tigers do not win the season. Directed, written and produced by Kenneth A.
Carlson. [1:43]
SEX/NUDITY 3 - A young man and woman kiss a few times. Young couples are
shown dancing and kissing at a prom. There are several scenes which show young men
shirtless exposing bare chests and backs, and we see cheerleaders in short-skirted
uniforms which expose thighs. Cheerleaders dance with wiggling hips and tumbling moves.
Men (bare-chested) and women (with bare midriffs) are shown painted with team colors, and
one man wiggles his ample stomach as a victory dance. A young man talks about having been
in jail for rape. A bulldog mounts and thrusts on another bulldog.
VIOLENCE/GORE 4 - A young man nearly cuts his finger off with a saw and we
see the stitched up wound (once, some skin is removed from the wound with scissors). There
are many scenes of football violence; players ramming each other on the field with lots of
grunting, players piling on top of each other, etc. A couple of injuries occur on the
football field: one player is hit so hard in the head that he is dizzy and there is a
remark that he may have a concussion, another young man hurts (we think it's broken) his
ankle. We see a young man with a trickle of blood on his chin, and a group of young men
chug beer and one ends up vomiting repeatedly. A tiger cub jumps up on a boy (in play) and
scratches his arm. A young man talks about having been in jail for rape. A man relates a
story about a boy being abused by his father to the point of causing him to go deaf. A
player and a coach yell at the team several times in order to get them fired up for a
game. Football players pound on each other's helmets and head-butt each other with their
helmets. We see a young man with a pierced tongue, we watch as someone gets a tattoo on
his arm, and a young man has a bandage on his head. We hear a 911 call as someone reports
a rock having been thrown through their kitchen window.
PROFANITY 6 - 17 F-words (one is spelled out), 17 scatological terms, 11
anatomical terms, 10 mild obscenities, 2 religious exclamations. [profanity glossary]
DISCUSSION TOPICS - School spirit, conforming, being ostracized, rivalry,
broken families, respect, expectations, character, tax levy, enthusiasm, favoritism,
pressure to succeed, recruiting violations.
MESSAGE - Conform or be destroyed. Academics vs. athletics.
(Note: There is a lot of pressure put on the young men of this town to play
football and to win. Young men are shown chewing tobacco, and young people are shown
heavily drinking alcohol at parties.)
|
