CAP Report MAR-0063, ANACONDA (1997)

ChildCare Action Project:
Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

Entertainment Media Analysis Report
MAR-0063
Anaconda (1997) PG-13
CAP Score: 36
CAP ID: 1.34

Thomas A. Carder
CAP President

ALERT: To fully understand this report you should first visit the topics suggested by the CAP Home Page Table of Contents.

Holy Crossbar

Anaconda was a very good example of how the movie rating system has become lenient over recent years. Our same numeric analysis comparative database that was used on movies just a few years ago was used on this movie. When the database was developed, R-rated movies generated a score of 53 and below. Now movies like Anaconda which generate a CAP score of 36 are rated PG-13! I would like to repeat this in a different way -- the very same identical numeric analysis comparative database used on movies that earned a R score (53 and less) just a few years ago generates a lesser score for some PG-13 movies today! Kinda says something about the movie rating system, huh?

Anaconda was an extremely violent movie (W). Animal attacks and animal consumption of humans were the "soup of the day." One of the 'favotie' techniques of the producers was to show the snake chomping on the face of the victim. As a scene in the drawn-out finale of violence, choreographers built a set to protray the viewer being inside the snake and watching the snake eat Jon Voight -- just to later regurgitate the slimed yet alive and winking body of Voight.

The movie also bombarded the viewer with a great deal of foul language (I)⁽¹⁾. Sexual material (S) was present about 15 times per hour. Light drinking (D) was present but reliance on the PG-13 rating to assure you of not having to listen to the use of God's name in vain (O)⁽²⁾ with the four letter explicative? Forget it! Of course murder by strangulation subracted points from the Murder/Suicide (M)⁽³⁾ scoring of Anaconda as did suicide.

Below is the table showing the scoring in each of the Investigation Areas plus the Final Score drawn from the actual CAP Report. In addition, the CAP Influence Density (ID) figure for the movie and the number of examples per hour of unacceptable material in each of the Investigation Areas is provided.

Anaconda (1997) CAP Scorecard

In accordance with the comparative baseline data of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model, Anaconda presented material equivalent to R-rated material in Wanton Violence/Crime, Impunity/Hate, Sex/Homosexuality, and Offense to God. The CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model revealed Anaconda to be equivalent to G-rated material in Drugs/Alcohol and Murder/Suicide. Thus, Anaconda was equivalent to the comparative baseline data corresponding to 67% R-rated material and 33% G-rated material.

(1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend", of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impunity/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

(2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary without God's name is incorporated into the Impunity/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the three/four letter word vocabulary is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no dupication. As required of the Holy Scriptures, unless God's name is used with reverence to His glory and praise, its use is considered in vain, whether literal or euphemistic.

(3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Presentation of attempts to commit murder or suicide, deaths by police action, and deaths by war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.

Please remember we believe that if even one of the six Investigation Area scores for a movie is equivalent to the CAP comparative baseline database scoring range for R, PG-13, or PG material, the entire movie should be regarded as so rated. For example, if only Wanton Violence/Crime earns a score equivalent to R but all other Investigation Areas earn a score equivalent to G, THERE IS R-RATED MATERIAL IN THE MOVIE AND YOUR KIDS WILL SEE IT AND HEAR IT IF THEY WATCH THE MOVIE!

Additional reviews of this movie may be located at "Cinemachine: The Movie Review Search Engine."

The ChildCare Action Project (CAP) is a nonprofit Christian ministry. We rely on public support. If you wish to contribute to the CAP, please send your donations toChildCare Action Project Post Office Box 177 Granbury, TX 76048-0177 Tax exemption applies in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Codes. Please feel free to write to us. You are welcome to Go back to the CAP Reports Page or Top of the CAP Home Page or CAP Table of Contents or leave me an email message or comment at cap@capalert.com Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you. Prayerfully, we will provide you with some of the most revealing commentary and investigative reporting you have ever read. In the sweet and holy name of Jesus: Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God. Thomas A. Carder President ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP) Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP) 1997