Frodo & Harry: Understanding Visual Media and Its Impact on Our Lives

by Ted Baehr, Tom Snyder

There is a war afoot between two fantasy worlds. The feature films based on The Lord of the Rings trilogy has reawakened popular interest in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastical creatures. Meanwhile, Harry Potter fans devour every installment of J.K. Rowling's best-selling series. While both series have ardent fans and some similarities, is there actually an important difference between the two? How are readers and moviegoers to think about Frodo and Harry? This book contrasts the fantasy worlds of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, showing their very different worldviews. Using Harry and Frodo as a lens to examine media entertainment as a whole, the authors show us how to make wise choices, because there's more at stake than just a book or a movie - it's a way of looking at the world. Discerning readers and thoughtful parents will find this book an eye-opener about what they're being taught through the entertainment they choose. Ted Baehr, an award-winning producer, writer and director, is chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission, a division of Good News Communications, Inc., and serves as the publisher of A Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment. He writes a nationally syndicated column and is the author of numerous books, including What Shall We Watch Tonight? and The Media-Wise Family. Tom Snyder is vice president of Good News Communications, Inc., and an editor for MOVIEGUIDE. He is an experienced journalist and film scholar, having taught in the Radio-TV-Film Department at Northwestern University, where he completed a Ph.D. in film studies. He is also the author of Myth Joseph Campbell and the New Age.

Genres: Cultural, Christian, Nonfiction, Film

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

About the author

Ted Baehr is the founder and Chairman of The Christian Film & Television Commission™ and Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE®, aka http://www.movieguide.org, a family guide to entertainment. An award-winning media authority often on television, radio and print, his purpose is to be used by God to redeem the mass media and to encourage families to use wisdom in selecting their entertainment. His many books include How To Succeed In Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul), The Media-Wise Family, Narnia Beckons, Faith In God & Generals, The Amazing Grace Of Freedom, and The Culture-Wise Family, among many others. For more information, please visit www.movieguide.org.

Reviews

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Harry Potter and I like lord of the rings so i thought I'd like this. I was raising my eyes through most of it

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I only read about half the book, I skimmed so much and skipped a few whole chapters.
Overall did make me more aware of how important media is, and the ideas it presents. Discernment would be very important. I found the section on what kids are most susceptible to at what age to be really interesting.

[Trishelle Lin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made some great points, but it was also rather drawn out for how much information the authors had. I felt like they just kept repeating the themselves. Although they had some great points, I didn't need to read about them three times.