A Study in Cultural Conflict: the Controversy Surrounding Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (open access)

A Study in Cultural Conflict: the Controversy Surrounding Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ

When the filmed version of The Last Temptation of Christ was released in the United States, it met with significant protests from conservative Christians who felt it was blasphemous. Using the controversy surrounding the film and its reception in Austin, Texas, this is a case study in censorship as a social process and in the cultural conflict it signifies. Certain societal factors must converge to create an art controversy. Through an examination of the film, the groups involved in the protest, and the social and political climate at the time, some of these factors are described. Imbedded in this controversy are the underlying tensions that permeate many modern cultural debates: shifting ideas of the sacred and the profane and definitions of moral authority.
Date: December 1995
Creator: Scheffler, Lisa K. (Lisa Kathryn)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Production Trends in the Utilization of Commercial Multi-Image Presentations Produced in Dallas During the High Growth Years 1979-1981 (open access)

Production Trends in the Utilization of Commercial Multi-Image Presentations Produced in Dallas During the High Growth Years 1979-1981

This study was designed to determine the general volume of multi-image production in Dallas County, Texas from 1979 through 1981 as categorized by: the presentation, number of projectors utilized, and by relevant aspects of presentation with analysis of 85 respondents. The questionnaire yielded 633 variables in the computer analysis. The study revealed significant growth in multi-image production with the 1981 total being more than twice the 1979 total. 1988 consensus indicates that the multi-image use is dictated by the business climate. Having been adopted initially, it is retained by those who find it effective and a suitable medium for larger screens.
Date: May 1989
Creator: McCracken, Bruce (Bruce Edward)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Channel 2, Denton, Texas: A Retrospective (open access)

Channel 2, Denton, Texas: A Retrospective

This study explored the evolution of Denton's VHF educational television assignment Channel 2, from its inception on April 14, 1952, to September 2, 1977. The problem was to discern why the channel remained inactive for twenty-five years. Chapters explore the attempts of broadcast interests to acquire control of the channel, and discuss why they were unsuccessful. The study concludes that a lack of finances, combined with the apathy and self-interests of Denton's educational leaders, prevented the channel's utilization. Federal Communications Commission policy allowed Denton's educators more time to raise money for a Denton station. Other conclusions suggest that the channel not be reassigned and that it be activated.
Date: August 1978
Creator: Felber, Mark D.
System: The UNT Digital Library