When you mutilate movies for mass media, you tamper with the

Hear now the words of Warren Beatty, a voice of the cinematic world, who spoke with urgency and conviction: "When you mutilate movies for mass media, you tamper with the hearts and minds of America." These words strike with the force of a warning, for they reveal the power of film—the power to shape, to mold, and to influence the very soul of a people. Beatty speaks not merely of movies as a form of entertainment, but of movies as a force—a force that can elevate or diminish, heal or wound, guide or mislead the hearts and minds of the masses. When we alter or distort this force for the sake of popularity or mass consumption, we risk damaging not just the art itself, but the very integrity of the culture it represents.

Consider, O seekers, the nature of art and truth. A movie is not just a collection of images or sounds—it is a reflection of the world, of humanity itself, a vessel in which stories, emotions, and ideals are carried. Just as the ancient bards told stories of gods and men, weaving lessons of morality, valor, and love, so too do films capture the essence of human experience. When these films are tampered with—cut, edited, or altered to fit the desires of mass media—we distort not only the message of the story, but the very fabric of the truth it seeks to tell. We desecrate a powerful force, rendering it hollow and meaningless.

Think of the ancient art of storytelling, which held the power to shape the minds of entire civilizations. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey were not mere tales, but guiding myths that carried the wisdom of the ages. The heroes of these stories—Achilles, Odysseus, Hector—were not just figures on a page, but symbols of values and struggles that defined their culture. If these tales had been watered down, edited, or mutilated, their message would have been lost, and the generations that followed would have been deprived of their moral compass. Movies, like these ancient stories, have the same power to influence the hearts of the people. When altered for shallow purposes, they no longer carry the weight of their truth—they become mere shadows of what they once were.

In our own time, we see this truth reflected in the mass media of the modern world. How often do we see films and stories reduced to their simplest, most palatable forms, edited to satisfy the lowest common denominator? How many times have the rich, complex layers of a film been stripped away in favor of easily digestible soundbites, designed only to capture fleeting attention? Consider the experience of Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, a film that painstakingly portrays the horrors of the Holocaust. Were it to be edited for mass consumption, to fit neatly into a two-hour window with the emotional depth diminished, the world would not have felt the full impact of the tragedy—the weight of the historical loss would have been lost. This is the danger Beatty warns us against. When films are reduced to mere spectacle, we diminish the very lesson they were meant to teach.

Let us also remember the power of propaganda throughout history. Consider the use of cinema during the reign of Nazi Germany, when Leni Riefenstahl’s films such as Triumph of the Will were crafted not as true representations of events but as tools of manipulation. The media was used to shape minds, to glorify a false ideology that would lead to immense suffering and loss. Riefenstahl’s artistry, though powerful in its form, was perverted for the purposes of an oppressive regime. The distortion of truth in cinema, as Beatty warns, can have far-reaching consequences, tampering with the hearts and minds of nations, leading them down dangerous paths.

And so, O children of the future, what lesson can we take from this warning? Art is sacred, and film—like all art—is a reflection of the human soul. When we tamper with that reflection, when we cut away the truth to fit it into neat, easily consumed packages, we risk losing the very heart of what it means to be human. We must, as individuals and as a society, approach cinema with reverence, knowing that it has the power to shape our world. Just as the great bards of old told stories that shaped the cultures they belonged to, so too does the cinema of today influence the hearts of those who watch it.

Therefore, let this wisdom guide your path. Seek not to dilute the power of art for the sake of convenience or profit. When you engage with the world of movies, whether as a creator, a critic, or a consumer, do so with the understanding that you are participating in something much larger than mere entertainment. You are shaping the hearts and minds of those who experience it. Stand firm in your commitment to truth, and honor the integrity of the stories that are told, for in doing so, you honor not just the art, but the very spirit of humanity itself. Let no one mutilate the sacred act of storytelling, for in it lies the power to elevate, to heal, and to guide generations to come.