Using media in the classroom

Since I dont teach English, I dont teach about literary techniques or themes. And I probably wouldn't show the film adaptation of a novel unless it had some sort of historical relevance. I think social studies teachers are infamous for showing movies all the time, and while I try not to fall into that stereotype, there are so many nice, historical movies that fit into just about any curriculum. So outside of just showing a historical movie so students have a sorta visual of that time period, here is another idea. I was thinking today as I re-read an excerpt from Machiavlli's, The Prince, which we will be looking at in a couple weeks, that the whole "it is best to be loved and feared but if you can't be both, be feared" thing reminds me a mob boss. I thought that maybe we could watch a scene from a mobster movie or The Sopranos and then have them compare and contrast the philosophies behind both "characters". How does each make their decisions? What is important to each figure? Why? How do they interact with others?