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nationalist narratives in sci-fi film

For a serious, intellectually astute analysis of narratives of nationalism in science fiction films, click the link above to head to this essay from the Bright Lights Film Journal. Author Gary Morris places SF movies in the context of uniquely American myths of "endless expansion" and "a utopian future of peace and power." He compares SF stories with the archetypal themes of films in the Western genre, and teases out allegories of Cold War and racial anxieties in movies like "When Worlds Collide" and "Creature from the Black Lagoon." He goes on to place other indicative films from the 1960s, '70s, and '80s in the cultural context in which they were produced. A fascinating read, an a persuasive argument that even the most fantastic-seeming SF movie is formed with its era's cultural agendas imbedded within it.

Wed, 12 Jan 2000 08:51:45 -0800