Compare how key messages and values are explored in the two American films you have studied in reflecting the period they were made

The two films that I have studied are ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ (IOTBS) (1950s) and ‘War of the Worlds’ (WOTW) (2005).

In IOTBS they use the genre of Sci-Fi to help reflect the period that they were in.

The positives of using sci-fi is that it allows the writers and the directors to use a ‘What if?’ scenario. This means that they can explore themes and scenarios that would not be able to be explored in a period drama or a romantic comedy genre film. This is shown in IOTBS, as it seems to revolve around four common themes, which are revisited time and again in the sci-fi genre; the Fear of annihilation, the Fear of the ‘unknown’, Loss of identity and Paranoia. The fear of the unknown is explored, as we have no idea where these creatures came from or even how to stop them. The loss of identity is explored, as the pod people are assimilating into the society just like the ideologies were assimilating into the American society at the time of this film.

The sci-fi genre also allows them to highlight and draw attention to certain themes by creating a person or a group of people that represent a person or a group of people in the real world. For example in IOTBS they have used this tactic by creating Miles and the Pod People, Miles representing those who firmly stood against the will and motives of McCarthyism and the pod people who represent McCarthyism.

Iconography and the codes and conventions of the genre help to ensure and remind people that this is a Sci-fi film and so will not have to use up half of the film with exposition.

In IOTBS they also use ‘Representations’ to help link it to the time period in which it was made.

The most prominent are the roles of women and men which where reflected in the film. In Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Miles was the active character and so helped move the story along the most by getting involved with the storyline and the plot. This reflects the ideas of society at the time. Men were perceived as being the strong and dominant and ruling over women in that patriarchal society (men were the ‘bread-winners’ while women were the ‘stay-at-home mother’). Becky however was the passive character who simply followed miles on his adventure without actually being much help. This reflects the way in which women were seen in the 1950s, as being weak and needing a man in order for her to do anything.

In IOTBS they also use Narrative to help link it to the time period in which it was made.

            The conventions of a ‘Protagonist and Antagonist’ are used to help the audience clearly distinguish the good people from the evil people with the protagonist being the hero and the main character of a film who the audience is intended to connect with and the Antagonist being the character or group of characters that represent opposition against the protagonist. In IOTBS it is clearly shown that Miles is the protagonist, whereas the pod people are the antagonists. These characters reflect the time period as Miles is clearly shown to be the people who stood against the ideologies and witch-hunts that McCarthyism promoted and stood for, whereas the pod people where shown to be the idea of McCarthyism itself, sapping people of emotions and making them stone cold creatures who only care about their own well being.

            Another form of narrative used in IOTBS is Binary oppositions.