SSC Film Studies

'Films always reflect the times and places in which they are made.' How far is this true of the American films you have studied for this topic?

The 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers reflects what social issues was happening in America during the time of its release. A way it does this is through allegorically promoting it's ideologies in a subtle way, which then creates a debate to as whether the film follows either the ideologies of Joseph McCarthy or the ideologies of Communists.

 The way in which the film promotes the ideologies of supporting McCarthyists is from the threat within the narrative of the film, that being the 'pod people'. The 'pod people' in the film represent the communists, due to the communists and 'pod people' having allegorical similarities, that being an unknown threat to America. The 'pod people' are perceived as emotionless, brainwashed threats from the perspectives of the antagonists within the film, which could connote that this is how the followers of McCarthy perceived Communists during the 50s.

Ways in which the film promotes the ideology that the film is commenting on McCarthy's views, or even supporting a communist regime are also displayed through allegorical similarities, this time being the followers of McCarthy's regime sharing allegorical similarities with the 'pod people'. Ways in which McCarthy's followers share similarities with the 'pod people' are due to the 'pod people' being brain washed, which could connote that followers of McCarthy are brain washed into hating Communists due the constants propaganda being fed to them By Joseph McCarthy and his campaign to make America fear communists, or for the sake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers the unknown.

Themes of paranoia also run throughout Invasion of the Body Snatchers, this is to reflect the paranoia of the time the film was made, that being 'Red Scare' which was the fear of a communist invasion. This can be allegorically interpreted into both debates about the film, as it can promote the ideology that McCarthy's followers are so much exposed to McCarthy's propaganda that they're practically brain washed zombies like the 'pod people', or that the 'pod people' are the communists and that the antagonists believe in Red Scare and are against a communist invasion.

The 'pod people' basically being identical to the people they are replicating, this promotes the ideologies that there could be a communist anywhere, or that it could even be your family without you even realising. This ideology would benefit McCarthy's debate, as that would then mean the film is attempting to raise aware about red scare and that anyone could be a communist. The other ideology is that due to the 'pod people' being replicas of the people they are trying to replicate, they are McCarthy's followers and that McCarthy's followers are brainwashed, zombies and that it's trying to raise awareness that your friends and family are being brainwashed.

 Due to the ending of the film having a cliff hanger, this could connote that due to the film being made  in a time where there were no clear conclusions to the threat of a communist invasion or McCarthy's 'Red Scare' theory and actions, that the director of the film is trying to promote the ideology that there is still no clear conclusion to the problems of the time. The use of breaking the 4th wall at the end of the film also helps to promote ideologies that the film intends to discuss the social issues of the time, as breaking the 4th wall creates an illusion that the antagonist of the film is directly addressing you as an audience member, ultimately promoting the ideology that the film is attempting to tell us that something is wrong.

War of the Worlds is a film that also reflects the social issues of the time of its release, but this time commenting on a different subject matter due to the film being made decades later. War of the Worlds is a post 9/11 film, the reasons for the film being a post 9/11 film are obviously due to the film being made after 9/11 and also because of the theme of paranoia of terrorism being promoted throughout the film.

The theme of paranoia is in the film due to the character of Rachel asking Ray whether the aliens are terrorists, this question in the film promotes the ideology that because of the film being made only four years after the events of 9\11 that people are still paranoid as to whether there will be another attack from terrorists.

Some of the characters in the film promote allegoric ideologies of post 9/11 theorists, such as the character Ray has to fight in order to protect Rachel. This character further promotes the ideology that this film is a post 9/11 film, as it has allegoric characters, as the character Ray fights is almost an archetype to theorists on 9/11.

The ending to the film could connote hope, as the ending is conclusive unlike Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as the ending is a classic happy ending, as he completes his goals, and no one of importance dies. This connotes hope for America as the film was made when America were still fighting in Iraq, this promotes the ideology that the film is trying to reinsure a victory for America in the war.