Reaganite Cinema - Hollywood Propaganda or Clever Social Critique?
Reaganite Cinema – Hollywood Propaganda or Clever Social Critique?
In the difficult times of Cold War, Hollywood produced a number of action films, all of which shared similar narrative patterns – American hero arises and defeats the evil empire of Soviet Union (whether literally or figuratively). The films like Rocky IV, Rambo III and Red Dawn are considered the striking examples. As Stephen Prince notes in his book: “...all of the others (Reaganite cinema films) pursue as well the great themes of Reaganera foreign policy: the weakness of the United States in the international arena, the viciousness of the Soviet Union and its allies, and the need for resurgent American military power and Pax Americana.”[1] The general assumption is that these films are right-wing, hyper-patriotic and were supposed to justify the American foreign policy, at the time. I would like to argue these assumptions and propose that these films offer at least an ambiguous look at the American society and foreign policy of the time. I will use Rambo III, one of the most prominent films of the Reaganite cinema, as an example. I will also reference some other films of the era. The plot of Rambo III is rather simple. Rambo, a Vietnam veteran, is now living in a monastery in Thailand, among the monks. When his old commander Trautman comes to persuade him to go to Afghanistan with him and fight the Russian invaders, he initially refuses. Only when Trautman is captured, Rambo agrees to go to Afghanistan and rescue him. According to Prince: “The ridiculous images of the muscular, warlike Rambo living among the Buddhist monks become a satiric symbol for the recent past, a metaphor for the U.S. stance of international disengagement during the Carter period.”[2] This allegory may seem tempting; however, the meaning may be somewhat different. John Rambo, man betrayed by the authorities in “First Blood Part 1”, betrayed by his own country in “First Blood Part 2”, certainly isn’t a
In the difficult times of Cold War, Hollywood produced a number of action films, all of which shared similar narrative patterns – American hero arises and defeats the evil empire of Soviet Union (whether literally or figuratively). The films like Rocky IV, Rambo III and Red Dawn are considered the striking examples. As Stephen Prince notes in his book: “...all of the others (Reaganite cinema films) pursue as well the great themes of Reaganera foreign policy: the weakness of the United States in the international arena, the viciousness of the Soviet Union and its allies, and the need for resurgent American military power and Pax Americana.”[1] The general assumption is that these films are right-wing, hyper-patriotic and were supposed to justify the American foreign policy, at the time. I would like to argue these assumptions and propose that these films offer at least an ambiguous look at the American society and foreign policy of the time. I will use Rambo III, one of the most prominent films of the Reaganite cinema, as an example. I will also reference some other films of the era. The plot of Rambo III is rather simple. Rambo, a Vietnam veteran, is now living in a monastery in Thailand, among the monks. When his old commander Trautman comes to persuade him to go to Afghanistan with him and fight the Russian invaders, he initially refuses. Only when Trautman is captured, Rambo agrees to go to Afghanistan and rescue him. According to Prince: “The ridiculous images of the muscular, warlike Rambo living among the Buddhist monks become a satiric symbol for the recent past, a metaphor for the U.S. stance of international disengagement during the Carter period.”[2] This allegory may seem tempting; however, the meaning may be somewhat different. John Rambo, man betrayed by the authorities in “First Blood Part 1”, betrayed by his own country in “First Blood Part 2”, certainly isn’t a