The Iron Giant

Literature Review Due to the entertainment value and trivial view towards science fiction films, science fiction films can often depict serious cultural and political issues through symbolic characters, creatures, and setting. During the Cold War, science fiction films began portraying technology and foreign invaders as potential threats on our national security, as a result of the growing international tensions and rapid technological growth between nations. The 1999 science fiction film The Iron Giant by Brad Bird is a film that want to revamp the Cold War view of technology by comparing the 1950s view with the modern age audience. The story takes place in the 1950s and is about an extraterrestrial robot that becomes a concern for many people,
In understanding the role of technology in the film, it is imperative to comprehend the setting of the film. The setting of this time is the 1950s, right around the Cold War. This setting heavily explains why characters viewed the robot as a technological threat on the nation. Vizzini and Huebner both attempt to clarify the representation of technology in The Iron Giant. Vizzini argues that because science fiction films are seen as an insignificant pastime, science fiction films are able to reflect important problems, and in this case, the Cold War. Science fiction films during the Cold War depict the negative view civilians have on foreign nations and the fear people have on national security due to the international tension (Vizzini 28). Furthermore, this setting engendered myriad of science fiction films with violent extraterrestrial creatures, representing foreign nations, attacking our nation, signifying the fear of national security (Vizzini 38). Initially, The Iron Giant was seen to be similar to these kinds of science fiction film as a mysterious extraterrestrial robot was seen to land on Earth and cause destruction on public property. Mansley’s concern and paranoia about the robot reflects the people’s mistrust on foreign nations during this time. In Vizzini’s view, the robot is a physical representation of the Cold War
Miller only scrutinizes the relationship between the robot and the boy Hogarth by comparing the book Frankenstein and the film The Iron Giant. Miller claims the only difference between the robot and Frankenstein’s creation is that the robot has the guidance of the boy Hogarth. Without Hogarth’s helpful life lessons, the robot will end up with the same fate as Frankenstein’s creation, hated by society (Miller 392). Unlike Vizzini and Huebner, Miller does not take into consideration of the setting, and instead, similar to Chira, Miller examines the ability of the robot to learn from the boy Hogarth. However, Miller has a different interpretation of the robot than Chira. Miller doesn’t look at the technological aspect of the robot on learning from Hogarth, but instead emphasizes the robot as the relationship between the robot and