[wheettebott]

Like everyone on Earth, you've been once or twice to your video-club renting one of these American films whose synospsis takes up two lines (a monster attacks the Big Apple and US forces fight him back) and whose budget represents half of Burundi's gross domestic product. Nevermind the cinematic considerations, and nevermind the fact that by watching Cloverfield or Godzilla on that night, you missed an golden opportunity to pay a last-chance visit to your dying grandmother. What caught my attention about this subject is something of more aerial texture.

War of the Worlds, Independance Day and their close relatives always feature monsters or aliens who lead their attack in modern times. Doing that, they foolishly expose themselves to deadly crossfires of heavy artillery, air bombing and tank assaults. US producers never miss an opportunity to bring their contribution to their country's brand image: each one of these movies is a disguised window display of updated weapons and an advertisement for America's military strength.

What if stupid King Kong or even more stupid aliens (who supposedly have the choice in the timing of their coming) had paid a visit to New York City during the Civil War or before that? Instead of the gruesome machine of war, they would have fought playmobils firing rifles and dusty cannons, and scampering in wheatfields riding horses and carriages.
I don't mean to say here that Holywood scenarists lack imagination - that would be stating the obvious - but that it really breaks my heart to see these cute creatures playing the role of punching-balls.

Do you share my humble opinion?

[Tactattcahhaw]

well thought out post^

What made Signs for me so enjoyable was that it was the same scenario, but on a more human scale, the small town, small house personable level.

[MannoFr]

There's a Twilight Zone episode with Agnes Moorehead that fits the bill of what you are talking about. She's a prairie woman being attacked by little men, who turn out to be earthling astronauts, and she is the alien they encounter. Excellent acting on her part as always.

[TerAlelmlor]

Generally speaking, the reason is two-fold.

One, modern weaponry is "cooler" than old time weaponry. We actually have shows about modern weaponry and warfare. People do not want to see a musket fight, they want to see an RPG, or an apache helicopter, or stealth fighters in action.

Two, it is closer to our own experience. A lot of people like movies that they can relate to. Set in our own time with maybe a little embellishment.


That said, there are many that are not from our time that do similar. Most creepy horror involves people with less than military-strength ordinance fighting an unknown foe. It all depends on if the movie is intended to startle and adrenalize, or to genuinely make you fearful.

[forexsoft]

So you don't think there's a political underlying statement here. Imagine yourself being a foreign political leader: would you challenge United States' supremacy after seeing War of the worlds or Cloverfield?

[bppstorr]

The underlying theme is to make money from the movie.

Take the film U-571. Although it was a work of fiction, it was based on a real incident, where the British Royal Navy captured a German U-boat (U-110) and its Enigma code machine, before the US entered WWII.

The film Americanized the story to attract a larger audience, but it created a furor in the British government. Bill Clinton wrote a letter to Parliament explaining that the movie was fiction, and that there's an acknowledgement of U-110 in the film's credits.

I find it hard to believe that Cloverfield is an effective military deterrent.

[jinnamys]

So you don't think there's a political underlying statement here. Imagine yourself being a foreign political leader: would you challenge United States' supremacy after seeing War of the worlds or Cloverfield?

1. Would I watch those movies? (I thought the WoW remake was stupid and I never bothered watching Clover).
2. Would you fight with us after seeing Iron Man?

I do not think it is an intensional political message, but a rather egotistical one at best. No country wants to go to a movie where their military or soldiers are portrayed as weak. It is not a direct association but more like something that sells better.

There are countless movies involving critters or monsters that do not hav ethe military doing anything. Some even that site the military as being at fault for their creation or mishandling of them.

I know what you are saying about this, but of all the commercial institutions that would be paying homage to the US military in an attempt to convince others (both here and abroad) that our military is worth every $ spent on it, Hollywood would not be that institution.

However, big guns makes big bucks. The bigger the flash, the less substance you need in the pan when you are done.

[Sydneyfonzi]

I don't think deterrent, so much as aggrandizement and a pervasive insinuation into the public consciousness that a military response is appropriate, necessary, and ever at the ready.
Afraid? Don't worry the government and their death machines will make it all better.The usual message is "let the authorities take care of it." The individual is only valid when carrying out the commands of those in power or working with the government in the case of the clichéd quirky independent ex-government-expert/scientist/agent/soldier who must be called in to help the inept hubristic command structure battle the threat.

I rather liked Shawn of the Dead because it highlighted the plucky individual.

[kSmica]

Yes, but political messages are sometimes interpreted from films, where there was no such intent.

Producer Walter Mirisch wrote in his autobiography, I Thought We Were Making Movies, Not History "People began to read meanings into pictures that were never intended. The Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an example of that. I remember reading a magazine article arguing that the picture was intended as an allegory about the communist infiltration of America. From personal knowledge, neither Walter Wanger nor Don Siegel, who directed it, nor Dan Mainwaring, who wrote the script nor the original author Jack Finney, nor myself saw it as anything other than a thriller, pure and simple". Invasion of the Body Snatchers is unique in that it had several political themes, some in conflict with each other, attached to it.

Emotionless automatons of the Soviet Union.

The hysteria of McCarthyism.

Vulnerability to invasion in the developing nuclear world.


The movie wasn't released as originally intended. In the first version, the movie ends with Dr Miles Bennell ranting hysterically on the highway, as traffic, and a truck full of space pods, whiz by him. Allied Artists thought the ending too depressing, and the movie wouldn't do well at the box office. So a narrative by the main character, and an epilogue, were added.

[Teligacio]

interesting point.

[Opinion_counts]

So you don't think there's a political underlying statement here. Imagine yourself being a foreign political leader: would you challenge United States' supremacy after seeing War of the worlds or Cloverfield?

Just remember at the end of Cloverfield, we were looking at a possible second monster doing a lot of damage, the first (or only) monster had not been killed, and the American military was overwhelmed by the situation, especially by the Cloverfield lice. And in the original War of the Worlds, it wasn't the military that destroyed the aliens. It was the natural bacteria in the air that did them in.

[GennadiyRom]

Filmmakers seem more inclined to provide an upbeat experience to their audience than novelists.

In The Day of the Triffids, John Wyndham pens a somewhat bleak and indeterminate ending. In the film adaptation, the Triffids are discovered to be intolerant to salt water.

Hey, no problem. We've got plenty.


I miss the old movie posters. There's always a scantily-clad woman, usually in high heels.

[unapelosina]

And in the original War of the Worlds, it wasn't the military that destroyed the aliens. It was the natural bacteria in the air that did them in.

And everybody went to church.

[jinnamys]

1953, whaddya expect lol.

[StoyaFanst]

I miss the old movie posters. There's always a scantily-clad woman, usually in high heels.

I always have a soft spot for the Beverly Garland horror posters. Perhaps lofter remembers the one they had hanging in the stairway at The Strand, S.F.?



Here's church after the monsters have won -