SCREEN-L Archives

May 1996, Week 2

SCREEN-L@LISTSERV.UA.EDU

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Tony Williams <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 8 May 1996 14:54:10 CST
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (24 lines)
 Dear Brian et. al,
  Surely this represents another of Hollywood's sleazy attempts to commandeer
the Buchanan anti-immigrant rhetoric for box-office purposes. As we well know,
extremist rhetoric usually ends up on the platform of more supposedly sober
politicians such as Dole and Slick Willy (who may soon promise to "end
immigration as we know it" in the same manner as he has promised to terminate
welfare).
 Is there not a generic parallel to 50s sci-fi movies which used the anti-
communist rhetoric as a sub-text with the honorable exceptions of THE DAY THE
EARTH STOOD STILL and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE? The "alien invasion" theme
featured in the last half hour of INVASION U.S.A (1985) whose explicit
paranoia failed at the theatrical box office. Implicitness works better.
  With forthcoming calls to end illegal immigration as well as the possible
temporary cessation of legal immigration in the months leading up to the
November farce, the Hollywood whizz kids see another way to cinematically
tap into the latest version of "America First"/ the Know Nothing philosophy,
and the Yellow (now Chicano) Peril suitably translated into science fiction
imagery.
    Tony Williams
 
----
To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L
in the message.  Problems?  Contact [log in to unmask]

ATOM RSS1 RSS2