This is an Interesting article on Chinese propaganda, https://www.economist.com/news/chin...ishelpingchinatomodernisepropagandahappybunny I immediately thought about the american rambo films, would you classify rambo as propaganda? I watched the last rambo film in America, and the audience clapped whenever anyone non white got shot, good guy or bad guy...... It left a nasty taste in my mouth, which wasn't just the root beer and week old hotdog.
First Blood Part One wasn't in my opinion propaganda, at least not overtly anyways. Two and (especially) three were a lot more so. That said, a lot of those mega muscle 80s action films had that streak of red, white, and blue through them. That mindset still persists today I think.
Wasn't the first one dedicated to the taliban? Edit I've checked it, and the third film.... "Before the end credits begin, a title card is briefly displayed. The original card says: "This film is dedicated to the brave Mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan." However, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, public backlash ensued because some Mujhahideen groups grew to become associated with Al Qaeda during the anarchy after Soviet withdrawal. The title card was then changed to "This film is dedicated to the gallant people of Afghanistan." "
Dead_pool, are you aware of the collaboration between Hollywood and the Pentagon on films like Battleship, Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker, Transformers, Top Gun, etc.?
The US military will offer funding and equipment for films that are pro-military and they'll deny that to films that portray the military in a poor light. So like, Independence Day was not offered support because Will Smith's character is dating a stripper, Platoon wasn't granted support, etc. Here's a full list from wikileaks I believe: https://fowlchicago.files.wordpress...t_of_films_dod_participated_in_production.pdf
That makes sense, I would probably do the same if I ran the military in regards to access, but providing funding/ kids films etc seems to be crossing the line!
To what extent is the mindset that's fueled our current political travails rooted in the British war films of the 40s and 50s?
The ones where we were definitely the goodies....... Thats one of the many issues around WW2, we were so much the goodies in that war (due to the Nazi being nazi) that we assume were still the goodies. No matter what now.... Random aside, the states had an isolationist president then too, and I remember reading about how British propaganda was used to make sure a less isolationist president won the election.
Some really great and interesting stuff popping up here folks. I remember reading First Blood when I was in high school. Blew my mind when compared to watching Sly's portrayal on screen.
Living in the UK, I always find it really really weird when I hear about cinema audiences applauding things. Between that and the apparent frequency of shouting at the screen I don't think I ever want to see a movie in the USA. Anyway, I can't speak to Rambo but there's definitely enough revisionism and oorah-ness to American movies to believe they could be taken that way. My question though is my impression is propaganda only works if its taking advantage of latent feelings that already exist. The military helping with movies (thanks for that btw philosoraptor that was interesting) just makes sense to promote the military and the army-fetish America seems to have. Calling it propaganda though... Are the movies like it to promote that view, or are they like it because its what the sort of 'cult of America' that exists responds to? Its a chicken egg question, but to me propaganda suggests something very deliberate, whereas I feel cautious that it could just be filmmakers being aware what their audiences want to see and will respond to. You'd also think that with America being the global power it is it could wrangle the power of Hollywood into trying to improve the US' image abroad, whereas the Rambo type movie, Zero Dark Thirty's revisionism, the fallout Fargo got for downplaying everyone unAmerican, the revisionism in U-571 and a million other movies. If it was deliberate you'd think they'd be conscious of what they could do with it outside of the US.
I find that one confusing. I watched it and thought it was, given it basically shows the guy being destroyed by being a soldier but still plays it as a hero movie, but my girlfriend thought differently when she saw it. I also found it weird how there's an evil sniper who's meant to be the big bad for the movie, but he's the exact same guy as the American, just working for the Iraqis. The second time I watched it however I didn't feel like they portrayed him as evil, just as another sniper. Eastwood did also do Letters to Iwo Jima and presented a Japanese POV of the Pacific theatre as a direct counter view to his Flags of our Fathers movie from the American side.