Somewhere, I can only hope and expect some grad student is writing his or her dissertation on a subject that surely must deserve the attention: anti-communist propaganda in 1980s pop culture.
Looking back at many of the “blockbuster” films of the 80s, one theme is overwhelmingly clear: the “Red Menace” was seriously big business. It all seems so far away now in the post-post-Cold War era, but looking back I can recognize that fearing the “spectre of Communism” was a big part of my cultural indoctrination growing up.
It’s interesting to note that, while there are similar militaristic action films today, they certainly don’t seem to feature the same sort of strident, one-sided propaganda that these films represent. Or maybe I’m just not seeing enough films? One has to wonder, however, if the realities and unpopularity of the “War on Terror” defy similar efforts today.
Without further ado, my list of recommended films for that hypothetical grad student… good luck getting a grant! I suggest liberal (if you’ll pardon the pun) use of the terms “jingoist” and “red scare” 🙂
1. Red Dawn
2. The Day After
3. War Games
4. Firefox
5. Rambo III
6. Red Scorpion
7. Top Gun
8. Rocky IV
9. Invasion USA
10. Spies Like Us