The promotion of neo-conservatism through contemporary Hollywood film with reference to Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1999)
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Date
2004
Authors
Jordaan, Danie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
This article proposes that current mainstream Hollywood film deliberately espouses a
kind of neo-conservatism, replacing the apocalyptic pessimism typical of the so-called
crisis cinema of the eighties. One might welcome this search for new meaning in life,
were it not that one suspects that much of this filmic reaffirmation of the value of
sacrificial violence by heroic individuals in order to restore an ailing society is,
arguably, a mere media construct that extends the hegemony of supranational
corporatism throughout the West. The author presents a brief survey of war films that
has had considerable box office success during the last decade or so, arguing that
Hollywood cinema has realigned itself with a kind of "Fort America" mentality in spite
of the anti-Bush sentiment so vocally expressed by actors at the 2003 Academy Awards
ceremony. In conclusion, the author analyses Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1999)
in order to show to what extent the elements of framing and composition reflect,
reinforce and comment on the narrative of Saving Private Ryan, creating a sub text that
clearly strengthens American neo-patriotism.
Description
Keywords
Hollywood, Film, Neo-conservatism, Supranational corporatism, Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan, Framing, Composition, American neo-patriotism
Citation
Jordaan, D. (2004). The promotion of neo-conservatism through contemporary Hollywood film with reference to Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1999). Communitas, 9(1), 117-132.