Assignment 4 Screen Studies MDA10003 Analysis Essay Submission Date: 29-05-2023 Prepared by: Abdul Rahman Chishti 103825316 Semester 2
How do Film and TV genres reflect their socio-industrial context? Analyze a genre that was popular during a specific time, describing how its conventions were shaped by and responded to what was happening in the screen industries and/or what was happening in the broader world. "Action movies post 9/11" Film and TV genres are deeply intertwined with their socio-industrial context, and they often reflect and respond to their time's prevailing cultural, political, and social climate. This trend can be traced back to the post-second world war, where major world events usually shape how movie studios react and genre changes occur. Changes in the genre are widespread, especially in the action genre, where the antagonist is usually changed as the decades pass. In the post-world War era, it was the Nazis, and after that, it was the Soviets for a while during the Cold War era and whoever else was in political turmoil with the US. The Action genre is vast and can have multiple sub-genres or be part of films that are hybrids. Before the September 11 attacks, the action genre could fall into narratives such as espionage, terrorism, treason, alien attack, superheroes, etc. The genre would contain larger-than-life protagonists who could beat any odds to defeat the villain, intense stunts, and a healthy dose of humour and one-liners. Films like "The Terminator" (1984) and "Predator" (1984) are a few examples where real-life celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger play roles that are idealistic and fun, where creating a form of escapism and spectacle was the primary prioritised type of entertainment. There was also another sub-genre on the rise, which was the buddy cop film era like "Bad Boys"(1995), "Rush Hour"(1998), and "Men in Black" (1997), where there is a by- the-book cop and the rule-breaking one which was a combo of action, comedy and eye-catching stunts for a light-hearted watch. In the pre-9/11 era, the antagonists were given a more significant personality than in the post-9/11 era, as seen with Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1998) or if you compare it with the person who kidnapped Iron Man, Abu Bakar, who was the kidnapper has barely any lines and can be shown as a diminished figure who has no power at all. The pre-9/11 era portrayed terrorists being from around the world, Eastern Europe, the Soviets, African warlords, Islamic radicalism, or in the form of treason. This was also the era where sci-fi/action was also on the rise due to the advancements in CGI, which were reducing the limits to filming, and blockbusters like "Independence Day" (1996) were being released where foreign powers like aliens were attacking. Post-9/11, Americans felt a heightened sense of fear, vulnerability, and uncertainty for apparent reasons. Due to the attacks, specific topics became taboo, and films that had been shot before the attacks had to be reshot because of the nature of media being too violent, like terrorist