Alex Greatti

CAS 137H

31 October 2016

Lights, Camera, Enemies!

Wars are an unfortunate, but common occurrence. The United States has been involved in many high-

profile conflicts since its conception. Due to their scope, American wars have historically penetrated the

nations consciousness. As a result, American cinema has been influenced by such military stand-offs. For

instance, the Cold War was so impactful on the lives of the every day American, that it spurred years of

movies depicting Soviets and Russians as villains, such as Red Dawn (1984) and From Russia With Love

(1963). The American trepidation of spies in the U.S., stemming from McCarthyism, can be said to have

influenced the creation of the spy movie. Since the turn of the 21st century, the Russian is no longer the main

villain in films; the appearance of enemies in motion picture has changed in the years following the 9/11

attacks and increased aggression from North Korea. These aggressors and the American fear of them has

ushered in a whole new wave of movies portraying these new antagonists. The United States involvement in
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various conflicts and military stand-offs have shifted the perception of the bad guy in American motion

pictures, which feeds into the fears of the average American citizen.

During the time of the Cold War, U.S. citizens feared an attack by the Soviet Union. Following World

War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were the worlds lone superpowers. The discrepancies in the

American and Soviet ways of life created a mutual distrust and dislike for one another. As a result of the rise

in communism and the growing apprehension and suspicion among American politicians, many Americans

feared that there was a real danger of Reds taking over their own country (History). The hysteria was

so strong that it was commonplace for Americans to dig bomb shelters and stock-up on food for fear of a

Soviet nuclear attack (Fear of Communism). The terror of spies and total annihilation of U.S., known as

the Red Scare, were of foremost importance to the typical American family during the Cold War era.

Playing on this fear of Armageddon at the hands of the Soviets, the film industry released a myriad of

movies depicting Soviet or Russian characters as the enemy in a scenario where the United States was

completely dismantled. One such movie, Red Dawn, which debuted in 1984, illustrated a United States that

was overrun and occupied by the Soviets. In the film, ordinary Americans, some as young as teenagers,

fought this enemy in a brutal guerrilla war. Red Dawns plot comes from a real fear that the U.S. could be
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taken over by Americas real enemy of the era: the Soviets. By choosing characters that portrayed a non-

extraordinary American family, the movie helps incite more fear in its audience. After all, the purpose of a

movie is to connect with the story, the characters, and the themes (Moore). The United States military

stand-off with the Soviet Union during the Cold War influences movies like Red Dawn, propagating the

American fear of a mass Soviet attack.

Not only did Americans fear physical harm, but also the insidious threat of spies. Although nuclear

war has always been a threat to the U.S., during the Cold War, the Soviets employed an extensive espionage

campaign. As there was little physical fighting, spying was a main tactic for the USSR. In the wake of

McCarthyism, an effort to expose communist infiltration of the U.S. government beginning in 1950, there

was panic about spies (McCarthyism). Filmmakers soon made use of this fear by creating movies with a

Soviet spy antagonist. For instance, the movie Diplomatic Courier, released in 1952, depicts a cunning

Russian agent as the enemy. This adversary is an invisible threat, sly and hiding in plain sight. In the 1950s,

Americans really believed that spies could be anywhere. The production of movies illustrates a dangerous

and guileful foe helped to fuel fears in the same way a child may check under a bed at night after a hearing a
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scary story. The American fear of Soviet spies influenced the production of spy movies, which had the added

effect of proliferating Americans fear of spies.

Americas conflicts helped to create a whole new genre of movies: the spy film. Although these types

of movies did not always exist, the James Bond movie series became one of the most popular and

universally recognized series in this category. The James Bond films, beginning in the 1950s, have been

produced all the way up to the 21st century. The second installment of the series, From Russia With Love

(1963), perfectly illustrates how the fear of spies permeated film culture. James Bond, the good guy, is

pitted against the malicious Russians, while both sides try to outthink one another to gain the upper-hand.

The spy film was byproduct of the U.S.s worry of Soviet secret agents.

The number of Russian villains in movies began to decrease after the fall of the Soviet Union and the

ending of the Cold War in 1991. Subsequent events, such as George W. Bushs Axis of Evil speech, gave

American movie writers a new villain and American citizens new enemies to fear in real life. About one year

later in 2002, the current president, George W. Bush, included North Korea in his axis of evil, a term used

to describe governments hostile to the U.S. (State of the Union). President Bushs axis of evil identified
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new enemies, such as North Koreans, that Americans would soon come to fear. President Bushs speech

illustrates a clear shift in who Americans perceive as their greatest adversary.

In the years following this key event, the James Bond movies continued to keep the same basic plot;

but, while the storyline remained relatively the similar, the enemy shifted in the 2002 installment of the

series Die Another Day. In this film, the North Koreans are the foes fighting against Agent Bond. This shift

to a North Korean antagonist comes in the same year that George W. Bush gave his Axis of Evil speech,

which included North Korea as an aggressor to the United States. Because the James Bond movies keep a

relatively consistent plot, it is clear that a shift in American enemies coincides with the change in James

Bond movie antagonists.

In the 21st century, as previously mentioned, Americas film industry noticed how North Korea is now

a greater threat than the Russians. In 2006, North Korea successfully detonated a nuclear bomb and have

since warned of a pre-emptive nuclear attack on the U.S. (News, BBC). The possibility of attack that

once came from the USSR, now comes from North Korea. This shift in Americas enemies is perfectly

represented by the 2012 reinterpretation of Red Dawn. The plot of the movie is largely congruent with the
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80s version, but the adversary is North Korea instead of the Soviet Union. The multitude of threats and

hostile rhetoric, which the North, often uses makes Americans sensitive to the possibly of an attack.

The North Koreans are not the only new foe, as the 9/11 terror attacks and the subsequent War on

Terror have proved that the days of the clean-cut, slick Soviet spy are out, and the era of the rifle and rocket-

wielding terrorist are in. Since the beginning of the War on Terror in 2001, the Middle East has been a main

focus of Americans. Nearly 2.5 million servicemen and women have served since the beginning of the war

(Chris Adams). Historically dissimilar to other wars the U.S. has fought, terrorist organizations fight an

asymmetrical conflict against the United States. This new enemy looks nothing like the cunning, suited

Soviet as seen in films, such as From Russia With Love. The challenger in new movies is a warmongering

Middle Eastern man, equipped with a beard, a rifle, and homemade bombs. In the 2008 film The Hurt

Locker, a solider is tasked with dismantling booby traps set by terrorists in Afghanistan. The movie is an

illustration of terror groups brutal, primal way of fighting: setting up hidden bombs to kill and maim.

Because so many U.S. personnel have been sent overseas, many people can empathize with the protagonist

in The Hurt Locker, who must put his life on the line every day. The movie also plays on Americans fears of

losing loved ones in the present wars in the Middle East. In the wake of a new war, moviemakers have
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realized how Americans anxieties have adapted to this new enemy. Films, like The Hurt Locker, play on the

fears of the audience to create a more engaging story.

In the United States, the number of movies about terrorism have coincided with an increase in terror

attacks. While such films influences on national fears cannot be perfectly quantified, it can be said that

movies call attention to hot-button topics. For instance, in the year 1970, only two noteworthy terrorists

attacks occurred, while in the year 2010, there were 33 attacks of great consequence (Nctc). Beginning at

the turn of the 21st century, terrorism-based movies such as United 93 (2006) were popular at the time. This

correlation illustrates how an increase in senseless violence could have motivated movie developers to shift

the image of their enemies. Often times, due to the United States involvement in countries like Iraq and

Afghanistan, the foe in these movies, such as United 93, is shown to be of Middle Eastern descent. By

repeatedly painting the enemy as Middle Eastern, these movies help advance fears in America. To

Americans, Arabs, especially Muslims in traditional dress, often stand out. In 21st century movies, a link is

frequently established between Muslims and terrorism.

The significance of the United States shift in enemies can be traced through a change in language in

the U.S. During the time of the Cold War, the term Red Scare was used to describe peoples fear of
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communism. Movies reflected this sentiment not only in their content, but also in their rhetoric and even in

their titles, as the film Reds (1981) perfectly illustrates. Presently, the term Islamaphobia is increasingly

used among Americans to describe a fear of Muslims. This phobia is reflected in movies such as Zero Dark

Thirty (2013), which elicits anti-Muslim thoughts among its American viewers. In the film, Muslims are

portrayed as pathologically evil terrorists intent on destroying America (Hollywood). There is a heavy

connection to Muslims and terrorism and the movie shows violence as the only solution. The effect of this

pugnacious medium is evidenced by Tweets made by audience members: Arab guys on the bus [make] me

nervous (Hollywood). The portrayal of Muslims in Zero Dark Thirty develops fear and irrational

intolerance in its audience members. Movies that portray Americas enemies can use bellicose rhetoric to

create hate in its viewers.

For decades, movies have been watched and enjoyed by Americans. Cinema inherently has the ability

to illustrate scenarios, making it easier for audience members to establish a connection with the story. In the

Cold War, movies reflected the sentiments of the average American and played on their fears of Soviet spies

and invasion. By portraying Americans Eastern counterpart as the antagonist, films helped keep the fear of

Soviets prominent in peoples minds. As times changed, though, so did the foes in motion pictures. After the
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collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the subsequent 9/11 attacks, and George W. Bushes Axis of Evil

speech, cinemas focus on Russians declined and new enemies, such as North Korea and Muslims, took the

stage. Depicting these enemies in negative light in movies helped to increase fear and hate among

Americans. Movies have reflected the sentiments of Americans for decades, but sometimes their effect goes

beyond the theater.

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Works Cited

By Chris Adams - McClatchy Newspapers. "Millions Went to War in Iraq, Afghanistan, Leaving Many with

Lifelong Scars." Mcclatchydc. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article24746680.html

History.com Staff. "Red Scare." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/red-scare

"Hollywood." Islamophobia in Film and Documentary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.

http://islaminfilm.weebly.com/hollywood.html

How the Fear of Communism Affected American Life During the Early Years of the Cold War | The

Classroom | Synonym. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

http://classroom.synonym.com/fear-communism-affected-american-life-during-early-years-cold-war-

5336.html

"McCarthyism." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/McCarthyism
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Moore, By: Daniel J. "Movies: A Connection To American Culture." Movies: A Connection To American

Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

http://www.internationalstudentguidetotheusa.com/articles/movies-connection-american-culture.htm

Nctc. "Historic Timeline | National Counterterrorism Center." Historic Timeline | National Counterterrorism

Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

https://www.nctc.gov/site/timeline.html#1970

News, BBC. "How Potent Are North Korea's Threats?" BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21710644

"The 4th Best State of the Union Address: Axis of Evil." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d.

Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/01/25/the-4th-best-state-of-the-union-

address-axis-of-evil/

Writer, By Staff. "America's Top Fears 2015." Wilkinson College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

Americas Top Fears 2015 Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.