Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Philosophy (Ph.D)

Department

English

First Advisor

Granville Ganter

Second Advisor

Stephen P Miller

Third Advisor

Amy King

Abstract

This dissertation offers a cultural history of the symbiotic relationship between consumerism, nuclear war and the ideal of the nuclear family as these concepts are reflected in popular film franchises launched in the 1980s during the heyday of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Each chapter studies the strong correlation between blockbuster film and Reagan’s militarism, his invocations of family values, and most importantly, his investment in turning American politics into a nostalgic movie promising a happy Hollywood ending. Chapter One discusses James Cameron’s The Terminator as a warning for what can happen if a society is too reliant on technology and consumption while simultaneously serving as a thrilling action-packed distraction from thinking too critically about these issues. Chapter Two explores Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future as a celebration of technological progress and consumption within the nuclear family. Chapter Three discusses the ways in which John McTiernan’s Die Hard highlights societal concerns about an evolving culture in terms of gender roles, corporate America and terrorism. Chapter Four lays out how James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day provides a meditation on how close America came to nuclear destruction without sacrificing the audiences’ craving for an adrenaline fueled special-effects blockbuster. Finally, the fifth chapter is devoted to rides and attractions at Disney and Universal Parks and highlights the growing societal distance between reality and illusion in terms of what people crave and try to emulate in their own lives, which only truly benefits those who produce and profit off of the illusions.

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