Americans went through a period of poverty and psychological suffering in the 1970s. Protests, killings, and riots swiftly exposed the country’s violent character. The horror film business was born because of the bad energy left behind by traumatic events. People who experienced the country’s difficulties up close and personal were the inspiration for many horror films that followed. Making a scary movie wasn’t enough for the makers of these horror flicks; they also wanted to convey a more profound message (Humphries & Reynold, 56). If you are not familiar with some of the themes being discussed in today’s horror flicks, it’s good to educate yourself on them. A period of time in the United States is critiqued by horror films, which properly represent societal concerns such as rampant consumerism and the divisiveness produced by the Vietnam War.
American consumerism was given a fresh viewpoint by the horror genre, which may not have been well known. In the 1970s, as shopping malls and outlets became more popular, a new demand arose from customers for low-cost access to the latest in fashion and technology. Instead of paying attention to the mayhem around them, many individuals in this period preferred to build their little paradise. As shown in the film Dawn of the Dead, a tiny band of survivors strives to escape a zombie-infested nation as a spreading plague of consumerism takes hold. In spite of the looming threat of zombies, the protagonists nonetheless take the time to peruse the store’s merchandise and fantasize about owning everything. “Those characters had this sort of quality of what I thought was cranked up in the seventies,” says filmmaker George Romero in the American Nightmare documentary (Romero, George A., et al. 89). In this way, I may build my own commodities, self-satisfying universe and forget about societal injustice and anarchy.” In the past, individuals could simply spend money on products that alleviated the burdens of everyday life. Family and intellectual values have been replaced by luxuries that were not considered necessary by the American people. New ideas on why the government was wasting money were presented in the film, which still resonates in the modern world. Criticizing American morals at the time, Dawn of the Dead effectively mimicked the behavior of its audience.
At this period in American history, the Vietnam War and other calamities caused confusion and separation among people, and horror films were a way to express this. As a result, the nation had been split into two factions. Anti-war demonstrators called for the repatriation of American troops, while pro-war supporters regularly retaliated against these demonstrations. Americans at home battled among other while the nation was being threatened by a far bigger menace, making enemy lines more muddled. To highlight how the country’s divisions eventually led to further internal fighting, Night of the Living Dead depicts the Vietnam War as an example of this. A small group of people trapped in a farmhouse must fight against hordes of zombies in this film (Humphries & Reynold, 67). Despite their shared aim of surviving, the gang has internal disagreements on the best means to do it. People in the farmhouse are divided into groups due of their views on the war, much as the nation was split during World War II. “Tensions ran hotter than ever, pushed on by enormous rallies and incidences of government brutality such as those at Kent State in May 1970, when National Guard forces fired into a gathering of demonstrators protesting against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, killing four students.” The comment reaffirms the movie’s theme that the Americans were fighting a shared enemy, the Vietnamese, at the same time. An America that was previously unknown for its violent side emerged during the anti-war demonstrations, when many people were shot and killed. A side that had hitherto been hidden until American forces opened fire on their own people. Characters in the film are continuously at odds with one another and even go so far as to murder one another over their divergent opinions on how to survive. The video accurately portrays the deterioration of national cohesion that occurred during the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War, Night of the Living Dead effectively depicted the country’s chaotic and horrific period.
The racial tensions in the United States were reflected in horror films. The Civil Rights Movement was the voice of the African American community in the United States in the late sixties. People of color have always been devalued in comparison to those with fair complexion. Despite widespread reports of racial injustice, the perpetrators of these crimes were seldom brought to account. The primary character Ben, an African American male survivor in Night of the Living Dead, depicts the discriminatory attitude against people of color. Throughout the southern states, police violence against young black males rose as a result of the civil rights movement. As a way to define and degrade people of color, racist labels for black people were invented and utilized in the past (Simon, n.p). People of color were often likened to animals or seen as equals. Ben is mistaken for a zombie in the film and slain by the search and destroy squad of the sheriff. There have been several incidents of African Americans being slain by law enforcement, in some cases, for no apparent cause, by police officers. A flaming mound of zombies, with Ben’s body tossed in, equalizes him with them in the film’s last scene. Back in the days when black people were considered second-class citizens, there was a perception that they were no better than animals. Black people are still not treated equally to whites, as seen by Ben being dumped into a zombie pile.
As a genre, horror does more than only terrify its viewers. Using it to educate people about the current political and social concerns in the nation is a good idea. When we aren’t aware of these concerns, it gives us a fresh perspective on the world around us. The dark and negative energy of a horror film may be used to represent or critique the world around us in a new way. Filmmakers might utilize the approach of frightening the audience to capture their attention and open their minds to the deeper significance that may be concealed inside the film. Ultimately, the goal of these horror films is to convey a societal message to the viewer, allowing them to establish the link between actual and imagined life. Horror films are a potent, and more importantly, effective vehicle for analyzing our society’s social and political problems.
Works Cited
Brown, Simon. Screening Stephen King: adaptation and the horror genre in film and television. University of texas Press, 2018.
Humphries, Reynold. The American horror film. Edinburgh University Press, 2022.
Romero, George A., et al. Night of the living dead. Criterion Collection, 2018.
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