The President of the United States has been a subject of many movies
in Hollywood history. From the earliest days of cinema, in films such as
The Birth of a Nation (1915), The Fighting Roosevelts (1919) or Young Mr.
Lincoln (1939), to the present day, in films such as Nixon (1990) and Dick
(1999), many real-life U.S. presidents have been portrayed in the most
different ways. In the years before crises like Watergate, Vietnam and the
growing media coverage have demystified the presidency, most of these reallife
portrayals have shown the President as a wise heroic man, almost like a
saint (Edelman 323). In the years after these events, Hollywood lost its
respect for the presidency discovering that the man in charge was human
and that he also makes mistakes (323). Since Hollywood likes to adapt
politics, it is no surprise that politics adapted Hollywood, too. The simple
fact that Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980 was subject for
several jokes in one of the most successful movies of 1985, Back To The
Future. In this time-travel film, Marty McFly (Michael J.Fox) accidentally
travels to the year 1955 where he tries to find the inventor of the time
machine, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), to help him get back to 1985.
After having found him, Doc Brown does not believe Marty’s story. In order
to find out, if Marty’s story is true, Doc asks him the following question:
Doc Brown: Then tell me, Future Boy, who’s President of the United
States in 1985?
Marty McFly: Ronald Reagan.
Doc Brown: Ronald Reagan? The actor? Ha! Then, who’s Vice President?
Jerry Lewis? I suppose Jane Wyman is the First Lady and Jack
Bennetty is Secretary of Treasury !
Marty McFly: Doc, you gotta listen to me !
Doc Brown: I got enough practical jokes for one evening. Good night,
Future Boy.
And later in the film, when Marty shows Doc Brown the recording of his
camcorder, Doc Brown is amazed about this technological invention and cries
out: “No wonder your president has to be an actor, he’s gotta look good on
television.“ [...]
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. The President in Hollywood's History
- A. Early Beginnings
- B. Present Day
- C. Back to the Future
- D. Fictitious Presidential Characters
- II. The Public's Expectations of the President
- A. Addressing the Nation
- B. Moral Leadership
- III. Reactions of the President in a Situation of Crisis
- A. Deep Impact
- B. Independence Day
- C. Mars Attacks!
- IV. Evaluation of the President's Performances
- A. President Beck
- B. President Whitmore
- C. President Dale
- V. Adaptation of the Fictitious Actions to Real-Life
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines how fictional presidents in Hollywood films handle situations of extreme crisis. The objective is to analyze the portrayal of presidential characters in three specific films – Deep Impact, Independence Day, and Mars Attacks! – and compare their reactions to crisis situations. The analysis considers the public's expectations of presidential behavior during a crisis and assesses how well the fictional presidents meet those expectations.
- The evolution of presidential portrayals in Hollywood films.
- The public's expectations of presidential leadership during a crisis.
- Comparison of presidential responses in crisis situations across different film genres.
- Analysis of the effectiveness of presidential communication and actions in managing crises.
- The adaptation of fictional presidential actions to real-life scenarios.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
I. The President in Hollywood's History: This chapter traces the evolution of presidential portrayals in Hollywood cinema, from early films depicting presidents as heroic and wise figures to more recent depictions that acknowledge presidential flaws and humanity. It notes a shift in portrayal following events like Watergate and Vietnam, reflecting a changing public perception of the presidency. The chapter highlights the transition from portraying real-life presidents to creating fictional presidential characters, emphasizing the increased creative freedom this allows in depicting presidential responses to hypothetical crises.
II. The Public's Expectations of the President: This section explores public expectations of presidential behavior, particularly during times of national crisis. It analyzes presidential addresses, highlighting the consistent use of the pronoun "we" to unite the nation and invoke national pride and support. The chapter also examines the expectation of moral leadership, including the frequent use of religious and moral principles in presidential rhetoric, despite the separation of church and state. The chapter concludes by exploring the paradoxical expectations of presidential leadership: simultaneously demanding both strength and compassion.
III. Reactions of the President in a Situation of Crisis: This chapter sets the stage for the detailed analysis of three specific films: Deep Impact, Independence Day, and Mars Attacks!. It highlights the common elements shared by the films, namely the focus on multiple characters alongside the president and the science fiction context of each narrative. These films provide contrasting examples of presidential behavior during extreme crises, offering valuable material for comparison and analysis in later chapters.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
American Presidency, Hollywood films, crisis leadership, presidential communication, public expectations, film genres, Deep Impact, Independence Day, Mars Attacks!, fictional presidents, political portrayal.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this paper?
This paper analyzes how fictional presidents in Hollywood films handle extreme crisis situations. It focuses on comparing and contrasting the presidential responses in three specific films: Deep Impact, Independence Day, and Mars Attacks!, considering public expectations and the effectiveness of presidential actions.
What are the key objectives of the analysis?
The analysis aims to examine the evolution of presidential portrayals in Hollywood, explore public expectations of presidential leadership during crises, compare presidential responses across different film genres, analyze the effectiveness of presidential communication in managing crises, and consider the adaptation of fictional presidential actions to real-life scenarios.
Which films are analyzed in detail?
The paper conducts a detailed analysis of three films: Deep Impact, Independence Day, and Mars Attacks!. These films are chosen because they offer contrasting examples of presidential behavior during extreme crises within a science fiction context.
How does the paper address the public's expectations of the president?
The paper explores public expectations of presidential behavior during national crises, focusing on presidential addresses (the use of "we" to unite the nation), the expectation of moral leadership (use of religious and moral principles), and the paradoxical expectations of strength and compassion.
What is the scope of the historical overview of presidential portrayals in Hollywood?
The historical overview traces the evolution of presidential portrayals in Hollywood cinema from early, heroic depictions to more nuanced portrayals acknowledging presidential flaws. It highlights the shift from portraying real-life presidents to fictional characters and the impact of events like Watergate and Vietnam on these portrayals.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include the evolution of presidential portrayals in Hollywood, public expectations of presidential leadership during crises, comparing presidential responses across different film genres, analyzing the effectiveness of presidential communication and actions in managing crises, and adapting fictional presidential actions to real-life scenarios.
What are the chapter summaries provided?
Chapter summaries cover the evolution of presidential portrayals in Hollywood (Chapter I), public expectations of presidential behavior during crises (Chapter II), reactions of presidents in crisis situations using the three chosen films as case studies (Chapter III), and an evaluation of presidential performances in these films (Chapter IV). Chapter V focuses on the adaptation of fictional actions to real life.
What keywords are associated with this paper?
Keywords include American Presidency, Hollywood films, crisis leadership, presidential communication, public expectations, film genres, Deep Impact, Independence Day, Mars Attacks!, fictional presidents, and political portrayal.
- Quote paper
- Uwe Sperlich (Author), 1999, Presidents Under Pressure or how fictional presidents handle situations of extreme crisis in the movies "Deep Impact", "Independence Day", and "Mars Attacks!", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/14454
