Join Robert Alpert, an intellectual property lawyer turned film professor, along with historical experts Merle Eisenberg and Lee Mordechai, as they dive into the intriguing world of disease-themed movies. They discuss the evolution of cinematic portrayals of pandemics, revealing how narratives shifted from heroic to personal struggles. The conversation touches on societal reflections during crises, viewer motivations during COVID-19, and the importance of inclusive storytelling. Get ready for a captivating exploration of how film mirrors our hopes and fears about health!
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insights INSIGHT
Movies as Cultural Mirrors and Molders
Disease movies reflect the culture of the time they were made.
They also influence culture, creating a feedback loop.
insights INSIGHT
Shifting Heroes and Pandemics
Early disease films (1920s-1980s) featured heroic government doctors sacrificing for the public good.
Modern films show uncontrollable pandemics and a shift towards individualism.
insights INSIGHT
Selection Criteria for Diseased Cinema
The authors focused on American-made disease movies with cohesive narratives and historical importance.
They included some personally disliked films, like Resident Evil, for a balanced perspective.
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Plagues, Pandemics, and Zombies in American Movies
Merle Eisenberg
Lee Mordechai
Robert Alpert
Diseased Cinema offers a unique perspective on the evolution of disease-themed movies in American cinema. The authors analyze how these films reflect societal anxieties and changing cultural values over time. They explore the shift from heroic doctors saving the day to apocalyptic scenarios where humanity is on the brink of collapse. The book examines how the portrayal of heroes, villains, and the role of science have evolved, reflecting shifts in public trust and societal structures. Through detailed analysis of numerous films, the authors provide insights into the cultural anxieties and hopes embedded within the genre.
Everyone’s got a favorite disease movie. What’s yours? Does it feature zombies like 28 Days Later (2002), or is it more grounded in reality, like Contagion (2011)? Does it end with a glimmer of hope or with a dose of despair? Who are the bad guys and who are the good guys? From the early days of disease movies like Panic in the Streets (1950) to more recent films like Little Joe (2019), these movies have provided endless entertainment, excitement, and opportunities to examine society itself. In this TPWKY book club episode, Robert Alpert, Dr. Merle Eisenberg, and Dr. Lee Mordechai join us to discuss their book Diseased Cinema: Plagues, Pandemics, and Zombies in American Movies. Diseased Cinema approaches the genre of disease-themed movies with the goal of understanding what these movies say about our hopes, our fears, our anxieties, and how these perspectives have shifted over the decades. When did faith in our government’s problem solving give way to rugged self-reliance? Why did people start to view science as the bad guy rather than the source of salvation? Tune in for a fascinating discussion that will stay on your mind long after your next movie night. And also check out Merle and Lee’s excellent podcast Infectious Historians!
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