Title: Monsters in the Machine. Science Fiction Film and the Militarization of America after World War II
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi
Publication Date: 2016
Language: English
ISBN 10: 1496818261
ISBN 13: 9781496818263
Binding: Original decorated wrappers
Edition: Print on Demand.
Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

During the 1950s and early 1960s, the American film industry produced a distinct cycle of films situated on the boundary between horror and science fiction. Using the familiar imagery of science fiction--from alien invasions to biological mutation and space travel--the vast majority of these films subscribed to the effects and aesthetics of horror film, anticipating the dystopian turn of many science fiction films to come. Departing from projections of American technological awe and optimism, these films often evinced paranoia, unease, fear, shock, and disgust. Not only did these movies address technophobia and its psychological, social, and cultural corollaries; they also returned persistently to the military as a source of character, setting, and conflict. Commensurate with a state of perpetual mobilization, the US military comes across as an inescapable presence in American life.

Regardless of their genre, Steffen Hantke argues that these films have long been understood as allegories of the Cold War. They register anxieties about two major issues of the time: atomic technologies, especially the testing and use of nuclear weapons, as well as communist aggression and/or subversion. Setting out to question, expand, and correct this critical argument, Hantke follows shifts and adjustments prompted by recent scholarly work into the technological, political, and social history of America in the 1950s. Based on this revised historical understanding, science fiction films appear in a new light as they reflect on the troubled memories of World War II, the emergence of the military-industrial complex, the postwar rewriting of the American landscape, and the relative insignificance of catastrophic nuclear war compared to America's involvement in postcolonial conflicts around the globe.

About the Author

Steffen Hantke has written on contemporary literature, film, and culture. He is author of Conspiracy and Paranoia in Contemporary American Fiction: The Works of Don DeLillo and Joseph McElroy and Monsters in the Machine: Science Fiction Film and the Militarization of America after World War II, as well as editor of Horror Film: Creating and Marketing Fear and American Horror Film: The Genre at the Turn of the Millennium (the latter three published by University Press of Mississippi).

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Please come visit our shop in Machynlleth or browse our stock online. We carry a wide range of academic books on all subjects, such as history, philosophy, psychology, psychiatry, mathematics, physics, geography, political science, political philosophy, religious studies, military history and many other subjects. We also carry antiquarian stock and general stock, especially cookery. We are always interested in collections, especially on academic subjects.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Association Member

Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.

Seller's business information

Literary Cat Books
United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

All orders of 50 pounds and higher will be shipped with mandatory insurance added.

We make every effort to describe each book or print accurately. However, we accept that an item might not prove to be as you expected it, or has been damaged in transport. We therefore accept returns within 14 days of receipt of the item, upon prior notification. We will provide a full refund upon receipt of the returned item by us.

Shipping Terms

Orders usually ship within 2/3 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know if extra shipping is required.

Overseas postage will be sent by airmail if you select priority and surface if you select standard postage. Surface mail to the United States or Canada can take up to six weeks, and up to twelve weeks to Australia and New Zealand.

We use only good quality materials and the utmost care when packaging our books to ensure they arrive in the best possible condition.

In the unlikely event that your book does not arrive within the specified shipping period, please feel free to contact us direct. Please provide your name, address and the details of your order.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	30 to 50 business days	5 to 10 business days
First item	US$ 20.11	US$ 24.13

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.