Paranoia, the Bomb, and 1950s Science Fiction Films

by Cyndy Hendershot, Cyndy Hendershot

Cyndy Hendershot argues that 1950s science fiction films open a window on the cultural paranoia that characterized 1950s America, a phenomenon largely triggered by use of nuclear weapons during World War II. This study uses psychoanalytic theory to examine the various monsters that inhabit 1950s sci-fi movies—giant insects, prehistoric creatures, mutants, uncanny doubles, to name a few—which serve as metaphorical embodiments of a varied and complex cultural paranoia. Postwar paranoia may have stemmed from the bomb, but it came to correlate with a wider range of issues such as anti-communism, internal totalitarianism, scientific progress, domestic problems, gender roles, and sexuality.

174 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1999

Reviews

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in the early 2000s and remember movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, and the clear relationship with nuclear fears tied up with communism, and fragile masculinity in the face of these looming threats. It mentioned a few other movies, but I remember how the culture of the times often tells on itself.

[László Szabó · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extensive and detailed account of the sci-fi movies of the 1950s.Highly recommended!