Unit 6 Night of the Living Dead

There were many political implications that could have come from the Night of the Living Dead. For starters this film cast an African American as the main character, and given the turbulent racism exhibited by many Americans of the time, this probably was a major issue. I know the Civil Rights movement was starting to gain steam and casting an African American man, as the lead in a movie would no doubt hasten the cause of this. Another scene from the film that could have violent political implications was the scene where Barbara smacks Ben, and then he punches her in the face. If this were real life and this had taken place somewhere in the South, Ben would most likely have been lynched. However, Ben just like any person is standing up for himself in self-defense, and fights back. Although, he shouldn't have hit Barbara because she's a woman and that still isn't culturally acceptable, in any society. Another thing the film started that had political implications was the fact that many leads in American movies started to die more frequently in the end, movies were no longer meant to be happily, ever after. They were meant to be real, still somewhat escapist and depressing, generating a genuine human experience of being in a zombie apocalypse. Another trend this film most likely inadvertently started with the trend of African American actors always getting killed off in horror movies, a trend that still continues today and is still really racist.

Unit 5: Bigger Than Life

For my film from the 1950s I chose, Bigger Than Life. The film compares to Breaking Bad by having Walter White and Ed Avery both are school teachers, only to suddenly find themselves diagnosed with a terrible illness. For Walter it's cancer and Ed diagnosed with kidney inflammation. Walter starts out by making meth, and Ed just abuses the medication he's prescribed. However, the plots of both differ because Walter uses he gifts for creating "Blue Meth" to help leave his family with something upon his passing. Ed however just abuses the medication and eventually his violence turns towards his family. While, Walter White is generally a violent drug kingpin, he seems to generally care about his family and doesn't really get violent towards them, unlike Ed. Walter's family over time learns about the terrible things he's done and learn to fear his reputation but, they know in the end he's just trying to provide for his family while, being a bastard. In the end Walter ends up with his drug empire destroyed, and his family is torn apart, before he dies. In Bigger Than Life, Ed ends up breaking up his family by having a violent psychotic episode towards them however, unlike Walter Ed doesn't get killed by gang members in a blaze of glory.

Unit 4 His Girl Friday

In the film the role of women is reversed from one would consider the cultural norm of the time. This norm being one where women are, the home makers and aren't supposed to be having a successful career among men. Hildy is the contradiction to the sexist claim women, are homemakers she has a career, talks and dresses like a man. She wears a suits instead of an apron, and she excels at her career because she precisely gets by on her talent and being a woman in a mans world. It's kind of a paradox to see that she can get into the newspaper business while, husband Bruce is apparently the more feminine one in their relationship. This paradox changes when Hildy says she wants to leave the newspaper business and ultimately settle down and be a mother. However, having lived in a mans world her entire life, would Hildy throw away her career and being the dominant force in her marriage all for children. I truly don't think she could give up her career.