You might not consider High Noon a Cold War movie, but you will after you read J. Hoberman’s fascinating book, An Army of Phantoms: American Movies and The Making of the Cold War. Village Voice film critic Hoberman analyzes the movies he considers a part of the Cold War media machine: cavalry Westerns, apocalyptic sci-fi flicks, and biblical spectaculars. Hoberman covers witch hunts, House Committee on Un-American Activities tactics and humiliations, the resulting blacklist, message movies, propaganda, and more. An Army of Phantoms also includes the best treatment of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers that I’ve ever read. This is part of a three-book film history of the Cold War. In 2003, Hoberman published The Dream Life: Movies, Media, and the Mythology of the Sixties. A third volume about Ronald Reagan and the Eighties is forthcoming. I can’t wait for the next volume! GRADE: A
Of course I consider HIGH NOON a Cold War movie. I’m sure you noticed the reference to McCarthyism in regard to this one in that Scorsese interview book.
Yes, I did, Jeff. The screenwriter of HIGH NOON, Carl Foreman, testified in front of the HCUA committee and that experience went right into the movie. The Scorsese interview book got it right.
Might have to read it just for the BODY SNATCHERS chapter.
I learned a lot about THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS from Hoberman’s analysis, Bill. Very insightful!
Oh, this looks great. I have read some of this before I think but it looks smashing.
This is the best analysis of Cold War movies that I’ve ever read, Patti. I found many of Hoberman’s insights completely new to me.
The remakes were OK but nothing came close to the power of the Don Siegel original.
I agree, Jeff. The Don Siegel version of THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS towers over the remakes.
OK – reserved a copy at the library.
You’ll enjoy AN ARMY OF PHANTOMS, Jeff.
This sounds good, George. I will track it down.
If anybody is really interested in the film BODY SNATCHERS, there was a non-fiction book devoted to it, called THEY’RE HERE. Pretty entertaining read.
You’ll really enjoy AN ARMY OF PHANTOMS, Drongo. Yes, I’ve read THEY’RE HERE. Fascinating book!
On a completely different subject George, you mentioned a few weeks ago that you’re getting a knee replacement. As a big-time economics wallah you’ve probably already read it, but today’s Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about getting new knees and the demands patients put on them these days.
Yes, I did read that WSJ article, Drongo. I thought I would put the knee surgery off for five or six years, but the lack of mobility and discomfort changed my mind.