2. Allegory Definition: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Directors of my chosen films: Black Hawk Down – Ridley Scott Independence Day – Roland Emmerich Starship Troopers – Paul Verhoeven Battle: Los Angeles – Jonathan Liebesman War of the Worlds –Byron Haskin
3. Black Hawk Down Independence Day Starship Troopers Battle: Los Angeles War of the Worlds
4. Plot of Films Black Hawk Down: Action/war drama based on the best-selling book detailing a near-disastrous mission in Somalia on October 3, 1993. On this date nearly 100 U.S. Army Rangers, commanded by Capt. Mike Steele, were dropped by helicopter deep into the capital city of Mogadishu to capture two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord. This lead to a large and drawn-out firefight between the Rangers and hundreds of Somali gunmen, leading to the destruction of two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters. This film focuses on the heroic efforts of various Rangers to get to the downed black hawks, centering on Sgt. Eversmann, leading the Ranger unit Chalk Four to the first black hawk crash site, Warrant Officer Durant who was captured after being the only survivor of the second black hawk crash, as well as many others who were involved. Independence Day: On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. It is soon learned by the military that a number of enormous objects are on a collision course with Earth. At first thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species. After attempts to communicate with the aliens go nowhere, David Levinson, an ex-scientist turned cable technician, discovers that the aliens are going to attack major points around the globe in less than a day. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles, and Washington. The survivors set out in convoys towards Area 51, a strange government testing ground where it is rumored the military has a captured alien spacecraft of their own. The survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens, and July 4th becomes the day humanity will fight for its freedom. Starship Troopers: In the distant future high school kids are encouraged to become citizens by joining the military. What they don't know is that they'll soon be engaged in a full scale war against a planet of alien insects. The fight is on to ensure the safety of humanity. Battle: Los Angeles: Los Angeles and other cities around the world are being bombarded by meteors that seem to be slowing down once they hit the earth's atmosphere. The earth is suddenly being invaded by space aliens that have landed off the shore of LA, and who begin killing everybody along the beach. The military is ordered into action. Marine Staff Sergeant Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), who was about to retire, is reassigned to a new platoon. The platoon, flown by chopper to the forward operating base at Santa Monica Airport, is being led by a new 2nd Lt. Martinez (Ramon Rodriguez). They are sent on a mission to rescue some civilians who are trapped at the police station within alien territory. They only have 3 hours to complete their mission and get out before the Air Force bombs that zone. War of the Worlds: H.G. Well's classic novel is brought to life is this tale of alien invasion. The residents of a small town in California are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills. Their joy is tempered somewhat when they discover that it has passengers who are not very friendly. The movie itself is understood better when you consider that it was made at the height of the Cold War.
5. The relationship between the movies that I am investigating and the concepts from the timeline history are that all of the films, ‘Black Hawk Down’, ‘Independence Day’, ‘War of the Worlds’, ‘Battle: LA’ and ‘Starship Troopers’ are that they were all released from 1996 – 2001. This period of time when ‘Starship Troopers’ ‘1997’ and ‘Independence Day’ ‘1996’ was just after the Somalia Civil War had finished, then ‘Black Hawk Down’ ‘2001’ was a story from the Somalia Civil War 6 years after it ended. ‘Battle LA’ was released in March 2011, the link to the closest war that America won/finished was the Somalia war, which started again in 2006 and ended in 2009. ‘War of the Worlds’ was released in August 1953, which was during the Cold War era, which from the storyline on IMDB says: The movie itself is understood better when you consider that it was made at the height of the Cold War. My investigation for my small scale is to find out if there is any relationship or hidden meaning behind a Sci-Fi film that has a connection to the wars fought by America.
