1. FM2 – Section C
Comparative Analysis of TWO US
films from the same genre

2. Learning
Discuss the themes of
Objectives
Invasion of the Body
Snatchers
Identify key aspects of
1950’s American society
Evaluate 1950’s American
Society

3. Invasion of the
Body Snatchers
Working alone, note down any themes you identified in
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Male
Loss of dominated
identity society
Paranoia Conspiracy
Make a list of scenes from the film that
discuss, highlight or use each theme identified
on the board

4. Invasion of the
Body Snatchers
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one of the most studied
films of its kind and has been considered an allegorical tale
commenting up on 1950’s America and it’s citizens lose of
identity
Tensions had begun to mount
between the USSR & the United
States after World War II and a
stand-off between the two nations
had been on going since then
After the USA’s use of Nuclear Weapons in Japan the
prospect of War was an especially daunting and terrifying
one – people knew a Nuclear War would be devastating for
both nations

5. McCarthyism
The USSR posed several threats to the USA
• Military
• Economic
• Ideological
With the constant threat of Nuclear Annihilation
forming a backdrop to American life, people in
all levels of American society grew increasingly
paranoid
A direct result of the increased sense of fear,
political tensions and uncertainties about their
future

6. McCarthyism
During this time Senator Robert McCarthy came
to prominence
McCarthy specialised in unsubstantiated
accusations of Communist infiltration in the
American government
He is most infamous for lending his name to an
anti-communist initiative designed to remove
people from positions of power whom he
alleged had communist sympathies or links
Since WWII, McCarthy had become increasingly
paranoid about communism being used to
subvert American citizens

7. McCarthyism
How would communism, a ideology directly in
conflict with Capitalism, subvert people?
Subversion is the corruption of a persons honest
and loyalty or, undermining moral integrity
If communists could subvert American citizens
they would change opinions
The people would no longer see the government
as representing their beliefs and would challenge
their authority
McCarthy feared that communist infiltrators
were deeply embedded at all levels of American
society in an attempt to subvert American
citizens

8. McCarthyism - The
McCarthy was not alone in his fear of Communist Red Scare
subversion
In 1947 President Harry S. Truman created the
‘Federal Employees Loyalty Program’ – designed
to access employees political allegiance and
uncover if they were involved in ‘Un-American’
activities
The boards took over the program known as the
‘The House on Un-American Activities’ or HUAC
(est. 1937)
Joseph McCarthy was the head of one of the
HUAC boards

9. McCarthyism - The
Paranoia about communist infiltration also Red Scare
infected others areas of society, including the
media
Walt Disney used his vast media empire to
embed his political opinions in to his films
Watch ‘Goofy Cold War’ and note down the ways
this could be seen as an allegory for communist
subversion

10. McCarthyism - The
Red Scare
Goofy begins his day as a productive member of capitalist society
until he is struck down with a red nose and a cold
The narrator describes him as “alone with his
misery… a definite change has come over this
man”
Disney presents a representation of those
infected as weaker, unproductive, unloved and
dangerous
The red nose is also a visual signifier of the ‘Red’
– the Russian enemy, as they were known

11. McCarthyism - The
In government, the HUAC was at the height of its Red Scare
powers
Their main objective was the discovery of
communist subversion and Un-American
Activities
In 1940, with support of the HUAC the Alien
Registration Act was passed in the USA making it
illegal for anyone in the USA to advocate, teach
or promote the desirability of overthrowing the
government
The main objective of the Act was to undermine
the American Communist Party and other left
wing groups

12. Better dead, than
Red!
Watch the following short and makes notes on
the following:
How did people feel during the era known as
‘McCarthyism’?
What did American people fear?
How did McCarthy create an atmosphere of Fear
and paranoia?

13. The Hollywood
Ten
No-one was immune to the HUAC’s scrutiny and Hollywood, seen as a
industry that peddled in generally subversive materials, came under its
gaze
In 1947, HUAC interviewed 41 people who
were working in Hollywood
Ten of those actors refused to answer
questions
They claimed the Fifth Amendment – a right
protected under the US Constitution
The HUAC would not allow this and charged all ten actors
with contempt of court – they were sentenced to between
6 – 12 months in prison

14. Better dead, than
Red!
Hollywood Ten
Hollywood – The Witch Hunts