Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
2-2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Program
Liberal Studies
Advisor
Edward Miller
Subject Categories
Film and Media Studies
Keywords
Film, Gaming, Narrative, Spectacle, War
Abstract
This essay, using as a jump-off point François Truffaut's view that it is impossible to make a true anti-war film, examines the degree to which certain Hollywood films about war treat the subject as a spectacle for the audience. With the aid of critical articles discussing the war film's presentation from the standpoint of narrative and aesthetic, three films are examined for their ability (or lack thereof) to curtail the tendency of war as entertainment. Furthermore, with the increasing prominence of the videogame as a narrative medium, as well as the prevalence of game narratives dealing with war, the question of the subject's impact being lost on the audience is just as relevant. To that end, this thesis explores examples of games that follow mystifying representations of war in movies along with other titles that reflexively question the player's experience of the subject. It is, on the whole, an effort to apply aspects of film studies to the younger medium.
Recommended Citation
Workoff, Christopher Robert, "Actuality Or Mystifying Spectacle? War In Cinema And Electronic Gaming" (2015). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/640