Apocalyptic Dread: American Film at the Turn of the Millennium

210 Pages·2007·1.65 MB·English

by  Kirsten Moana Thompson

American Film at the
Turn of the Millennium
K I R S T E N M O A N A T H O M P S O N
Apocalyptic Dread
Also in the series
William Rothman, editor, Cavell on Film
J. David Slocum, editor, Rebel Without a Cause
Joe McElhaney, The Death of Classical Cinema
Apocalyptic Dread
American Film at the
Turn of the Millennium
=
Kirsten Moana Thompson
S U N Y P
TATE NIVERSITY OF EW ORK RESS
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2007 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic,
electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, address State University of New York Press,
194 Washington Avenue, Suite 305, Albany, NY 12210-2384
Production by Marilyn P. Semerad
Marketing by Anne M. Valentine
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Thompson, Kirsten Moana.
Apocalyptic dread : American film at the turn of the millenium / Kirsten
Moana Thompson.
p. cm. — (SUNY series, horizons of cinema)
Includes bibiographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7043-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7044-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Horror films—United States—History and criticism. 2. Disaster
films—United States—History and criticism. 3. Science fiction films—
United States—History and criticism. 4. Apocalypse in motion pictures.
I. Title. II. Series.
PN1995.9.H6T47 2006
791.43'6160973—dc22 2006013425
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Noelle Couvreur,
With love.
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Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
1. Apocalyptic Dread, Kierkegaard, and the Cultural
Landscape of the Millennium 1
2. Cape Fear and Trembling: Familial Dread 29
3. Strange Fruit: Candyman and Supernatural Dread 59
4. Dolores Claiborne: Memorial Dread 83
5. Se7en in the Morgue: Dystopian Dread 105
6. Signs of the End of the World: Apocalyptic Dread 127
7. War of the Worlds: Uncanny Dread 145
Notes 155
Works Cited 175
Index 181

Illustrations
Table 2.1 Principal Differences between Book and Films
(Cape Fear). 31
Figure 2.1 Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) and Peggy Bowden
(Polly Bergen) in Cape Fear (1962). Courtesy
of Photofest. 32
Figure 2.2 Negative Image of Danielle Bowden’s Eyes in
Cape Fear (1991). 38
Figure 2.3 Robert De Niro as Max Cady in Cape Fear (1991).
Courtesy of Photofest. 45
Figure 2.4 Après le deluge: Family in the Mud: Leigh
Bowden (Jessica Lange) in Cape Fear (1991). 57
Figure 3.1 In Front of the Bathroom Mirror, Helen Lyle
(Virginia Madsen) and Bernadette Walsh
(Kasi Lemmons) Dare Each Other to Call
Candyman Five Times. Candyman (1992). 63
Figure 3.2 The Hookman (Tony Todd) in Candyman (1992)
Courtesy of Photofest. 64
Figure 3.3 Cabrini-Green “White” Towers featured in
Candyman (1992). Photo courtesy of
Ronit Bezalel. 70
Figure 3.4 Helen enters Candyman’s lair through his
mouth. Candyman (1992). 74
Figure 4.1 Selena St. George and Mirror Trauma in
Dolores Claiborne (1995). 94
ix