Volume 2, Issue 2

Shying Away from Terrorism: An Examination of Villains in Terrorist Films

by Matt Martinez

The Birth and Death of the Drive-In Movie Theater

by Tim Wing


Welcome to the Spring 2002 issue of The Projector. Unfortunately, for this issue we only have two articles. But they are both very articulate and interesting essays. One deals with a highly poignant subject matter, which is especially relative to the times we currently find ourselves in. The other is a more light-hearted look at a love affair America has had going for the last 70 years.

In the first essay, Shying Away from Terrorism: An Examination of Villains in Terrorist Films, author Matt Martinez examines the portrayal of terrorists in film. More specifically, their presence as evil villains, in action flicks such as Die Hard. Matt considers how prevalent and accurate or inaccurate these depictions truly are in today’s mainstream American film. He also discusses the possible negative consequences of these depictions (which most often use ethnic minorities&endash;such as Arab peoples). Not only can these portrayals negatively affect those being represented, but also the American majority viewing audience, who may be more sensitive to such material in the current times and climate we are all now living in.

The second article, entitled The Birth and Death of the Drive-In Movie Theater, deals with the history of the drive-in. The essay ranges from its birth on the hood of a car in 1930s New Jersey, to its heyday of the 1950s, and concludes with the subsequent decline, which began in the 60s, and continues to this day. Tim Wing discusses the men who pioneered this uniquely American take on the film viewing experience, and the public’s initial lack of interest. The glory days of "outdoor" cinema, the conditions that led first to its stagnation and then to its gradual, but massive decline in popularity, are all presented. The author examines such issues as the emergence of many new technologies in the mid 80s, which led to the explosion of an almost unlimited amount of possible entertainment options for the American consumer in the 1990s. He explains how these things may have in fact been the deathblow to the American drive-in, as theater after theater continues to close, all across the country.