![]() The hero and his secretary narrowly escape before the box explodes in a powerful atomic blast. Upon opening it, she screams and bursts into flames. The villainess, played by Gaby Rogers, insists on seeing the contents of a box filled with nuclear material, despite warnings that it is dangerous. One motion picture from 1955 entitled "Kiss Me Deadly" graphically illustrated Americans' fear of atomic energy and their hope that it would only be used against evil. ![]() Fear of nuclear warfare, the adverse effects of atomic radiation and total atomic oblivion pervaded popular film, literature, and other forms of mass culture. ![]() Once the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan on August 6, 1945, Americans realized a new era in history, one defined by the ability of humans to destroy their world. Some Americans built fallout shelters to protect their families while others, shocked by the prospect of nuclear annihilation at any moment, sought to live for the present. Fear of atomic bomb attacks on the nation's cities helped motivate people to move to the relative safety of the suburbs. Source: Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater ResearchĪmerica's post-World War II period is often portrayed as a time of affluence and contentment, but fear of atomic war and Communist infiltration also marked the era and affected the decisions Americans made about their lives and futures. Pictured on right is a film still from "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955). Entrance to the FEAR! section of the exhibit.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |