Hollywood, the Pentagon and Washington: The Movies and National Security from World War II to the Present Day - Paperback

by Jean-Michel Valantin (Author)

This fascinating book exposes the movie industry as a key protagonist in the US strategy debate, through the production of films on national security across many genres, from comedy to thriller, from sci-fi to war movies. This timely volume also explores prevailing ideas of the 'threat' to homeland USA that are put forward by the national security network, a threat that is seen as the justification for and legitimization of America's military operations and strategic choices. Valantin reveals how in the last 20 years there has been a consistent collaboration between the US Department of Defense and film studios and enormous contracts have been exchanged between the two industries. This book shows how Hollywood is completely penetrated by the ideological and political thinking of Washington, which in turn appears to be directly inspired by the productions of Hollywood.

Back Jacket

Hollywood and the Pentagon: on one side a great industry, 'the makers of dreams', on the other the US Defence department. What relations unify these two potent symbols of American power? This extensive analysis of mainstream Hollywood movies lifts the lid on the interdependence between these two institutions. The movie industry is exposed as a key protagonist in the US strategy debate through the production of films on national security across many genres, from comedy to thriller, from sci-fi to war movies. This timely book also explores prevailing ideas on the 'threat' to homeland USA that is put forward by the national security network, a threat that is seen as the justification for and legitimization of America's military operations and strategic choices. This book reveals how in the last 20 years there has been a consistent collaboration between these two industries: enormous contracts have been exchanged between the studios and the defence department. It shows how Hollywood is completely penetrated by the ideological and political thinking of Washington, which in turn appears to be directly inspired by the productions of Hollywood.

Author Biography

Jean-Michel Valantin is lecturer in Strategic Studies and the Sociology of Defense, specialist in American strategy and researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Peace and Strategic Studies (CIRPES), France.