Academic Journal
The Racial Politics of Disaster and Dystopia in I Am Legend.
| Title: | The Racial Politics of Disaster and Dystopia in I Am Legend. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | BRAYTON, SEAN1 |
| Source: | Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film & Television. Spring2011, Issue 67, p66-76. 11p. |
| Abstract: | The article analyzes the dystopian film "I Am Legend," starring African-American actor Will Smith. Smith's roles in other movies are reviewed, roles the author argues present Smith in diluted blackness so as to appeal to whites. The author argues that "I Am Legend" presents a story of disaster and black survival that is part of the postmulticultural discourse in the aftermath of the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2005. Characters and the plot of the film are analyzed, focusing on the film's story of black heroism in comparison to other science fiction films. The author concludes that the film presents a national revival through blackness and creates a threatening aspect to white reactionaries and American imperialists. |
| Subject Terms: | *DYSTOPIAN films, *AFRICAN Americans in motion pictures, *HURRICANE Katrina, 2005, *RACISM & the arts, *MULTICULTURALISM in motion pictures, *SCIENCE fiction films, *POLITICS & culture, *MOTION pictures & society, *GOVERNMENT policy |
| Reviews & Products: | I Am Legend (Film) |
| People: | SMITH, Will, 1968- |
| ISSN: | 01491830 |
| DOI: | 10.1353/vlt.2011.0005 |
| Database: | Academic Search Index |
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