Dissertation
THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE WASTELAND: THE POST-APOCALYPTIC GENRE AND THE WESTERN IN CINEMA
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2019
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/16725
Abstract
This dissertation examines the relationship between the Western and post-apocalyptic genre in cinema. Specifically, how the post-apocalyptic genre translates and adapts key tenets of the Western to create a genre that is both foreign and familiar. However, this translation compromises the post-apocalyptic genre due to baggage of the Western genre especially racism, sexism and imperialism. These issues complicate the regenerative capabilities of the post-apocalyptic genre by never moving on from the old world.
Chapter 1 explores the relationship between the archetype of the savage and race in post-apocalyptic cinema, specifically focusing on in the inverted frontier and the universalized savage via zombie cinema. Chapter 2 explores how by translating and adapting the Western genre frontier, the gender norms of the Western haunt the post-apocalyptic genre and compromise the possibility of a new world. Chapter 3 examines the intersection of the apocalypse and colonialism as represented by the Mad Max quartet of films. Chapter 4 analyzes the relationship between Western genre locations and low budget post-apocalyptic films. Chapter 5 examines the spatial temporality of the post-apocalyptic genre and how it is in the past, the present and the future.
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Details
- Title
- THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE WASTELAND
- Creators
- Casey McDermid Ratto
- Contributors
- Carmen Lugo-Lugo (Advisor)Mary Bloodsworth-Lugo (Committee Member)Rory Ong (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- School of Languages, Cultures, and Race
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 241
- Identifiers
- 99900581419801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation