"The China Syndrome" had little effect on nuclear politics in the US. Even though released a mere 12 days before the Three Mile Island incident, it did as little to cripple the nuclear power industry in this country as "The Poseidon Adventure" did to shut down cruise ships. What really stopped the nukes in the US was the propaganda campaign waged by the pro-nuke forces in the industry during the weeks preceding the film and in the period between the theatrical release and the near-meltdown in Pennsylvania. For good or ill, the pro-nuke propaganda machine was thoroughly discredited and is only now starting to recover.
Neither can the film be seen entirely as a hysterical leftist political statement, as its industry critics would have us believe. In fact, some leftist commentators argue just the opposite: that its primary function (although not necessarily its purpose) was to reassure the public that the "authorities" know what they're doing and will eventually have everything under control, something which all disaster movies have in common. "Trust us, we know what we're doing."
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC22folder/ChinaSynZwick.html
Off Topic » in reply to Tough. Failsafe, or The China Syndrome.
The China Syndrome revisited.
The whole thread (46 posts)
- What movie do you feel had the most impact on society? (n/t)
- Schindler's List
- Dances With Wolves (n/t)
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Soylent Green (n/t)
- re: What movie do you feel had the most impact on society?
- Out of left field
- On the Beach
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Fantasia (n/t)
- Tough. Failsafe, or The China Syndrome. (n/t)
- The GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY!