Episode #36: Genre Conventions in White House Down

Ken and Todd examine the conventions of action films and how White House Down uses them. Do action films promote American exceptionalism? How does the use of comic relief undercut the film's moral seriousness? What makes a true hero?

SHOW NOTES:

0:00 - Intro: Why we are discussing White House Down
5:40 - What are the film's genre conventions?
14:50 - Conflict, resolution, and social order
18:00 - American exceptionalism
29:10 - Death and comic relief
38:18 - True heroism and cultural values
44:14 - Concluding remarks

DON'T FORGET: You can contact us by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening!