Advisor(s)

Robert Waters, PhD
Ohio Northern University
History, Humanities & Global Culture
r-waters@onu.edu

Document Type

Poster

Location

ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room

Start Date

22-4-2022 12:00 PM

End Date

22-4-2022 1:00 PM

Abstract

This paper serves to explore the division in the entertainment industry after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. New York City is considered one of the cultural hubs in America so it only makes sense that various entertainment facets reflected society after the attacks. Many TV shows and movies began to introduce a much more violent and cynical form of media which showcased the uncertainty felt in the immediate aftermath to showcase the flaws 9/11 brought up in society. This also led to the rise of psychological thrillers, a relatively new form of horror film.

However, on the other end of the spectrum, escapism ran rampant in the entertainment industry. The Broadway show Assassins was shut down before opening in favor of musicals that merely entertained audiences and didn’t make them stop to think. Instead, comedic musicals took over the theater scene and swept the Tony Awards for years. America became lost in the upbeat fantasy world film franchises as well as various superhero franchises. The entertainment industry was divided between placing its focus on pointing out the flaws in society with a heightened sense of violence and paranoia and helping the community heal by trying to leave behind reality and providing comfort, even just for a few hours. This paper will reflect mainly upon the TV, film, and the Broadway musical entertainment industries. The research for this paper is pulled primarily from various essays and journals as well as the box office records and Academy Awards from the time. Several Playbills in the Playbill.com archive are used as well as national television advertisement campaigns.

Keywords: Entertainment, 9/11, Hollywood, Theater, Television

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Apr 22nd, 12:00 PM Apr 22nd, 1:00 PM

Terrorism and the Entertainment Industry: Theater, Film, and Television in a Post-9/11 World

ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room

This paper serves to explore the division in the entertainment industry after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. New York City is considered one of the cultural hubs in America so it only makes sense that various entertainment facets reflected society after the attacks. Many TV shows and movies began to introduce a much more violent and cynical form of media which showcased the uncertainty felt in the immediate aftermath to showcase the flaws 9/11 brought up in society. This also led to the rise of psychological thrillers, a relatively new form of horror film.

However, on the other end of the spectrum, escapism ran rampant in the entertainment industry. The Broadway show Assassins was shut down before opening in favor of musicals that merely entertained audiences and didn’t make them stop to think. Instead, comedic musicals took over the theater scene and swept the Tony Awards for years. America became lost in the upbeat fantasy world film franchises as well as various superhero franchises. The entertainment industry was divided between placing its focus on pointing out the flaws in society with a heightened sense of violence and paranoia and helping the community heal by trying to leave behind reality and providing comfort, even just for a few hours. This paper will reflect mainly upon the TV, film, and the Broadway musical entertainment industries. The research for this paper is pulled primarily from various essays and journals as well as the box office records and Academy Awards from the time. Several Playbills in the Playbill.com archive are used as well as national television advertisement campaigns.

Keywords: Entertainment, 9/11, Hollywood, Theater, Television