by Lisa Malkiewicz

Created on: September 11, 2009

As a child of the 70's my teenage years were plagued by 80's pop culture, politics, and unfortunately clothing. The Brat Pack actors were common place, Reagan was fighting for "Star Wars" and our country was in the middle of the "Cold War" with Russia.

The movie "Red Dawn", at that time, seemed very realistic as our country was preparing for possible WW III with Russia and her allies. Many movies have often portrayed the thought that Russia would come through the "back door" of Canada, while our attentions were drawn elsewhere. The United States and Russia had become the two largest superpowers in the world and as the Colonel in "Red Dawn" points out, "Maybe it was just time for the two biggest bullies on the block to fight." The political views behind the 1984 movie "Red Dawn" were realistic enough during that time. However, the theme of the movie, the young rebels trying to save their home, seems somewhat far-fetched.

A total of eight untrained teenagers escape to the mountains and plot their revenge against a true invasion force. Even with the leadership of a very young Patrick Swayze and a military colonel, this seems highly unlikely. The skills of survival alone for students their age would have required tremendous effort through the harshest five months of the year that the movie takes place in. In addition, we are asked to believe that these eight teenagers wind up possessing the skills to operate full heavy artillery such as RPG's, and know the weaknesses of foreign military tanks to destroy them.

Though the movie is politically feasible for this period of unrest, the movie overall gives way to a truly dramatic story that resembles nothing more than a great war novel.

With the release of the T.V. series "Jericho" a few years ago, a greater realization has come to terms. The United States really is the only super power left in the world, and it is inevitable that we will self-destruct.

Political unrest from within, causes the nation to fall in this made for T.V. drama. This movement can be seen in our own political policies of today and could turn into a possible future for our nation.

"Jericho" takes the viewer on a journey that shows very realistically the pain, temptations, and successes of a small town community. Their problems are based on every day living; making it through the winter, finding food, and to begin rebuilding. Unlike "Red Dawn" this series is not based on fighting as much as it mere survival.

The successes that are shown on Jericho are the little things; turning the lights back on, bartering for supplies, and dealing with a society in a time of ignorance.

When things begin to unfold in the second season, there is more action, but towns are fighting against each other, not against a foreign invasion force. Lines are drawn and the people of Jericho are ready to make a stand for their homes, but they have not been overthrown. They are not trying to fight their way back into their town. They are merely trying to keep their own boundaries.

Even in the final episodes, where the large corrupted corporation does take hold of Jericho, the citizens outwit the enemy and choose to join a larger side instead of battling a war on their own.

Finally, both the movie "Red Dawn" and the television series "Jericho" can both be seen as politically realistic. However, when looking at the tactics of each, I think we can all see how "Jericho" could be seen as a much more realistic piece of fiction than the 1984 movie "Red Dawn."

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