Ronald Reagan was a controversial president. There wasn’t a line he straddled for most people; you either hated the man and his politics or you adored his way of thinking. Whether you hated Reagan or not, however, the perception of masculinity, patriotism, and basis of evil changed dramatically during his presidential reign from 1981 to 1989.
It was largely due to Reagan’s testosterone filled philosophy that the era of gun blazing, hulking muscular men, and fast paced adrenaline filled cinematic rumps came into existence. Without Reagan, there would be no measure of masculinity to live up to and without Reagan there wouldn’t be an evil as ubiquitous across a nation as the Soviets.
With that in mind, here are five movies born in the Reagan era that owe their conception to the philosophy of America’s 40th president.
Star Wars – Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
At first glance, it would appear Star Wars has nothing to do with the Reagan Empire, and yet it has entirely everything to do with it. Reagan was a proper American cowboy who believed in fighting the common enemy and securing the freedom of civil life for one’s country. From the methodical way the enemy operates to the monochromatic uniforms they sport, the Galactic Empire was clearly built upon the image of Gorbachev’s Soviet Union.
First Blood (1982)
Rambo was not just a movie that was released during Reagan’s empire; it all but became the official movie of his administration. Reagan would often refer to Rambo when making speeches as a way to push his far-right agenda and aggressive ideologies when it came to foreign policy, especially as the Cold War started to heat up. Just before the end of the Beirut hostage situation in 1985, Reagan was quoted as saying, “Boy, after seeing Rambo: First Blood II last night, I know what to do next time this happens.”
Robocop (1987)
Robocop was set in a futuristic dystopian Detroit, but if Reagan had it his way, it’s the type of military police force he would have liked to run across the country. Reagan was pro-police, leaning heavily toward the idea of militarization in domestic life. Robocop acted as a less than subtle rebellious outcry to the direction Reagan was headed toward while he held office. Robocop celebrated the masculinity Reagan cherished with the use of actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but also called out the idiocy of his ultra-Republican ideology.
Die Hard (1988)
McClane originally became a superhero among ’80s theatergoers because of his take charge, testosterone fueled, patriotic, and flawed sense of self. All qualities that appealed to audiences who were frustrated by the government’s apparent lack of action and saw a man that championed the idea of a smaller role on behalf of the government, like Reagan did. While doing a junket for A Good Day to Die Hard, director John Moore said, “…McClane is essentially a brilliantly iconic Reagansitic character.”
Mississippi Burning (1988)
One of the few loud anti-Reagan movies made during his time in office, the film, based on a true story of three young Black activists who were wrongfully arrested and murdered in cold blood, attacked Reagan’s blatantly racist views on the desegregation process and his lack of willingness to work with the Black community. Although it didn’t call the president outright for anything, the message was as clear as day. When Reagan visited Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1980 on his presidential campaign, he was criticized for not only ignoring the events that took place, but preaching about, “State’s rights,” which many took as his lack of condemnation entirely for the killing.
