Framing the Bomb: A Comparative Visual Analysis of Hollywood and Japanese Depictions of Nuclear Detonations
Introduction: Nuclear weapons have played a sizable role in cinema since their conception in 1945. For decades, film has acted as a medium to address their morality, destructive capabilities and existential nature (Marinho et al. 2021). Moreover, how individuals perceive nuclear weapons and their destructive capabilities will depend on their personal experience and cultural exposure to said weapons (Bentley 2024). These perceptions will be heavily influenced by their countries’ nuclear ideology and the media surrounding nuclear weaponry prevalent within their region. However, because of the worldwide influence of American cinema (Sparks 2007, pp. 97-98), which has framed global narratives surrounding the nuclear question, many recurring themes and images used within the Hollywood film industry, have americanised global perceptions of nuclear weapons. Therefore, it is important to analyse how popular Hollywood films visually frame nuclear explosions, as through this, much can be learned...