After the moribund Carter years, the age of Reagan issued in a new era of American confidence. And with that confidence came a wave of films full of male bravado after a decade of paranoid, navel gazing films with negative endings.

Carter capped off the sad decade of the 70s, where America bailed on Vietnam, a president resigned in shame and Carter let Iran fall into Islamo-Fascist hands and then failed to rescue our hostages, which Iran humiliated before the world. His economy was as terrible as this one. And the Democrats of his day echoed the same defeatist sentiments of this period, claiming people better get used to high unemployment and an moribund economy because it’s here to stay. American cities were decaying. The Big Apple was said to be rotting and it’s best days were over.

The 70’s movies, echoed the sentiments of many film makers of that era, which showed a government that was corrupt and predatory. America was seen as a hopeless, crime ridden nation where the little guy had to fight corruption at every turn. Hollywood cranked out revenge films, crime films, conspiracy films. Many of them had an unhappy ending. The few exceptions, like Star Wars were a huge hit, but they were an exception to the rule.

Things changed when Reagan was elected. Reagan brought real hope and change. A sense of optimism and a can-do attitude. He was not without his critics, and his first couple of years were spent dealing with the economy he inherited, but he turned the country around and we were off to the races.

And with Reagan came a new decade of films that reflected this attitude. The era of the macho hero: Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis, Gibson, Norris, Van Damme, Seagal and others; beating and blowing up villains all over the world. Fighting terrorists, communists, drug lords and other assorted riff raff. The 70s action heroes, Eastwood, Reynolds and Bronson were still around doing their part as well. But they were winding it down while the others took over their game.

The 80’s heroes took action to the next level. The over the top, explosive heavy, bullet saturated thrill ride. And in those films the individual fighting crime and corruption was celebrated. Gone was the message that America was failing. Now America was fighting back. America was strong. America wasn’t gonna take any crap. Look out, bad guys!

I’m sure many might dispute the Reagan connection, but after Carter gutted our military, Reagan built it back up. With the exception of the withdrawal from Beirut, Reagan was going around putting fear in some of our enemies. A strong leader does that. And with a strong leader comes confidence that you’re on the winning side. With a weak leader, like Carter, who went around apologizing for America and befriending dictators (sound familiar?), America was in the doldrums.

This decade is young and we’re starting it off with lots of superhero movies and fantasy films. But many of them are financed by foreign money and the message is moving away from America as a positive light. The movie villains of today aren’t terrorists and drug lords. They’re corporations and capitalists. It’s almost a comment on our society that America is somehow bad for being a success. While our economy continues to flounder in inept hands, let’s hope the culture doesn’t feed that insecurity. The movie business thought they were doomed in the 70s. Things were getting dire for them until Spielberg and Lucas came along. The 80s proved that theory wrong. The business roared back. Part of that came from a positive message in the films of that decade.

Let’s not forget that a positive attitude can accomplish wonders and negativity and despair only leads to more depression.