Features of Screen Construction of the Image of the President of the United States: Hollywood—Media—Politics

Abstract

Analysis of the text and the context of screen production is a necessary link for comprehending social processes. Capturing time through the screen and film images allows us to form an idea of the actual cultural, aesthetic, ideological (value) specificity of society. Whether cinema is a reflection of the truth of life, or a form of secondary communication, or a means of formation of viewers’ worldview positions, are the questions, the relevance of which has increased significantly against the geopolitical background of the first quarter of the 21st century. This article is an attempt to analyze how it works today in the US—using some examples of political cinema in conjunction with the media agenda. According to my study, the specific potential of cinema, combining different ways of communication and information, clearly highlights the American socio-political realities. As the traditional frameworks of filmmaking expand (meaning the Internetization of space and the possibility to shoot a movie on a mobile device), the specifics of filmmakers’ work are transforming too: a more active use of media principles of presenting socially significant information is noted, and the stylistics of materials change as well (shifting to journalism, keen satire or sharp documentary style). The article traces the influence of modern media on the film content and examines the most famous “politically charged” films against the background of the centerpiece of the American domestic politics—the presidential elections.