Whose revenge is it anyway? Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, intertextuality, and America's War on Terror

This article argues that Inglourious Basterds constitutes a critique of America's response to 9/11. In adhering to oppositions that accompany representations of the Holocaust in popular culture, criticism of the film fails to account for the socio-political context from which it emerges. This a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHolocaust studies Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 236 - 249
Main Author Jenkins, Gary
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Routledge 02.10.2015
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
9/11
Counterterrorism
Criticism
Holocaust
Inglourious Basterds
Jewish people
morality
Motion pictures
Pleasure
Popular culture
Revenge
September 11 terrorist attacks-2001
War on Terror
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Summary:This article argues that Inglourious Basterds constitutes a critique of America's response to 9/11. In adhering to oppositions that accompany representations of the Holocaust in popular culture, criticism of the film fails to account for the socio-political context from which it emerges. This article argues that any pleasure in watching Jews exert retribution against their Nazi oppressors is re-evaluated when considered in light of the abuses committed during the 'War on Terror'. Central to this critique is the film's audience, and this article discusses how the viewer is encouraged to both accept onscreen depictions of revenge and question this acceptance.
ISSN:1750-4902
2048-4887
DOI:10.1080/17504902.2015.1066065