The Country for Old Men- the Rise of the Aged Action Hero in Film

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The Country for Old Men: The rise of the older action hero in Cinema Cast your mind back to the eighties and imagine the top billed names on any action film: Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Van Damme, Segal. Each one a bodybuilders aspiration, a few of them even credited with being an origin point for the Adonis Complex[i]. The threats they faced were often an embodiment of Americas enemies abroad Russians, Missile Crises and even the occasional hunter from outer space with shimmering camouflage The relation between these men, though different in nationality was that they were all in the prime of their lives. Each man was young strong and healthy, a perfect reflection of the Young Macho driven culture they were created for. This culture continued to expand through the decades, finding brand new angst during the nineties, and gaining the mass internet usage by the turn of the century. This meant that youth driven culture splintered into countless sub cultures, with this came the rise of the millennial. These new millennium children were raised with starkly contrasting values to their predecessors, especially with regards to masculinity. The eighties action film portrayed a very particular type of man; strong (Conan), aggressive ( Predator), tenacious (Rocky). No matter how many of these traits were embodied he always had a clear code of honour (Rambo, Indiana Jones). All of these traits granted their characters strength and capability for whatever Herculean task lay ahead. However this type of masculinity was also laden with restrictions. No Action-man can cry, show fear, pain or be seen to care too deeply. He must always shoulder responsibility and never fail to step up to the mark. This obviously created a very one dimensional male. It also helped to perpetuate the culture of "might makes right". This societal acceptance or need for strength is the crux of every John

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