Faculty Scholarship Repository
A Service of the Ross-Blakley Law Library
| Book Chapter |
| Military Justice in Film |
| Ann Ching |
|
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Crime, Media and Popular Culture Nicole Rafter & Michelle Brown eds., Oxford University Press 2018 |
| Open Access |
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Abstract: Military justice films occupy a unique space in film and legal studies, marrying two popular genres—courtroom dramas and military-themed films. This article examines the military justice film as a distinct genre in popular culture depictions of crime and punishment. First, it provides a brief overview of the history of the military justice film, from Classical Hollywood to the present. It then examines what sets military justice films apart from civilian courtroom dramas—the context, hierarchies, procedural rules, and broader implications of justice in the military context. It discusses why military justice films remain an enduring genre, with their appeal to universal themes and archetypal narratives. It further describes how military justice films have paralleled military history and serve as a critique of military, political, and national security policies. The article concludes by examining contemporary depiction of military justice in film, analyzing how the genre has changed since its inception, and discussing how military justice films may continue to evolve to keep pace with shifting norms of both law and warfare. |
| 11 |
| Total Views |