Eco-horror is a genre that has been featured in numerous written media sources, as well as various films and visual media that showcase its impact on society. The movie Them! directed by Gordon Douglas in 1954 starts with two sergeants investigating a series of mysterious deaths. After joining forces with the FBI, the sergeants discover that all the incidents are due to giant ants that have been mutated by atomic radiation. The two sergeants, with the aid of the military, attempt to find the queen ant and destroy the nests before the danger spreads. The complex and interesting plot of Them! stems from significant events in society.  

The influence of the first and second atomic bombs in Japan impacted the world in numerous ways, including society, works of literature, and even the media. The eco-horror genre in particular was also affected, in this case through films. These films that arose from this “atomic” influence derived from the same source, yet there were clear and important cultural differences in them as well. 

Being that our topic is radiation eco-horror, we have to shed light on the fact that nuclear energy and radiation were especially important in the 1950s. The world was stunned by the potential of nuclear energy because of the first atomic bombs in Japan. In response to this, many films and books arose with similar plots such as Godzilla (1954), Tarantula (1955), and The Beginning of the End (1957). Essentially, many people did not know the long-term effects of radiation, so the many films that were released due to this newfound “unknown,” made up their own realities, which contributed directly to the horror genre and in this case, eco-horror. In the last scene of Them!, Robert says, “If these (the giant mutant ants) were a product of the first atomic bomb in 1945, what about the others (possible incidents from the bomb) since then?” In response, Dr. Harold Medford says, “When man entered the atomic age, he opened a door into the new world…what we’ll eventually find in that new world, nobody can predict.” To raise the suspense, intense music begins to play as the movie ends, leaving the audience without closure of the situation. The movie intended to raise awareness and suspicion about this new “technology” in the 1950s. This was a response to the possibility of nuclear war, but there was a cultural impact as well.  

The eco-horror genre in film was heavily influenced by the events surrounding the development and use of nuclear energy and radiation in the 1950s. These films were created to raise awareness and suspicion about this new technology and its potential long-term effects. Additionally, cultural differences between the East and West were also reflected in these films. These differences in perspectives are evident in the way that the monsters were portrayed and how they were perceived by audiences. Overall, the eco-horror genre in film has had a significant impact on society's understanding and perception of nuclear energy and radiation.  

Secondary Sources: 

Noriega, Chon. “Godzilla and the Japanese Nightmare: When ‘Them!’ Is U.S.” Cinema Journal, vol. 27, no. 1, 1987, pp. 63–77. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1225324. Accessed 9 Mar. 2023.

W, A. “Warner Brothers Chiller at Paramount.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 June 1954, https://nytimes.com/1954/06/17/archives/warner-brothers-chiller-at-paramount.html.