You can always count on Hollywood to turn any real-world political adversary of the United States into villains in the film world, and from 1945-1991, Tinseltown focused squarely on America’s Cold War foes, the communists, for big-screen inspiration. Whether taking aim at Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, or the Soviet Union, for over four decades Americans had it drilled into their minds that anyone who wasn't a flag-waving, democracy-loving Yank was pure evil.
Oftentimes these commie foes were unfairly portrayed as one-dimensional villains that bore little resemblance to their real-life counterparts, but that didn’t stop the red, white, and blue propaganda machine from churning. Now, with this week's release of a Red Dawn remake, it appears we’re ready for round two against the communists. In the original 1984 action-adventure classic, Russian and Cuban forces invaded and occupied Calumet, CO, forcing local teens to become guerrilla freedom fighters. The new version finds North Koreans parachuting into Spokane, WA.
As we toast the return of the red menace on the big screen with a Molotov cocktail, Complex takes a look back at The 25 Most Memorable Communist Villains in Movies.
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Written by Jason Serafino (serafinoj1)