The late 1960s and early 1970s were a time of great turmoil in the U.S. The younger generation’s opposition to the Vietnam War stirred up a number of social and political movements, some nonviolent, some violent, and the establishment responded to these movements with force. Liberals hoped to affect change in the country, while conservatives despaired that the government wasn’t doing enough to get the situation under control. This unrest, and the fear it bred, was reflected in the rise of vigilante films in the early seventies. Most of these films had a right-wing bent, with the heroes of movies like Death Wish, Dirty Harry and Joe standing up to the criminals and “the freaks.” But who would stand up to the government and protect the peace-loving people from the powers that be?
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