New York dans le cinéma de science-fiction : le personnage de l’alien dans sa relation à la ville

Abstract

Science fiction films show New York City through the eyes of a foreigner, an « alien », be it an extraterrestrial, an earthly monster or a super-hero. The alien's presence in the city underscores the shortcomings of civilization — New York is ridden by violence, crime and corruption — while reinforcing the mythical appeal of the world's most recognizable city. The various images of New York on the screen actually give us a glimpse of the « real » city, as the cinema blends all visions into a unique, multi-sided, mythical entity, a city that draws its reality from the fiction that invents it.