Spectacularity of Nationalism: War, Propaganda and Military in Indonesian Cinema during the New Order Era

This article explores the intricate interlinks between war, propaganda, military and cinema in the context of the Indonesian New Order militaristic regime (1966-1998) characterized by the military intervention in civilian affairs. The New Order war films not only carved out a heroic image of the Indonesian military, it also created a spectacle for a strong nationalistic sentiment regarding the military in comparison to civilians and politicians. Through the narrative modality and visual depiction of armed struggles for independence, many war films embodied an abstract idea of nationalism. While the depiction of armed struggles for independence in such a dramatic way is accorded to the spectacular nature of film, it also substantially renders the civilian struggles for independence through political negotiations (perundingan) insignificant. © Gaik Cheng Khoo, Thomas Barker & Mary J. Ainslie / Taylor & Francis Group 2020. All rights reserved.