The Long 1970s and 1980s of television and movies in Italy: new forms of de-legitimization

ABSTRACT The collapse of the political system took place in a context of hostility towards the parties and consensus on judicial investigations. What were the long-term roots of this phenomenon? The answer to this question is difficult and requires new research on the evolution of the society, the economy, the structure of the political system and – this is a crucial point – about mentality and imaginary. A fundamental contribution in this direction can be given by the study of audiovisuals, cinema and television. In fact, they can be analysed as ‘agents of history’, interacting with existing patterns of behaviour and values, and as sources, documenting the deepest currents in society. How to explain the contradiction between the consensus that the major parties achieved for years and the sudden collapse of the whole system? Did movies and television programs contribute to spreading hostility towards mass parties and delegitimizing the political system? The purpose of the article is to offer a hypothesis of interpretation of these issues, using the most representative movies and television programs from the end of the 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s.