“I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent”

1950s Rock’n’roll, Youth under Threat, and Good Citizenship in US Exploitation Cinema 1956–59

Authors

  • David Baker Griffith University
  • Lauren Istvandity Griffith University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/JWPM.33549

Keywords:

jukebox musical, rock ‘n’ roll, youth, film, citizenship

Abstract

The jukebox musical, a format of youth-oriented film based on performances of well known rock’n’roll artists, found considerable popularity in the late 1950s. In response to the commercial rise of youth-oriented popular music, jukebox musicals modulated the ways in which they portrayed rock’n’roll and its perceived social and moral effects on the young. This article concentrates on the most intense period of this activity, 1956–59, in which we describe filmic narratives as moving through classic, transitional and secure phases. Select films of US production companies are thematically analysed to reveal the evolution of rock’n’roll narratives using two key tropes for rock being a threat to youth wellbeing as well as a catalyst for good citizenship. This article demonstrates the tension between a developing youth music market, social values and filmic representation during this significant period of popular music history.

Author Biographies

  • David Baker, Griffith University

    David Baker is a lecturer in Screen Studies at Griffith University. His key areas of research include cinema, popular culture and popular music.

  • Lauren Istvandity, Griffith University

    Lauren Istvandity is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research. Her main areas of research interest include popular music history, heritage and memory studies.

References

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Published

2017-06-02

Issue

Section

Heritage and History

How to Cite

Baker, D., & Istvandity, L. (2017). “I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent”: 1950s Rock’n’roll, Youth under Threat, and Good Citizenship in US Exploitation Cinema 1956–59. Journal of World Popular Music, 4(1), 88-105. https://doi.org/10.1558/JWPM.33549