ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the representation of conspiracies and conspiracy theory in film and television. It focuses almost exclusively on American narratives because of the global dominance that the products of American culture enjoy and the influence they exert on other national cinemas and television cultures. The chapter explains American fiction films from the 1950s; focusing on the period from the 1990s onward, addresses television shows. At first sight, it is surprising that larger political conspiracies only begin to feature prominently in American films in the early 1950s. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, films were considered pure entertainment and not protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech. Conspiracy films mirror the general shift in American conspiracy theorising that occurs during the 1960s: From plots directed against the state to plots by the state and its various institutions.
