The document discusses various ways that Captain America references and alludes to other works through intertextuality. It references films that director Joe Johnston worked on like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars. It also references the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe that Captain America is part of, including through Easter eggs in other Marvel films. Additionally, it self-references the Captain America comics and TV show. These intertextual references help market the films and add extra layers for fans to engage with.

1. Postmodernism in Captain
America

2. Part One: Repeating Myself

3. References/parallels to Indiana Jones and the Raiders
of the Lost Ark (1981; Steven Spielberg)
• Both are set in the same era, so costumes and iconography often
look similar
• Schmidt refers to the Fuhrer digging for treasure in the desert – in
Raiders, we see the Nazis in the desert seeking to find the Ark of
the Covenant – like Schmidt, they believe possessing a treasure
will give them access to great power.
• In Raiders, the Nazis end up having the flesh melted off their
bones and we see their faces ‘melt’ – likewise, in the pursuit of
power, Schmidt has had his face disfigured and the flesh burnt
away, as he tries to use an artefact too powerful for human
control
• The moment the Tesseract blazes and kills Schmidt is reminiscent
of this moment (see slides next page)

5. Costumes are
reminiscent too

6. Any ideas why this film may have been referenced in the
visuals/ storyline of the film?
Joe Johnston, the director of Captain America, worked on the
visual effects on Raiders….

7. Which other film that
Johnston worked on
does this allude to?
Star Wars films

9. Part Two: For the Fans

10. There are links to other Marvel films like Ironman (2008)

11. And to Nick Fury, Head of SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters,
International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division) and head of
The Avengers:

12. Even the Tesseract links this film to The Avengers, as it is
Loki’s theft of this artefact in this second film that
precipitates the main action:

13. Why this degree of interconnectivity through references?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe:
a film franchise and shared fictional universe that is
the setting of superhero films produced
independently by Marvel Studios, based on
characters that appear in Marvel Comics. The setting
was established by crossing over shared plot
elements, settings, cast, and characters.
Six films are set in this shared universe — Iron
Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man
2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First
Avenger (2011), and Marvel's The Avengers (2012) —
have been released theatrically, with six additional
films in various stages of production as of July 2012

14. Allusions to Captain America can also be found in these other films
in the Marvel Cinematic Universe:
•In the 2008 film Iron Man, Captain America's shield can be seen
in Tony Stark's workshop when JARVIS is removing his armour

15. •In the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, General
Ross mentions to Emil Blonsky that there was a World
War II program that created a super soldier serum.
Bruce Banner was involved in an experiment
combining the serum with gamma radiation, which
resulted in his transformation into the Hulk. Blonsky is
then injected with the serum in order to take on the
Hulk, the subsequent combination of the serum and
Banner's blood transforming Blonsky into the
Abomination.

16. • In the film's deleted opening, Bruce Banner goes to the Arctic
to commit suicide but transforms into the Hulk, smashing the
glacier. A buried human figure and shield are visible, who are
meant to be Rogers and his shield.

17. • In the 2010 film Iron Man
2, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil
Coulson discovers an incomplete
replica of Captain America's
shield inside a box.
• There is also a Captain America
comic book (which made an
appearance in Captain America:
The First Avenger) in Howard
Stark's crate delivered to Tony
from Nick Fury.

18. So, intertextuality here has a
function – it links films
together and gives the
illusion of a world bigger than
an individual film. This
appeals to the fan.
The little cross-references
and appearances in each film
allow fans to feel clever at
spotting them and adds an
extra dimension to the film.
The intertextual references
also help to market each film
through other films…

19. Stan Lee is a comic book writer (first job was on Captain America
the comic) and was the chairperson of Marvel Comics – he often
makes cameo appearances in the films. Here he play a general at
the ceremony where Captain America is meant to receive a
medal but has been called away on a mission. Fans would enjoy
trying to spot Stan!

20. It’s not just the films that are referenced but there are also
references to other comics too:

21. Part Three: Self-Reference Guide

22. The following few slides are also examples of where the film is
self-referencing, possible because the film is based on earlier
incarnations of the character and story:

25. Even the motorbike scenes could be seen as self-
referencing to the earlier 1979 TV series where Captain
America had a motorbike, complete with turbo-charge

26. Part Four: WW2 Posters

27. There are also intertextual references to other famous
WW2 posters shown during the end credits:
Uncle Sam

28. Rosie the Riveter

29. Part Five: The Musical

30. The film also references period musicals:

34. The film also echoes the work of the USO.
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is a
private, non-profit organization which provides
programs and services, most famously live
entertainment, to United States troops and their
families.
During World War II, the USO became the G.I.'s "home
away from home" and began a tradition of entertaining
the troops that continues today.
The organization became particularly famous for its live
performances called Camp Shows, through which the
entertainment industry helped boost the morale of its
servicemen and women. Hollywood in general was
eager to show its patriotism, and many famous
celebrities joined the ranks of USO entertainers.

35. Clip from This Is the Army (1943)

36. Part Six: Random References

37. Some scenes simply reflect scenes from other movies
and maybe you make different connections depending
upon what movies you are familiar with:

38. Metropolis (1927)

39. The Great Escape
(1963)

40. The Wild One (1953)

41. I, Robot (2004)