đ„
1989
Michael Haneke's first film
shocking self-destruction
inspired by a true story
"Not for everybody"
Related Recs
Dir. Michael Haneke
Spiritual prequel to The Zone of Interest (2023) in my opinion.
Apr 16, 2024
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Unequivocally the most harrowing film I have ever seen and I cannot get it out of my headâŠ.
Deeply disturbing , anxiety inducing, compelling, stomach churning. Shot and written with effective precision, without overkill or gratuitous exploitation. Movies about the human will to survive are hard to do without being either corny or played out and this does follow a similar narrative arc but I really appreciated how it was told. I recommend watching the little docu about the making of the film. I love production. Unbelievable true story and really compelling film
Jan 28, 2024
The countless atrocities committed by the Nazis have been well-documented in the media, but I canât recall having ever seen a movie that opted to focus on the cold banality of the lives of the Germans who were actively engaged in or complicit with such incredible cruelty. Filmmaker Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin), inspired by Martin Amisâ novel, has decided to tap into this underexplored area, and the chilling result will haunt viewers for days.
Focusing on Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Freidel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra HĂŒller, both perfectly cast), who are raising their family in a well-appointed home directly adjacent to the camp, we watch them go about their relatively mundane existences. They live better than many of their fellow Germans and have local girls working as servants to help keep up the house, but otherwise much of their time is spent tending to trivial day-to-day tasks, aside from the odd bit of Nazi business that Rudolf attends to from his home office.
Nothing here is truly normal however, a point made very clear shortly into the film when the camera changes its view of the familyâs yard to expose the guard tower just on the other side of the brick wall that abuts the property. Given the proximity to the notorious camp, its noises permeate every aspect of the familyâs lives. The low hum of the furnaces is ever-present, punctuated by screams and gunshots. Frequently trains can be heard bringing more prisoners, puffs of steam appearing over the tree line. Somehow, the Hössâ and their children go about their day as if they donât even notice it.
To celebrate one of the childrenâs birthdays, Hedwigâs mother comes to stay. Initially impressed by the large, well-maintained home and garden, she casually wonders aloud if a Jewish neighbor might be imprisoned next door, complaining that she lost her chance to claim her curtains. As the pair sit on the patio and sounds from the camp impose themselves, she turns to glance at the wall, at least a little discomfited. At night, the sounds of suffering disturb her sleep and she looks out the window, only to see ash and bright flames erupting from a smokestack. She leaves the following morning.
While the atrocities next door are felt throughout almost the entire movie, we never see them. Everything is instead conveyed through Johnnie Burnâs meticulous sound design and the effect is powerful, especially in contrast to the mundanity of everything shown. Cinematographer Ćukasz Ć»alâs striking staging avoids overly prettifying the home while still maintaining a painterly artfulness, often using static, embedded cameras to give the proceedings the sort of voyeuristic feel of reality shows like Big Brother.
A movie may not be the best place to figure out exactly how people can react so blithely to such large-scale inhumanity, so Glazer doesnât really try to do so. It is enough however to be reminded that the behavior is not only something that we as a species are capable of, but that it is necessary for such evil to be enacted. Hopefully the reminder will help to prevent it from happening again. â
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RATED PG-13 FOR THEMATIC MATERIAL, SOME SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL, AND SMOKING.
Feb 21, 2024
