A fascinating new German film has just turned up that’s sure to ruffle a few feathers given its subject matter. ‘Die Welle’ (the wave) examines the possibilities of how a new Nazi styled dictatorship could rise to ascendancy, even against a strong background of education regarding it’s dark history.
The whole thing is based on an actual experiment carried out by schoolteacher Ron Jones back in California in 1967 in which he subjected students to a harsh regime of obedience and conformity. The experiment involved the recital of logos, a uniform, membership cards and even their own salute.
Before long, those involved were quiet and obedient and believed in what they stood for with a sinister passion. The experiment rapidly grew out of control when people outside the group who criticized them were the subject of an aggressive responsive from the those involved. Jones ended the experiment by tricking students into attending a meeting in which they expected to meet the movement’s leader. Instead, they were shown a film of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime which by all accounts had a pretty profound affect on all involved, leading many to never speak of it again.
The man behind ‘Die Welle’, Dennis Gansel recently said this concerning the film… “It’s wrong to say, ‘No way — a Nazi dictatorship could never happen here’…I think it would be possible even today for something like that to arise in Germany again.”
Gansel’s version centres on a Berlin school filled with a selection of present day un-disciplined and anti-social youths who are inspired to action by the arrival of a new teacher. This current examination of the 60s experiment results in things running out of control a whole lot quicker with violence being a much earlier resort.
I’ve got to say, this all sounds fascinating and not a little scary, especially given another extremely thought provoking comment from Gansel… “Group dynamics can be benevolent but they can also be menacing…It’s frightening how fast it can change. Just look at what happened in the United States after 9/11.”
Now if that isn’t food for thought for those with an open mind, I don’t know what is!
‘Die Welle’ (the wave) is out in it’s native Germany this March 13. Alas, no UK release date so far.
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Die Welle‘ Movie Trailer:
