COLUMN: Underestimating the power of film

From Todd Wise's, "Where Lovely Mermaids Flow," Fall '99 From Todd Wise's, "Where Lovely Mermaids Flow," Fall '99Last Friday, my European history class watched Triumph of the Will -- a Nazi propaganda film produced in Hitler's Germany. The film showed the training of countless brigades of German soldiers interspersed with Hitler's maxims: "You here are only a part of what is spreading all over Germany." His words and the face behind them cannot be fully described by articulate lecturers or even well-written textbooks. You have to literally see him to believe him. At Penn, students often have that opportunity. I've found that professors do not hesitate to show emotionally charged films like Triumph of the Will, allowing students to feel the full impact of Hitler's persuasive powers. Unfortunately, however, post-film discussions often focus exclusively on the technical aspects of the piece. While it is not the professor's job to dictate people's reactions to an emotionally charged film, professors must expect that there will be a visceral reaction, not just an evaluation of the film's technical merits. Also, professors sometimes present the class with only one side of the visual story. Triumph of the Will leaves us thinking that all Germans were ardent supporters of the Nazi Party. Unless presented with a film stating otherwise, the propaganda's powerful images are rather convincing. Another perspective would teach us more about Nazi Germany. After watching a politically doctrinaire film like Triumph of the Will, a suitable contrast might be Schindler's List or Life is Beautiful -- films with anti-fascist messages. My own personal experience illustrates the importance of this. When I read about the atrocities in Bosnia, I think of Oliver Stone's portrayal of Vietnam in Platoon -- those images are my only exposure to war. I've never been on the front lines and have no other way of knowing what war is like. Films have also influenced my knowledge of world politics. My understanding of Irish nationalism comes from In the Name of the Father. I see the protests, the bombs and the suffering through the images of that film. I feel that professors should allow students to be moved by these images, but also to understand the reasons that they are moved. In order to do this, students must have a basis for comparison. Showing films that capture both sides of an issue will allow students to more readily articulate their emotions. Films leave us with lasting impressions. We shouldn't forget that.