Something that I’m excited to watch is a multipart documentary airing on ABC called when we rise. The story of the documentary is thought the eyes of reenactments of real historical figures and do through the entirety of the gay rights movement. The first part aired last night and was set in post stonewall San Fransisco. From what I can ascertain from the trailers the arc of the documentary will begin there and fallow up until the supreme court decision. Its almost ironic that its coming out post the absurdity surrounding the unneeded fight over bathroom rights for transgendered individuals. Now something of a similar caliber also came out before this that was meant to only show the stonewall riots, however that movie was while set in a historical setting both not a documentary and not realistic. It removed key players from the truth of the events in favor of forwarding the imaginary protagonist and fused actual key figures together and renamed them to allow someone to fulfill some of their actions while delegating other key moments to the fictional persona. Now while only the first part has aired my hope is that this will be far more respectful to the true figures who fought and died in the course of their fight and allow them the respect they deserve by having whoever portrays them to perform the action associated with them. I also hope that they will acknowledge the blunders made through the movement that the problematic political movements used to normalize the community in an effort to gain favor with cis hets. And on that point I ask a question. For a documentary showing the struggle of a group of people is it their responsibility to edit and focus the film in a way that makes it more digestible to the majority of the audience as to give people previously unaware with the source material some familiarity with it even if the edges are smoothed out to make it digestible? Or is it better to give the people who inherited their struggle and fight a true and accurate background of the history of their movement all of the dirty laundry included?

 

Antonio Garofalo

It’s interesting how both films were based on the same concept, the hardcore struggle faced during the Holocaust in concentration camps, but the different perspectives of how the Holocaust was portrayed in the filmmaker’s point of view of each film is what intrigues me. I think both films were made to show viewers the truths of what really went on, sort of exposing, because what we see in these films is so different from what we’ve learned in the history books about the Holocaust. I feel like both films are explicit in the way that they show real footage from pictures of spools of hair and dead bodies being thrown into a grave like nothing from Night and Fog to interviews of survivors and footage of rail tracks that were taken to transport those being taken to the camps in Shoah. Night and Fog was different in the way that after seeing it I got a vibe where the film where I would think to myself “Wow, did it really turn out to be like this?” I knew this event was one of the worst in world history, but by seeing extreme footage made it stick out to me even more and realize how the theme of cruelty plays which just makes me question the concept of humanity. Even though the narrator’s tone in night and Fog was one I wasn’t fond of because it felt like he wasn’t in the moment and was just being told what had to be read off the screen, I feel like the images alone convey a powerful message that life is full of things that we aren’t in control of and those who don’t deserve it at all can end up in the worst situations. On the other hand, Shoah has a more personal feel to it as the survivors open up to their experience as a primary resource. I found it interesting to see the different views on how the concentration camp victims felt, even though they were put basically in the same horrifying conditions. I was confused by the way that Arthur, the first person interviewed,acted like he was in a daze when he returned back to the fields. He didn’t show any emotions of sadness or anger on his face, i assume maybe it was because he was shocked to be back or traumatized and just wanted to take everything in? I’m surprised he agreed to go back there, if it was me I truly would’ve been scared to see a place where so many horrible things went on to myself and others around me.Another person being interviewed, I believe his name was Michael, kept smiling in front of the camera which I didn’t think was that odd actually because I felt like he wanted to come off as a strong individual to the filmmaker by hiding his pain concealed by his smiles, but it was rude when the filmmaker asked him why he wasn’t crying because right away that was his expectation, for him to cry. I feel that was judgemental, but then again like the majority of society he has his expectations set for certain moments, right?

After watching “Night and Fog” in our last class, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It is one of the most powerful documentaries I have seen. It’s so hard to believe that there are human beings that are sick enough to do this to other human beings. People talk about hell in the after-life, but this was hell right here, on our Earth. While watching it in class, I kind of forgot we were watching a documentary, I truly felt like we were watching a horror film, but after class was finished, it was hard to tell myself that these things really happened to people. I felt like it helped me become more appreciative of my life. Sometimes we get caught up in minor problems and day to day inconveniences, we forget how good we have it, how blessed some of us are. The victims in that documentary got everything taken away from them, the fact that they were human beings were even stripped from them. I feel like there would be much more compassionate human beings if every person seen this. When the professor said it would be graphic and disturbing, I honestly completely underestimated her warning, I thought maybe because she is a professor, she felt like she should say this to the students just to be safe, but NO, her warning was definitely accurate. There were scenes I had to cover my eyes, especially the scenes of the bulldozers and all those corpses, I started feeling sick. It shocks me that the guards and workers just did their horrific job with no remorse. I understand they would have most likely been killed if they refused to do their job or if they tried to help the victims, but personally I’d rather die than to do this to another human being. The saddest part is I feel like some of us don’t learn from history and let it repeat. There are human beings on the other side of the world who are crying for help, such as the people of Syria, and a lot of us are blind to it, including myself. I’m not sure if it’s as bad as what happened in this documentary, and I won’t know because I feel like the media tries to hide it.

I was searching on Netflix and came across this documentary about a child named Johnny Gosch. This documentary was based on the events that occurred after his kidnapping through the law enforcement, the struggles of his parents, and his struggles while being captured. This case began in 1982 and to this day Johnny is still considered as a missing person. For a long time the police and the FBI were just looking at this case as a kid who ran away from home nobody felt it was possible for an individual to just snatch up a child in broad day light without there being any evidence or crime scene. Back at that period of time nobody really knew or understood the words pedophile or child sex trafficking. These terms and thoughts of this happening were unheard of. This case was the change to the fact of police having to wait 72 hours before taking action on a missing child. This went on for 30 years with out any word or knowledge of Johnny being alive to his mother. One day a man named Paul came forward and told his truth on the things he was forced to do to Johnny as well as many other children being abducted, he also explained the things that these children were also being forced to do and how there was pictures and videos being taken of these actions. Police felt he was an unreliable witness and was later diagnosed as having multiple personality disorder caused by the sexual trauma he endured. So much evidence was brought up that could have been investigated and the police as well as the FBI refused to seek interest in it or just shot down the idea of any evidence being present. There were even pictures that were brought to their attention of young boys being tied up and gagged that was posted on a child pornography website that they sought out to be unfounded. This to me makes me sick to my stomach, I honestly feel (after watching this documentary) that there must have been some individuals on the police force that had to  be involved with these crimes. Its just so hard for me to believe that these officers would just turn a blind eye to this if they weren’t somehow involved or knew what was going on.

Before watching this video I had to mentally prepare myself for what I was about to hear and feel as these individuals spoke about their experiences and/or actions. I needed to put myself (to the best of my ability) in an unbiased state of mind to try and understand the different point of views that are present in these situations. I began watching this and it began to bring up emotions and feelings that I thought were resolved and done with. This video goes to show that as a victim or even as the abuser these thoughts, feelings, and memories never fully go away. No matter how hard you try to forget or push the emotions all the way back to the end of your brain it will always be there. We as people need to learn that we may forgive the incidents and the individuals involved but we can never forget. That being said, I as well struggle with this idea of forgiving but not forgetting, it isn’t fun having to constantly looking over your shoulder or having to process every move that is made before it is made. Life is full of obstacles for any individual, but kin my opinion anyone who has to go through this is the biggest obstacle you will ever have to face. People honestly don’t know what it feels like unless they go thro

ugh it themselves and even watching a video like this, of coursed any person will have emotions about what they saw and heard but as an individual who doesn’t physically know what it feels like they can watch it and go about their day as normal as any other day, they really don’t have to think about it and analyze the words that an abuser may say or do to be an excuse for what they have done to another individuals life.

After I watched  ‘Night and Fog’ in the class. I had so many thoughts and feelings, not a good feeling. Because I mentioned in class last time. Korean has the similar historical background from the past and it still the deepest scars for the nation. The first thing I realized it is very real not like the other documentary film because of it usually actors ‘ACTING’ for the scene to tell to the audiences. The most scene in the ‘Night and Fog’ were very disturbed. Once professor caution to us ‘this documentary may disturb you and you will understand once we get that point.’.But I didn’t take that seriously because like I said, actors will’reenact’. However, I was totally wrong, everything was real human and real bodies. Also, a few days ago, I saw the pictures of Korea occupied by Japan on the black and white. It named ‘Nanking Massacre’ I don’t want to phrase on this but this is the Asian version of Auschwitz-Birkenau (holocaust). Japanese army killed massive people and they still not apologize to these countries. when I was young and continuously learning our past, I watched so many documentaries but those were not like ‘Night and Fog’. However, Korean director Cho made a movie about when Japan under attacked Korea. I saw the trailer and bought this movie but watch yet because the trailer already made me so upset and can’t stop my tears. How and what kind people could possibly do such a thing if they are a human being? I wish the victims of those Massacres in rest in peace. Also, I’m going to link to the trailer of ‘Spirits’ Homecoming’ and it will be in my next posting.

http://https://youtu.be/14l4l9GNrss

 

The two films we watched were Triumph of the Will and Why We Fight. The two films main purpose where to motivate and persuade there nations into rallying up and have one single goal. The first film we watched Triumph of the will by Leni Riefenstahl, which is the film I really want to focus on. Film was to influence Germans citizens to join the Nazi party. I found this film quit interesting in few reasons, as you may know Germany was going through a major economic downfall after WWI. Country was definitely looking and needed for a new leader, new voice, and Hitler was that person. Leni Riefenstahl does a great job portraying that in the documentary we watched. For example right in the beginning of the film when Hitler is on the rise of power Hitler is greeted with cheers and joyful atmosphere. When rides into the city it seems like everybody and there grandma came out to see him, waving their Nazi flags kids handing him flowers shaking town people’s hands. When it came to his speeches though, you could hear a pin drop practically every time he finished a statement there would be an uproar of applause. Hitler was what the country needed matter of fact at the end of the film it was said “”Hitler is Germany …Germany is Hitler””. If I didn’t know anything prior to watching this film I would a thought Adolf Hitler was a hero, revolutionary a man of pride for his country. Riefenstahl really does a good job portraying that in her film Triumph of the Will. The last filmed we watched didn’t really have me that assumed the presentation didn’t really have me amused unlike the other film it was U.S rara video to motivate Americans to fight in the war, which I have no problem with just the way it was presented wasn’t big fan. The video used a lot of scare tactics and showing little cut a ways of German, chines leaders killing people. One good point they had is when Japanese bombed the harbor witched did affect a lot U.S citizens witch I feel like was a good reason to go to war. After that being I still feel Triumph of the Will was a better film to me for its side of Hitler us American’s wouldn’t see.

 

 

Above is the link to the film, it is sort of bootlegged but this was all I could find of it on YouTube. The film is up on Netflix in better quality then the one on YouTube.

Last week in class there was quite a short discussion about animal treatment in films. This led me to think more after class about how an animal feels in unacquainted settings compared to their natural habitat. Being taken away from their family to be placed conditions they’ve never faced before ruin an animal’s psyche and lead to trauma. While being completely torn in the inside, but stuck with the inability to convey their feelings in spoken word, the majority of humans couldn’t even bother to think what can we do to accommodate the animal’s feelings. With this said, one of my friends recommended me to see the documentary Blackfish.
Blackfish is a film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, a typical mom with no prior knowledge of whales who would take her children to sea world and was always interested in why the great orca, Tilikum acted in the ways he did. The film came out in 2013. By this time there was a great controversy about the way the whales and the former trainers were treated at seaworld. Several trainers were interviewed and they all seemed like they had to put on an act to please Seaworld so they can have a form of entertainment for the public and earn monetary gains. Trainers would have to act like everything was okay, but deep down they wanted to save the animals because they knew what was being done was animal cruelty. However, what sort of power does a trainer have in a big corporation in sea world? I saw none whatsoever. They just have to do what they are told. Whales were treated just as worse as the trainers because they were being forced to adapt to an environment totally unknown to them and tsken away from families. For example, there was a scene in the documentary where a baby whale was born and shortly after she was taken away from her mother and moved to another facility. Before this incident occurred this particular mother whale was quiet and calm, but when her baby was taken away she yelled and cried so much and wanted to be alone. Looking at this scene made me tear up because it was so heartbreaking.
I know that the animals should be in their natural environments, if not then they will develop psychological problems, like shown in the film. In seaworld, Tilikum was portrayed as an orca that was full of life and joy, but when you turn the camera to how he was treated when shows weren’t taking place, the sad reality of it is seen. He was held in a metal box where he was deprived of food and contact with other whales. He was only in contact with several female whales for breeding purposes, but they abused him, gave him cuts and he bled. Usually, orcas are known for being one of the most friendliest animals but put them in conditions like that of Tilikum , and that view of whales is turned upside down.
In 2010 when Tilikum killed seaworld trainer Dawn Brancheau, feel like he was just bashing out his anger toward the sea world corporation in general by killing an employee he was fond of in hopes of getting the seaworld corporation to close down and place the whales back in their natural habitat, but of course that didn’t happen. I think that there is also another possibility that he wanted to play with Dawn but was. Aware of how effective his weight was on her. The fact that seaworld still held Tilikum in captivity after all that happened and still continue to do so today indicate how their heartlessness and lack of humanity. This shows that corporations like seaworld are greedy and self centered when it comes to keeping their popularity up and obtaining money they’d literally do anything.

During our last week session in class we watched two interesting films in class. The two films had no relations to the holiday everyone was celebrating which was valentines day in fact it was the exact opposite. The two films we watched were Triumph Of The Will and Why We Fight. The two films main purpose where to motivate and persuade there nations into rallying up and have one single goal. For triumph of the will it was for the germans to join the nazi party and for why we fight it was for the U.S to join together and go into war against three evil men who where trying to ruin the world. While watching triumph of the will I felt like I was watching a very well put commercial. The filmmaker really put together the things that the germans have been struggling with. For example in the film they had the young men in the hitler camp and stated that there is plenty of food and water as well the way the young men looked. They looked like they where in good shape as well as happy not depressed. Everything in the film supported the nazi party especially the scenes where hitler gave his motivational speech to his people. The way he got them all pumped was truly amazing if I didn’t know what he did to the jewish people he would of sold me on the idea of the nazi party being the way to go. On the other hand why we fight didn’t have so much persuasive but more technical and straight to the point. For example how they mentioned the three evil men who are trying to take over and how we need to stop these people from achieving there goals by joining the war. It felt more like a “we need to do this or we’re doomed” not so much as in how this is our problem or even affects us. All in all the two films served there purpose to each nation and in doing so helped motivate there people.