The SYMBOLISM, MEANING, and INSPIRATION for The Zone of Interest Explained | Non-Spoiler Video Essay
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- Опубликовано: 3 июн 2024
- In this A24 The Zone of Interest video essay and The Zone of Interest analysis, I take a deep dive into the new Zone of Interest movie, starring Sandra Huller and Christian Friedel. Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the film is a perfect blend of period drama and psychological horror, exploring themes of morality, conditioning, and evil. I believe this film is excellent in capturing the reality of the holocaust and Nazi Germany through great writing, acting, directing and filmmaking.
Furthermore, in this Zone of Interest explained video (spoiler-free) and Lucas Blue The Zone of Interest review, I'll delve into the film's symbolism and hidden meanings, uncovering The Zone of Interest easter eggs, examining how it explores the balance of morality and conditioning, and good and evil.
This Zone of Interest review breaks down why The Zone of Interest is perfect, what The Zone of Interest means for the future of a period period, why The Zone of Interest works, and why The Zone of Interest is so shocking. This is why I love The Zone of Interest. Hope you enjoy!
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Cast: Sandra Hüller - Christian Friedel
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro & Agenda
00:58 The Inspiration
04:53 The Message
09:34 The Symbolism 
Развлечения
The Zone of Interest is easily the best film I’ve seen this year, it blew me away! What are your thoughts, and are you planning to see it? Let me know below!
Although the film did not reveal anything I did not know before, as I have been in Poland and Berlin, even before the "Fall of the Berlin Wall", your explanation and review did change my "personal approval rating" for the film. I expected more from the film, given the subject matter. The point was made in the first ten minutes (the camp wall seen from the garden) and I kept wanting more of something to happen. But maybe THAT is the point you make here: That we are so inured to violence and brutality on social media, that we want an action film, even at the expense of our vision of humanity. Thank you for your superb review.
If I were an academy member Glazer would get my vote for best directing. The man is inspired.
I kept wondering about the dog, pushed away, yelled at, nameless. But it was clear when the dog on the street is fussed over as being of rare coloring. Some dogs are mutts, and others are purebred. The latter is called beautiful, asked its name, age, fosters childhood memories.
A pure masterpiece.
What an approach - how he presented the banality of evil. Relaxing domestic scenes of the nazi family and the horrifying background sounds...letting you make your own visions of what is going on on the other side...
the sound was absolutely amazing
I like the detail that Hedwig on the opposite to her mother can easily sleep comfortably whole night while her child is non stop crying. She is basicly so used to the noise of this madness that she can't even hear the suffering of her own children.
I wondered why Hedwig didn't come shout at the servant girl for letting the baby cry but your comment totally makes sense 🤯
Good catch!
Oh. Great catch.
That comparison was kind of funny, I did laugh it out how she slept so well
Oh my god ur totally right
Did anyone else feel that the older son putting his son in the greenhouse and smiling as he watched his brother screaming to get out (whilst holding a big stick) was the older child copying the behaviours of what they hear over the wall?
I looked at my husband and "This sick little f***er. Training is working".
Definitely! I instantly thought of that too!
He even hisses! I thought it was like a weird teasing thing but I think it’s the sound of gas?
I had exactly that thought.
no shit
The girl in the night sequence is based on a real person. The director met her in person to learn her story. She died not long ago. The film is dedicated to her.
The black/white or thermal looking shots?
the thermal ones@@PF9O
Name?
At first I thought these sections were the dreams of the daughter
@@George-hx4vsHer name was Alexandria “She lived in the house we shot in. It was her bike we used, and the dress the actor wears was her dress. Sadly, she died a few weeks after we spoke.
“That small act of resistance, the simple, almost holy act of leaving food, is crucial because it is the one point of light. I really thought I couldn’t make the film at that point. I kept ringing my producer, Jim, and saying: ‘I’m getting out. I can’t do this. It’s just too dark.’ It felt impossible to just show the utter darkness, so I was looking for the light somewhere and I found it in her. She is the force for good.”
I love the final look directly towards the camera. It's like, deep down, he knows:
History is looking at him and his crimes.
It reminded me of the elevator scene at the end Angelheart if you’ve every seen it (it’s pretty old now)
@@hayleymarch5022 Exactly like it!!! Sutile fourth wall fall.
He tried to run afterward. Escape. He was executed in 1947, I believe.
@@yvonneplant9434 He was hanged in Auschwitz in 1947.
Terrific insights into this movie. It really is a haunting film. You’re right about the children. They were really showing signs of distress. The one little girl kept sleep walking, and the little boy was bothered by the things he heard while playing alone by himself. But then he responded out loud in a punishing voice. The baby cried all of the time. And the dog was jumpy. Did you notice that?
Also, towards the end, did you notice that when the big brother locked the little brother in the greenhouse, he made a hissing sound? He knew what was going on in the camp’s “showers”.
So much to process…
The dog seemed excited to hear the dogs that were always barking behind the wall. Would not want to meet those other dogs tho😅
@@zachsutton6195 good interpretation! I didn’t think about that. I read somewhere that the dog is the main actress’s dog in real life.
A huge amount to process , I agree
the hissing thing, i thought that was strange but your explanation is right in and so disturbing. what a film. will stay with me the rest of my life.
The way that Rudolf has more love and affection to animals like his horse and how playful he was with the dog on the street while he was completely unfazed by the horrors of people in the camps. Truly reflects our society.
Not our society… German society..
Have you lived in Germany lately…
It is the gas-chamber of Europe
So true. You only have to look at Gaza today..
and did you notice that all the animals...their dog, the horse and the little dog he pets...they are all Black. Like his heart. There is so much in this film. Especially in the second watch.
@@madelynbaker5013 While he was dressed in pure white mufti when out of uniform.
@@JAmediaUK And what about all the hatred and segregational behaviour that went on during cvid? We were forced to have passports to eat in a restaurant or cafe!!!!!!
They did not just coincidentally live next to the camp, he was the head of the camp and he was purposefully relocated there. So it is much more than turning a blind eye on the neighboring atrocities. They were directly responsible for them.
I recommend reading a summary of the last interviews with Rudolf Hoess. It shines a new light on what you've brought up.
He was fully aware of the harm he was commanding, he wasn't a psychopath, what's more he was kind of sensitive (what's shown in the film as well, they chose an actor who has delicate voice, and generally doesn't behave like a criminal, and is kind for his horse - a being he doesn't require him to put a mask on, like humans).
He also talks about how SS-mans were trained to desensitize looking at violence and he said it didn't really work on him.
He accepted the responsibility fully and understood what he did / what he was doing. He was just extremely obedient, what derived from his personal history, upbringing, and later on probably he had to follow along, otherwise he'd be dead and someone else would simply replace him. He'd feel that what he was doing was wrong and violence repulsed him, yet he would never question the command, or oppose in any way. Not because he was scared, but because it was his psychological setup. A perfect execution robot which puts a very low value on his own feelings and thoughts and actively rejects them. He never intended to work as a commander, he wanted to be a soldier, but being so conformable and dutiful made him perfect for that role, and he would ask for the change of decision but never strongly opposed even in terms of his own "career" path. And just accepted that it lead to his death sentence, as a logical consequence.
As much as we loathe the evil, or can't even comprehend this, the defense mechanisms is an everyday part of our human psychologyand we better learn about them before it's too late, as I'm sure everyone thinks "I would never" and we truly believe IT WILL never happen again (even thinking like that is a bias!) . Until it happens. In Rwanda, Yugoslavia, North Korea, in Ukraine. People are more involved in Palestine/Israel because of the media. But yeah. It did happen, and will happen again until we all educate ourselves and work on ourselves very actively. Until then, we are the ones responsible for the atrocities. Being passive is also a choice. It's happening all the time, until now, but we're ourselves behind the wall.
@@HoszHoszHe is a perfect representative of the professional managerial class, the technocrats who think everyone agrees with them, are just doing their jobs because they have “responsibilities,” and why their stomachs are too delicate to contemplate the actual consequences of their actions, they believe they are the moral superiors of their critics.
I read his book Commandant of Auschwitz and he was literally responsible not just for the running of the camp but for building and expanding it. He talks about lacking money and other necessary resources to the point that he had to steal barbed wire for the project. He also made a point of criticizing the selection process for taking too many people at a time for labor and thought they should've only selected the strongest and healthiest as to ensure better production. That also would've meant gassing even more people at selection.
@@HoszHosz We literally are just that, right now! We know for a fact that the Cobalt used in our phones comes from the mines of Congo where little boys and girls are sent into collapsing caves in the Earth, the Chinese kids slave laboring away in a sweatshop half a world away, all the crimes and brutalities happening along the supply chains, to get you the smartphone/PC you are using to write this comment down on. And yet, we type away, watching RUclips videos about this exact same message, playing with the idea, and then moving on just like that.
What Hoss and his family did were more overt, and immediate evil. But I wonder about our own involvement in all the suffering- may be not like Hoss himself, but at the least like his indifferent family.
@@shimmer8289 the Boy in the Striped Pajamas is bad history. Utterly fantastic plot that bears no resemblance to the awful reality.
Whenever you watch a film and you cannot stop thinking about it later, sometimes for days, weeks, or months, you know it has accomplished what the film makers had intended. Bravo to this team of talent.
Especially now with what is going on in gaza and you feel complicit but can't do anything. Unintentionally and unfortunately, the movie is very contemporary.
There is something we can do. There has got to be!
@@enterthevoidIiit is very intentional, and deliberate. We are meant to see ourselves.
@@enterthevoidIiDon’t even try to compare what’s going on today to the holocaust. Nothing will ever match that level of evil.
That's me today
I loved the girl in the night sequence, for despite the horror, it exhibited humanity too, I was so moved when she received the sheet of music as a thank you for the food
She was a real person, a Polish girl living in a nearby village. Her name was Aleksandra Bystroń-Kołodziejczyk
even better thank you
the scenes that showed how they couldn't ignore the camp next door is shown through the river scene where there was contaminants,the grandma scene leaving the home,Hoss being sick at the end ,the kid in his room telling himself not to look outside the window ,the teeth scene
The river scene is true--cremains were shoveled into the Vistula river on a frequent basis by the prisoners under supervision by the camp guards.
@@chuckbuckbobuckthis film is amazingly historically accurate.
@shannonscully705 I agree but Hoess was an animal and pretending he had any conscience or reflection of his foul deed us strictly 2024 pop psychology with no basis in fact whatsoever.
@chuckbuckbobuck he had guilt. He fully accepted his death sentence
That scene of the girl leaving food behind is really something.
I love the shot where she waits for the soldiers to pass and sneaks off down another path on her bike. A simple shot, but it was nerve shreading to watch!
@@davidlean1060yes, with the pig lol
@davidlean1060 I just got done watching it, and I agree with you. We don't know who the girl is, but the fact that she is helping by leaving food for them, we're automatically on her side. The two scenes of her leaving food in the middle of the night is nerve-wracking, cause we don't want her to get caught.
It made me think, "In the middle of all this evilness, there is still some hope in humanity close be.
@@mattbernabeThe film has Hoss telling his kids that bedtime story while she does it. That's clever too. For him, it's just a story. He's unaware that there's a young woman out in the dark, risking her skin to help strangers. Glazer is good at creating tension. In Sexy Beast, he manages to make the words, 'where's Don?' absolutely terrifying because of the situation Gal finds himself in and of course, Ian McShane's excellent perfromance as the villain Teddy.
@@pipparice2043I forgot about the pig! That's significant too. A pig walks free, but the prisoners don't have the same freedom! It kind of reminded me of Animal Farm, as if Glazer suddenly started depicting Nazi soldiers as farm animals!
The cheery rose pink sundress Hedwig is wearing contrasts with her mother’s dark and somber attire. It shows the latter is more in touch with the atrocity happening next door, while the former is trying to live in a technicolor fantasy land.
The scenes of the Polish girl were shot with a thermal camera, not infrared. Brilliant movie! Amazing breakdown!
infrared are thermal cameras!!! Infrared is felt as heat. If you know this is a special thermal camera that works differently, please explain.
I do not write this often - this film is a masterpiece.
So your a nazi supporter?
almost is!
Yes. Masterpiece.
It was dreadful
Every movie you watch and see a review in youtube is masterpiece bro
I love that the director put all his heart and soul in it because he truly understands suffering of that kind.. Especially since he also called out the Genocide in Gaza
to me, his speech was not necessarily about the Genocide in Gaza. It was about us still turning a blind eye on suffering, caused by no reason whatsoever. Both sides think they're right in causing the others suffer, just like in the movie. He emphasizes that the movie is about the present, not the past.
@@AY-ln1mk " Both sides think they're right in causing the others suffer, just like in the movie." oh for the love of god, I know you're trying to be nice but did you really have to trivialise the genocide and the fucking holocaust ? You were doing great until you blurred the metaphorical line that even a blind guy can see.
"Both sides, both sides, both sides" There is no "both sides" here my wilfully ignorant friend, there's the oppressors and there is the oppressed. The nazis were the oppressors, oppressors can suffer, but that doesn't mean they should oppress the oppressors. Just like israel, it's the oppressor, the Palestinians are the oppressed. The Palestine issue is complex, but it's not that complex, israel never had any moral high ground here.. neither the nazis, they both were cowards that victimised themselves to justify genocide, israel's oct 7 is the nazi's irrational fear of Jews under mining the white race.
The smoke plumes in the outdoor scenes really hit hard
Were they burned alive?
@@amirleo2051yes
@@amirleo2051 generally, they were murdered en masse by gassing and then the bodies burned. There are some documented incidents of people being burned alive in uprising incidents. Generally they were gassed in the chamber shown in the present-day scene
That shot of Rudolf in his white suit smoking while all you see is the smoke from the train behind the trees... what. a. shot. what an awful awful awful image. just brilliant.
The crematoria. The smoke was another character in the film. It was devastating.
I liked how the evil of the Holocaust was being committed right out in broad daylight but the good deeds of the girl going out and leaving fruit was done in the cover of dark, but was lit an angelic bright white. Pretty cool.
I wanted to stop watching it so bad, my psyche could barely stand it, my stomach was in knots, but I made it to the end. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A MUST SEE FOR EVERYONE! Especially today.
Superb analysis. ‘The banality of evil’ by Arendt...‘terrifyingly normal’
Thank you so much!!
The phrase has be misunderstood by more than a few in regards this movie. People take it to mean evil becomes ordinary if you surround yourself with it, but as you point out, the phrase is actually saying 'evil' people appear quiet normal
There was a scene where Hedwig’s mother left without warning, only leaving a note. I believe her note detested the holocaust/Nazi party, or her family, which would explain why she immediately put it in the furnace, eliminating the possibility of others reading it. Only a minor detail but I think it’s Glazer’s way of demonstrating just how much the Nazi Party controlled the thoughts of the general population via fear and intimidation. I believe Hedwig would have been concerned about the consequences if anyone were to find that note.
Incredible film, will stick with me for a long time
In real life Hedwig showed no remorse and never renounced her faith in national-socialism. She even claimed to not have known what happened in the camp. I thus find it very hard to believe she was intimidated into destroying the note, being the rampant Nazi that she was herself. I find it more plausible that her pride was tarnished, also because she made such an effort into impressing her mother with the house and garden.
@@Boowl29 that sounds more credible to be honest. Thanks for the insight!
At first the mother was fine with getting all the belongings of the Jewish people and she makes the joke about her old employer being over the wall. I guess the reality of the furnace got to her. It was a striking moment
@@hayleymarch5022was she drinking in that little bedroom? It was a quick shot of a short scene. I wasn’t sure if it was her.
@@ccharles848I thought that was the nanny? The mother was sleeping in the room with the twin beds with the other daughter I thought
A good parallel to current Gaza Strip
Sure--the conflict started by Hamas killing 1200 unarmed and innocent Israelis. Hamas doesn't give a crap about their own people so spare me the comparison between Auschwitz and the Gaza you fool. Hamas would be the ones stuffing people in the gas chambers with unmitigated glee. Jesus Christ what a stupid thing to write!
seeing Höss vomit but not really intending to vomit, is more disgusting than seeing Isabelle Andjani vomit in Possession, because it really shows how dead he feels as a human being, just like Anwar Congo in The Act Of Killing
That scene in The Act of Killing was exactly what I thought of too.
Zone of Interest literally gave me nightmares. I haven’t had a movie do that to me in awhile. A real life horror movie.
ur soft if it gave you actual nightmares lmao
It was the scariest non horror movie I have ever seen. I saw it a few weeks ago and am still thinking about it.
The fawking music OMG
What do you think about the intro to The Shining?
@@clg8568yeah super chill movie 🙄
I appreciate your remarks about Glazer's film, where we observed a "normality" of Hoess's family suspended over total horror. We also observe wars, famines, climate disasters, and the evils that befall the people around us. But we all have an empathy deficit. We only feel empathetic where it seems most appropriate and convenient to us. We use circumstantial words to say that the world "sucks". But how many people courageously raise their voices to say: "I don't agree!" How many dare to proclaim the truth when doing so might be inappropriate or even dangerous? In Glazer's film, a young girl brings food to the prisoners at night. It represents hope for the future. But if we look at the past, we must recognize that few have said "no!" to injustice-the few martyrs, like Navalny, sacrificed their lives in the name of truth.
Had me until Navalny lol, do you know anything about his beliefs outside of his opposition to Putin?
The black and white girl isn’t part of the family though. That’s a Polish girl from the neighboring town.
The Höss children show no inner conflict at all. In fact, nobody except the grandmother and crying baby show any sign of discomfort with the camp.
That’s what makes it so terrifying.
The black and white girl leaving apples is the only slight slimmer of hope and humanity in hell.
The dialogue of the grandmother “the woman I cleaned for must be there” just give me the chills… even so it was too much for her to be there at the end
Adding: the black and white girl is based on a real life Polish resistance girl, Alexandria, that Glazer spoke to at the age of 90. He talks about her in several interviews and the movie is dedicated to her.
@@davidmurciaaristizabal5381 we can only guess what was on her note, that Hedwig Höss burned.
But the young son who looks out of the window when he hears the sounds of a man being executed says 'Don't do that again' as he turns away, and Höss himself seems to be having a physical reaction, which we see when he visits the doctor. I saw both of these things as inner conflicts manifesting themselves.
The young son was repeating the exact phrasing of the guard who yelled those words at the prisoner before executing him. I saw or heard no clues of (moral) doubt in Höss actions or words, so I cannot reasonably believe his physical reaction comes from an inner conflict. In real life Höss didn't show any conflict either. Only after he was convicted he wrote in letters that he saw his previous actions and work as wrong. Of course a movie leaves room for interpretation and debate, so I will not say that your view is wrong. However I interpreted it (slightly) different. @@robinkerman
this is indeed a masterpiece. i had no expectations but was blown away by the sound, the cinematography, the nuance in the actors' performances, the setting. this is a must watch for the modern man. people will misinterpret this film but i think thats why it works--this is a new perspective in cinema
If it does not win Best Sound I'll be upset!
To me, it encompassed the screams, the terror, and the inhumanity of the treatment of the prisoners.
Es sollte nie "bester Ton" werden! Unsere Sinne sollen ganz andere Dinge in diesem Moment aufnehmen und verarbeiten. Leider verstehen dies viele Menschen nicht, es geht um das Gefühl!
@@madelynbaker5013Es sollte nie "bester Ton" werden! Unsere Sinne sollen ganz andere Dinge in diesem Moment aufnehmen und verarbeiten. Leider verstehen dies viele Menschen nicht, es geht um das Gefühl!
there's always one in the comments who writes 'cinematography'... like they're no how films are made.
i didn't know what this movie was about. i just kind of heard a buzz and saw the name around a lot without clicking into any of the articles. Then i watched the trailer and still didn't understand. when i watched it...i was floored, shocked and felt so uneasy and the meaning of it can relate to many things we are experiencing - war in gaza, ukraine and what we are doing to animals we raise for food. But i need to come here to understand more.
Zone is one of the best and most terrifying film about the Holocaust. And I have seen many of them.
You clearly haven’t watched any holocaust movies tbh. This movie was by far the worst version.
A couple things :
It’s interesting that later in the film u head the horrific encounter of prisoners and guards that the little hoss boy overhears while playing in his bedroom and the guard says “they’re fighting over an apple” and when the little hoss boy says “don’t do that again” it’s up to interpretation if he’s saying it out of mimicking the guards or wanting to save the life of someone by telling them not to do it again, I think in general, the child is disturbed and doesn’t want the entire encounter to happen again - it’s like that mix of frustration you feel when u have no control and want to blame the victim but really u want to save the victim
All of that could be possible. I thought he was talking to himself bc I do that when I think of something that is unimaginable or terrifying - like if I start to think what would happen to my child if I were to pass (as her dad has), I will literally tell myself, outloud, to “stop it!”
I want to add one perspective, among others of current wars or consumerism, an uncomfortable for most I guess - because this is the most real and directly analogous, everyday subject for many because it is about beings that are deprived of voice to speak about their suffering and enslavement and cannot advocate for themselves. I do not wish to offend anyone, but widen the perspective and encourage to think about your own Wall. The philosophy is known since Isaac Singer, yet the movie shows perfectly how it is to engage in the defense mechanisms without directly speaking of the crime, what is our own perspective. Because we almost always focus on the oppression and the victims - the results, and rarely give any attention to how it begins.
The film "Zone of Interest" transcends its narrative to serve as a profound metaphor, not just about the historical atrocities of the Nazis, but about the pervasive and often overlooked parallels in how society collectively turns a blind eye to the suffering of others, including animals. It's a poignant exploration of the defense mechanisms we employ to shield ourselves from the uncomfortable reality of our complicity in cruelty and suffering, akin to the way individuals in the film rationalize their actions or inactions within the Nazi regime.
Polish-American author Isaac Bashevis Singer, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978, made the comparison in several of his stories. In the 1968 The Letter Writer, the protagonist says, "In relation to [animals], all people are Nazis; for the animals, it is an eternal Treblinka." In The Penitent the protagonist says "when it comes to animals, every man is a Nazi".
There's a direct analogy with the way prisoners and animals treated. The exploitation of their bodies, workforce, and then mass execution, objectifying a living being for someone's own gains. R*ping the cows and exploiting their reproductive system to steal the milk that in nature is supposed to feed their children, taking the calfs away, killing male chicks because they will never produce eggs, using animals for experimentation, keeping them in inhumane conditions, insults to autonomy, freedon, infliction of unnecessary suffering, skinning, removing hair, teeth (horns, tusks..), using bones and other remains, (e,g, to make soap - I'm sorry if it sounds horrifying - that's what Nazis did), ; factory farms are literal concentration camps with the same deathly smell. The obsession with making their death more optimal, efficient, less costly with technology, is perfectly shown in Hoess'es mind. And it doesn't include only killing farming animals, why do we make breeds of pets that have difficulty breathing, walking or are affected with health issues in various ways, just to make a pet look "funny", or get that "pure form" and "perfect race"? Do you realize what happened with the pets that didn't align with the breeding standard? What happens to 'meat' animals when they don't meet the market standards?
How we can find any ideology to just make ourselves okay with the violence we inflict upon another living and feeling beings. Excuses, justification. We even try to incorporate religion, a system that's supposed to teach us morality, kindness, to lie to ourselves that this is violence, but we're allowed to be violent, therefore it's not bad. Just like any offender that blames their victim, or their parents.
The movie adeptly showcases how the physical and psychological walls we erect, much like the literal wall in the film, serve to compartmentalize and distance ourselves from the pain and suffering we contribute to or ignore. Hoess can easily discuss the "load" and the details of burning the bodies without using a single word that indicates these are people. This is eerily similar to how we, in modern society, distance ourselves from the plight of animals subjected to the horrors of factory farming and slaughterhouses. The use of euphemisms like "livestock," "meat," and "poultry" mirrors the dehumanization and objectification seen in the film, making the subjects of our harm more palatable to our conscience. The secrecy what happens behind the closed doors and namelessness of the victims are crucial, so we can all benefit from the proceders yet maintain a safe distance from the 'objects' of exploitation.
Furthermore, the film's depiction of the normalization of violence and the desensitization to suffering is a powerful commentary on our own societal detachment from the cruelty inflicted upon animals. The scenes where characters become accustomed to the smells and sounds of atrocity echo our own acclimatization to the hidden brutalities of animal agriculture. Just as the atrocities behind the walls of the camp become a normalized backdrop to the lives of the characters, the suffering of animals remains a conveniently ignored truth, hidden behind the neatly packaged and sanitized products we consume.
"Zone of Interest" does not just challenge us to reflect on the historical evils of Nazism but prompts a deeper introspection into our current attitudes and actions towards animals (among other evil things that we are involved in). It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that our defense mechanisms and moral disengagements in the face of animal suffering are not unlike those employed by individuals during one of humanity's darkest periods. By drawing parallels between the past and present, the film serves as a compelling call to action, urging us to dismantle the psychological and societal barriers that prevent us from recognizing and addressing the suffering we cause to other sentient beings. If we truly believe that Hoess family are monsters, we are saying it about ourselves. Only the atrocity of human execution can show us how bad is our everyday behavior, when there are billions of beings slaughtered each day just for the minutes of our own pleasure, our own garden with the pool. The movie shows the ultimate indifference. They were just doing their job. I'm a great commander, I'm a great homemaker. Consequences of my choices are supported by society, therefore I don't need to think about the morality of my actions. I don't need to oppose because it would be really uncomfortable, not only psychologically, but also socially. We never care about speciesm because within our standard low emotional intelligence and immaturity, we're often in a survival mode that requires conformism as we fear we are either the killers, or the killed. By disowning our own responsibility, by nurturing the denial, we believe that we're not guilty, even while consuming directly the dead body of a tormented animal. The system allowed us to detach completely from the reality of how it became something we consider our "food". Sometimes this is pushed to the limits, for example when producers label or advertise their products / company as something that is utterly good for the animals (I mean all the happy cows on the grass, while the reality of industrial farming is vastly different, or labels like "the valley of good" which sounds quite disturbing within the context).
The film is a stark reminder of the dangers of indifference and the moral imperative to extend our circle of compassion beyond the confines of our own species. Just as the characters in "Zone of Interest" are challenged to confront the reality beyond their walls, we too are faced with the choice to acknowledge and act upon the suffering of animals in our midst. The question then becomes not whether we can see the similarities between ourselves and the oppressors of the past, but whether we have the courage to break down the walls of denial and indifference that allow such suffering to continue unchallenged. Because, after all, what would happen if nobody stopped the Nazis? If we're not actively speaking against, we're compliant and responsible. But our comfort requires feeding the biases as shown in the movie. It's behind the wall, you get used to it - as Singer said, we're ""victims of conditioned ethical blindness".
This is real film art, something "The Academy" mormaly doesn t understand. This film is told on so many levels.. it is a masterpeace par excelance! Chapeau!
8:27 might I add another interpretation of mine that these cuts to black,red and white are representative for the Nazi flag at the time. These cuts directly confront us.
I liked the video, but I disagree with your interpretation of the quote at 6:20. He IS comparing people to these Nazis. People in the USA, UK, Canada, etc. have historically been complicit in imperialism, colonialism, or outright genocide. Despite the Nazis industrializing the murder of Jews, Americans (and company) too have tended to their gardens while their governments enslaved and slaughtered people. Without even thinking about current conflicts like Palestine, this is clear when thinking about the UK in India, the USA in Vietnam (or Laos or Cambodia or Indonesia or Guatemala, the list goes on), Canada with its indigenous population, etc. These countries were built on genocide and exploitation, and they have continued committing systemic atrocities even after the Nuremberg trials. Hitler said he wanted to do to Europe what the USA had done to its indigenous population. I think the film was saying that the difference between these histories is not as big as we make it out to be.
I feel like it’s nearly impossible to have a discussion about this subject matter over text, but I will say I think you and I are essentially making the same point about the quote. I was more saying that we’re not like Hoss and the Nazis in the way that they run the concentration camp directly and preach the values of eradicating an entire race. But having said that, I do agree with your entire comment, and I’m sure Jonathan Glazer would too, the parallels are more apparent than we may think. We do live alongside and benefit from some of the most heartless practices. I’m glad you posted this because sometimes I may be too brief on certain points, especially in the non-spoiler videos, so thank you for this, I appreciate it!
@@lucasblue20 Thanks for the nice response. After reading this comment I can see on how you meant to get that across in the video.
The world keeps repeating itself….good and bad will always live side by side. My opinion. Sad
You could go back centuries on wars, genocide etc, it's not just in the west, but globally all great civilisations have brutalised human beings.
People, as usual, are looking for the 'bad guys' to be other than us, but the point Glazer is making is these people are ordinary. They could be us, given a certain set of circumstances. I agree though. America was fine with eradicating the Native population if they got in the way of the settlers' passage west. Britian ensured famine in India and Ireland....we could go on.
We saw the movie on Saturday night and it's still on my mind. I think the way the story is told visually is stunning. The way we are brought into the family makes us feel almost like a part of it. It's a chilling movie and I was so moved by it. It deserves any and all accolades it gets.
Such a deep and multilayered film. You’ve nicely laid out the themes and structure. We didn’t see you this time but the clips were nice chosen and assembled. Take care.
Wow I’m so happy to hear this, thank you so much! And I’ll be back in the videos soon, you can trust me!
Meine Meinung....
Es sollte nie "bester Ton" werden! Unsere Sinne sollen ganz andere Dinge in diesem Moment aufnehmen und verarbeiten. Leider verstehen dies viele Menschen nicht, es geht um das Gefühl!
I’ve been waiting to see this on demand and wish I had seen in theater. Great analysis and very thoughtful. I’ve been immersing myself with WW2 historical events, particularly Hitler and the atrocities committed by the Nazi’s. I lost most of my family in the Polish ghettos and subsequent concentration camps. Trying to pass our families history to my son- each generation must be educated so that history is never repeated. Thank you for your sensitivity discussing this very hard subject matter 🙏🖤
In German ghettos set up by the Germans, who occupied the Polish soil. Watch your language, please.
Thanks also for explaining the infrared parts. I thought it might be animation, and I didn’t pick up on the fact that she was resistance.
She was actually a real person that Jonathan met, and who sadly passed weeks after their meeting.
A normal and banal couple. Rudolf and Hedwig could be you, could be me. What gives us goosebumps is that the Höss family could be any of us. The couple represents our apathy and our neglect, today and now.
Finally, FINALLY got to watched this powerful film. I think the coat scene got to me the most for how mundane it feels. It's like the ladies got their personal shops for free, at the cost of deaths next door. It made me think not just about ongoing wars, but also our current state of consumerism. The way we are willing to ignore the suffering of others for personal beauty & comfort. It's too true & harrowing, especially observing how ignorant/desensitized we are today.
I’m curious if you or anyone else reading these comments, took her feeling around the bottom of the coat to indicate that she was searching for Jewels or other valuables that may have been sewn into the lining. I’m sure she was all too aware of this practice, given she was in a position to know so much about the realities of the camp and the outcomes of the poor soul who were taken there. (Not that SHE thought they were poor souls.)
So well explained and thought out. I saw this movie last night...the last on my list of Oscar nods for best film. I knew it would be a tough one. It is an extraordinary depiction of literally the other side...the many hidden sides of The Holocaust. A kind of unspoken silent portrait that speaks volumes to the human condition and horror of maintaining a life amongst such atrocities. Thank you for your incites. This film is sooo Oscar worthy!
Thanks for your content. Your approach to reviews are essay/subjective style is definitely unique. I can tell it takes a lot of thought to make these. Thanks!
I’m really thrilled to hear this, I always wanna make stuff that isn’t already out there and captures a unique point of view, so thank you for this!
right, this approach as you said made me aware of other themes, damn right
i love how you wrote this review without a single mention of Gaza even though Glazer made the link in his interviews / oscar speech himself incredibly obvious, it almost feels like you missed the mark here. we are compared to the perpetrators not because “they’re human too and not pure evil” but because we are watching genocide live on our phones and we look away just the same as the family. i think this is the true banality of evil in the film
To be fair he did mention war generally being beamed into the backgrounds of our lives when the news channels cover them before the latest sports results and tomorrow's weather. The video is a movie critique not a political statement.
Stop bringing politics here. So sick of people like you making everything about yourself and Gaza.
@@fatpinkteddy There's a genocide being committed right now which is deeply affecting many people, and he chose to mention it when reflecting on a movie about the banality of evil.... what don't you get?
@@fatpinkteddy whether you like it or not there are direct parallels to whats going on in the world right now. maybe you missed the mark on what the movie is truly about if you can say wholeheartedly "stop bringing politics here"
@@nicholas8785 he completely doesn't understand the movie
Great video! Id love a spoiler video where you break down thesymbolism and family response more - i feel i saw most but would love your perspective on it!
I’m so thankful we have this film available at this moment in history, and hope many will watch it fully. It is phenomenally done, a perspective I didn’t think we’d ever get. Bravo♥️
I work at a museum in the Midwest and the display from the local native history to the early pioneers is displayed smoothly like one section to the next. This film makes me reflect my areas history and relate to the cleaners at the end.
Thank you for the beautiful text, I fully agree with your words. I have always admired Jonathan Glazer's work and I believe that your analysis is intense, intelligent and also written from the heart. Thank you, Roberto
Thank you Lucas Blue you have best description of the movie on RUclips. Thanks for doing it helps explain a lot!
The scene in the stables reminded me of the moment in The Act of Killing where Anwar teaches his grandchildren not to be cruel to the chickens. Very good movie.
The ambient sounds throughout the camp/house scenes were truly impressive - almost always a low hum, gun fire, shouting etc
This most brilliant movie will never leave your memory after watching it (and listening to it!). Your video is very thoughtful and impressive, Lucas.
The problem with the movie is that it tried to suggest that Hoss felt some tinge of remorse or guilt for what he did? This was Glazer's imposing his view on the real character to achieve some sense of divine justice. In fact, Hoss was unrepentant and quite pleased with the work he did even as he was mounting the gallows. He only regretted that he hadn't spent enough time with his family like some overworked CEO. None of the characters expressed any discomfort with their situation other than to object to being reassigned to a new location. The whole movie can be summarized as A lovely German family shares a pleasant vacation at a Polish resort next to a human incinerator.
You are absolutely right and Hoess had no regrets to the end. He wrote some ersatz apology for his action the night before his execution, but he didn't mean anything he wrote at the time. Supposedly, and like Hans Frank, he returned to his Catholic faith while imprisoned. Rudy was a little late on that one I suppose.
even if he consciously didn't feel any remorse, his body may have by proxy. It's called psychosomatics.
Great review as usual. And I really like your evolving presentation style. ❤🎉😊
It means so much to hear the style changes are appreciated, I’m really having fun with it and I’m so glad you are too! Thank you!!
@@lucasblue20 I guess I should subscribe! I always avoid anything written about a film before i see it, and sometimes even buy a ticket at the theatre to avoid seeing the Rotten Tomatoes rating. But my friend sent me this and said it was not a "review" with an opinion on the quality of the film, and not a spoiler. Thanks.
@gamma517 omg I see that you are subscribed, thank you! And yeah a lot of my newer videos are spoiler-free so I think you’ll enjoy them, thank you again so much!!
What if I lived in a country that went berserk, and opting out was not an option? If I didn’t commit to the government policy I would be jailed, at the least? Who would I be? And Mr and Mrs Smith next door? And what if the country was Muslim? Or Jewish? I think it can happen in any society, any religion, any race. If the entirety of the governments laws forced us to cooperate, who of us would be the resistance? I ask myself, often.
Sorry to get kinda deep here.
I think we are approaching that here (in the USA). I read in a recent popular but even-keeled book that we may be seeing American become a "One Religion Nation" , and many will be deported or told to leave. I don't think it wil happen in one generation but the seeds are being planted where 'OPTING OUT IS NOT AN OPTION". Thanks for your comment.
@@gamma517 And thank you for your reply. I didn’t want to go too far in implicating our country, but yes, this is exactly why I’ve thought about this.
we are seeing this in real time with the current Israel vs Palestine conflict. its interesting how history continues to repeat itself, despite the lessons we learn from history
@@EdSmed20 Unfortunately I have heard both sides use this analogy to bolster their claims.
The other "side". That's Israeli propaganda. The other "side" to occupation is THE OCCUPIED PEOPLE. I've already exited the Israeli brainwashing system of lies. And that is why people don't object to those systems. They are brainwashed. Israel has been in the propaganda lying murder business for longer than the state of Israel.
Great video i saw this film over a month ago and I cannot stop thinking about it it’s so powerful. You should do a spoiler video on the night vision scenes and the ending. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for making this video, I appreciate it.
This is a great, great video analysis. Thanks for your thoughts.
I just saw it, and the final was painfully shocking and even I was crying. Definitely a masterpiece ❤❤
LOL grow up.
@@philmcclenaghan7056 grow some empathy
really great analysis, well done Lucas!
I am happy for this film as a German whose grandfathers fought in World War 2. I will never be able to comprehend the bottomless abyss that opened up at Auschwitz. I will never forget. We shall never forget! Great analysis by the way. Thank you!
I don’t want to make light around a film like this, but as a lover of experimental hip-hop, I was impressed that his dog was called ‘Dilla’!!
that's an entirely relevant comment, thanks for that.
I saw it a few days ago and it was amazing. After watching it, I was curious to see if you did a review about it, and was very happy to see there was one.
Very great video and explanation, congrats!
I just saw this tonight. Absolutely stunning film in every respect.
Fantastic analysis of a fantastic film!
Thank you so much! So glad you loved the movie too!!
Brilliant illustration, but two very important ‘metaphorical’ scenes must be highlighted.
1. The ashes coming from mouth and noses
2. The horrific last scene
The last scene where the monster meets darkness in the basement... will haunt me forever!!!
Thanks Lucas. Great analysis
You really gave a meaning to me. Thank you
Hello! Firstly, I'd like to express my appreciation for the depth of your reflections shared in this video. Your analysis has prompted me to think more critically about the subject matter, and it's sparked a particular curiosity in me regarding the auditory elements you discussed. I'm especially intrigued by how sirens and various sounds are utilized within this context. Could you delve deeper into your perspective on the conceptualization of these sounds? How do you perceive their role in the broader narrative or theme? I'm eager to understand the nuances of your interpretation and how these auditory elements contribute to the overall impact of the work. Thank you for sparking this intriguing line of thought!
Thank you for this great analysis. Seeing this again on Friday. Haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I saw it about a month ago
Totally agree! It’s so uncompromising and powerful, i couldn’t stop thinking about it. This videos was a must for me, and it means so much to hear you enjoyed it, thank you!
Εξαιρετικη ταινια που κατα την γνωμη μου αγγιζει την τελειοτητα. Μεσα απο μια ειδυλιακη μεν παγερη δε καθημερινοτητα που σου σφιγγει το στομαχι αναδεικνυει την υπαρξη και υπουλη δυναμη του κακου και στελνει ενα ηχηρο και πολυ επικαιρο μηνυμα. Ολος ο θρηνος, η οργη, η οδυνη μονο στην μουσικη του. Απιστευτα δυνατη η στιγμη που ο Ες αντιλαμβανεται με αηδια το αποτελεσμα των πεπραγμενων του και του καθεστωτος (αν το καταλαβα σωστα). Εξαιρετικα ευρηματικη η επιλογη της γλωσσας δεδομενου οτι η ταινια δεν ειναι γερμανικη.😅😅
I have wondered how "we", can plan a vacation to a country so close to Ukraine for example and enjoy a vacation to Europe when someone, just not to many miles away, is suffering the unimaginable suffering of a war. We all know that to a certain extent, in so many ways, we choose to ignore because these injustices are outside our control. We, the ordinary humans who go to work, feed our children, tide up our homes, are not capable of confronting the powers that promote and feed economies with the profit of wars. Or we can stop them?
Are you Russian?
Great as always 👌 you're one of the best❤️❤️❤️❤️
Omg you’re way too kind haha but it really means a lot to me, thank you so much!!
@lucasblue20 I'm not ☺️ I really mean it and thanks to you sooo much 💖💖💖💖
I've never seen this film, bit i intend to. To me, it seems like we see what we want to see and turn our backs on people who are suffering. Our wall.goes up and they cease to exist. It's still like that today.
I have not seen yet the film. However, I found this review to be the best one after I watched so many reviews of this film, and triggered me to watch the film!!!!
One more thing I noticed, there were a couple of scenes where the scene faded out. These included the beginning where it was black, then when the train arrived where it fazed white, and then during the flower scene where the colour fazed out to red. All these colours collectively symbolise not only the violence that occurred during the holocaust but it clearly demonstrates the swastika symbol aswell
Can anyone please explain or recall for me what Höss towards the end of the film to his wife on the phone about the people in the ball hall? He sais something like he would want to gas those people but the ceilings are to high... did I understood that correctly?
I can only imagine how awkward I would have felt if I watched this movie in a public theater! That said, I think I'm going to watch it a few more times. Very well put together video, thanks!
Thank you. For the comments. I watched it not long ago. It was amazing we need more foreign films in the States.
Honestly ,I was so engrossed by the imagery and there normal everyday life and then i remembered what was over the wall and i had to re-evaluate myself. The screams and shots in the background was so evident but yet were ignored because we were too busy looking at the beautiful garden side
Thanks... I would not say though in the introduction "an ordinary German family living next to the camp" ; this is the family of Rudolph Hoss, the camp's commander.
Unfortunately I can’t articulate my thoughts and feelings as well as others but I will say that This film has left more of an impact on me than any film I’ve seen this year. I saw it a few days ago and it just won’t leave my head but that’s ok because it’s welcome to stay there rent free.
And yes , a incredible piece of art
I had no idea this was based on true and real life.
Excellent analyses !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALSO - I’ve been reading some interpretations of the films ending and while I think it’s left a big opening for multiple interpretations that all serve the same purpose - for example, whether u believe hoss was having a premonition to the end of the war or if glazer was just using symbolism, the effect of the ending leaves everyone with the same enlightenment. However, I didn’t see anyone mention hoss’s execution. I’ve read that hoss was hung, and I know that often they used short ropes on the nazis, which means the death was slower, so I couldn’t help but relate this to his gagging in the stairwell as well. Foreshadowing possibly.
interesting
Hoss was executed a few hundred yards behind the house his wife didn't want to leave.
@@SuperNevile No, he was executed at in front of his office at Auschwitz I--several accounts about it on RUclips. Their home was at Auschwitz II-Birkenau which is 3 kilometers from A1. Out of curiosity I looked it up yesterday. He died by the short drop method of hanging and was actually strangled by that method.
@@chuckbuckbobuck I did "the tour" back in the 90s. I know what I know. Incidentally, the smoking in the distance (as seen from the house) is from the two crematoria at Birkenau (A2). The brick buildings you see from the house at AI were originally Polish army barracks, that the Nazis commandeered. A2 had wooden barracks, except for the brick built entrance, two crematoria and a few ancilliary buildings
@@SuperNevile You obviously didn't read my reply back to you which isn't surprising. I NEVER SAID THAT HOESS HOME WAS NOT AT AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU (also addressed as Auschwitz II). That is where most of the killing was done. Where you are wrong, and believe me you are definitely wrong is stating he was hanged only a couple of hundred of yards from home there. He was not hung at Auschwitz-Birkenau but at Auschwitz 1 which, and this is according to Wikipedia which I checked on three times just to make sure, is 3 kilometers (about 2 miles) from gate to gate. His main office was at Auschwitz1 (not Birkenau which is why he had visitors at his home if they came there for official visits) and at the request of the Polish people he was hanged facing that office. He was not a few hundred yards from his home at Auschwitz I but 3 KM as I just stated. You are welcome to refer to Wikipedia and to videos on You Tube if you don't believe but you are wrong in you statement about how close the hanging was to his home. Your tour guides should have pointed that out. There is a plague at A-1 visibly and clearly stating that this is the site of Hoess's public hanging--the last one in Poland I might add.
This is a great video and great narrative around a tricky and complex movie that it could be so easy to just say is about the banality of evil.
We are never given an opportunity to get up and close with the family. No tight close ups, they are always moving and we are always just an observer. Yes we can say it’s about the banality of evil but it’s also about the ongoing banality of our maintenance of the memory of evil with the cleaners at the end which I found really really interesting. The wife putting on the lipstick for me was the most shocking and obscene lipstick so mundane and pedestrian but it is so intimate in a way.
One tiny note the surname is not pronounced Hoss but Hoess a bit like the ö in say “danke shön”. Kind of like the English word hearse. Edit: this is how the filmmakers are pronouncing it so colour me confused 😂
Amazing movie thank you for the breakdown
Lucas Blue has a magnificent voice.
Beautiful.
What really hit a nerve deep within me was hearing Höss reading Hansel & Gretel as a bedtime story to his children, especially that part in which Gretel pushes the witch into the oven. Or the conference with a map in the background showing the real number of concentration camps in europe.
such a quiet subtle movie just punches you straight in the gut. it is more shocking than any holocaust documentary i feel. it's a masterpiece.
It is being looking very interesting!
I am planning to see it...we may have to travel from our town, down to Ottawa.
Can somebody please explain the last scene?
Did anyone notice the Jew using ashes to fertilize the plants on the side of the house? I think that this would be a practice throughout the entire garden- including the vegetables. So in addition to seeing, hearing and smelling the reality of the horror on the other side of the wall (that she was already working on covering with vines) the family is also TASTING (eating) the reality of the camp’s purpose through the garden’s harvest.
Also, I didn’t think of it at first but later (I just saw this yesterday but can already tell it will stay with me forever) I remembered the scene where the men arrive to discuss the plans for the circular crematorium. They asked if they needed to take off their shoes - as Hoss did- and he said no. At the time, I thought he was being polite and respectful of them as they may be influential and it seems so much of Hitler’s Germany was based on favors and spying and sowing distrust (a la N Korea’s “supreme leader”).
But later I saw it differently. as soon as they walk in, as in literally within seconds, the Jewish man runs to the door to grab the boots to wash them. He leaves them on the steps so that when we open the door for them, they’re there almost as if by magic. so, I see the scene as an outward acknowledgment for the audience that Hoss is clearly actively trying to maintain as much of a separation as possible between life on the other side of the wall, and within his Sacred space, his family home.
Also, the boots being taken and returned, almost as if by magic. I feel demonstrates not just his desire, but that is his wife’s as well to not ever physically witness the reality so that they could maintain the separation and lie to themselves about the horror of it all.
Question- was the woman in his office the nanny? I thought so but couldn’t be sure. And that was vodka she was downing afterwards, right? I only doubted it bc it was soooo much at once that I personally thought it wasn’t possible to chug it but that’s just my opinion so it could be alcoholic.
Lucas thaks a lot , amazing taste and super critica, gracias
Thank you so much, my friend! This means so much!!
This movie summed up Hannah Arendts quote perfectly… The banality of evil. In it’s entirety.
I need to watch it again I think, i watched it yesterday and I left kinda dissatisfied- I didn’t know what to even expect tbh. A24 films have never been my cup of tea but like I said I think I gotta watch again
The grandma necessity to get drunk and eventually leaving the house without notice shows that we instinctively can see and feel what's actually intrinsically wrong, beyond what people, the media and the government tell us.
I watched it today on Max. Very interesting . Made me search for more on here. Fascinating movie . Scary, weird at times.