We are living in a particularly fragile moment in modern history where nations and peoples are dividing. The us and them mentality is becoming more prevalent, and in particular parts of the world political and religious agendas are being used to justify horrific acts of violence. I always remember being told that looking back at our history is the best way to prepare for our future, in the hopes that we can make the world a better place. But unfortunately, sometimes we may need to look back to see that history could be repeating itself before our very eyes, and only we can stop it.
These sentiments were echoed by director Jonathan Glazer at the recent Academy Awards where he won the Oscar for Best Director among others for The Zone of Interest, a film I finally got to see before it left cinemas and has left me feeling empty inside. I did wonder how I was going to write this review, formulate my thoughts into something tangible and cohesive. But I think The Zone of Interest is a film that everyone should be watching, so I feel I need to do my duty as any critic and spread the word about it in the hopes that more people can see what has been achieved here, and perhaps learn something in the hopes that we can stop history from repeating itself.
Auschwitz, 1943. Commandant Rudolf Hoss (Christian Friedel) is responsible for the daily operations of the concentration camp. His family consisting of wife Hedwig (Sandra Huller), sons Claus (Johann Karthaus) and Hans (Luis Noah White), and daughters Inge-Brigitt (Nele Ahrensmeier), Heideraud (Lilli Falk), and Annagret (Anastazja Drobniak, Cecylia Pekala, & Kalman Wilson), all live in a beautiful house with a large garden that is separated from the camp only by a tall concrete wall topped with barbed wire.
As the Hoss family go about their daily lives such as hosting parties and tending to the garden, the sounds of screaming prisoners can be heard in the distance, and the dark nights are illuminated with the ominous glow of the furnace chimneys.
These sentiments were echoed by director Jonathan Glazer at the recent Academy Awards where he won the Oscar for Best Director among others for The Zone of Interest, a film I finally got to see before it left cinemas and has left me feeling empty inside. I did wonder how I was going to write this review, formulate my thoughts into something tangible and cohesive. But I think The Zone of Interest is a film that everyone should be watching, so I feel I need to do my duty as any critic and spread the word about it in the hopes that more people can see what has been achieved here, and perhaps learn something in the hopes that we can stop history from repeating itself.
Auschwitz, 1943. Commandant Rudolf Hoss (Christian Friedel) is responsible for the daily operations of the concentration camp. His family consisting of wife Hedwig (Sandra Huller), sons Claus (Johann Karthaus) and Hans (Luis Noah White), and daughters Inge-Brigitt (Nele Ahrensmeier), Heideraud (Lilli Falk), and Annagret (Anastazja Drobniak, Cecylia Pekala, & Kalman Wilson), all live in a beautiful house with a large garden that is separated from the camp only by a tall concrete wall topped with barbed wire.
As the Hoss family go about their daily lives such as hosting parties and tending to the garden, the sounds of screaming prisoners can be heard in the distance, and the dark nights are illuminated with the ominous glow of the furnace chimneys.
I think the most striking element of The Zone of Interest is in its audio. The film did win the Academy Award for Best Sound, and it’s easy to understand why. The true horror of The Zone of Interest isn’t shown but instead heard. In every single scene that takes place at the Hoss family home you have this constant background noise of what’s happening at the concentration camp. The rumbles of the furnaces, orders being barked by Nazi officers, and the tortured screams of the prisoners.
It's chillingly juxtaposed by Lukasz Zal’s gorgeous cinematography which showcases Hedwig's garden in particular as this oasis of tranquillity. The beautiful flowers that grow, and the precision at which the garden has been constructed are at complete odds with what’s sitting on the other side of the fence, and with what you can hear from beyond it.
It's why I would say if you can rush to see it at the cinema before it leaves, I’d highly recommend it, because to get the full effect of the film you’re going to need a good sound system. It has perhaps the most harrowing soundscape I’ve ever heard in a film, and the lack of music only hammers that home even more. The end credits are accompanied by a cacophonous mix of building screams and wails, which after having endured them in the distance for almost the entire film was enough to make my blood run cold.
The house which was painstakingly recreated is equipped with camera in the corners of rooms or the end of corridors, giving the film a Big Brother feel. You’re a fly on the wall witnessing a period in these people’s lives. It allows for so much flexibility in a scene too from a performance point of view. Whilst the view may be restricted, there’s a lot the performers are able to do as a result. Glazer said that he’s just let the cameras run and the actors would play out the scene how they felt fit. Whilst there was a script, it allowed for a lot of improvisation and deviation from what was on the page without the need to worry about cameras and sound crew following the actors around the rooms.
The film was also at its strongest when it operated within the confines of the house or the garden, the closer the proximity to the camp the better it got.
Some of the story concerns Rudolf requiring to visit Berlin, and these scenes whilst important for the story never felt as interesting as even the most menial of sequences at the house.
It's chillingly juxtaposed by Lukasz Zal’s gorgeous cinematography which showcases Hedwig's garden in particular as this oasis of tranquillity. The beautiful flowers that grow, and the precision at which the garden has been constructed are at complete odds with what’s sitting on the other side of the fence, and with what you can hear from beyond it.
It's why I would say if you can rush to see it at the cinema before it leaves, I’d highly recommend it, because to get the full effect of the film you’re going to need a good sound system. It has perhaps the most harrowing soundscape I’ve ever heard in a film, and the lack of music only hammers that home even more. The end credits are accompanied by a cacophonous mix of building screams and wails, which after having endured them in the distance for almost the entire film was enough to make my blood run cold.
The house which was painstakingly recreated is equipped with camera in the corners of rooms or the end of corridors, giving the film a Big Brother feel. You’re a fly on the wall witnessing a period in these people’s lives. It allows for so much flexibility in a scene too from a performance point of view. Whilst the view may be restricted, there’s a lot the performers are able to do as a result. Glazer said that he’s just let the cameras run and the actors would play out the scene how they felt fit. Whilst there was a script, it allowed for a lot of improvisation and deviation from what was on the page without the need to worry about cameras and sound crew following the actors around the rooms.
The film was also at its strongest when it operated within the confines of the house or the garden, the closer the proximity to the camp the better it got.
Some of the story concerns Rudolf requiring to visit Berlin, and these scenes whilst important for the story never felt as interesting as even the most menial of sequences at the house.
I would like to talk about one particular scene, actually I suppose one shot when I think about it. It was the day after I watched the film and the shot in question popped into my mind and I just found myself stricken with pain and nearly moved to tears. The scene in question involves giving the children a bath following them swimming in a nearby stream, and they’re covered in ash from the furnaces. It leaves the bath black, and one of the housekeepers, a Jewish girl who has been taken away from the camp, is shut in the bathroom to clean the ash away. Just the shot of her standing with brush in hand staring at the bath was extremely moving to me, and I think extremely symbolic of the point the film is making.
I loved the ending too. I won’t divulge anything here because I think that would lessen the impact of it, but after everything you’ve seen to then arrive at that point, it was incredibly powerful.
If you can see this at the cinema then you should, because very few people will have the kind of sound system necessary to give the audio the level of depth it requires to truly appreciate what Glazer has done here. But regardless of if you can see it in cinemas or not, The Zone of Interest is a film that needs to be seen. Particularly in this modern political climate, a film like this has never been more relevant, and it’s terrifying.
Whilst some audiences may be put off by its slow pace and German language dialogue, I really think The Zone of Interest warrants enduring if that does bother you because the message is just so important, and so moving.
I loved the ending too. I won’t divulge anything here because I think that would lessen the impact of it, but after everything you’ve seen to then arrive at that point, it was incredibly powerful.
If you can see this at the cinema then you should, because very few people will have the kind of sound system necessary to give the audio the level of depth it requires to truly appreciate what Glazer has done here. But regardless of if you can see it in cinemas or not, The Zone of Interest is a film that needs to be seen. Particularly in this modern political climate, a film like this has never been more relevant, and it’s terrifying.
Whilst some audiences may be put off by its slow pace and German language dialogue, I really think The Zone of Interest warrants enduring if that does bother you because the message is just so important, and so moving.