1984 x Nazi Germany
I made an expository & participatory documentary. First, it is an expository documentary because it shows specific point of view about connections and similarities between 1984 and Nazi Germany. I effectively informed the audience about the topic by using stock footages, archival footages, b-rolls, and interview recordings. Second, it is also a participatory documentary because it includes my interactions with narrations. I directly influenced the film by using my voice to ask questions to an interviewee. I mixed these two types to create an in-depth and informative documentary.
Narration:
George Orwell’s book “1984” depicts an extreme society that is full of surveillance and deceptions. This documentary will show similarities and connections between “1984” and Nazi Germany, which had one of the worst totalitarian systems in 20th century.
Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, and Big Brother, a leader of Oceania, are personification of evils. Their dictatorships use excessive torture, violence, and brainwashing to gain or maintain their power. They fabricated themselves as the most powerful and superior leaders in the world. As a result, ignorant or uneducated people thought they were the saviors and heroes.
- How were Adolf Hitler and Big Brother’s political ideas and actions similar?
- Which leader do you see the worst? Why?
Not only the leaders, the governments that ruled each of their countries were also corrupted. To prevent truths from leaking out, they implemented extreme level of surveillance. They concealed microphones like under tables and in telephones to eavesdrop on the conversations.
- Why did Nazi Germany and Oceania use such severe surveillance on their countries?
- These countries used propagandas filled with many party slogans. Why do you think they both used propagandas?
To manipulate everything, Germany and Oceania had secret police.
- How were 1984’s thought police and Germany’s Gestapo similar?
- Do you see similarities between proles and Jews?
- If Nazi Germany had continued, by year 1984, do you think it would have turned like Oceania?
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