![]() That’s where The Zone of Interest hits hardest.Related: 55 Naughty Pranks To Pull On Boyfriend 7. They may have never fired a gun, but their actions damn them still. Wherever there is genocide, there are those who will look the other way. The Zone of Interest focuses on the Holocaust, yes, but there’s a larger theme that could easily transfer to any country in the world during any era. The list of genocides seems too long to comprehend. Even stories as told in the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon. Instead, it presents us with a deeply unsettling and unpleasant look at those who not only turned a blind eye to the atrocities but also profited from them.Īnd given that, the real impact of the film for me was how easily these scenes could have transferred to other places and time. The focus of the film isn’t the horrific events of the Holocaust. And, of course, the ghostly images of the house at night filled with the glows from the nearby crematoriums. A family outing by the pool is set against a train arriving at the concentration camp. Höss family events are constantly peppered with the sounds of gunshots. There are, of course, glimpses here and there, but Glazer keeps everything offscreen. ![]() We aren’t presented with the familiar, horrifying images of genocide traditionally associated with Holocaust films. ![]() The film isn’t a traditional Holocaust drama. We never see what’s written on the page, but we understand its intent thanks to Hüller’s carefully calibrated reaction.įor me, The Zone of Interest soars on Glazer’s brilliant direction and overall attention to detail. The next day, she leaves without a word, leaving a note for Hedwig. After arriving for a birthday party, Hedwig’s mother walks the dark house at night, rooms illuminated by the orange glow of the crematorium fires burning next door. Only once does anyone connected with the family acknowledge the horrors of Auschwitz. At one point in the film, she refers to her backyard as her own “paradise.” Hedwig’s status as the self-proclaimed “Queen of Auschwitz” allows her to construct an admittedly beautiful home for her family, complete with a lush garden filled with gorgeous flowers, lounging chairs, and a swimming pool. It’s very likely the original owner of that fur coat and tube of lipstick is now dead of course, but she does not appear to care. She rubs it on her hand to see if she likes the shade. In a particularly banal yet completely unsettling sequence, Hedwig finds a tube of lipstick in the pocket of the fur coat she tries on. The Höss family makes their selections, profiting from the obvious misfortune of others. In this bundle are shirts, dresses, and a fur coat presumably stolen from Jewish prisoners. It’s a very ordinary, commonplace existence, but an existence bolstered by their status as cold-blooded war profiteers.Įarly in the film, Auschwitz Commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel)’s wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) receives a care package of sorts from an Auschwitz prisoner. Their children fight and play pranks on each other. Glazer presents his characters as if he were filming a documentary, a slice-of-life exposé of those who profit from the evils of the Holocaust. This is a hard core exploration of what many, many have dubbed “the banality of evil,” which isn’t an incorrect assessment. No, this isn’t a setup for a wacky Mel Brooks-level Nazi takedown. It’s not until the family goes home that we find out they’re actually Nazis living adjacent to Auschwitz. It’s an idyllic family moment to which most would aspire. There are gorgeous mountain vistas, and the sky covers it all with an enticing, peaceful blanket of what I would call Carolina blue. Children splash in a lake while their parents relax in grassy fields. It certainly did for me.įollowing the seemingly unending night, the film begins on a sunny pastoral scene. If you’re up for that challenge, then The Zone of Interest will work for you. He leaves it up to the audience to discuss, debate, and ultimately decide for themselves. Glazer gives no easy answers on this question or truly on many questions within the film. It could reflect the hopelessness of the Jewish people at the time. It could reflect the blackness of a person’s soul. Why does Glazer begin the film this way? It could reflect the darkness of the Holocaust, the period in which the film is set. Unsettlingly loud and booming musical notes blare across the audience as we wait in discomfort for the film to move into a more traditional beginning. ![]() ![]() Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest mysteriously begins on a pitch black screen. Download: Telluride Review: Glazer's 'Zone of Interest' Shines a Different Light on the Holocaust ![]()
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