Transcript The Nuremberg Trials: A Film Documentary of the Trial of Principal

“The Nuremberg Trials: A Film
Documentary of the Trial of
Principal German War Criminals”
Preparing for Critical Analysis
Producer: Roman Karmen
 True believer in communism
 Methods considered influential and controversial
 As you view, look for communist propaganda. Consider
what elements may be deemed controversial.
Documentary
 Released on May 24, 1947, roughly 7 months after the
trials ended; the trials were held from November 20,
1945- October 1, 1946
 Describes, in detail, the crimes that the Nazis committed
during WWII, especially in the Soviet Union
 Includes anti-capitalist propaganda
 Consider:
 What drove the Nazis into Soviet States?
 What interest did the Nazis have in Soviet goods?
 What likeliness to capitalism is implied? How?
Anti-capitalist Propaganda
Writing a Review: Step 1
 Give a title that clearly indicates the direction of your
analysis
 Give details:
 Title
 Intended Audience
Step 2
 Explain the purpose
 What is the purpose of the film?
 What is the main message the film maker wants to get
across to the audience?
 Does there seem to be a political or social agenda? Is the
agenda the primary or secondary purpose?
Step 3
 Provide your prior knowledge on the subject
 What did you already know about the Nuremberg Trials?
 What did you already know about Nazi war criminals and
crimes?
 What did you expect to see?
 What questions did you have about Nuremberg Trials, Nazi
crimes, or war criminals?
Step 4
 Summarize the documentary
 Who or what is the subject of the documentary?
 What are the main events?
 Where was the documentary filmed?
Step 5
 Explore and Analyze cinematic technique
 What are the sound effects?
 When are they used? What impact do they have? Do you like
them?
 What types of images are used?
 What angles are used? Are the images sharp? How are the
images lit? Are there special effects? What impact do the
images have? How is the impact created?
Step 6
 Provide your personal comments and recommendations
 What part did you like most?
 What did you learn?
 Was there anything that surprised you?
 What are the drawbacks of the documentary?
 To whom would you recommend this documentary?