I have just returned from watching Die Welle (The Wave). This German film, based on Morton Rhue’s novel The Wave is loosely based on real events from a school in California in 1967.
The question that is raised early in the film is, ‘could an autocratic system ever exist in Germany again or have we become better people?’ It fits alongside similar works such as Lord of the Flies in asking, ‘for all our dreams, is humanity capable of creating a perfect society?’ There are also plenty of similar characters – the sporty, attractive guys, the rebels, the outcasts but actually there is a wider and more complicated range of characters involved here. I’m not a German film buff, but I have seen mainstream titles such as Goodbye, Lenin and The Edukators. This film ties in with similar themes as those with a desire to question the current political and social culture whilst recognise the massive failings of the past. These German film makers are asking some great questions!
And so, with the question raised, teacher Rainer Wenger, or Herr Wenger as he is to be called, begins leading a social experiment – The Wave – amongst the members of his class. What happens? I won’t ruin the film for you, go and see it.
I was impressed that unlike so many films involving teens and young actors, these people seemed to be able to actually act (although I’m not a German speaker and perhaps they didn’t deliver the lines as they should, but visually they could).
I think the film sits nicely alongside my previous post. Not only would many of the kids in this film find a lot of their own angst at the world expressed by the Flobots, they’re also seeking to change the world – to unite together in creating a community where all are equal and they seek to do good. I thought, “Yeah, these guys are starting a revolution, but it’s ultimately not the one I want to see”. As the film unravels the actions they perform are not always good for everyone.
The kids are united by fashion, sports teams, grades – but these groups are small. As the experiment begins they become united into a much bigger, more powerful group that identifies itself in purpose, but also in fashion – which helps to define itself in terms of the other – who’s out and who’s in. It allows minorities to be accepted (by adopting the right clothes) whilst rebels to be clearly identified (by not wearing the right clothes).
At my Christian Union we used to say, half-jokingly, that it was ‘the only society that existed for the benefit of its non-members’. That’s true of church too. Unity in the church comes from unity in Jesus. It’s a family unity. There is no Greek or Jew, slave or free. This community shows itself as other by how the members live (i.e. lives of love and self sacrifice), not by fashion or social status, etc. It changes the world by welcoming others to see what it has to offer and introducing them to Jesus. If the unity comes from Jesus, then it’s Jesus who people need to meet. It’s Jesus who changes people from the inside.
In the church now, as in the city to come, there is deep unity and massive diversity.
Want to be part of something global, diverse, purposeful and truly good? Join a church!
The question that is raised early in the film is, ‘could an autocratic system ever exist in Germany again or have we become better people?’ It fits alongside similar works such as Lord of the Flies in asking, ‘for all our dreams, is humanity capable of creating a perfect society?’ There are also plenty of similar characters – the sporty, attractive guys, the rebels, the outcasts but actually there is a wider and more complicated range of characters involved here. I’m not a German film buff, but I have seen mainstream titles such as Goodbye, Lenin and The Edukators. This film ties in with similar themes as those with a desire to question the current political and social culture whilst recognise the massive failings of the past. These German film makers are asking some great questions!
And so, with the question raised, teacher Rainer Wenger, or Herr Wenger as he is to be called, begins leading a social experiment – The Wave – amongst the members of his class. What happens? I won’t ruin the film for you, go and see it.
I was impressed that unlike so many films involving teens and young actors, these people seemed to be able to actually act (although I’m not a German speaker and perhaps they didn’t deliver the lines as they should, but visually they could).
I think the film sits nicely alongside my previous post. Not only would many of the kids in this film find a lot of their own angst at the world expressed by the Flobots, they’re also seeking to change the world – to unite together in creating a community where all are equal and they seek to do good. I thought, “Yeah, these guys are starting a revolution, but it’s ultimately not the one I want to see”. As the film unravels the actions they perform are not always good for everyone.
The kids are united by fashion, sports teams, grades – but these groups are small. As the experiment begins they become united into a much bigger, more powerful group that identifies itself in purpose, but also in fashion – which helps to define itself in terms of the other – who’s out and who’s in. It allows minorities to be accepted (by adopting the right clothes) whilst rebels to be clearly identified (by not wearing the right clothes).
At my Christian Union we used to say, half-jokingly, that it was ‘the only society that existed for the benefit of its non-members’. That’s true of church too. Unity in the church comes from unity in Jesus. It’s a family unity. There is no Greek or Jew, slave or free. This community shows itself as other by how the members live (i.e. lives of love and self sacrifice), not by fashion or social status, etc. It changes the world by welcoming others to see what it has to offer and introducing them to Jesus. If the unity comes from Jesus, then it’s Jesus who people need to meet. It’s Jesus who changes people from the inside.
In the church now, as in the city to come, there is deep unity and massive diversity.
Want to be part of something global, diverse, purposeful and truly good? Join a church!
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