Representing of post-communist West Germany in film, an examination of the Edukators, the Lives of Others and Goodbye LeninThe fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent emergence of a post-communist Germany affected many people in different ways. The monumental changes are evident in all manner of creative and media work. Each a response to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of Communism and the dominance of Capitalism. in this society have subsequently been shown in work by directors and screen writers, each person having an individual response to it. I believe this is evident in the films I am going to analyse. These are ‘Goodbye Lenin!’, ‘The Edukators’ and ‘The Lives of Others’.Within these films I will look at how the ideologies of the film makers are represented and dealt with. I think I will find different takes and points of views. Personally, I think many of the directors views will show wishful thinking and happy endings. Protagonists will be people of rebellion, victims taking a stand or people in power re-thinking their morals and changing their minds. I suspect there will be negative views towards people in charge, good will triumph in the end; albeit with some bittersweet moments in between. The biggest difference between the films will be evident in how each situation is dealt with. I predict some characters will get involved and create controversy but others will quietly struggle on and adapt.
The three films I am analysing have all dealt with, in their own way, the response to a dramatic change in a culture. The character, events and narrative are all representing post-communist Germany. To analyse these films I will be examining the following aspects of the films: the central characters and relationships; the setting and locations; narrative, events and structure whilst considering how the films are constructed. This will hopefully allow me to deconstruct how any ideas and values have been represented.
My three main texts were all produced between 2003 and 2006. This is about twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin wall, built overnight in 1961 was the very visible symbol of the Cold War between the Capitalist West and the Communist East. It separated families, countries and ideologies. The first film I am looking at is ‘Goodbye Lenin!’ I have picked this one because it gives a fresh take on the victims of post-communism. The families that struggle the most, and the ones you don’t think of.The second film is ‘The Edukators’, which also stars Daniel Bruhl in it. He is one third of the revolutionist group The Edukators who simply ‘educate the rich’ by moving their furniture round and leaving notes which say ‘Sie haben zu viel Geld’ (You have to much money). This is a contrasting role for Bruhl as he has gone from playing a victim of post-communist Germany to a fighter. His character is trying to change things, not just adapt and deal with it. The Edukators is a good representation of post-communist Germany because it shows a big difference between the poor and the rich. It also shows how people tried to make a difference, and how there were still some that were against and still fighting.The third film I have chosen is ‘The Lives of Others’. This is an interesting film to look at because we see communist Germany from both points of view; the people in charge and the victims of them.The Berlin Wall was a barrier separating East Germany from the West It was built in 1861 and was there to restrict access into and from both parts of the country. It was a symbol of both the Cold War and communism and capitalism. The wall was nicknamed ‘the Iron Curtain’ and fell in 1989.Fall of the Berlin Wall:
Post Communism in Pop-culture:In ‘Goodbye Lenin!’ post-communism represented through one family trying to keep communism and East Germany alive, although this is difficult because of all the capitalist emergences in reunited Germany. E.g Coco-cola brand adverts and the Burger King company. The main protagonist is Alexander Kerner played by Daniel Bruhl. The young The beginning of the film shows still shots of Germany,