German Autumn 1977.
Analyse a Film

The story of terrorism in Germany is told again and again. Especially films can impact our conception of this period, while viewers cannot be certain whether the film corresponds to the “truth”. History is always a certain perspective on the past. That’s why it’s important to know how directors are influencing the audience with their films.

Which conception of the history of the German Autumn does director Heinrich Breloer want to convey by means of his film “Todesspiel” (Death Game)?

Task 1: Develop scenes for a storyboard

Let’s say a new film about the German Autumn 1977 is being produced. A sequence in prison right after the kidnapping is supposed to be filmed. The terrorists are in their cells and hear about the attack on television. Simultaneously, the prison officers receive the order to implement the contact ban.

  1. Draft some first ideas for a screenplay. Choose 8-12 of the suggested short scenes and put them in an order that makes sense for a film adaptation. What could this sequence look like according to you?

Workspace

Screenplay

  1. Officers are informed of the contact ban
  2. Officers wait for the public prosecutor
  3. Officers go to the cell
  4. Officers open the door
  5. Officers inform Baader that his cell will be searched
  6. Officers enter the cell without saying anything
  7. Officers remove the radio and the television from the cell
  8. Baader is sitting on the floor watching the news
  9. Baader gets up and looks out of the window
  10. Baader looks at the officers without saying anything
  11. Baader is eating nuts
  12. Baader is standing in front of the TV
  13. Baader is sitting on the mattress
  14. Baader is sitting near the door of the cell
  15. Baader is asked to exit the cell
  16. Baader is left back without a word
  17. Officers close the door
  18. Officers search the room

Task 2: Effect of the film

Watch the film clip. It likewise shows the situation in Stammheim directly after the kidnapping.

  1. Which impression of the terrorists and which impression of the state is conveyed? Select 3-4 characteristics each.

Workspace

Terrorists

arrogant, intimidated, hopeful, desperate, capricious, confident of victory, impatient, fierce, ruthless, reckless, relentless, uncontrolled, impulsive, exaggerated, disrespectful, understanding, unabashed, confident, uninhibited, hectic, insecure, calm, level-headed, constitutional, law-abiding

State

arrogant, intimidated, hopeful, desperate, capricious, confident of victory, impatient, fierce, ruthless, reckless, relentless, uncontrolled, impulsive, exaggerated, disrespectful, understanding, unabashed, confident, uninhibited, hectic, insecure, calm, level-headed, constitutional, law-abiding

Task 3a: How is the impression created?

Selection of the Elements

The selection of elements that a director makes for a film sequence is already an interpretation of history. That means that there is no neutral perspective. Which intention a director is pursuing becomes more clear when you compare two sequences. In the left-hand column, you can see a series of still images that might reflect the scene of searching Baader’s cell.

  1. Compare these images with 4–6 still images from the film “Todesspiel” (Engl. Death Game) that you think represent the stance of the state and of the terrorist well. Use the camera icon to make still frames.
  2. In 3–5 sentences, explain the difference between the sketched storyboard and your stills. Use your observations from tasks 1 and 2 for support.01
    3.

Workspace

Task 3b:

Camera, Shots

Which cinematic techniques are used to depict the relationship of the terrorist Baader and the state?

  1. Watch the sequence.
  2. There are 5 shots in the sequence. For each one, position the camera with its perspective and the camera movement. Label the camera perspectives with the matching icons.
  3. Create 3–5 still frames that capture the field size and position them on the second part of the workspace.
  4. Match the corresponding marker and read about the effect that each shot is usually meant to create.
    5. Frosch-Perspektive Untersicht Augenhöhe Aufsicht Vogelperspektive gekippter Winkel
    Weit / Panorama Totale Halbtotale Halbnahe Nahe Groß Detail
  5. Make a memo with about 5 keywords explaining how the relationship between the terrorist and the state is portrayed and how it is cinematically illustrated.

Workspace

Tools
Camera angle
Camera distance

Task 4: How is the impression created?

How does the director try to substantiate the authenticity of his story? “Todesspiel” (Engl. Death Game) is not a historical feature film, but a docudrama. That means that acted scenes are blended with reports from the past. In doing so, they try to convey an impression of authenticity.

  1. Watch the film clip and make a still image when sources from the past are explicitly used.
  2. For each still image, describe which effect is intended in one sentence.
Tools
  1. What do you think? Does this type of film adaptation help you to understand the past better? Or does it instead feign an authenticity that does not exist as such? Write about 10 sentences on the topic.

(Extra) Task 5: Conveying history by means of a docudrama?

  1. What should a pupil of your age know about a docudrama on the topic “German Autumn 1977”? Formulate your position in about 10 sentences. Refer to your observations from the tasks in this module.

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