hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png THE CREMATOR Juraj Herz What kind of people are used by Dictatorial Regimes The Cremator - Wikipedia hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png Cinematic Style and Format •Distorted perception of the world conveyed by erratic filming techniques •First person point of view provides unsettling personal connection •Quick and jarring cuts and sudden zoom ins •In many ways a horror film •Incredibly inventive techniques and style The Cremator (1969) | The Criterion Collection hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png The ‘type’ of person susceptible to Nazism •Patriarchal, masculine values prioritized – emphasis on strength •Attracts men who feel they are owed something •Men who feel a desire to be special or noticed •In this case clearly already slightly unhinged •‘Effeminate’ characteristics must be removed Janus Films — The Cremator hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png Ironic Inherent weakness of Nazi Characters •Insecurities both physically and mentally •Sexism – all the Nazi characters are shown to treat women as both inferior and as sexual objects •Kopfrkingl harasses his young staff, his wife and frequents the brothel •Women’s role in the film is limited to that of a victim – no real voice •Fear acts as a catalyst to push people into certain behaviours •German army on the doorstep motivates many into self preservation Janus Films — The Cremator hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png Concepts of Purity •Kopfrkingl becomes obsessed with concept of purity •Insistent on maintaining his good German blood •Removes the ‘taint’ from his name and bloodline by eliminating all members of his Jewish family one by one •Once again insecurities present •Insistence on tee totalism – reflection of his obsession with purity The Cremator Blu-ray (Spalovač mrtvol) hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png •Kopfrkingl betrays every Jew he knows in order to win the Nazis favor •Key element of Dictatorial regimes is fear and mistrust •Reliance on informants •Omnipresence ensures suppression of opposition and facilitates cleansing of undesirables • • The Cremator Blu-ray (Spalovač mrtvol) (United Kingdom) Betrayal and Denunciations hashOverlay-FullResolve.png HD-ShadowLong.png HD-ShadowShort.png •Kopfrkingl constantly maintains that he has a perfect, content family •Strict adherence to societal norms and roles •So caught up in presenting his family as perfect that he lacks real connection, he is completely alienated •Nazi emphasis on family morals •A dangerous concept as it encourages submission and suppresses individualism •Ideal conditions for dictatorial regimes The Cremator by Ladislav Fuks: A macabre study of descent to the dark side | Radio Prague International Illusion of the perfect Middle Class