Harrison Ford Watches Indiana Jones

Believe it or not, Harrison Ford has never sat down and watched himself in the Indiana Jones' movies. For most of us aspiring archaeologists, or those of you that are already living this dream everyday, the Indiana Jones' movies were the reason we went into archaeology.



Just imagine. The first Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark, came out in 1981. At that time, Harrison Ford was in his mid 30's. He probably had no idea how his movies would impact archaeologists, and students, who flocked to anthropology and archaeology programs all over the world.

If you haven't seen this video, just take a moment and watch the childlike reactions Harrison Ford has while watching it. This made my day!

PS. He's not really watching Indiana Jones, but playing Uncharted 3, a videogame about an adventure-seeking treasure hunter. He watches in  absolute amazement as if he forgot he is the guy who made being an adventure-seeking treasure hunter cool.

A Film Unfinished: The Making of a Nazi propaganda film

Last semester I watched several documentaries and films including the "The Kings Speech", "The Linguists", "The Ax Fight", "The Birdcage", amongst many others. Documentaries allow use to gain a perspective through the eyes of the filmmaker. It's true. Sometimes there is an agenda, yet sometimes, the footage is entirely raw and leaves you feeling a bit uncomfortable and perplexed. This is certainly my reaction to the documentary, "A Film Unfinished".

A Film Unfinished, by Yael Hersonski, explores the making of a 1942 Nazi propaganda film of the Warsaw Ghetto two months before its liquidation, in a Nazi operation known as the Grossaktion Warsaw. It premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the "World Cinema Documentary Editing Award".

The footage is highly disturbing.  Hitler had an extensive collection of these propaganda films stashed in what appears to be a vault. It's ironic really that so much was documented, and yet, so many individuals still question the validity of the events that occurred under Hitler's turbulent reign. In this lost footage, the Nazi's have presented their subjects in such an odd way. It looks staged to be honest. They've made these people look like they were carrying on everyday tasks, not bothered by their condition of living. Pulled in rickshaws to local shops for goods and dancing on the streets.

A Jewish Council was set up in the Ghetto by the Nazis, just like it had always been done before. Adam Czerniaków, the head of the Jewish Council, was set up in the inside, to manage what was essentially "a holding pen" for the final destination. He wrote extensively about his role in the film, documenting the details in his journals.

The documentary also features many of the survivors, watching the footage in a theatre, and sighing at the staged antics of the Nazis.

One survivor remarked, "I keep thinking that among all these people I might see my mother walking".

Germans would often show up in the Ghetto, "usually for unpleasant reasons and usually shooting.  So when they were filming it was much more positive". 

For years, the identity of the filmmakers went undiscovered, until a lead in the 1960's lead to the name Willy Wist. Willy was one of the cameramen for Das Ghetto, but he took great pains to cover his tracks.

If I had to chose one scene or one moment in the film that stopped my heart, it was the filming of the cookies on a neatly placed tray, in the middle of a feces pile. Starving residents were handed cookies in their bed, and you could plainly see, they were near death. Starving. The sight of a cookie was all together surprising. Another facade of this staged propaganda film.

It's difficult to watch A Film Unfinished and not have an immediate reaction to the footage. You may remember where you were the day the events took place. You may have even had relatives there at the time. This is a film that certainly demonstrates a false sense of security.

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If you'd like to watch A Film Unfinished, it's available on Netflix for streaming. It's also available for sale on Amazon.

Credits

Film by Yael Hersonski
Edited by Joelle Alexis

Happy Easter Ancient Diggers

Last night as I watching the Ten Commandments, I kept noticing all of the architecture and relics that were displayed. What was really upsetting, and I feel this every year, that for 400 years the slaves were put to work to build these stone temples and pyramids after stomping all day in the mud pits to make bricks out of straw, clay, and water.

I can't help but wonder, what was it that was left in Egypt that was actually built by the Egyptians? I think that when I can actually visit these sacred sites, it will help me understand my cultural heritage a bit more.

I grew up with a father that was Jewish and a mother that was Episcopal. Talk about an interesting match. I have experienced both religions for myself and I think that's why I always get a bit emotional when I see these individuals working their bodies to the bones to build up this golden city.