As World War II raged across Europe, expatriate members from the continent's film community made their way to Hollywood, creating a number of timeless and impassioned films inveighing against the fascist menace. Although Germany's Nazi Party would be stripped of power at the war's end in 1945, Nazis have never left cinema screens, staking their claim as eternal film heavies. This class surveys their stubborn onscreen presence across more than 70 years, discussing the shifting context through the decades and their continued relevance as celluloid villains. Each class begins with an opening presentation about the films' history and its creators as well as a open discussion post-screening on the ideas suggested by the work.

This week, we'll be screening ESCAPE (1940, directed by Mervyn Le Roy, 98 minutes, U.S.).

Other films to be screened:
LIFEBOAT (1944, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 97 minutes, U.S.) on 3/31/2025 | REGISTER
JOJO RABBIT (2019, directed by Taika Waitiki, 108 minutes, New Zealand/U.S.) on 4/7/2025 | REGISTER
ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, 145 minutes, France) on 4/14/2025 | REGISTER
BLACK BOOK (2008, directed by Paul Verhoeven, 146 minutes, Netherlands) on 4/28/2025 | REGISTER