The Zone of Interest, 2023.
Directed by Jonathan Glazer.
Starring Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller.
SYNOPSIS:
The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.
Jonathan Glazer has carved out a reputation as one of the most singular directors working today with his films Sexy Beast, Birth and Under The Skin. His first film in a decade is The Zone of Interest, adapting the Martin Amis novel of the same name. It is focused on the commandant of Auschwitz and his family, with more cursory glances at the horrors but keeping the evil at its core in plain sight.
It is certainly worth being mindful of the subject matter going in here; this is certainly not entirely comfortable viewing and will prove a difficult watch for many but it feels essential as a mirror to today’s society and a reminder of the sheer terror of the events that unfolded.
Focusing on the wealth and luxury Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and discussions over their garden and dinner arrangements makes the events occurring just over the fence all the more horrific. The film was shot in the real house which lends it an almost ghostly quality, especially as we follow drawn-out sequences at night of Höss switching out lights, chilling and atmospheric.
While we don’t see anything take place in the camp itself there are reminders throughout from gunshots piercing the silence, plumes of smoke emanating from the chimneys or the sound of the train pulling in. These slight reminders are perhaps more chilling than witnessing anything itself, showing the barbarity of the regime existing alongside the tranquil bliss of the commandant’s family situation.
The score by Mica Levi and sound design by Johnnie Burn, evoke something that will linger with audiences, making this truly spine-chilling. While the score is present in the background, the moments it is employed make the events unfolding truly petrifying. The music that plays the film out especially has a lingering quality to it that makes the prior 1 hr 40 hit even harder.
Cinematographer Łukasz Żal, a frequent collaborator of Polish Director Pawel Pawlikowski on Ida and Cold War lends the visuals a beauty that is somewhat of a façade, the lake the family rows on and the lusciousness of their garden compared to the death and destruction occurring just yards away.
The Zone of Interest is in some ways scarier than most horror films, with much of the visual interpretation left up to the audience. Glazer builds an uncomfortable nightmarish atmosphere throughout. The use of sound and background visuals is truly disturbing. This is a film that will linger with audiences long after they have left the cinema and while it may not be one to re-watch it is nonetheless potent and will be an important historical point of reference in years to come. It really shows Jonathan Glazer’s distinctive voice, few directors could have made this film, a searing, hard to watch feature that is a true marvel.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
