In the book Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, philosopher Hannah Arendt explores how evil takes shape through the normalcy.
By studying Adolf Eichmann during the Eichmann trial, she observed how evil doesn’t always take the form of over-the-top sociopathy or fanaticism, but sometimes with the goal of achieving cliche mundane goals. He wanted a promotion, complacency, the ideal “good life” more than any ideological satisfaction. Arendt’s theory on the banality of evil sounds more horrifying than anything, the idea that Eichmann was willing to slaughter millions of Jews to achieve the ideal suburban front lawn and white picket fence. The horrors that stem from this banality are perfectly captured in director Jonathan Glazer’s latest film, The Zone of Interest.
The Zone of Interest follows SS Officer Rudolf Hoss (Christian Friedel) and his family, as they set up their home right outside the gates of Auschwitz. Most of the film feels slice of life, as Hoss raises his kids and builds his home life alongside his wife, Hedwig Hoss (Sandra Hüller). However, the film’s supposed normalcy is the key to its horror. The performances are all relatively casual, and the dialogue feels natural. Casual conversations about dinner parties and trips to the lake are peppered with references to the Holocaust, such as finding a diamond in confiscated toothpaste or taking a dress from a Jewish woman. Scenes of front yard chats over tea also show the Auschwitz chimneys in the background. Most chillingly tho, are the backyard sounds. In most scenes, you can hear the faint but noticeable sounds of marches, gunshots, and screams in the background. Glazer’s direction is perfect at using the Holocaust as backdrop to accentuate the horrors of Hoss’ supposed normalcy.
Jonathan Glazer doesn’t show any gore, but he doesn’t need to. He captures the aura of Auschwitz in chilling detail where its presence alone feels monstrous. As the film moves forward, the sounds of guns and screams becomes more omnipresent, and the mood feels more dour. The final act in the film is incredible, as the horrors and atrocities in Auschwitz get harder to ignore. The family’s home life feels darker, not necessarily crueler or meaner because they were already openly anti-Semitic and elitist, but the seemingly peachy-keen façade slowly fades into something more atrocious. Its very evident that even within the seemingly perfect life, this family is in hell, right alongside the Jews in Auschwitz, and they can’t escape no matter how hard they try to ignore the world around them.
The Zone of Interest is a masterclass of visual storytelling. Jonathan Glazer trust his audience enough to not need exposition or graphic gore to communicate the horrors of Auschwitz. By relying on mood and sound design to communicate the torture, Glazer prevents his audiences’ mind from wandering.
The Zone of Interest will play again at the NYFF on October 11th before it’s wide release on December 8th.
