Katharina Blum: Film Analysis

Improved Essays
The film is a tale of a woman driven to madness and murder as a result of a false and misleading report by news magazine – the News. Katharina Blum attended a party at the home of her friend, and met Ludwig Gotten, who has been under police surveillance for robbery. After dancing with him, she takes him to her apartment where they spend the night and helps him escape out of the building by showing him and escape route. The next morning, the police question her regarding Ludwig 's whereabouts and whether she was involved in any criminal activities on his behalf. As she leaves with the police, several pictures of her are taken by a photographer from News. Totges, a report from News, then publishes a report accusing her of being a communist. …show more content…
In the film, the press shows off its prowess by publicly demoralizing individuals within the society. The press publishes articles with false stories that tarnish out the image and dignity. The press misrepresents the truth by showing the public that Katharina engages casually in sexual activities and that she is of an improper behavior when in fact she is quite the opposite. In the film, the actual Katharina is nicknamed by her friends us "the nun", an indication of her being the opposite (Zipes, 1977). The press also distributes false and misleading information on communism in other western countries, which spreads fear to those against the accepted social system, hence persuading the majority to oppress potential threat to their power and supporting the existing …show more content…
The public expected a rapid growth in the economy, improved living standards and expanding economic influence through of industrialization. However, the nature of the state which provides grounds for corruption, and selfish regime worsen the state 's economy. The industrialists operated by self-interest, profit control and hunger for power. They used their powers and financial influence to abuse their position and oppress the minority, as shown by actions of two industrialists Luding and Straubleder. The failings of capitalism were intensified by allowing power to fall into the hands of the small elite who are selected not through democracy but by their influence and social positions. The film narrates the impact of the press by those who are in power. The entrepreneurs, Luding and Straubleder, are not threated by the news of the press due to their manipulation of the press. In the narrative, Luding tells Boma not to be worried by the news since he has taken care of it (Zipes,

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Contributing to existing scholarship does not always mean forging a new or innovative methodology. Sometimes a book can be a worthwhile read and follow the structure of earlier works. It is in this manner that readers will most appreciate Timothy Silver’s A New Face on the Countryside: Indians, colonists, and slaves in South Atlantic forests. The author quickly acknowledges his appreciation for two earlier works in environmental history that inspired this book, Alfred W. Crosby Jr.’s…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    This film documents the academic struggles and success of Omarina Cabera. It follows her middle school years in an impoverished middle school in Bronx, NY to her graduation from an elite New England Prep school. It explains how she overcame a childhood of poverty and instability and became more than just another high school dropout…

    • 56 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The film Bulworth follows the campaign of a senator that is running for elections in the State of California. As soon as the film starts we are introduced to the high level of corruption that occurs in a political campaign or as politicians refer to it as simply campaign. By the end of the movie it is clear that the film portrays current American politics. The film makes interesting references to how race, gender and class matter when it comes to our political system. However it is also very clear to see that this film is trying to portray the problems that come with the corporatization of politics.…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    With the social injustice the lower class’s had little to no say so, the upper class held all the power, the upper class had all the power due to having money and connections with powerful people in the business world. With this shift of power…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Gilded Age Research Paper

    • 1192 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The government was not keeping the growing businesses in check; which gave them a chance to grow and thrive into powerful corporations without any setbacks. The government passed acts hat rather made it easy for businesses to incorporate during this time. There was enough power given to businesses that the government did not have primary control any longer. This may have shaped corporates and companies owned by people worth millions, but there was also significant corporate financial misleading and wealth coming from exploitation. As more people got into the modernized lifestyle, conflicts began to arise as corrupt business deals took place, along with business men taking control over the cities and even higher authorities.…

    • 1192 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout Legend by Marie Lu, there have been many instances of propaganda and the censorship of what is published and displayed by the government. Although it is not apparent to the people in the society, the Republic has complete control over what is released and shown to the public and the Republic often leaves their own people in the dark. In the story, there have been shown many examples of this such as; the media only displaying smiling children and happy people, continuously showing the wrong execution of Day on the jumbotron, and the lies about the trials and the plague. Majority of the people within the society have no idea that the Republic is constantly lying to them because they have never ought to believe anything different from…

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The film Rich Media Poor Democracy asserts that journalism in the United States does not serve the interest of the public, instead they serve the interest of media corporate bosses. Moreover, the film points out the media corporate bosses are to blame for the absence of choice and diversity in the media which stems from a shortage of competition created through mergers. Rich Media Poor Democracy proposes that citizen involvement can and should rescue the media, otherwise corporate bosses will maintain their stronghold and riches providing and even poorer democracy. Opponents of company mergers is not a new concept. In fact, Medoff and Kaye note that since the beginning of the century, consolidation of station ownership began to raise issues…

    • 842 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Disasters come natural in some cases and in other cases they do not, In Naomi Klein’s book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism she argues about free market economic policies. As citizens are focused on dealing with disasters during a time of great misfortune, Naomi clearly states her thoughts on free market economic policies. Naomi’s argument throughout the entire book sums up the idea of an anti-capitalist movement. Being stunned by disaster, economic policies the government created so that when the majority who is not the rich tried to advance, the rich will not have any competition.…

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It was an unfortunate story of a 6-year-old Kayla who was repeatedly beaten and abused by her dad. Her dad was severely brutal and abusive to this poor child that she appeared to have suspicious injuries such as broken nose, darkened circle around her eyes, bruises and cuts on her face, and frequent absences at school. I believe that the result of this traumatic experience of Kayla could have been prevented if adult individuals involved in this case were not negligent but more thoughtful and vigilant to suspicious signs and red flag. Although I only watched the film about Kayla McKean, which did not describe in depth about Florida’s regulation, relevant policies, and the work situations, I would like to share my opinion and reaction about what happened to Kayla. I certainly think that Kayla’s father and stepmother failed to protect this child as parents.…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The House We Live In has many talking points that involve race. It demonstrates how the institutions and policies in the United States created disadvantages at the detriment of other races. This film showcases how Caucasians used establishments and created policies to benefit and create power for themselves while causing other races drawbacks. The film covers immigration, the lower working class under industrialization, laws and court, and housing. All of these areas and how race played a role in society as we know it today.…

    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is not uncommon for newly graduated college students stepping into the world to experience a heavy dose of reality. It also is not unusual for college students to feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness when faced with reality. Directed by Mike Nichols,” The Graduate ”, a film that observes a newly graduated college student, Benjamin, played by actor Denis Hoffman, dealing with reality and all of the disconnection it might come with. By highlighting and focusing on Benjamin’s social behaviors, his personal affairs, and his way of living “The Graduate” showcases a theme of not just loneliness but instead something far more torturous: isolation.…

    • 960 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Australia Film Analysis

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Good morning/afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the Australian Film festival selection panel for 2016, I present to you an amazing and accurate representation of Australian culture and community, the film directed by Baz Luhrmann, Australia. The film Australia was set in 1939, Lady Sarah Ashley played by Nicole Kidman travels from Britain to Australia to meet her husband Maitland Ashley played by Anton Monsted in northern Australia as the business is failing at Faraway Downs Farm. Maitland sent his Drover played by Hugh Jackman to collect Sarah from the city of Darwin and take her to the farm; however, when they reach Faraway Downs Farm, she finds Maitland was murdered. Sarah becomes friends with Nullah played by Brandon Walters an Indigenous…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After college Michael Milken started to work for Drexel Firestone, which was a firm located on Wall street. Milken first started out in the research department and soon worked his way up to the bond- trading department. He was able to create his own bond trading unit, which was based on using "junk bonds" to increase profits, with a promise to receive thirty five percent of any of the profits made. Milken later went on to create his own successful business out in California. This success eventually landed Milken in some trouble due to the fact that Milken would do whatever it took to make sure that he remained successful.…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ikwe: Film Analysis

    • 802 Words
    • 4 Pages

    When he came to the film, it was clear to see that it 's the Algonquians focused on survival. The menfolk used on the hunting and gathering wall of the womenfolk used one the food processing. In an early scene of the movie it displayed the women processing the food. They wear matching red berries against fabric for the purpose of eating, along with preparing the meat to be cooked .The Algonquian and also worked on but tentacle skills at the very end of the movie when everyone in the tribe became sick.…

    • 802 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    When we were first presented with this assignment, the task seemed daunting. There is so much to discuss with the ideas of gender, race, and class. However, once my group put our heads together we decided to talk about women in the media and not only how they respond to negative press but also how they are using their positions to promote feminism. In our modern world, we often use celebrities as models for how we should aspire to act.…

    • 1650 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays