The Lives of Others (von Donnersmarck, 2007) explores the concept of the surveillance society and its effects on the surveilled. Surveillance has a sinister way in which it changes the way we think and act and has several psychological consequences. The Lives of Others follows the story of Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler and his mental anguish as he spies on artist Georg Dreyman and fellow girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland. The film explores the idea of understanding humanity in an intimate nature through surveillance as experienced by Wiesler.
Surveillance and its effects are presented in The Lives of Others in the form of emphasizing power dynamics and controlling the citizens by creating paranoia. Wiesler is under the order of surveilling Dreyman, also known as ‘Case Lazlo’, by Head Minister Bruno Hempf who abuses his power by scrutinizing Dreyman to full surveillance in order to fault him, possibly for not being …show more content…
She becomes an informant in order to maintain her status and career as an actress. The power of paranoia is explicit in The Lives of Others as it shows that a military force is not needed in order to maintain and control its citizens. Its citizens are driven by paranoia and it changes the way they behave, as they are aware of the constant and pervasive surveillance from informants or state officials. We realise that when neighbors are turned into informants, such as Christa-Maria, the military presence isn’t needed and that is the definitive power of paranoia.
Though the consequences of the surveillance society may be sinister, the subject and perpetrator go through a series of change when under surveillance as noted and demonstrated by the characters in the film. The Lives of Others fully encapsulates the meaning and implications of what it means to be under surveillance and its dire and insightful
Surveillance and its effects are presented in The Lives of Others in the form of emphasizing power dynamics and controlling the citizens by creating paranoia. Wiesler is under the order of surveilling Dreyman, also known as ‘Case Lazlo’, by Head Minister Bruno Hempf who abuses his power by scrutinizing Dreyman to full surveillance in order to fault him, possibly for not being …show more content…
She becomes an informant in order to maintain her status and career as an actress. The power of paranoia is explicit in The Lives of Others as it shows that a military force is not needed in order to maintain and control its citizens. Its citizens are driven by paranoia and it changes the way they behave, as they are aware of the constant and pervasive surveillance from informants or state officials. We realise that when neighbors are turned into informants, such as Christa-Maria, the military presence isn’t needed and that is the definitive power of paranoia.
Though the consequences of the surveillance society may be sinister, the subject and perpetrator go through a series of change when under surveillance as noted and demonstrated by the characters in the film. The Lives of Others fully encapsulates the meaning and implications of what it means to be under surveillance and its dire and insightful