For this week, please consider one of the two possible prompts.
Film: Consider the categories/genres Nazi cinema, Western, Trenker film. How would using the various categories change the interpretation of the film The Emperor of California? Which details would you highlight to make your case that the film belonged to this category?
Reading: Focus on the Koepnick article Unsettling America: German Westerns and Modernity (on OAK). What is Koepnick's argument? Is it convincing? What do you agree or disagree with?
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I saw the Emperor of California compared to all of the films watched thus far, a film of highly American western ideals and one of hardly any traces of Nazi Cinema or Nazi propaganda. Goebbels would not have found this film conducive to the Nazi message of spreading a united Germany of nationalism and a destruction of the Jews because that is not the films focus. Goebbels in fact would probably hate this film as it gives a much closer more accurate portrayal of the negative impacts the regime had on non Jews. There were no elements of German nationalism, images of swastikas, or messages of “Heil Hitler” and “long live Germany”. However, the German language in the film is the audience’s reminder that the film is about a German during the War, and the impact that war has on the individual. I agree with the points in Judges blog that looking at the Emperor of California as a Nazi film is problematic because of the lack of any real messages of pro Nazism in the film. In addition, this film is also not applicable to some of the Nazi films we have seen thus far because if the political setting was during the Communist Era or dealing with any escape of political oppression, Sutter’s situation would have applied. Having said that, the political background of the plot was deeply imbedded in the political situation in the 1930’s because of Sutter’s need to leave his family, but the focus of Nazism and the war is almost long forgotten as the movie progresses into America and images of the western front and wide open space are much further exaggerated and highlighted. The film is definitely a western film, it focuses on the ideals of the somewhat delusional of the American Dream, that if you come to America you can escape your problems of the Nazis and find gold. Yet, finding gold and discovering the greed and prosperity obsession that America has opens a much different door of problems, which is what the 2nd half of the film focuses on. It is interesting to compare the Tarantino 2009 film Inglorious Basterds and The Emperor of California. Both portray Nazism in a highly negative light and have the political background of the War are set in a highly adventurous scene where the film is more about adventure and quest for revenge verses promoting or negating the ideals of the Nazi regime. Inglorious Basterds is more about the quest for adventure and the need for destruction of the Nazis. It was less about the message of what the Nazis were spreading and the harm they were causing on society and more on the psychological need for revenge and desire for adventure to complete the mission. The film we watched for class idealizes western notions of quest for adventure and beginning of a new life much more over politics and Nazism.
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