A Comparison of Two Documentaries
Night and Fog/Hiroshima-Nagasaki 1945 “Humanity Lost”
Night and Fog (by Alain Resnais) and Hiroshima-Nagasaki 1945 (by Erik Barnouw) are two very different documentaries with two very similar messages. Though the task of viewing these films was quite difficult, both films conveyed a very strong message, the aftermath of human destruction. Resnais and Barnouw showed us the horrible capabilities of human beings at their worst and the result when humanity and morality is no longer present. Both filmmakers took the task of bringing the realities of these two disasters to life in two very different ways. While Resnais and Barnouw differ a lot in their narrative and musical, chronology, and cinematography, structural and ethical choices, they do share slight similarities in each category. Separately, these two great directors produced two amazing documentaries. As different as the films are, the same message is effectively demonstrated in both pieces. Narration in a documentary is key to enhancing the story. In both films the narrations were effective in accomplishing this task, however in two very different manners. While each narration was performed in 3rd person, one main difference was the reoccurring tense change in Resnais's Night and Fog, which is absent from Barnouw's Hiroshima-Nagasaki 1945. The narrator in Night and Fog takes us on a journey through the concentration camps, first starting in present tense describing the scene and surrounding areas of a present day camp then taking us back through history in past tense. Hiroshima-Nagasaki was narrated completely in past tense. Night and Fog ‘s reoccurring changes helps to film stay interesting and engaging, comparing how things were to how they are now. Another difference was the content of the text being narrated. Of course both films included horrifying factual texts describing the two travesties, however Night and Fog differed from Hiroshima-Nagasaki in that it had its poetic moments.
Night and Fog (by Alain Resnais) and Hiroshima-Nagasaki 1945 (by Erik Barnouw) are two very different documentaries with two very similar messages. Though the task of viewing these films was quite difficult, both films conveyed a very strong message, the aftermath of human destruction. Resnais and Barnouw showed us the horrible capabilities of human beings at their worst and the result when humanity and morality is no longer present. Both filmmakers took the task of bringing the realities of these two disasters to life in two very different ways. While Resnais and Barnouw differ a lot in their narrative and musical, chronology, and cinematography, structural and ethical choices, they do share slight similarities in each category. Separately, these two great directors produced two amazing documentaries. As different as the films are, the same message is effectively demonstrated in both pieces. Narration in a documentary is key to enhancing the story. In both films the narrations were effective in accomplishing this task, however in two very different manners. While each narration was performed in 3rd person, one main difference was the reoccurring tense change in Resnais's Night and Fog, which is absent from Barnouw's Hiroshima-Nagasaki 1945. The narrator in Night and Fog takes us on a journey through the concentration camps, first starting in present tense describing the scene and surrounding areas of a present day camp then taking us back through history in past tense. Hiroshima-Nagasaki was narrated completely in past tense. Night and Fog ‘s reoccurring changes helps to film stay interesting and engaging, comparing how things were to how they are now. Another difference was the content of the text being narrated. Of course both films included horrifying factual texts describing the two travesties, however Night and Fog differed from Hiroshima-Nagasaki in that it had its poetic moments.