Product: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Memories and Perspectives [VHS]
Rating: 4.0
An Illumination of Mortal Blindness
In the middle of this fine documentary is a series of film, shot in black and white, and taken through the front window of an old vehicle as it bounces along a lonely country road in the dark of the night. One can almost get vertigo, as the camera bounces up and down the ill kept roads, the only illumination is from the thin, twin beams of the antiquated headlights. There is no background music to this scene, only the grinding and surging of the vehicles' motor. Here a sharp turn, there a wall, a lonely tree, another twist in the road, this goes on for what seems to be a long time but in reality this segment of the movie probably only takes 90 seconds of film time at the most. The footage ends abruptly, with the sound of vehicle brakes, a jolt of the camera, and the headlights glaring, in silence, on four, bare, cement steps that lead to what you know is more than likely death.The imagery of the scene just mentioned is a metaphor for a life journey. The last few months of the life of Deitrich Bonhoeffer in particular. The movie then goes on to further illuminate Deitrich Bonhoeffer's journey, using interviews with friends and family to flesh out his works and theology. This is a powerful and memorable film that every college student, in every industrialized country should be required to see. College students are typically idealistic and passionate enough to make a difference in the world. The message in this movie, of being human, yet making a difference in the world, accepting self-sacrifice to become a living example of Christ's teaching, is extremely inspiring. If even just one person who watches this movie can be moved to action: the action of being gloriously, and fully alive through the word of God, than the impact of the movie will have been profound.The movie is filmed in black and white, though color film technology was available at the time of the production. The black and white photography lends a solemnity and seriousness to the subject matter. That subject matter is the history of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life, he was a German university professor with a doctorate in theology, a Lutheran pastor, a participant in early ecumenical movement, a prolific writer, and a central figure in the Protestant church struggle against Nazism.The film opens with waves crashing on a sea shore, the strains of a piano piece by Beetoven struggle to be heard through the ocean noise.The main bulk of the movie is interviews with friends and family of the the man himself, some are bittersweet and sometimes even funny, but all are moving. I was left feeling empowered by the idea that we are filled with God's grace. I highly recommend this movie. The only reason I did not give it five stars is that the interview footage could probably have been broken up a little more often with other interesting aspects of his life.