High School

High School

A film by Fredrick Wiseman

            High School is a 1968 documentary by Fredrick Wiseman that shows a typical day for students at Northeast High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. High School is what I would call a purely cinema verite film. Throughout the film there is no narration, interviews, or music (except for the beginning and the music played by the people in the film). There are only opening title cards for part 1 & 2 and an intersession card. Wiseman lets the images and the characters within the film tell the story. He uses lots of camera angles like extreme close ups and close ups of the characters. He also uses a lot of movement with zooms. This film was an interesting look into the educational system during another period in time, which is actually around the time in which my parents were in high school. I can see why people felt the depiction of the high school was oppressive because there were so many rules just for the sake of having rules. For example, the dress code for the formal was outrageous. The girls couldn’t wear knee length dresses; they had to be floor length because it made them look like they were trying to be “individualistic,” however it turns out that the girl just simply liked the dress. Also, the boys weren’t allowed to wear dark suits, even if they couldn’t afford to rent a tux. When the students asked why the principal and teacher couldn’t provide the students a logical explanation.  They stated that it is just the way it is. I had to remind myself it was a different period.  Overall, I just didn’t like the way the teachers talked to the students. They treated them like they were still children and not young adults. Also, the fashion and design teacher was extremely condescending calling all these girls out for their weight. I was disgusted.  There were some good things I think this school did, namely the sexual education provided to the students. They always gave the students both male and female alternatives to abstinence. I would have learned more watching this documentary than from my own high school health class. I was actually surprised how much this documentary reminded me of my own high school experience. Turns out high school sucks no matter the decade in which you experience it.