Blood in the Face (1991)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Anne Bohlen
Kevin Rafferty

Writer:

James Ridgeway (book)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Welcome to the Ku Klux Klan, American Nazi Party and David Duke

Plot:

An expose of the beliefs, history, and personalities of American White Supremacist groups, including neo-Nazis...

Plot Keywords:

Holocaust | White Supremacist | Neo Nazi | Ku Klux Klan | Fascist

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

George Lincoln Rockwell	...	Himself (American Nazi Party) (archive footage)
Don Black	...	Himself (former Imperial Wizard, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan)
Thom Robb	...	Himself (National Director, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan)
Jack Moher	...	Himself ('Christian Identity' Minister)
Allen Poe	...	Himself (Christian Identity Minister)
John Ross Taylor	...	Himself (Canadian Fascist Leader, Western Guard)
Bruce Carroll Pierce	...	Himself (Leader of The Order) (archive footage)
Alan Berg	...	Himself (talk radio host) (archive footage)
Glen Miller	...	Himself (Head of the White Patriots Party)
David Duke	...	Himself (archive footage)
Anne Bohlen	...	Interviewer
Kevin Rafferty	...	Interviewer
James Ridgeway	...	Interviewer
Michael Moore	...	Interviewer

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Michigan, USA

Company:

Right Thinking

Movie Connections:

References Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Fascinating Documentary examining the far, far right in America

This is a fascinating documentary examining the neo-fascist movements in North America; the militias, the Aryan churches and the Klans. The camera mingles with Klansmen and militia members as they attend social gatherings and discuss issues like the plans for a white homeland in the northern U.S.A., the proper pronunciation of the name of the biblical figure Adam and how Hitler was actually a misunderstood man who America should have sided with during the war.

The film makers rarely intrude on the action and allow the subjects to speak for themselves, thus giving people the opportunity to make a wide range of 'these would be funny if you didn't know how serious the person was when s/he said them' comments. My personal favourite was when an elderly man was giving a speech to his brethren and wrapped up the pep talk by saying "I'm hungry, so 'Sieg Heil!' and let's eat."

In one scene the meaning of the film's title is explained to us by a member of one of the groups portrayed. He claimed black people were inferior to white people because they (black people) could not blush (show blood in the face) and therefore were unable to feel shame like god fearing white folks, a rather tenuous basis on which to claim racial superiority in my mind but there you are.

The film also contains archival footage of assassinated American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell and Klansman turned politician David Duke, as well as toddlers parading in white Klan outfits while their mothers cooed about how cute they looked.

While I had the feeling that none of the people portrayed in this movie were members of Mensa, 'Blood in the Face' did convey to me the potential menace that such groups could cause in American society (and already have, as the Oklahoma bombing showed). This film may be dated by now but is still definitely worth watching. If nothing else it will make you think twice about visiting Idaho.