Basic Training
dir. Frederick Wiseman · 1971
Feature
War Trauma
Mood
Contemplative
Look
stark, unembellished black-and-white cinematography
Structure
non-linear, observational vignettes
Plot
Shot during the summer of 1970 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Frederick Wiseman’s film Basic Training focuses on a group of men going through infantry training, showing how they are turned from civilians into soldiers. As well as being a unique portrait of the US army at work, the film is also a fascinating snapshot of a time and place at a defining moment in American history.
Why watch
A group of young men at Fort Knox undergoes rigorous infantry training, their civilian identities stripped away as they are molded into soldiers. Watching this film is like peering into a world where the harsh realities of military life unfold in real-time, revealing the complexities of transformation and the emotional toll of conformity.
Talking points
- the impact of military training on identity
- the role of authority in shaping behavior
- the psychological effects of war on soldiers
Cultural context
post-Vietnam War Americathe rise of anti-establishment sentimentthe evolution of masculinity in the 1970s