The Weather Underground (2002)

Directed by: Sam Green, Bill Siegel | 92 minutes | documentary

There is no shortage of documentaries and films about the 1960s. The mediagenic era naturally appeals to the imagination with its youth cultures, political activity and changing morals. All too often this era is presented to us as a pleasant, carefree time, with no regard for the complex political realities of the moment. Fortunately, ‘The Weather Underground’ is not afraid to show the 60s and its aftermath as the confusing, oppressive and destructive time it was for many involved.

‘The Weather Underground’ is a documentary about the radical political group of the same name that was responsible for several bombings in the United States during the 1970s. The film describes the rise and fall of this movement against the political background of the time and has thus become as much a portrait of a few ‘survivors’ of a revolutionary era as it is an explanation for the actions of this group. Although the documentary tries to explain how it is possible that some students go overboard and are no longer satisfied with protesting and occupying buildings, it leaves a lot of room for the human aspect. Rather than aiming for one all-encompassing statement, the film shows how personal touches can make a difference in a person’s life. In the midst of a politicized era, people’s individual choices continue to play a role.

The film tries to elicit identification in the viewer and uses numerous manipulations to achieve this. Paste an incendiary piece of music under the images of rioting students, for example, or grab the viewer at the start of the film with images of executions during the Vietnam War. They are false tactics, because you have to be very strong after seeing such images and then not side with the radical students. Still, this isn’t an indictment of the film’s makers, because while it’s easy to say that Green and Siegel approach their subject matter subjectively, this bombardment of emotional imagery also serves a cinematic purpose. The former members of the Weather Underground almost all emphasize the role of the Cold War and the Vietnam War as a ‘madness’, a context that made sure that people were no longer able to think and act rationally.

By taking the viewer back to that time with all kinds of old images and then editing them in this way, they try to make something of that mania tangible. Paradoxically enough, Green and Siegel thus achieve more objectivity, because as a viewer you cannot simply stick to the facts, but are forced to take account of location-relatedness. In addition, the directors know how to give color to the three decades that they discuss during the film. The 1960s are clearly dominated by excitement, radicalization and experimentation. A time when revolution actually seemed possible. The 1970s are colored as a time of consolidation, an era in which leftist groups faced setbacks and divisions, and which also caused some to resort to violent means to achieve their goals. Finally, the 1980s marked an era of loss. The moment when The Weather Underground had to draw its conclusions and the members returned to society disillusioned. By dressing this up with appropriate montages and pieces of music, Green and Siegel manage to elevate history itself almost to a character, to a person who knows ups & downs, ups and downs. Historically, that is incorrect, but cinematically it makes for an extremely fascinating story.