From Caligari to Hitler: Imagining the Tyrant - Between the Lines

I felt a strong need to make this one.
For reasons that should be obvious.
All third party clips are used under Fair Use.
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[@derKorinther]

It's Robert Wiene, not Weine.

[@jonathanmelia]

Yes, and pronounced “Veener”...

[@NerdyWillowTree]

Thanks, I was just about to write that too. Why do so many people get that wrong?

[@lion14400]

죄 문제를 해결해야지.그렇지 아니하면 죄의 노예.예수님을 믿자

[@SilverFeet]

It is very disquieting how many times the villain in action movies are not the perpetrators of injustice, but people who are angry about injustice.

[@xRaiofSunshine]

Brian Jensen Nobody is the villain in their own story after all, but they do seem doomed to repeat villainy.

[@kickassssnation027]

Many people, young and old, who have been inflicted by pain cannot see past their own pain and condemn others to the same pain that they have suffered. Those that do often accept that pain once they are resigned to their fate after looking back as to what misdeeds that they had done too. The road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions.

[@thuytienlives8487]

I agree. Not everyone who is angry about injustice is a criminal or bully. You’ve every right to be upset about this. ❤️

[@ThankGodImBlack370]

You are being vague bc you know you don't make sense. Fortunately fur you there are other tortured souls who got your underlying message and granted you a like.

[@lordofthegremlins]

And the "superheroes" defend an unjust world. It's a message, probably.

[@tz64nk41]

I've never been so chilled by that line from Ghostbusters until now.

[@shotgun6X]

I couldn't help it... It just popped in there

[@titanuranus3095]

@@shotgun6X Oo er.. missus.

[@TogusaRusso]

"And he grew up and married, and raised a large family, and brained them all with an axe one night, and got wealthy by all manner of cheating and rascality; and now he is the infernalist wickedest scoundrel in his native village, and is universally respected, and belongs to the Legislature." The Story Of The Bad Little Boy By Mark Twain, 1875

[@taylormanes8113]

conrad veidt played a lot of nazis in his day. (though the only other one i've ever seen besides casablanca is Escape, which wasn't too good script-wise) but i think he said at one point that he was just so disgusted by the nazis and what they did and stood for that he was happy to take nazi villain roles, because he wanted to show the audience just how terrible nazis were. i love the guy. he was such a great actor and very smart too.

[@AliciaNyblade]

Conrad is one of my heroes. He was an impeccable actor and seemed like a great guy. He was such a badass he participated in anti-Nazi theater while still living in Germany, to the point where the SS put out a warrant on him. Thankfully, someone tipped him off and he was able to escape.

[@kengillespie7797]

Way to take one for the team, Conrad.

[@kostajovanovic3711]

Well that's a nice spin in typecasting

[@bradfordrusso7480]

Yes, I hail Conrad Veidt as one of the greatest screen villains. His portrayal of the evil Vizzier, Jaffar, is greater than any other actor could have achieved. But, as far as playing Nazis, there is one who beats him. Martin Kosleck. Who played Joseph Goebels, Minister of Propaganda -- in 3 different movies. I call him the most "slimy" of all screen villains. Perhaps Kosleck's most infamous portrayal of Goebels is in the movie "Hitler". With Richard Basehart in the Title role. Hitler is hosting a dinner party. The phone rings. Goebels answers it. Then calls out, so all can hear ... "The Reichstag ?!?!" Curtains are opened at the big picture window, and everyone sees the German Parliament building blazing in fire. (This scene is parodied in The Simpsons, as Homer yells out the famous line "The Reichstag?!") Kosleck's facial expression is a masterpiece of acting. The hideous hypocrisy of acting surprised, yet gloating sadistically. Because he knew the building was deliberately set ablaze at Hitler's command. So Parliament must be dissolved, and Hitler can be total dictator. As well as providing a convenient excuse to falsely accuse a rival political group for the arson. Most people do not know, German born Conrad Veidt was actually patriotic toward America. With NO Sympathy for the Nazi regime. He donated a goodly portion of his acting income to relief for those fighting the Nazi evil. Sadly, he died of a heart attack, on the golf course.

[@ShanaReviews]

"Villains who twirl their mustaches are easy to spot, those who clothe themselves in good deeds are very well camouflaged...Vigilance...that is the price we pay for our freedom" -Captain Jean Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)

[@Biczeschlappe]

Also jesus shitting christ, I had no idea that Cesare from Caligari and the Major from Casablanca were the same actor. Fuck me sideways, paint me green, and call me a jolly surprised giant.

[@ingonyama70]

Best "surprise reaction" line ever :p

[@doughboydevito4529]

That speech at the end... Whoo! Best part of the episode. Good work, Kyle.

[@Sonjaslostson]

And we did. 11/6/18

[@zaphero5518]

This will probably be presented in history classes some decades from now.

[@KronosMonkeyKing]

slow. fucking. clap.

[@jackcharlotte25]

No no, I prefer intense and uproarious, Charles Foster Kane clap.

[@rusted_ursa]

My internet self has four arms; I'm giving him both.

[@betteronbrunettes]

I sometimes wonder if our powerful superheroes who use strength to defeat villains by themselves, caring little of the destruction needed to do so, is indicative of American's potential acceptance of fascism.

[@HannibalHanslaughter]

Blaire Frei maybe just our desire for simple solution and handing the responsibility to summon else, so yeah fascism basically, shit

[@Tuckerscreator]

The superhero basically started out as a "Good Samaritan" type of ideal. Someone with unique gifts who chose to help their community when they saw wrongdoing happen, rather than being a bystander. In a basic "stopping a mugging nearby" form, it's benign, but when that same ideal moves to getting applied to a larger world, it starts becoming dangerous. Where is the line drawn between "I chose to help because I was in the neighborhood" and "this entire city/nation/world is my protectorate now."

[@InoMercy]

A few years ago, there was an interesting storyline in the Thor book called "Gods on Earth". This was during a time when Asgard had been mystically relocated on Earth, and Thor started taking his role as the protector of Midgard and king of Asgard far more seriously. He started helping people with little things, instead of just the big stuff like super villains and alien invasions. Even some of the other Asgardians helped him out. At some point, people start erecting churches to Thor and the Asgardians, rekindling the worship of the Norse gods. There was an issues that showed multiple people coming to this church after a series of hardships that were, in one way or another, resolved by Thor. I wasn't able to read how this story was resolved, but I thought it was something worth noting.

[@ingonyama70]

+InoMercy I really, REALLY want to read that now.

[@billyweed835]

Eh..I mean, at a certain point, you could argue all fiction centers around the idea of someone who is able to enact change on the world through some special skill.

[@LazarSoljaga]

Its always funny to hear a well spoken man say "I dont give a shiiiite"

[@veroarguello3545]

agreed!

[@ShiningFist03]

Nice way of making that scene from Ghostbusters haunting. Takes on a whole new, scarier feel in this context.

[@CynicalHistorian]

Now that was a foreboding end. Too bad you didn't put this out before the election, because everyone would call it downright prescient. Good stuff!

[@JS-wy6uw]

Of coure you can make the argument that his speech could have applied to either side of the aisle in the last election.

[@sambrownski5449]

2020 is coming

[@JacksonJinn]

Hi 2020 is here and we want to return it, can we please not go for round two of this?

[@matthewutech5970]

@@sambrownski5449 YOU SHITE, YOU JINXED IT!

[@sambrownski5449]

@@matthewutech5970 your welcome

[@1redrider100]

4:07 This is what's known as a 'tone shift'.

[@amiefortman7220]

I'd also like to add that Conrad Veidt was not only likely a bisexual man married to a Jewish woman, but he arranged for many friends of his family to be smuggled out of Germany to America, played the first gay film protagonist in "Different From the Others", and responded to Goebbels himself asking if he wanted to star in Nazi propaganda films with a resounding "NO." Veidt should never be judged by the one time he played a Nazi--Veidt was a staunch Nazi resister, and a badass one at that.

[@ingonyama70]

That's what he's saying. Veidt jumped at the chance to play a Nazi VILLAIN. Depiction is important. Ian McKellen's done the same thing (twice if you count his interpretation of Richard III, three times depending on how you see Magneto).

[@Sleepy12ftPanda]

So, I guess Kyle's point is that our notion of looking to heroes for answers and action naturally leads to tyranny even if we believe that we're above "the system".

[@celinak5062]

Sleepy 12ft Panda That's why one shouldn't look to heroes, but different systems or what system the hero represents Fx Robin Hood?

[@Sleepy12ftPanda]

Celina k I was with what you were saying right up until you mentioned Robin Hood. What?

[@celinak5062]

Sleepy 12ft Panda It was just an example, you could claim one of it's themes is distribution of wealth. There is even sometimes a law on taxation on the rich, is called the Robin Hood tax and in the movie the over taxation on the poor is part of the main plot. I could for example also have used Sherlock Holmes and that character's influence on science and the police.

[@celinak5062]

Hanuta Chan​ yep, I didn't claim he wasn't anti-heroic in other ways. But the whole show does seem to put the question up, of whether Sherlock will turn into Moriarty or if love (especially requited selfless love) can conquer all or is it just a vicious motivator. But that's BBCs new version. Jessica Jones' could be, don't run from your problems because they might become someone else's. The ugly duckling of don't judge a book by it's cover. And then there is MLP and anime's general obsession with true friendship. Hmm maybe we could go back to having actually anti-heros, instead of anti-villains or characters there are as ambiguously grey as possible, I do like the nuances of someone like Mal, and these things seem to have been crowd pleasers since Shakespeares time, so idk.

[@Malkmusianful]

it's more about compact narratives of good vs. evil, black and white morality, that From Caligari to Hitler and Kyle's video tend to deconstruct how we tend to compartmentalize this broad grey sea into something easily understandable because we're afraid that if we give people ambiguity in morality, society will collapse that's why the Dr. Seuss films don't work that's why morality tales tend to be as simplistic as they are that's why contrarian movements and figures tend to create good vs. evil narratives, often casting people expressing a greyer view of morality Take for example Brianna Wu - regardless of her actual design skill, people know her for her statements on feminism and how she's become this big figurehead. She's the ultimate grey morality - not only does she often express things that liberals would find agreeable (i.e. media misogyny, hyper-compacted good vs. evil narratives, no-tolerance policy for transmisogynistic/transmisandrist parental figures), she expressed a "we will survive this" belief regarding Trump's election. She's a big Trekkie despite calling out the series on its shortcomings. She believes the things she believes because of her life experience. She's trans. She came out as trans in the early 2000s to her parents - they disowned her, but as soon as she made a name for herself, they began to try to reconnect with her as if they didn't try to devalue her as a person. She's noticed things from her past that her parents openly acted against, especially things considered part of LGBT culture, that she didn't catch onto in the past. That's why she's advocating for kids to run from home if they have LGBTphobic parents and connect with support networks - she tried to give her parents a shot in the past, but they just got worse. And a lot of parents, when they're inherently homophobic or abide directly to gender norms to where my brother, when he "identified" as female, couldn't get drum lessons because "the drums aren't a lady-like instrument," will get much worse in their attitudes. But the way to compact her belief is to compact her experience and combine it with another narrative: the "thief" narrative. Not only is she a thief according to her opposition, she's a liar. This extends to her gender identity - the worst insult they can throw at Brianna is to deadname and misgender her. You can read her deadname in Milo Yiannopoulos' breakthrough article "The Wacky World of Wu." And as we all know, trans people are livin' a lie. Because Rene Descartes retroactively doesn't exist. I've seen this compartmentalizing extended to the hot new memes. AIDS Skrillex and Carl the Cuck were being accosted by an InfoWars journalist at an Sanders rally and they were asked extremely awkward questions regarding white privilege and why "white men" don't have the authority to speak on issues that white men don't have a lot of direct knowledge of - no matter the response, they would be painted as bad. And given that the journalist was being combative, they had no choice but to. Trigglypuff is as highlighted as she is because she's fat and yelled at a Milo speaking engagement she got into. The joke is that she's fat and angry. So she's the entire userbase of a social media platform that even corporations and record labels use. They don't want to know what they react the way they did - they want to compartmentalize them into "they're stupid, we're good." Nobody wants to understand how the other half lives, especially the opposition. And the opposition paints themselves as curious, so people think they want to understand. They don't make the effort. That was never their intention. They just wanted to silence the feed.

[@patadams7282]

"Yes, this is a video giving a sympathetic portrayal of cultural marxism. If you don't like it, I DON'T GIVE A SHIIIIIIIII" Yet another example of why you make me proud to be one of your patrons.

[@NugicusStreetPhotography]

Pat Adams Ironic considering what we call cultural marxism isn't even Marxism.

[@amementomori]

I tend to get annoyed at the perpetual humanization of villains because so many works or interpretations of works come at it from the wrong angle -- you identify the right one here, I think. We don't need to see ourselves in the villains, we need to see the villains in ourselves -- not to "alas, poor villain!" a tragic character, but to recognize how easily we can commit atrocities. I wasn't aware of From Caligari to Hitler before, and I'll certainly be tracking it down now.

[@Katerine459]

I was rewatching the entire MCU when I came upon your video. Wanted to rewatch a bit more of it before I commented. Some of the MCU supports your thesis, and some of it doesn't. But what I've really noticed is the critical reception at the time those movies and TV shows came out, and how it all supports your thesis. I was especially interested in Thor, as it relates to your thesis. This is a movie in which a childish, spoiled prince starts a war for the sake of glory and "making them fear us," and his wise father, the king (well, wise in this particular instance), declares him "unworthy," and exiles him to Earth, where he learns humility, compassion, and wisdom. That's it... that's Thor's character arc, in a nutshell. In the end, Thor stops Loki from committing genocide against an enemy that had been in an uneasy truce with Asgard for millennia. ...and people came away from the movie, fascinated by Loki. The villain. Who, to be fair, has his own interesting character arc, but the point is that people found his character arc, which was a corruption arc, to be *more* interesting than Thor's. Far more interesting, in fact - nobody was talking about Thor's arc, and if they did, it was to disparage it as "sentimental." I've felt for a long time that modern moviegoing and tv-watching "wisdom" states that villains are more sympathetic than heroes (or good people in general), and corruption arcs are more believable than redemption arcs, and anybody who says otherwise is hopelessly naive. This philosophy speaks to a level of cynicism that, I don't think, ever used to exist before, maybe, Watergate. People always knew that corruption existed, don't get me wrong... but people used to believe in redemption too. We used to believe in goodness. And that, in a nutshell, is what is wrong. We don't believe that there's any such thing as GOODNESS anymore. That basic philosophy, more than anything else, is what led to where we are today. We've given up believing that there's any such thing as human decency, so we don't look for it in our leaders.

[@DaveBob96]

I know I'm responding to a 3 year old comment but the lack of believing in goodness anymore is why "virtue signaling" is such a 4 letter word, especially on the Right. Many people are so cynical and jaded and hateful that rather than believe someone is working for something better and egalitarian, it gets met with accusations of ulterior motive and insincerity.

[@Truman5555]

And that is why a non-Zack Snyder Superman is needed! It's also why Cap. America was so embraced!

[@socialtortoise852]

What about Paddington

[@Mahan618]

Much like with the Gerry Redux video, I really like how he manages to bring forward his own opinions on a certain matter of the day... without necessarily bringing the impetus for that opinion into the video itself. Sure, this could have easily just descended into a long rant with Trump as the punchline. But considering how often he talks about propaganda and its uses, he knows well enough when to let us connect the dots ourselves and not just wave topical issues in front of our faces; this makes these kinds of videos a lot more timeless than they could have been.

[@smallspidersad78]

This is very good, but there are a couple of things I think would have made this stronger: The Frankfurt School fled Germany because it was very Jewish. The spectre of marxism and communism has been long linked to Jewish people and is one way in which people have justified antisemitism against us and used the frameworks of antisemitism against other groups. "Cultural Marxism" has been a dogwhistle for Jews and other undesirables pretty much ever since the Frankfurt School; the fact that the internet revived it for use against its own modern hated-figures isn't divisible from that history. (There was a point in time where googling "cultural marxist" landed you a link to Stormfront). Basically, this is a very good video. It only could have been better if you had explicitly acknowledged the active roles Jewish people and thinkers had and how their Jewishness was instrumental to their thought and to the persecution of that thought. It's a little galling, as a Jewish person, to hear the Frankfurt School being discussed in a video about fascism and not see that link clearly noted.

[@KyleKallgrenBHH]

All fair points. In hindsight I shouldn't have erased their Jewish identities, especially since it was the reason so many of them fled. Not just the Frankfurt School, but the artists from the German film industry as well. I certainly won't make the same mistake again, and I'm sorry if I caused any grief.

[@smallspidersad78]

KyleKallgrenBHH it's quite alright, thank you for being so open and happy to listen :) this really is a great piece of work and a brilliant examination of the current cultural conditions around the re-emergence of fascism in the political sphere of the West. thank you for all you do!

[@uperdown0]

What are you talking about? The only living member of the Frankfurt School, Habermas, grew up in Nazi Germany.

[@SonofSethoitae]

@@uperdown0 Yeah, but they were associated with Jewish Bolshevism by Nazi propagandists, regardless of who they actually were. And that's the context in which they're discussed in the present.

[@uperdown0]

@@SonofSethoitae "...how their Jewishness was instrumental to their thought" Sounds like a generalization and misunderstanding to me.

[@UtsniatheMightyOne]

This has been your most unsettling video since the review of Ran. I feel cold.

[@idrils]

This ending is genius and chilling and you are a prophet sir. There are so many wrong things about the modern hero and anti hero and its relationship to the horde or the common. Love the providential man, distrust the institution right ? shiver

[@Ultimus31]

13:26 "But it's not like our society would fall to Fascism again, right?" Oof.

[@casersatz]

In my opinion, this is the best video you've made. Even better than the Man Who Fell To Earth. Well done!

[@fluidthought42]

Interestingly, my now-extinct movie clerk job exposed me to a lot of recent blockbuster hits with the undercurrent themes of revolution and exploitation of the lower classes running through them. What is interesting to my own self-centered ass is that I noticed it before the election, giving me right now the familiar sense of "oh, an old dude long ago already thought of it, neato" that I have grown accustomed to .

[@davidcolby167]

I did not expect the "I don't give a shiiiiiiiiiiiit" line and it made me giggle for hours.

[@clancydr7211]

I'd been wondering for a long time how otherwise sane and decent people could vote as they did this year. Both in the circus of the primary and... well. I've been doing a lot of soul-searching. But this finally helped me see some of the other perspective that I hadn't considered. Kyle, thank you for helping me think about this in a new way. It's the coolest thing you do.

[@HannibalHanslaughter]

David Clancy +

[@Argonautx66]

It's not that hard to understand. People knew what they'd get with HRC, and after 8 years of BHO, wanted a clean slate, come what may.

[@kingofthegundam7974]

This... terrified me... I need to contemplate things...

[@CatHasOpinions734]

Well, no offense and a lot of us are right there with you, but if you're *just now* getting terrified, you haven't been paying attention.

[@kingofthegundam7974]

I have been paying attention. This video only gave me a larger picture to see, which terrified me more than I already was.

[@nicwoolfe3885]

I hear you, my friend...

[@Argonautx66]

What the last decade wasn't obvious enough?

[@jan-erikella7772]

Even though I knew *exactly* where you were going with this, the ending still caught me off-guard. I mean, it's easy to spot the fascist "strongman" in heroes like Batman or Iron Man, but thinking of the whole "anti-establishment underdog" narrative as the kind of cultural myth that played right into the hands of Trump is... disconcerting. Especially since it's so accurate. I don't want to know how many voters still see him as a "maverick/champion of the People", even while he appoints white nationalists and Wall Street lobbyists.

[@HxH2011DRA]

Jan-Erik Ella You really don't...

[@tracychristenson177]

I'm a little late with this comment, but it occurs to me that some questions really answer themselves. If you know enough to say "I don't want to know," you basically already know the answer.

[@yellowbeard1]

Masterful work and I only wish I had more friends who would appreciate this kind of brilliance

[@smurphy8881]

It honestly all leaves me to wonder what will come next. Since we know that entertainment reflects society it will fascinating to see what the heroes and villains of cinema will be for the next four years or so. An excellent and very poignant analysis Kyle. This was definitely an eye opener.

[@jeffreyflowers5203]

Kyle somehow I get the feeling you're directing this towards Trump.

[@sedonacrouch9864]

no shit (;

[@TooFatTooFurious]

Jeffrey Flowers NOOOO WAAAAAY

[@CaptainMcRed]

No U

[@tenaciousrodent6251]

No one is safe from the orange terror. You close your eyes, there is his face grinning at you.

[@tenaciousrodent6251]

But you can see it from here...

[@RRyleM]

After years of using clips of it in your intro and you FINALLY talk about Metropolis.

[@ingonyama70]

I hope to hear more about that movie from him someday.

[@TheItachiIshtar]

The last few minutes is so relevant to what's been going on in the world right now, sadly.

[@Sleepy12ftPanda]

"Kracauer didn't place the blame on the individual, but on the masses. Considering symbolic interpretations of their problems, and, in their imaginings, finding potential solutions." This statement poses a troubling question. Isn't that the point of all media? Isn't all art a search for answers for our problems? And if that's the case, is it wrong for us to want answers?

[@truenerdking]

Best. KZbin Channel. Ever. Bar none, hands down, time's up, good night, and good luck.

[@AipomDLuffy]

I think what really makes this video for me is, like so many, the ending monologue. but for me, the real genius of it is how it can be applied to ANY side. our villains are autocrats, but so are our heroes.

[@fieuline2536]

So, can we imagine a cinematic tradition that *isn't* hurtling towards the Nazis? My gut reaction is that the ideas addressed in this theory seem to broad as to be almost universal in literature, but we know that not all literate societies produce Nazis. Taken from another perspective, it would be possible to cut together a montage from contemporary cinema lauding any ideology. That seems to suggest something more about the flexibility of artistic construction than about our zeitgeist.

[@CTKaraokeQueen]

Not since your Cloud Atlas review have I been so inspired by your analysis. This video has actually convinced me to purchase Kracauer's book, and I hope to replicate his ideas by using the blockbusters of the past 8 years. Thank you Mr. Kallgren for continually putting out inspirational, insightful, and powerful content. You are truly incredible and I'm so grateful for all that you do!

[@smallseal17]

"I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that school looking for trouble." Kudos, man.

[@RothurThePaladin]

Man, you just keep showing me all these great things. Iv been following you since the first day when you showed up on Thatguywiththeglasses.com and your work keep getting better and better. Keep up the awesome work.

[@CazTheGamerGuy]

Those who don't learn from history...eventually see an orange dictator run the White House. I feel for you, America.

[@stevenbrawley326]

We're hosed.

[@CazTheGamerGuy]

1Kenny30 That sure is a thing I said in the above comment.

[@CazTheGamerGuy]

1Kenny30 "Give him a chance" is code for "quit whining and please ignore all the horrible things he's ever said and done". They shouldn't, especially when one of those things, having special IDs for Muslims to register and hold, is currently underway. Historians of authoritarianism are saying that all the warning signs are in Trump's current plans and previous actions. No, he should not be given a chance to normalize his views, let alone for him to be viewed as normal.

[@ElBailes]

1Kenny30 what the heck are you talking about? Genocide is not implied in dictatorship. Genocide: noun the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Dictator: Noun a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained power by force. Also, most dictatorships, while ruthless in removing opposition, would probably not be described as "genocidal". Look at Tito who is occasionally defended for avoiding the mass genocides that came after his death. While certainly ruthless and power hungry, to call him "genocidal" would be inaccurate. Similarly in Venezuela, Chavez was by no means committing mass killings of ethnic minorities. Hell, even his successor Madura is "only" guilty of numerous political assassinations and most certainly not any ethnic cleansing.

[@ElBailes]

Note: this is not a defense of dictators. Maduro, Tito, and Chavez are all reprehensible human beings.

[@psalm1162]

I love the way you analyze movies 🎬🎥

[@R3GARnator]

Creators start up a parody of fascism, and a lot of people just take it straight up. Warhammer 40,000, people enjoying Starship Troopers unironically. Note that both of those are about many, many men, up against the big bad monsters, instead of a lone superhero. The group in military uniform is a key imagery, I would say, rather than superheroes. Superheroes are simply the aeons old Monomyth updated.

[@tenaciousrodent6251]

I'm pretty sure 40K always was pure satire, but when reality gets even more outrageous than any writer can imagine it's not hard to see why a lot of people suddenly take it seriously.

[@Srdarkone]

WH40k is not a parody of fascism. Not any more at least, its a setting that is seeped in authoritarianism in every form, the imperium is a theocratic feudal militarist oligarchic tributary state. The tragedy of 40k is that because humanity is beset on all sides by enemies that are unwilling to negotiate they NEED a authoritarian system. Imagine trying to rule a democratic state at the scale of a galaxy while at war, this is why the imperium ignores human rights, humanity is fighting a war to avoid extinction. Now while tyrannical regimes have constantly looked for that type of enemy in 40k this is a truism. >in before thermian argument

[@tenaciousrodent6251]

You think a navigation device that needs the burning of a thousand souls each day to function is not satire? Or the very act of daring to hope only making the enemy stronger? Or a god of perversion literally being fucked into existence? Or a stick shaped like a gun shooting bullets because it's green skinned user thinks it should? 40K is a fabulous, glorious hurricane of excess in every possible way. It's pie throwing battle in space! There is no way it can be taken seriously.

[@Srdarkone]

Saintly Pants If you break it down to that level then basically everything is satire. Even history becomes satire in its retelling. There are comedic elements yes, but how funny you think it is depends on your perspective. even the green skinned user can become terrifying if you think about in a certain way.

[@LtHavoc1983]

Well, Starship Troopers also has a lot of subtext regarding how the Bug War came about because of Humanities Manifest Destiny and the very fact that maybe, just maybe, the Fascist government just started the war to grab territory. As for Warhammer 40k: that was one reason I never started playing it, I didnt like anything about it and how brutal the Imperium of Man is and how it revels in authoritarianism. You know, I rather take Travellers 3rd Imperium of the Warhammer 40 k one, at least in the Traveller universe, I wont end up in some Gulag because I questioned the leadership or have relationships with xenos. XD

[@Bzzyt12]

Thank you Kyle, I didn't want to sleep tonight

[@171QA]

Well thought out and glad you pointed out that modern films and tv do make us think.

[@jolivas7]

Chilling. I would watch 10 straight hours of this. Thank you for making this, Kyle.

[@dilificus]

After the election, I watched The Human Condition series (highly recommended if you haven't seen it!), and I've found watching post-war Japanese film to be an amazing (and painful) way to reflect on what's going on. The German mirror you hold up here is at least as disturbing. As for the modern references, I never thought a speech from Ghostbusters could be used to such chilling effect, and I'm having to face all the discomfort I've always felt about Iron Man despite enjoying the film. It was so much easier for me to ignore it before. Excellent work as always.

[@LtHavoc1983]

Iron Man, or at least Iron Man 2, has a lot of Any Rand objectivist subtext of the loner billionaire philantropist who has to defend his creations from the Government, because regulations are bullshit and creating weapons for fun and profit is a good thing, so screw human suffering.

[@Nickman826]

LtHavoc1983 On the other hand Tony Stark supported the Sokovia Accords during Civil War so he seems to be an example of a lapsed or lapsing Objectivist

[@AlexGoldhill]

Or a sign that the Marvel movies tend to suffer from a degree of inconsistency, which is understandable given the multiple writers involved.

[@Nickman826]

I think it is more of character development happening over the course of 7 movies then any inconsistencies. I mean making Ultron really affected how Tony sees his genius and its affects on the world

[@dilificus]

I've always had huge problems with Iron Man 2 and just generally dislike the film, so it's not hard for me to question it's less savory aspects. Iron Man, however, is my favorite superhero film, and I have forgiven it a lot. Possibly too much? I'm not sure.

[@fullmetalmasify]

That speech at the end was brilliant.

[@ZimMan2]

SNOWPIERCER! Had to think for a bit on what movie it was recently that very specifically addressed the danger of becoming the tyrant you think you're fighting.

[@theoneandonlymichaelmccormick]

Jeezus that ending...I get chills every time.

[@emriver11]

This kind of thing never ceases to amaze me

[@ericherstead9494]

brilliant and terrifying kyle

[@kathrynmiller4240]

Excellent, lots to chew over. I'll be watching this a few times to absorb more. Thanks for keeping on putting this quality of thought and articulation out there!

[@ThespianPlayer]

Art reflects reality, changes our perception of that reality, art is made reflecting that new reality, which changes reality again, ad infinitum. If we rely on others to fight for us, instead of fighting for ourselves, we continue to be oppressed. Yet, we are our own villains. Great video.

[@ashleightompkins3200]

The first time I watched this video, it scared the living daylights out of me. I was watching it at night and that was a damn mistake. But now, it's incredibly interesting to watch again.

[@Tomgaar]

That was an amazing ending. It's quite a feat that you managed to include all these seemingly separated films and texts and establish a consistent (and more poignantly) relevant narrative out of it.

[@cryoboy]

Aaah Metropolis, Nosferatu, M ... and nowadays we only seem to produce romantic comedies starring Til Schweiger ...

[@jaw4ever422]

[in the voice of Ralph Wiggum] "Ow! My soul hurts!"

[@AspelShuyin]

"They too wondered how a liberal society could fall to the forces of autocracy. They wondered how they could choose their own destruction. How they could imagine tyrants into existence, even in seemingly apolitical fluff pieces" Boy, that's not at all relevant right now or anything...

[@hybrid22003]

*clap,clap,clap* Great ending.

[@CatHasOpinions734]

This is a masterpiece, and honestly one of the best things-to-watch-to-help-with-coping videos I've found (and I've been consuming a ton of those lately).

[@Advent3546]

7:08 Speaking of The Holy Mountain Kyle, I feel you should talk about Alejandro Jodorowsky some time.

[@mayankimmortal]

Advent3546 he should

[@TheMightyPika]

Yes

[@ameliawright6947]

He should bur I hope he also brings up the literal rape in El Topo.

[@daltonanderson3718]

Kyle, you don't know me, but I like to say thank you for making this. I'm a college student for USC Aiken and I'm taking a study of till and animation class with a segment on German expressionism. This video was vital in me making decision to make my paper on Expressionism and the critiques that Krakauer had on it. Plus I'm probably going to do a segment on this for Research Day and my hat is off to you for this bit of inspiration.

[@benjaminrubin2178]

I have...mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, yes I agree that media does have the power and ability to shape the public. And I do think that some media might have influenced how we got here (300, V for Vendetta, and the Michael Bay Transformers movies come to mind, taking from your examples). On the other hand, you make it seem like EVERY piece of media that involves a flawed, but still human hero fighting against a tyranny has led us to where we are. It's too broad, and too common a theme. Also, a lot of the pieces of media you show have characters that, while sympathetic, are not supposed to be looked up to: we're not supposed to look up to Walter White, we're not supposed to look up to Dexter Morgan, and we CERTAINLY aren't supposed to look up to Tyler Durden. Still liked the video though, ESPECIALLY the Ghostbusters clip at the end.

[@KyleKallgrenBHH]

Think of how many people own posters of Tyler Durden and Walter White and consider that second paragraph again.

[@MagusMirificus]

Yeah, the proliferation of antiheroes in media is somewhat disturbing in hindsight. "Oh, they were flawed, they were terrible, they did horrible things...but they never had a chance! They were victims of a society that failed to acknowledge their potential; it's only natural they lashed out! They had real wisdom to offer; so what if it got a little twisted by those oppressive forces they labored under? You've got to see the beauty in their madness."

[@WebertHest]

I hope you are joking in that comment. Owning a poster or Walter White does not make one sympathize with Walter White, it indicates that one thinks that WW is interesting. My Burzum poster does not turn me into whatever batshit insane ideology Varg subscribes to now. Somewhat flawed analogy: Owning a poster of Darth Vader does not make you a Sith Sympathizer. It comes down, I think, to modern heroes being fundamentally reactive and (at least to me) boring. It is almost always the designated Bad Guy who has the plot, the idea, the active part of the setting. The heroes are, for the most part, merely foils to the bad guy. "We must stop the Empire from using the Death Star", "We must stop Magneto", "We must stop Loki", etc. That makes the villains active, and therefore interesting. Antiheroes up this by being their own foils, the instigators of their own fall from grace, which makes it that much more interesting to watch. But that does not mean that they are to be emulated, or that finding them interesting means you agree with them.

[@benjaminrubin2178]

KyleKallgrenBHH ....point taken. I guess the reason why I put emphasis on Tyler Durden is because I KNOW people look up to him, despite the fact that you are CLEARLY not supposed to. Also, it took every bone in my body to prevent me from writing "OMG, SENPAI NOTICED ME!!!!1!" just now. Your probably the most famous person I've ever come close to talking too, and I have a lot of respect and appreciation for your stuff. Keep up the good work man.

[@tomramage9075]

In his book 'Why We Love Sociopaths', Adam Kotsko argues that the pervasiveness of sociopathic anti-heroes in modern media - especially television - is an expression of dissatisfaction with neo-liberal capitalism. The idea is that the social contract is broken when multi-national corporations don't play by 'the rules' and become more powerful as a result. The popular, simple fantasy then is to chuck the social contract out the door and do whatever we want. Whether we're 'supposed' to find these characters diegetically sympathetic or not is a moot point, as their pervasiveness within our collective culture shows a deep need for this kind of wish-fulfillment.

[@vilinder]

Watching this in 2023 and this just seems to reinforce the idea that history is repeating itself...

[@hannahmoran2149]

Phew... you have done it again, Mr. Kallgren. The entertainment culture of Weimar Germany has always interested me, but you took it to another level here. ESPECIALLY with that ending. I had chills running up and down my spine. Excellent, excellent, excellent work.

[@klisterklister2367]

Rewatching this years laters. Still a great vid

[@sofiavarela1290]

this is one of my favorite videos on youtube, so fascinating and with such a brilliant ending

[@rebrella]

you continue to be an amazing directer/editor/writer whatever HOT DAMN

[@ayannag4760]

This was a great piece of work, you deserve a KZbin Oscar sir!

[@duncanc3753]

Thumbed up and subscribed right at the "if you dont like my defense of cultural marxism i dont give a shiiiiii8t" line. Been watching your content off and on for years now. Keep that beautiful BHH my man

[@duncanc3753]

Really glad i did now having seen the end

[@AspelShuyin]

Six months and this is still a great video.

[@vday16]

Long time watcher of your work, first time commenter. That speech at the end was absolutely chilling. Some of your best work yet.

[@RexMundane]

Great Video. I'd genuinely been curious about what the Frankfurt School and Cultural Marxism were supposed to mean, but it became one of those things where, since mostly paranoid reactionaries have been talking about it for the last two years, they ended up dominating the conversation. Having watched this, I've never been so glad to learn a new thing. Also... dammit, and I hate being that guy, but you misspelled "Institutions" at 3:58.

[@HxH2011DRA]

Rex Mundane ikr I wanted to learn more about it but all the information was so bais against it!

[@JadeCryptOfWonders]

Star Wars fandom often associates Darth Vader with Adolf Hitler, despite more obvious parallels to Heinrich Himmler, an SS officer ridiculed by his fellow Nazis for his "sorcerer's ways". Luke Skywalker is the contemporary German hero, grief stricken by the revelation he is descended from the galaxy's oppressor, who requests he join his evil empire as a genetic heir.

[@kingofthegundam7974]

ULGROTHA I meant that I never thought of Vader as the Adolf Hitler figure. I thought of Palpatine as the Hitler guy while Vader is just his pawn in the larger scheme. Revenge of the Sith already clinched that for me.

[@paulleow8017]

palpatine always felt like a richard the third or Julius caeser analogue

[@JacobTCannon]

THANK YOU for not spelling it out at the end of the monologue for a cheap joke. SO much more effective because of it.

[@SirCamera]

Gravely unsettling.

[@glides4381]

Jesus fuck, this was your best video yet.

[@jaqjynx]

The background and settings are so beautiful

[@kuolemanjumalaontakoosios5507]

This is really awesome. Its not very often that i do this to any youtuber. I subscribed to your channel.

[@slimyweasles4973]

Great analysis, Kyle, thank you!

[@KronosMonkeyKing]

This video essay has never truly left my mind over these 7 years since it was posted, but this past week it has become all too prominent in my consciousness. Was this all to be seen so clearly yet still ignored and driven towards? How do we stop it and change? Make different what seems inevitable? Thank you for making this, all these years ago. I hope you are not a Cassandra, I hope this has a second wind and reaches others.

[@rcfilmcasting]

Absolutely fantastic work on this. Thank you.

[@regnvalimix]

Kyle, you made that Ghostbusters scene hit me right in the medulla. This is fantastic work, thank you so much. I think we all needed this

[@ThePreach37]

Kyle, awesome video as always. Thank you for the way you put things together, it is consistently enlightening. Not an easy task. Excellent needle drop too, though I would point out that the challenge of Mr. Staypuft pushes men of science to grow in their resolve and leads to the destruction of the tyrant through a refusal to give in.

[@martinduplessis3614]

That was the best 'I don't give a shiiiiit!' ever.

[@indigohalf]

It's been very interesting watching my favorite content creators respond to the election from different angles in different ways. Lots of heavy stuff. Lots of good thoughts.

[@ThePa1riot]

Great video as always Kyle. I've pondered cultivation theory for years I just never knew it had name. I'll be sure to do more research on the subject now.

[@rachaelbao]

The production value is so soothing. That water reflection thing and those transitions look so nice.

[@ZillMob]

The editing of this episode deserves an award. It is so good! It makes floating heads and words super interesting. The transitions between every different bit are just as amazing. Well told story as well, but i was just so impressed by the things I was seeing. Good job!

[@dynaboyjl.4220]

that was a really, really interesting way to end it. Love you Kyle

[@3333amira]

one thing I'd like to add. Metropolis wasn't popular in Germany when it came out, it was considered a massive flop. What succeeded was the shortened version shown in the USA

[@KoolWithAQ]

This video hit hard. Damn, Kyle. Favorited.

[@Reubel]

You wear your anger like a fine suit, mr. Kallgren. Very good.

[@BackAlleyTANGO]

This is amazing. And terrifying in its accuracy.

[@PixieLady45]

Thanks for adding a dash of intellectualism to my day Kyle! Great video (especially that concluding bit)!

[@Redem10]

Timely!

[@gotrac8121]

Redem10 he hasn't done shit yet

[@HxH2011DRA]

Update: He's done shit

[@DavidB75311]

2018 Update: do you see it yet?