High School

This week I watched the film "High School" by Frederick Wiseman, entering the world of Philadelphia's Northeast High School. Created in the style of Cinéma vérité, Wiseman reveals the everyday complications found within both the students and administration of this 1968 school. Between common struggles of determining a college and interpersonal issues with authority, both the students and teachers are portrayed as more than merely a statistic. Wiseman finds beauty in the bleak nature of high school, highlighting minor details like the repetitive "click" of a typewriter and the frustrating discussions of discipline. One distinct aspect of the film Wiseman portrays is the tension within each classroom, every scene manages to offer a sense of discomfort and hostility. The teachers are always extremely prepared to punish the students, denying any sort of explanation on the student's behalf. This unforgiving nature makes the audience understand that these people have struggles outside of the classroom. Wiseman accomplishes a sense of agitation because of his ability to shoot the subjects at an awkward distance, zooming in on lips for much longer than the audience would anticipate.