The 81st Blow(Hebrew:המכה ה-81and also known asThe Eighty-First Blow) is a 1974 Israelidocumentary filmdirected byHaim Gouri,Jacques Ehrlich,[1]David Bergman.
| The 81st Blow | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Bergman Jacques "Jacquo" Ehrlich Haim Gouri |
| Written by | Haim Gouri |
| Produced by | David Bergman Jacques Ehrlich Haim Gouri Beit Lohamei HaGhettaot |
| Edited by | Jacques Ehrlich |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | Israel |
| Languages | Yiddish Hebrew |
The film[2]chroniclesAdolf Hitlerand the Nazis' rise to power, the persecution and destruction of Jews during theHolocaust,and the lasting effects on survivors.
It uses archival footage to depict these events, with survivor testimonies heard in the soundtrack but their faces not shown on screen.
The title "The 81st Blow" comes from the testimony of Michael (Miki) Goldman, a Holocaust survivor and former police officer who served as an assistant toGideon Hausner,Israel's Attorney General and the prosecutor in theEichmanntrial.
During the trial, Dr. Buzminski, a dentist from the Pszemysl ghetto, testified about a Jewish boy who received 80 lashes from a Nazi officer. It was later revealed that this boy was Goldman himself. Goldman later referred to the "81st blow" as the reaction of people after the war, who couldn't believe his story or turned away from Holocaust survivors.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1975, making it a significant contribution to Holocaust cinema.
The 81st Blowis the first film in the Israeli Holocaust Trilogy byBergman,EhrlichandGouri.[3]It was followed byThe Last Sea(1984)andFlames in the Ashes(1985).
Plot
editThe plot ofThe 81st Blowcenters on the experiences ofHolocaustsurvivors and the atrocities committed under Nazi rule, depicted through a combination of survivortestimonies,archival footage, and historical context.
The film uses the 1961 Adolf Eichmanntrialas a key narrative device, presenting survivors’ accounts of their suffering during the Holocaust.
The documentary does not follow a linear story but instead weaves together personal stories and broader historical events to provide a powerful commentary on memory, justice, and the weight of surviving an unimaginable past.
Additional details
editThe film was produced byBeit Lohamei HaGhettaot(Ghetto Fighters' House), a museum dedicated to Holocaust remembrance. This collaboration underscored its aim of preserving history and educating future generations. The trilogy as a whole examines survival, resilience, and the scars left by the Holocaust on individuals and society
References
edit- ^""The images ought to do their own talking": Interview with Jacques Ehrlich ".ארכיון הסרטים הישראלי - סינמטק ירושלים.Retrieved17 November2024.
- ^"The Eighty-First Blow, Flames in the Ashes, The Last Sea".jewishfilm.org.Retrieved17 November2024.
- ^Loshitzky, Yosefa;Identity politics on the Israeli screen.2001: University of Texas Press.
External links
edit- "The 81st Blow" - The full film is available on VODonthe website for the Israel Film Archive - Jerusalem Cinematheque
- The 81st BlowatIMDb
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