FEATURE FILM STUDY: Viewing Guide

Name: Kennedy Balan TA: Ms. Janz

Film: JoJo Rabbit Director: Taika Waititi

After or while viewing the film you have chosen, answer all of the following questions with full sentences to help focus your
interpretation of the film and enhance your ability to participate meaningfully in the Feature Film seminar.

Opening Explain what you learn about the protagonist in The opening scene of the film showcases young Jojo Betzler gearing up
Scenes the opening scenes and consider how your to go to a camp for Nazis. He feels as though Adolf Hitler is the “savior”
impression is fulfilled or contradicted of his country and he will “become a man” when he fulfills his duties to
throughout the rest of the film. him. Jojo was influenced to believe that Jews were not human beings,
but monsters that smelled of brussel sprouts and had scales like a fish.
These first few moments of the movie convinces you that Jojo is some
blood-thirsty Nazi who will do anything and everything that he thinks will
please Hitler. This impression first falters first when he’s handed the
rabbit. He is told to kill it, but he struggles to do so and eventually lets it
go. At this moment we are reminded that Jojo is just a child who has
good in his heart. The next moment that makes you change your mind
is when he begins to get to know Elsa. At first he follows the original
opinion you have on him, and meets the standards of a jew-hating Nazi.
After a while, Jojo begins to see Elsa for who she truly is. As they spend
more time together, some may even say Jojo falls deeply in love with
her. This is where the true contradiction of the audience’s first
impression takes place. From there on, he’ll do anything to be loyal to
her, even if that means to banish his imaginary friend, Hitler, and throw
away the Nazi flag he is given.
Setting What details do you notice about the landscape The mood is definitely dictated by the scenes throughout the movie. For
[or setting]? Explain their significance. Note any instance when Jojo and Rosie are together and having an enjoyable
radical changes. time, everything in the background is vibrant. An example of this being
when the long shot is taken where they’re riding their bikes on a bridge
with vibrant grass and flowers surrounding them. On the other hand,
when the mood changes to something more intense like when Jojo is in
the middle of a series of gunshots and explosions, the landscape is
more dreary looking, grey colouring opposed to being vibrant and then
of course his surroundings are collapsing around him.

Charact List 3 key observations about the daily lives of Jojo Betzler: Jojo was a young boy who took life too seriously. Instead
er Study the characters in this film [protagonist, of having fun and doing things children are supposed to do, he is
antagonist, and 2 additional characters]. uptight, serious and worries about things like politics and war. As his
Speculate about the motives of these mother said, he is a fanatic with nationalistic views. His daily life
includes doing some sort of chore in favour of the Nazis, such as
characters. Explain which characters you like
handing out propaganda, or going to a camp that will make him suitable
and dislike.
for the battlefield.

Predict Based on the opening scenes, what do you As I stated previously, the opening scenes paint Jojo out to be a future
expect to happen in the rest of the film? soldier for the Nazis in Germany. This creates an expectation that he
Consider conflict(s) and theme(s). Consider how will follow through with this journey throughout the film. Then things
your expectations are met, disappointed, or begin to change for the better. Instead of a movie about watching a
young Nazi turn into a Jew-killing monster, we watch him become a
exceeded.
brave young lad. Throughout the movie, Jojo realizes bravery doesn’t
mean killing a rabbit, or Jewish peoplefor that matter, in order to
conform to the standards of the Nazi party, but about setting your pride
aside and forming connections you didn’t think were possible. During
the process of getting to know Elsa, he realizes she has to put on a
brave face inorder to endure the oppression the Jewish people were
under. Jojo would soon have to do the same when his mother’s life was
taken from him. He would have to face the unknown all the while
mourning her loss. Because of this theme in the movie, my expectations
were far from disappointed.
Mood What mood is established in the opening The opening scene is Jojo looking at himself in the mirror while him and
scenes? Explain whether this initial mood is his imaginary friend, Hitler give Jojo a little pep talk. He is getting ready
maintained throughout the film or whether it to go to this weekend camp where he will be trained to become a
changes. soldier to help serve his country and Hitler in the war. While Jojo is
looking in the mirror, the image staring back at him looks proud. He is
standing with his shoulders back and practicing yelling the Hitler salute.
Because of this, I’d say the initial mood in the movie is proud. As the
story moves along, I think the mood changes from proud to realization.
As he gets to know Elsa and her struggles and what his mom and dad
do, I think young Jojo begins to realize he isn’t so proud to be wanting
to fight for his country’s cause. He almost becomes disgusted by what
his imaginary friend Hitler is saying and what he’s provoking Jojo to do.
At the end, Jojo even disses the Nazi flag which proves he is no longer
proud of what Hitler wanted Germany to become.

Question Consider what doesn’t make sense in the film The first thing that came to mind when reading this question was the
– gaps in plot, sequence of scenes, odd details, fact that his Hitler imaginary friend became someone who wasn’t
unpredictable behaviors or changes in a supportive of Jojo’s goals towards the end. Imaginary friends in most
character, disconcerting cinematic effects, etc. films are supposed to be there to guide you and encourage you to do
the right thing. It’s also confusing how imaginary Hitler can argue with
Jojo when it’s Jojo’s thoughts that control what he says. Another event
that threw me off guard was the fact that Rosie was never home. You’d
think that if she was trying to hide a deathly secret, she would be home
more, guarding it and making sure Jojo wouldn’t make his way upstairs,
discovering Elsa. When you have something as serious as that to hide,
you’d think she would’ve been more cautious about her son uncovering
it and wouldn’t leave him unattended for as long as she did.

Look for Consider patterns of repetition in the film by A recurring visual image I noticed in the film time and time again was a
patterns focusing on “visual images” and “sound” butterfly. Whether it would be a picture of one, or the actual one Jojo
notations. Identify the patterns you see followed to his mother when she was sadly hung. The other point of
throughout the film. Focus on the significance of recognition was that they were usually blue. First off, when discussing
butterflies under the holocaust light, they symbolize the innocent deaths
1 repeated image, 1 predominant musical
at the hands of the Nazis. I believe the director was trying to remind us
 phrase, and 1 key exchange of dialogue. just how costly the Holocaust was in the sense of lives being lost. Even
Explain what you think the director was trying to Germans who were trying to help Jewish people during this time had
communicate through these patterns. their lives taken from them. Hence why a butterfly led Jojo to his dead
mother when she was hung in the town square. Secondly, the reason
why the colour blue came into play was because it symbolizes sadness
and sorrow.
A predominant musical phrase in the movie is the German version of
the Beatles song Come Give Me Your Hand. In the movie the song is
called, Komm, gib mir deine Hand. The song plays during old clips of
Hitler and his Nazis saluting him. I think this song was chosen because
“come give me your hand” can be viewed as a way of giving your right
hand in salute to Hitler. And of course it’s in German because the film is
supposed to be in Germany during the time of World War II.
A recurring exchange of dialogue was “Heil Hitler”. Whenever Nazis
would come across one another, they would greet by repeating that
phrase. There was even a scene where Elsa would have to bring
herself to say it, which took great effort because it would be saluting the
man who started the oppression for her, her family, and her friends. The
salute would demonstrate obedience and the glorification of the
German nation. I believe Taika Waiti put this dialogue in to showcase
just how dedicated the Germans were to the plan Hitler had set out for
them. The salute demonstrated how two words could mean something
so deep and oppressive. A saying that meant that that person was
supportive of the dreadful cause.

Big List the themes or ideas [main and secondary] Acceptance and Friendship: This theme is extremely prominent
Picture that you see in this film. Connect back to and throughout the film. Although Jojo most of the time means business, he
explain the significance of the title. still has a few in his life he loves and cherishes. Throughout the movie,
he opens his eyes to the fact that love, friendship and connections are
the most important things in life. He begins to acknowledge, accept and
let that in. He broadens his horizon by making an undeniable
connection with Elsa, a Jewish girl. He never before would have thought
that would be right or even possible. Jojo learns relationships enrich
 your existence and make uncertain times just a little more comfortable.
An example of this is when Elsa had Jojo’s back after his mom passed
away.
Bravery: Bravery in the motion picture is evident multiple times. One
being Jojo setting his fear of Jewish people aside to get to know the one
living in his sister’s wall. Although it wasn’t easy for Jojo and it took a lot
of courage, he put his guard down and received an impeccable
friendship out of it. Another example of bravery in the show is the fact
that Elsa had to put on a brave face and act confident even though she
was far from that during those times of uncertainty. Lastly, Jojo had to
be brave when his mother died. He no longer had a parental figure in
his life at that time with his father in Italy. With Elsa’s help, he was brave
being alone in a time of war and loss.
Sacrifice: Sacrifice is demonstrated by Jojo, Rosie and Klenzendorf,
the Nazi officer. Jojo sacrifices his dreams and ambitions of serving
Hitler in order to keep his mom’s secret safe. Rosie makes a sacrifice
by working for the resistance and hiding a Jewish girl in her dead
daughter's wall. During these times, these actions could cost her her
life, and they eventually do. Even though the punishment is costly, she
chose to be selfless in order to do what’s right. Klenzendorf sacrifices
his life for Jojo’s safety at the end because deep down he knew Jojo
wasn’t for the Nazi cause. The Nazi officer made another sacrafice
earlier in the movie by aiding Elsa and Jojo when Elsa got the birthday
wrong on the passport. If he was caught, he would’ve been killed.

Conflict Identify the conflicts you see in this film The first conflict was when Jojo found his Nazi mindset getting in the
[primary and secondary]. Consider the ending: way of doing what’s right and wrong. Although he did come around in
Are the conflicts resolved? Are you satisfied with the end, he first viewed Elsa as an intruder and a “rat” in the house. At
the ending? Was it predictable or a surprise? first, his Nazi brain took over and he insisted on reporting her, but after
he was reminded that if he managed to do so, his mom and him would
get in just as much trouble for helping. After, he finally converses with
Elsa and gets to know her struggles and then what is “right to do” finally
settles in. Even though at the end of the movie when Germany was
 defeated, his progress faltered out of jealousy when he lied to Elsa,
saying Germany won the war. In the end, when he and Elsa were
dancing freely on the street, I would feel it’s safe to conclude that the
conflict was resolved. Elsa got to finally come out of hiding, and Jojo
saw that no matter what Hitler says, Jews are just as much as people
as everyone else is. Overcoming this conflict was pretty predictable
because Jojo always had a heart, and wasn’t as much of a Nazi as he
said he was.

Connect What characters, incidents, or objects in this film The imaginary Hitler made me instantly think of one of Shakespear’s
remind you of other texts you have read or most identifiable characters, Lady Macbeth. When Jojo had first seen
films you have seen? Elsa it threw him off guard, which then led him to his room to pace and
ponder about how he could reason with her. Jojo was leaning more
towards negotiating with the Jewish girl, but Hitler was almost edging
him on to go with a more unreasonable option that would’ve ended up
being messier than needed. Even at the very end of the movie when the
war is over and Jojo plans on leaving his Nazi ambitions behind
completely, Hitler comes in and is still trying to encourage Jojo into
becoming one of his soldiers and insisting Jojo to “heil him”.

In your opinion, is this film neutral or does it Since the film is literally a satire, I would have to say the show takes a
Stance clearly take a position on an issue? Identify clear position. Waititi is poking fun at the Nazis and their stupidity in the
the issue and the position taken. past. He used exaggeration during scenes where the Germans or Elsa
were giving Jewish people inhuman characteristics and abilities. I think
that was his way of trying to humour the fact that the Nazis really didn’t
have a motive to begin the holocaust except that they didn’t all have
blue eyes and blonde hair. Waititi almost painted the Nazis out to be
cowards in the film because of how easy it was to make them skittish
and believe irrational explanations.

Take a In your opinion, what values does this film I believe this film favours the value of being able to stop and listen.
Stance endorse? Do you personally endorse or reject Before Jojo was able to communicate with a Jew, he was 100% for the
views of the Nazis. They fed him lies and made him believe looking
different and having different views than the majority makes you
these values? Do you believe society should inhumane. Once he got to converse with Elsa and his eyes were open
endorse or reject these values? to the struggles her and other Jewish people had to go through during
that time for no real reason, Jojo changed his mind. The movie
highlights the importance of listening to the oppressed rather than the
oppressor. Due to this, I endorse this value. I think it also can be applied
to everyday life whether that’s bullying or conflicts you have with
someone. It’s important to stop, take a step back and listen to both
sides. In Jojo’s case, when he eventually did that, he realized that his
people were oppressing others who were innocent. This also leads me
to the next value I saw was prominent in the move, which was sticking
up for others. Especially with a minority group, it can be difficult for their
voices to be heard, therefore making it difficult for the majority to take
their points into consideration. Rosie was a great advocate for this. She
worked with the resistance to help out people who couldn’t get their
voices heard. She stuck up for Jewish people and did the right thing by
showing her support in numerous ways. One, she hid a young Jewish
girl from the terrors outside when she had nowhere to go. Two, Rosie
would hand out anti-Nazi pamphlets to help persuade Nazis into doing
what was right. I also endorse this value because I believe it’s even
more wrong to stand there and do nothing when someone, or a group of
people are in desperate need of help. This value can also be applied to
everyday life, whether you see someone being picked on, or a group is
being oppressed because of their beliefs and values.