The sophomore class attended a private screening of “1917” at the Sherman Oaks ArcLight Cinema on Jan. 22. Coordinated by Interdisciplinary Studies Department Head and history teacher Larry Klein, the field trip occurred just a few weeks before the history lessons about World War I were scheduled to begin, he said.
Sophomore class watches “1917” in theatre
After watching the movie, the sophomores participated in a Q&A session with the film’s executive producer, Jeff Brody, about the historical basis for the recently released film.
Lola Cortez ’22 said she enjoyed the experience of learning outside the classroom.
“[The movie] was really good and inspirational, and [it] made me realize how brutal war is and how important it is that we ensure peace,” Cortez said. “I feel like I know what war truly looks like now, and I will appreciate what I have more.”
Although some students enjoyed the field trip, others found it irrelevant, Charlie Doris ’22 said.
“It was a little disorganized,” Doris said. “None of the kids or the teachers really knew what was going on. It felt very haphazard. I don’t know that having seen the movie will add to my experience of learning [about] World War I, since it wasn’t educational. It was kind of out of nowhere.”
Students learn about impact of WWI through film
History teacher Dror Yaron said he found value in the movie because it allowed students to visually learn about the horrors of war.
“The film helped show the emotive impact that the treacheries of war presents visually and the emotional ramifications of young men never returning home and basically encountering blood and gore and death,” Yaron said.
In addition, Yaron said students not only gained a depiction of the war itself, but one from the British perspective, rather than the German one they will read about in “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
“It was a good supplement and visual supplement to ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ because it showed the opposite side,” Yaron said. “It will make for an intriguing discussion that will bring to life the book. [It] portrays the war from the German perspective, depicting them as the humane force, while this movie helps to show the war from the British side, showing the Germans as the aggressors.”
