The film, “Ondskan”, is centered around a young, adolescence male named Erik, who is having trouble accepting and following the rules bound upon him by the authoritative figures in his life, from his teachers to his parents. Erik comes from an abusive family that has as a result turned him into a violent teenager. His mother remarried and his stepfather gives Erik cruel beatings for no apparent reason. As a result, Erik lashes out in school, fighting his fellow peers. His remissive mother knows that the only way Erik would be able to complete his basic education is to send him off to one of Sweden’s most elite private schools, Stjärnberg. However, when Erik arrives at his new school he is quickly informed that rules are enforced not by the faculty but instead by the students. The school is based on the idea of team spirit, implying a sort of “code of honor” among the student body. The so-called “code of honor” is more of a code of humiliation experienced by the younger, lower social level pupils. Erik had entered a world where the high, upper level pupils are given the authority to haze and humiliate the school’s younger students and the questioning of authority is nonexistent.
The first thing that Erik is told by his roommate, Pierre, is to be ordinary. That the more you stick out the more likely hell will rain upon you. Quickly, Erik sees first hand how order is keep within the school grounds. The first night Erik had eaten at the dinning hall he learns how a council member disciplines the younger pupils. Several methods of punishment exist for a student who is supposedly out of line. The first form of punishment is either a pepperpot or vinegar strike. A pepperpot is when the misbehaving pupil gets hit on the top of the head with the end of a knife. A vinegar strike is when the top of a vinegar stopper is taken and strikes the pupil on the top of the head. If the pupil continues to act out he is sent to the Dunce’s corner. Following the Dunce’s corner the student is sent to serve weekend detention. During weekend detention the pupil is sent to see the council to receive their punishment. All sorts of punishments exist for the pupils. The council has the power and ability to administer any sort of punishment they see fit from polishing shoes to digging a trench.
The theme of violence surrounds the entire plot of the film. Violence is a common theme seen in all action movies over the past decade. “Ondskan” had been compared to American Hollywood hit, “Fight Club” starring Hollywood heartthrob, Brat Pitt. Both movies share a common thread. Both movies use excessive amounts of violence as a way to help the main character discover who he truly is. Erik dealt with abuse and violent whippings from his stepfather for almost all his life and learned to deal with the abuse. In the opening scene of the film Erik sates to the audience, “I know how to breathe and how not to breathe and how to think to stop myself going mad or passing out. He’s been carrying on like this for as long as I can remember.” (Ondskan) This kind of passage is able to grab the attention of the audience, submerging them into the tormented life of the main character.
The violence experienced by Erik at home is an obvious method use by his stepfather as a way of trying to gain respect and maintain order. Hollywood and other national cinemas have produced countless other screenplays revolving around the theme of violence as a method of gaining respect. Domestic abuse is one of the hot topic violent issues continuously addressed on the big screen. Some classic examples include, “Sleeping with the Enemy” starring Julia Roberts and “The Color Purple” starring Whoopi Goldberg. “Sleeping with the Enemy” which came out in 1991 achieved a total box office total of 100.2 million. (Sleeping with the Enemy) “The Color Purple” classified as a period drama reached a total domestic gross of 94,175,854 dollars. (The Color Purple) Issues of abuse and the mistreatment of other human beings is a powerful subject that is able to provoke a lot of human interest, which brings in the big bucks for the film industry.
Domestic abuse is an important global issue that affects countless individuals around the world whether they are Swedish or American. “Ondskan” directly deals with bullying and violent acts experienced by students in educational atmospheres. Bullying is a universal issue and has become a very prevalent and serious issue here in the United States. Take for example the state of Virginia and their public school system. Bullying of students is one of the most frequent discipline problems experienced in all levels of the education system. 26% of elementary, 43% of middle and 25% of high schools have reported problems with bullying. These statistics have increased in recent years (Violence in Schools). Abuse that is portrayed in films like “Ondskan” directly relate to real life problems that need to be addressed and resolved.
The theme of gaining respect through violence leads directly to an adjacent theme seen through out the film of how power corrupts. The audience through the head council member, Otto Silverhielm, at Stjärnberg, directly sees the universal theme of power corrupting those in charge. Otto along with the other council members rule the school with an iron fist. They can be compared to prison guards. The council is the guards, Otto is the warden, and, all the lower classmen are the prisoners. The guards purposely humiliate the prisoners every chance they get. Always looking to provide an example to the other prisoners imposing a reign of terror. Simply, violence is being used to gain respect. The theme of using violence to retain an authoritarian position has been seen in countless Hollywood films, for example, “Equilibrium” to “The Terminator”. Additionally, the theme of power corrupting can be seen through out history from English monarchs to totalitarian dictators. Take for instance, Henry VIII who abused his power as monarch to try and gain a male heir to the throne. He used his influence and power to divorce his wife, Katharine of Aragon, in order to marry a woman capable of bearing him a male heir to the throne. However, time and time again we see leaders fall and collapse under the weight of such power. “Ondskan” creates a functioning but unrealistic society at Stjarnberg. No society would be able to thrive under an individual or group of individuals that have no limitations on their power. Eventually, the suppressed society would rebel, leading to chaos and havoc.
All countries and their film industries use cinema as a source of propaganda. Film is a necessary tool that is required to educate individuals about problems that occur both at home and internationally. “Ondskan” is a great example of cinema propaganda, informing the public about the hazing and violence acts that various young males experience either at home or at school.
Citations:
1. “Ondskan”, Mikael Hafstrom, Magnolia home entertainment, 2003.
2. "Ondskan." The Numbers. March 10,2006. Nash Information Services, LLC. 2 Mar 2008
3. "Sleeping With the Enemy." Hollywood. Hollywood.com, Inc.. 2 Mar 2008
4. "The Color Purple." box office mojo. 2007. Box Office Mojo, LLC. 2 Mar 2008
5. "Violence in Schools." Youth Violence Project- National statistics. Virginia Youth Violence Project, School of Education, University of Virginia. 2 Mar 2008
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