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- An experiment in an American High School where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany. Based on a true story.
- To explain to his students the atmosphere in the 1930's Nazi Germany, history teacher Burt Ross initiates a daring experiment. He declares himself leader of a new movement, called 'The Wave'. Inspired, he proclaims ideas about Power, Discipline and Superiority. His students are strikingly willing to follow him. Soon the entire school is under the spell of 'The Wave'. Anyone who refuses to be a part of the Movement, faces threats or worse. Ross himself gets carried away by his own experiment. Or has it turned into something more than an experiment? A climax is unavoidable, resulting in a hard lesson for both Ross and his students... — Diederik B.A. Rep
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- The Wave (1981 film)
The Wave (1981 film) explained
| Genre: | Drama |
| Based On: | Account by |
| Screenplay: | Johnny Dawkins |
| Director: | Alexander Grasshof |
| Starring: | (Ben Ross) |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Executive Producer: | Virginia L. Carter |
| Producer: | Fern Field |
| Editor: | Mario Di Mambro |
| Cinematography: | |
| Runtime: | 44 mins. |
| Company: | |
| Network: |
The Wave is a made-for-TV movie directed by Alex Grasshoff , based on The Third Wave experiment put on by teacher Ron Jones to explain to his students how the German populace could accept the actions of the Nazi regime. [1] It debuted October 4, 1981, and aired again almost two years later as an ABC Afterschool Special . It starred Bruce Davison as the teacher Ben Ross, a character based on Jones.
Ben Ross, a school social studies teacher, shows his class a film about the Holocaust . They question how the German people would have allowed genocide to occur. Unable to explain the question for himself, Ross decides to find out through a social experiment . He begins in an innocuous fashion with advice on proper posture and a few classroom rules for better efficiency. The students take up the rules with enthusiasm. Ross continues the next day by introducing The Wave, which he describes as a youth movement with a secret salute and membership card. Robert, an unpopular student, is given the role of monitor over the other students, a position which fills him with pride.
David, a student, thinks that the Wave's rules will help his football team. With the popular football players now on board, the Wave's popularity spreads across the school. By the end of the week, Robert has developed confidence and authority and reports unorthodox behavior to Ross and the other Wave members. David's girlfriend Laurie is unnerved and Ross's wife Christy (who also teaches at the same school) worries that Ross has introduced a concept he cannot control.
The next day, a pep rally has turned into a Wave event. Two hundred more students join. Laurie writes an exposé for the school paper. David breaks up with her and friends reject her. Other students are bullied by members and voice concerns to parents and administrators, who in turn complain to Ross. Ross begs for enough time to complete the experiment.
The exposé is published. The Wave denounces the school paper and singles out Laurie for attack. Fearing for her, David warns her to stop speaking out, then gets violent enough to push her to the ground. David realizes now how far things have gone. David and Laurie visit Ross at his home later that evening and beg him to speak out against the movement. Ross says he agrees the experiment is out of control. He promises them that he will put an end to it.
The following day, Ross tells students that the Wave is a real youth movement taking place in schools all over the country. The movement's leader will give a televised speech tomorrow. The eager Wave students assemble in the auditorium - including David and Laurie. Ross exposes them both as traitors to the cause and has them escorted out, much to their shock and disbelief. He then begins the event by standing in front of the stage where two TV monitors are set up. The monitors are energized, but only display white noise. After this continues for a moment, Robert stands up and asks if Ross is lying about the existence of the movement's leader.
Ross assures Robert and the rest that there is - and much to the students' shock and horror - the monitors suddenly display a film of Adolf Hitler leading a Nazi rally. Ross tell them that this is their leader and that the experiment proves how quickly a group can give up their individual beliefs. The stunned students throw away their armbands and leave. Robert, who has been given his first sense of belonging by the movement, is left in tears. Ross takes Robert away to comfort him.
The TV film won a 1982 Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program, and a 1981 Peabody Award and a 1981 Young Artist Award for Best Television Special - Family Enjoyment.
Writer Johnny Dawkins was nominated for a 1982 Humanitas Prize in the 60 minute category, and a 1983 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Children's Show.
Related works
Todd Strasser 's novelization of the same name was released the same year. It originally appeared under Strasser's pseudonym of Morton Rhue. Ron Jones article and the TV movie's screenplay were the basis of the 2008 German film Die Welle .
External links
- http://www.thewave.tk/ Various iterations of the Third Wave story
- The Wave Home Official website: story history, FAQ, links, etc. by original Wave students
Notes and References
- News: Cubberley Catamount , April 21, 1967 . Ellwood P. Cubberley High School . 1967-04-21 . 2015-05-14.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from the Wikipedia article " The Wave (1981 film) ".
Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy .
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HISTORY OF THE WAVE STORY
The original social experiment was named “The Third Wave” and occurred at Cubberley Senior High School in Palo Alto, California, in March/April 1967. Teacher Ron Jones wrote a short story about the experience that was published in spring 1976. This was followed by an ABC-TV movie (“ The Wave ”) by famed producer Norman Lear on October 4, 1981 (got an Emmy). The subsequent 1981 book “ The Wave ” is a novelization of the Lear movie, and was written by Todd Strasser (aka Morton Rhue). This book is widely read by students in schools throughout the world (millions of copies in many languages). In spring 2008, German director Dennis Gansel’s popular movie “ Die Welle ” updated the story in a high school in present-day Germany. In 2010, Emmy nominee and original Third Wave class member Philip Neel’s documentary of the original Third Wave class experiment, entitled “ Lesson Plan ,“ premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival. In November 2019, Dennis Gansel’s team returned with a German Netflix miniseries called “ We Are The Wave ” which continues the tradition of youth caught up in their cause and getting carried away. In December 2019, History Channel Germany’s Director of Production Emanuel Rotstein produced a new Third Wave documentary called “ Invisible Line .” There have also been various Wave plays and musicals performed over the years, including a musical by original teacher Ron Jones that debuted in 2010, as well as his play “The Third Wave” in 2011.
WAVE STORY CHRONOLOGY (more detail and links within this website)
1967 Original “Third Wave” Class, Palo Alto, California 1976 Ron Jones First Short Story “The Third Wave” 1981 Norman Lear ABC-TV Movie “The Wave” 1981 Todd Strasser (Morton Rhue) Novelization “The Wave” 2008 German Movie “Die Welle” 2010 Third Wave Documentary Film “Lesson Plan” 2019 Netflix Germany Miniseries “We Are The Wave” 2019 A+E Networks Germany Documentary Film “The Invisible Line”
The Invisible Line at Miami Jewish Film Festival, April 15-29, 2021
The Invisible Line at Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, February 18-21
The Invisible Line at UNAFF, October 24
Redakcia Interview with Alexey Pivovarov, 9/3/20
Wave books and posters.
More Wave Books/Posters
Ron Jones “The Third Wave”
The wave musical, “l’onada” in barcelona, “lesson plan” the wave documentary trailer, mark hancock speaker, third wave quick links.
Original teacher Ron Jones website “Lesson Plan” documentary website “Invisible Line” documentary website Original student Philip Neel IMDB page Wave student Mark Hancock speaker
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The Wave (1981)
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A teacher conducts an experiment in an American high school where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany. Based on a true story.
Alexander Grasshoff
Johnny Dawkins
Top Billed Cast
Bruce Davison
Lori Lethin
Johnny Doran
Wesley Pfenning
Christy Ross
Marc Copage
Robert DeLapp
Matthew Dunn
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Original Language English
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Ben Ross, a school social studies teacher, shows his class a film about the Holocaust. They question how the German people would have allowed genocide to occur. Unable to explain the question for himself, Ross decides to find out through a social experiment.
The Wave: Directed by Alexander Grasshoff. With Bruce Davison, Lori Lethin, John Putch, Johnny Doran. An experiment in an American High School where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany.
In spring 1967, in Palo Alto, California, high school history teacher Ron Jones conducted a social experiment in fascism with his class of 10th-grade 15-year-olds, to sample the experience of the attraction and rise of the Nazis in Germany before World War II.
The Third Wave was an experimental movement created by the high school history teacher Ron Jones in 1967 to explain how the German population could have accepted the actions of the Nazi regime during the rise of the Third Reich and the Second World War.
In spring 1967, in Palo Alto, California, high school history teacher Ron Jones conducted a social experiment in fascism with his class of 10th-grade 15-year...
An experiment in an American High School where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany. Based on a true story.
Ben Ross, a school social studies teacher, shows his class a film about the Holocaust. They question how the German people would have allowed genocide to occur. Unable to explain the question for himself, Ross decides to find out through a social experiment.
An experiment in an American High School where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany.
The original social experiment was named “The Third Wave” and occurred at Cubberley Senior High School in Palo Alto, California, in March/April 1967. Teacher Ron Jones wrote a short story about the experience that was published in spring 1976.
A teacher conducts an experiment in an American high school where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany. Based on a true story.