Watch “The Wave” Online – A real life student experiment
(69 votes, average: 4.51 out of 5)
The movie “The Wave” is based on a novel by Morton Rhue and is based on a true story that happend in 1967 at Gordon High School in Palo Alto. The teacher starts an experiment with his students trying to show them how the Nazi regime was able to invluence so many people and why no one stopped them.
He created his own symbol (the wave), a dressing code, behaviour rules and a motto:
“Strength through discipline, Strength through community, Strength through action.”
The Wave
hay
is it the movie of the book “the wave” by morton rhue?
October 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pmTIMBO
WARNING!!!! lead role is played by an egocentric arshole
October 27th, 2009 at 6:45 amdocudrama
This isn’t really a documentary – more a stylized, fictionalized version of what happened. The events actually took place at the now-defunct Cubberly Senior High School in Palo Alto.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:09 pmMarliena
That was a very radical experiment performed on underage children. While it would have been a great experiment for university students. I totally disagreed with the fact it was acted out on the high school students of a history class. I hope the teacher was removed.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:53 pmBob Prentice
This is what is happening in our country today. The public schools, er excuse me the GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS are indoctrinating the masses to be sheep. This all began in the late 60s and early 70s if not before in the school systems.
Probably goes back to right after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.
The masses are blind. This is so sad.
Wake up people.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:04 amPam
The film froze right in the middle. I sure would like to know what happened!!!!
December 11th, 2009 at 7:01 pmJay
Bob Prentice-
Have you actually set foot in a public high school recently? I’m a high school history teacher, and a big part of my teaching involves students questioning viewpoints with me playing devil’s advocate to make them defend their arguments (thus, they’re forced to think for themselves). Closed minded, generalized statements such as yours are a waste of gray matter.
January 10th, 2010 at 2:24 pmRuso
I am curious, is this really a documenatary? Or it is a staged version of what really happend? Did these students know that they were being experimented, or not?
January 17th, 2010 at 12:56 pmI just watched the latest fiction, German film about this fact. And I am really eager to know what happened indeed
Mike
We studied this in Ethics class in collage. It came down to what would you do if your put in a position that would put you against your moral and ethical code. Interesting points were made. What would you do in this position? A Hard thing.
January 25th, 2010 at 7:56 amCamillia
It took me until 10th grade to realize how biased all my history teachers of the past were. My 10th grade history teacher was the only one who actually gave a damn about having us form our own opinions.
Our textbooks, if you actually read between the lines, gives a glorified view of the victors – which our history teachers fervently reinforce.
Everyone’s a friggin’ ultra-liberal now except for 2 or 3 kids. People who are moderates are constantly put down in class and bullied when they walk outside of the classroom. Our teacher even said once: “God, I know I’m not supposed to say this but I personally despise moderates. They should just CHOOSE A SIDE. Conservatives are more respectable than moderates because they actually take a stance. Moderates just hop back and forth.”
I’m sorry but even if your high school is all rainbows and sunshine, not everyone’s is.
The sad part is mine isn’t even the worst of them! hahahaha.
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:37 pmStiffler
I think the teacher plays the senator in the X-men movies lol
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:04 amblackmoonfalling
the movie was good…but the book was so much better…if you get a chance to read the book you’ll see what i mean.
April 10th, 2010 at 8:19 pmpranee
Wow,what a video…i absolutely loved that nazi experiment by the teacher….hats off
April 14th, 2010 at 12:44 pmW.
I think people learn the most if they experience themselve. If you don’t know something you can “imagine” what it’s like, but if you’ve experienced something you KNOW what it’s like. The only negative thing is when people don’t learn anything from it, like the boy who got picked on. He couldn’t resist the feeling. But I think when you are a strong wellthinking person you can learn much more when you experience.
Sorry if my language isn’t perfect, I’m from Holland.
May 22nd, 2010 at 5:19 amT
This is just a campy version of what’s going on in Colleges and Universities today with Professors using “Political Correctness” and their Bully pulpit to shut down free speech and anyone who disagrees with the ultra Left-wing agenda.
May 27th, 2010 at 2:30 amThere’s a whole generation of kids coming through our Schools that think Global Warming is real, that homosexuality is beautiful and wonderful, that America is a Horrible country, etc…Disagree in the Classroom and your “A’s” go to “F’s”, you’re mocked and ridiculed, and persona non-grata.
Kelley Lynch
Does anyone know what happened at the end?
May 31st, 2010 at 11:34 pmKelley Lynch
Apparently nothing happened.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:37 pmJordynn Sea
We have to read this book for my 8th grade class and the documentary is much like the book, even though there were “deleted scenes” in the documentary. They are both really great though, and Todd Strasser is an amazing author!
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:24 pmG.Rod
I saw this when it originally out back in 1982 and I was in 2nd grade. This was the first I’d seen it since then and I know what an impact it had on me. I was able to recall pretty much everything about it! It is just a reminder of how worried I am about our youth because just want to be a part of something big and make a difference. Unfortunately with the new administration in place it seems like some young people are afraid to verbalize any disagreement! I’m not for being disrespectful of people in authority, but we should be able to voice our concerns over the direction our country is going. When the Robert character said, “We can do it!” it sounded a lot like “Yes we can!” and the symbol for the wave looked a lot like the prominant campaign posters and stickers of the last election. I think every student should watch this movie even if it is dramatized and they should also be required to read 1984 by Orwell. I think a lot of our country has forgotten our past and what dangers socialism, communism and facsism create.
August 28th, 2010 at 1:06 pmschool SUCKS !!!
OMFG !!! School suck so much !!!
December 3rd, 2010 at 10:45 amsoske339
didn’t a boy suicide? AT the end?
February 5th, 2011 at 1:48 pmMike
It amazes me that people are comparing this to the Obama administration but not to the Bush administration. It is much more similar to Bush than Obama. Anyone who disagrees with the administration is ostracized…sounds a lot like the Dixie Chicks incident when they actually disagreed with the Bush administration. Also consider what happened under Bush, we got the “Patriot Act”…if you want to be scared then I would be more scared of Bush/Cheney than the current administration.
I guess that just goes to show that group think is still alive…in the conservative arena. Hitler wasn’t a moderate he was a radical conservative (a religiously fervent conservative)
February 7th, 2011 at 9:29 pmMark
This movie is a fictional version (not documentary) of the “Third Wave” classroom experiment by teacher Ron Jones at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California, in 1967. It is pretty close to what happened, with a little Hollywood fiction thrown in for effect. The book “The Wave” is a summary of the movie (book is by Todd Strasser, also known as Morton Rhue).
The real students now tell the true story in their new documentary film “Lesson Plan”:
http://www.lessonplanmovie.com
There is also much background info on The Wave stories at:
http://www.thewavehome.com
Peace
February 21st, 2011 at 6:51 pmLacey
Wow, this was a really brilliant experiment. I think the fact that it was done on high school students was better (well I’m not really sure how high school was like back then) but in this generation, if you don’t fit in with the society and stick out, you will get made fun of and even hurt. An example would be with gays. There was this kid who got beat to death because he was gay. There was this other incident where a SCHOOL (including principals, teachers) were involved with sending these who lesbian students somewhere else for Senior Prom because they were not welcomed to celebrate their Senior Prom with the rest of the “normal” students. We live in a sick, disgusting world. Humans are the worst creatures out here. We can verbally, mentally, and psychically do damage to each other. I’d like to know other creatures out there that can do these things. I’m glad this experiment didn’t go too far and that the kids realized at the end. That’s what I meant by the fact that it was better done on high school students. High school is the point in life where most people get picked on for being an outcast. When you get to College/University, things like picking on and trying to fit it don’t become a huge factor anymore because everyone is now on their OWN in creating their OWN future.
April 10th, 2011 at 6:09 pmJOrdan
is there any websites that i can go on to read the book and i quotes from the book?
April 25th, 2011 at 1:28 pmDr,Simonne Jameson
This film was brilliant, and should be made available to high school students.
As a survivor of the Holocaust, and a Child psychologist, had for the last 2 days a strong impact on me.
I am particularly disturbed that this could happen in the space of one week only.
I will certainly buy the book, and recommend it.
Thank you SBS for showing “The Wave”.
Simonne.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:51 pmURSheep
What a powerful film. Amazing how easily the mass of students fell into place following an idea they neither fully understood nor completely agreed with. Those that did not follow the regime were cast aside for holding to their beliefs. Proof of how easy subversive brainwashing is in the youth. They should remake this film, update it and call it “Welcome to the Liberal Agenda”
@ T, couldn’t agree with you more.
@ Lacey, the Liberal Agenda is using these exact tactics in trying to subversively brainwash American youth into believing being “gay” is cool and anyone who doesn’t believe that way is homophobic.
“Love the sinner, hate the sin” but the Liberal Agenda wants you to love sin as well.
September 29th, 2011 at 3:46 amswiss watches brands
i am sucker of old movies as well as realistic movie not that deals with vampires and witchcraft!
October 27th, 2011 at 9:25 pmLeny
Al jaren geleden deze film/documentaire gezien en denk er nog vaak aan.
November 8th, 2011 at 3:52 amZou inderdaad verplichte kost op school moeten worden.
Op dit moment zijn er teveel van deze mensen die ons leven willen beheersen ten gunst van zichzelf.
Peter
I first viewed this film in 1983 with my church CYO group and then again during my high school psychology courses. I was lucky enough to have an education which taught me to question everything occurring around me and after having watched this movie and the discussions that ensued I continue to question every day.
Reading many of the above comments I find myself truly amazed at how well Fox news and the neoliberalists have achieved their agenda and goals. The complete and total acceptance by so many conservatives of their propaganda that to actually view this documentary and to believe it’s pointing out a liberal brainwashing agenda is unfathomable.
As a progressive I must allow others their personal views, religious beliefs, etc. in so far as they do not encroach upon my freedoms nor do any harm to others. Unfortunately conservatives are doing harm to others while suppressing the individual rights and freedoms of anyone who does not hold their same views, beliefs, etc.
Coming on the heels of the Jim Jones Peoples Temple Guyana tragedy in 1978 this movie is giving us a view of ourselves and a warning. It begs each of us to ask “Should I drink the tea or can I see what’s happening behind the platitudes, hate and fear being fed to me?”. Luckily my eyes and mind are open so I shall attempt to remain clear headed and not partake of the tea. I also agree with Leny that this movie and novel should be compulsory in schools as there are many who want to control our lives for their own gain.
December 14th, 2011 at 11:03 pm