This is a fascinating documentary examining the neo-fascist movements in North America; the militias, the Aryan churches and the Klans. The camera mingles with Klansmen and militia members as they attend social gatherings and discuss issues like the plans for a white homeland in the northern U.S.A., the proper pronunciation of the name of the biblical figure Adam and how Hitler was actually a misunderstood man who America should have sided with during the war.
The film makers rarely intrude on the action and allow the subjects to speak for themselves, thus giving people the opportunity to make a wide range of 'these would be funny if you didn't know how serious the person was when s/he said them' comments. My personal favourite was when an elderly man was giving a speech to his brethren and wrapped up the pep talk by saying "I'm hungry, so 'Sieg Heil!' and let's eat."
In one scene the meaning of the film's title is explained to us by a member of one of the groups portrayed. He claimed black people were inferior to white people because they (black people) could not blush (show blood in the face) and therefore were unable to feel shame like god fearing white folks, a rather tenuous basis on which to claim racial superiority in my mind but there you are.
The film also contains archival footage of assassinated American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell and Klansman turned politician David Duke, as well as toddlers parading in white Klan outfits while their mothers cooed about how cute they looked.
While I had the feeling that none of the people portrayed in this movie were members of Mensa, 'Blood in the Face' did convey to me the potential menace that such groups could cause in American society (and already have, as the Oklahoma bombing showed). This film may be dated by now but is still definitely worth watching. If nothing else it will make you think twice about visiting Idaho.
The film makers rarely intrude on the action and allow the subjects to speak for themselves, thus giving people the opportunity to make a wide range of 'these would be funny if you didn't know how serious the person was when s/he said them' comments. My personal favourite was when an elderly man was giving a speech to his brethren and wrapped up the pep talk by saying "I'm hungry, so 'Sieg Heil!' and let's eat."
In one scene the meaning of the film's title is explained to us by a member of one of the groups portrayed. He claimed black people were inferior to white people because they (black people) could not blush (show blood in the face) and therefore were unable to feel shame like god fearing white folks, a rather tenuous basis on which to claim racial superiority in my mind but there you are.
The film also contains archival footage of assassinated American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell and Klansman turned politician David Duke, as well as toddlers parading in white Klan outfits while their mothers cooed about how cute they looked.
While I had the feeling that none of the people portrayed in this movie were members of Mensa, 'Blood in the Face' did convey to me the potential menace that such groups could cause in American society (and already have, as the Oklahoma bombing showed). This film may be dated by now but is still definitely worth watching. If nothing else it will make you think twice about visiting Idaho.