The Boys from Brazil story
An elderly Nazi hunter uncovers a Dr. Josef Mengele led secret organization of Nazi war criminals who are clandestinely plotting to resurrect the Third Reich. The film is based on the 1976 novel of the same title by Ira Levin, and was nominated for three Academy Awards.
14 total · 8 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| antisemitism in society | major | Dr. Josef Mengele was a raging antisemite who was masterminding a program to genetically transform all the Jews, and non-Aryans more generally, into acceptable Aryan people. In addition, various particular racist remarks were made against the Jews, including Ezra Liberman being called "Jewish swine". |
| genetic engineering in society | major | Ezra Lieberman was adamant that the use of genetic genetic engineering to clone human beings was monstrous. More generally, we were made to ponder whether developing genetic engineering techniques that could be used for good (e.g. making a thousand Mozarts) was worth it considering that it could also be used for evil (e.g. making 94 Hitlers). |
| human cloning | major | Dr Josef Mengele, the infamous Auschwitz doctor, made 94 clones of Hitler. |
| mad scientist stereotype | major | Dr. Josef Mengele was hatching a devious plot to clone 94 Hitlers. |
| racial supremacism | major | Dr. Josef Mengele championed the superiority of the Aryan race. In fact more: he was going about attempting to genetically modify non-Aryans to conform more to his view of what Aryans are like. |
| secret society conspiracy theory | major | Barry Kohler stumbled upon a secret organization of Third Reich war criminals who were clandestinely plotting to resurrect the Third Reich. |
| the Nazi stereotype | major | Dr. Josef Mengele threw a ball with Nazi regalia and Hitler effigies on full display. Also there was a secret organization of Nazi war criminals trying to resurrect the Third Reich. |
| war crime | major | Elderly Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman uncovered a secret organization of Nazi war criminals who are clandestinely plotting to resurrect the Third Reich. |
| nature vs. nurture | minor | A scientist explained how it wasn't enough for the Hitler clones to have identical DNA to the fuhrer, but rather their environments needed to mimic Hitler's own in order for them to turn out the same way that he did. |
| sadism | minor | The notorious infamous Auschwitz doctor Dr. Josef Mengele was described as a sadist with an M.D. and a Ph.D. |