The documentary "Welfare 1975" was painfully touching in every way. This documentary by Fredrick Wiseman showed what it would really be like to be on welfare. The entire film of almost three hours was all about different exchanges between the people who are struggling financially in New York in 1974 and the people who worked in the welfare offices. Nothing went as planed for either party. While this documentary was pretty uneventful, it was still hypnotizing because nothing in this documentary was staged. Wisemen has been known for creating amazing, undramatized documentaries, but the simplicity and the power behind this film is undeniable. All of the things that were caught on camera were real encounters which made the whole film so much more touching. One can watch an actual person beg for help and be turned away. This documentary showed both sides to what happens in welfare situations: The people who really needed help and got turned away, the people who did not need help received support. These were the two extremes that people usually think of first when the topic of welfare is brought up.
One event in this documentary really touched me. There is a man there and he says this amazing quote. "I have 22 years of education behind me and 17 years of loyalty to this state. Now, after 7 months in the hospital that is going to change." Then this tall, New York man sits down in the waiting area and he prays out loud to God saying that he will accept what is to come. In this moment, a janitor is listening to his prayer in awe. This moment really speaks for the whole documentary. This Fredrick Wiseman documentary showed the other side to a welfare situation and for that I will forever adore Wisemen. His work is well known, but one will never understand how powerful his films are until one watches them.
I would rate this film at an eight out of ten stars because it was very long and some what repetitive. However, I would not take back any of the time that I spent watching this documentary because it was very real and moving. It showed how welfare is needed but policies do need to be altered to make it fool proof. Since 1975, the government has obviously made some changes to welfare, but I do believe that this film highly influenced where welfare went after that set time.
One event in this documentary really touched me. There is a man there and he says this amazing quote. "I have 22 years of education behind me and 17 years of loyalty to this state. Now, after 7 months in the hospital that is going to change." Then this tall, New York man sits down in the waiting area and he prays out loud to God saying that he will accept what is to come. In this moment, a janitor is listening to his prayer in awe. This moment really speaks for the whole documentary. This Fredrick Wiseman documentary showed the other side to a welfare situation and for that I will forever adore Wisemen. His work is well known, but one will never understand how powerful his films are until one watches them.
I would rate this film at an eight out of ten stars because it was very long and some what repetitive. However, I would not take back any of the time that I spent watching this documentary because it was very real and moving. It showed how welfare is needed but policies do need to be altered to make it fool proof. Since 1975, the government has obviously made some changes to welfare, but I do believe that this film highly influenced where welfare went after that set time.