“Wiseman uncovers human conditions in inhuman situations. In the marching, the hand-to-hand combat, the loss of identity, Wiseman, without narration, conveys the humor and sadness of the situation. He not only imparts the essence of military basic training, he latches on to young men thrust into maturity, some before their time. It is a gripping experience.” - Variety
BASIC TRAINING follows a company of draftees and enlisted men through the nine weeks of the basic training cycle. The varieties of training techniques used by the army in converting civilians to soldiers are illustrated in scenes of drills, M-16 and bayonet use, a gas chamber, mines, night crawls, an infiltration course and the many forms of ideological training familiar to millions of men and women who have served in the armed forces. (Zipporah Films)
The Worlds of Wiseman: Don’t let anyone ever tell you a Frederick Wiseman film is simple. Despite their matter-of-fact titles and just-the-facts descriptions, Wiseman’s documentaries are complicated, messy, demanding, rich, and always rewarding. 33 of his films, using original 16mm negatives and sound elements, with materials personally reviewed and approved by Wiseman, have been recently restored in 4K. The Film Center is proud to be the exclusive home for the Chicago premiere of the complete restored collection. Restorations made possible by Zipporah Films, the Library of Congress, Harvard Film Archive, DuArt Labs, and Goldcrest Post Production. Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu