fandomhigh | World Wars in the Media, Tuesday

"Triumph des Willens," Mitchell spoke, "Triumph of the Will. Or as the lot of you will come to know it as today, 'an excuse to have a film day'. This is a German film that is considered to be one of the greatest of all time - both as a film, and as a masterpiece of propaganda."

He turned off the light, projecting the poster onto the viewscreen first.

"Triumph des Willens was shot by Leni Riefenstahl, a Nazi filmmaker who had no career after the war until she picked up photography about... ten years ago." Not that he'd been keeping track. "The film is known for using lots of visual tricks, such as filming people from on down looking up to make them look more majestic. Every single scene was meant to enhance the percieved brilliance of the Nazi doctrine. It was, in short, the apex of the propaganda machine the Nazis had put into motion after their takeover in 1933."

He clicked the mouse, moving on to the first frame of the film. "Today, I'd like you all to watch the film, keep your mind open, see where it's trying to work on your sentiments. We're not going to watch the entire thing, though - just a good section of it. Afterwards, I want you all to find a partner. Discuss the tricks you've seen, how useful they would be, if you'd have noticed them if you weren't watching. What kind of impact would this film have had, you think?" Beat. "Get me a report of your findings next week, be it a paragraph or a page, I don't care."

And with that, he started the movie.

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"Alright, I'm sure you have some astoundingly witty things to say about the way I look. Let's hear them."

Kate didn't feel the need to specify which part of her appearance she meant. Blue-faced people rarely did.

Mitchell pursed his lips, looking at her with eyes that were clearly trying to resist the impulse to laugh in favour of some concern, and-- "Please. Insulting blondes is so 1999."

Well. That got a laugh, a genuine and surprised one, which was a first since yesterday – and more or less exactly what she came to him for today. "Oh, sorry, of course it is."

He grinned. "Don't let it happen again," he said, graciously, and sipped from his cup of coffee.

"I won't forget," she smirked. "But just so you know, this is probably going to be the only time ever that I would give you permission to mock me. Are you sure you want to miss your chance?"

"While there's any number of tasteless smurf references I can make," Mitchell said, thoughtfully, "You've deprived me of the element of surprise."

"I've been looking like this for about 24 hours now, so I think the element of surprise has probably been gone for a while already," Kate pointed out. "And I was even blue-er earlier."

"Yeah, but now I can't creep up on you and mock you in hallways," he said, leaning back in his chair. "It'll be expected. Why're you blue, though? Looking to join the circus?"

Defeating his own point without shame, yes.

Eyeroll. "I wish. I just learned that tea is the source of all evil," Kate said. "And that drinking tea offered by teachers can lead to paralysis and being painted blue. Not to mention other side effects."

"I always thought people should settle for coffee," he agreed. Then paused. "...Paralysis?"

"You've made me drink tea, too. Don't think I've forgotten."

But that teasing thing having been said... "Paralysis, yes," she nodded, not looking too happy about it. "Apparently an awesome trigger for people with issues about losing control over their body."

Mitchell opened his mouth. Then closed it. "...I'm not sure that's ethical."

Said the vampire.

Kate shrugged, then wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't think I even learnt anything."

"Jesus," he said, expressively. "Are you all right? Do you need me to talk to them?"

"I'm..." Fine, okay, good? For Christ's sake, Kate, the man knows you're scared of going insane. "Not shaking anymore?" she offered. "I don't know if that's a good idea, I... I thought I'd just ask Gha–– professor Atreides what it was about, next week."

At some point Kate would realize that she really did have a right to freak out about what had been done to her. But now she was just concerned about how it would make her look if he went to talk to them.

"If you're sure," he said, skeptically.

He was looking a bit freaked out, himself. "Listen, why-- don't you come over to my office tomorrow, have some coffee, if you can't settle yourself out until then? And-- watch something really ridiculously dorky on TV today."

"I'll be just fine," she said, not at all convincingly. Just talking about this had brought some of the discomfort back.

"But coffee is good. Coffee's safe. I can do that." Pause. "And there's bound to be a rerun marathon of some early '90s sitcom on somewhere."

"That's your homework for the day," he said, watching her. "You're not allowed to leave the television until you've finished a whole cycle."

Yes, he was getting the discomfort, too.

She saluted him with a half-hearted smirk. "Aye aye, captain. Teacher. Mitchell. Easiest homework ever. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."

World Wars in the Media, Tuesday

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