Rockin' the Wall

Gr 9 Up—Few will forget the drama of the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, both as a single event and as a metaphor for the collapse of the Soviet Union's Communist empire. While the causes of that disintegration are numerous, one significant factor was pressure from young people to live in a freer society that was open to the kind of expression seen in contemporary music. The manner in which Russia's successive governments attempted to block the West's influence on the countries under its dominance—best exemplified by the wall separating the people of Berlin—and their ultimate failure form the context for this well-developed program on rock music's role in literally opening the doors to the East. The producers utilize interviews with government officials and music personalities of the period, scholarly commentary, and a rich compilation of vintage film/stills/video to portray the political division and the ultimate breakdown of those artificial barriers. Highlights are the footage of the Sovietization of Eastern Europe and the Cold War period in the U.S., the evolution of rock 'n roll music and how it was seen as a corrosive element by the Communists, and the political and social movements which led to the opening of the former Russian-dominated countries. The emphasis on rock music's role in unsettling those closed societies is shared by musicians as well as by individuals who were teenagers at the time. Song lyrics are provided on the DVD-ROM portion of the disc. Chapter selection is optional, and English subtitles are provided for accented commentaries. Libraries will want to consider this homage to the power of Elvis, the Beatles, and blue jeans for history, sociology, and music courses.—Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL