The window in the laboratory

In his 'obedience to authority' experiments, Stanley Milgram took on the dual roles of scientific investigator and documentary filmmaker. Given his deep and abiding interest in the arts, especially film and photography, this is perhaps not surprising. Indeed, Milgram used visual media as a tool of investigation and dissemination throughout his career. In 1965 he presented his film Obedience as visual evidence in support of his 'obedience to authority' paradigm. Until recently the film was viewed as the simple, artless record of an experiment. Yet it is far from straightforward or objective documentation; the film was scripted, shot and edited to create a particular visual narrative of obedience. This article examines the construction of Stanley Milgram's documentary Obedience.