Downfall (1 Viewer)

[Iron]

Film (selective screening)--> Re. Germany.
Just saw it. Awesome.
It's about the last days of the Reich and the going-ons in Hitler's bunker.
Speaking personally, by far my biggest motivation to study this topic (and Speer) was the fascinating dynamics between the Nazi leaders and Hitler's personality.
The movie almost focuses entirely on this. Speer is also around somewhat. Actors are dead look-alikes, so much so that many aren't even announced (Goering, Goebbles, Himmler, Borman, Jodle, Keitle etc etc) It's also a German film, so it's given all the more meaning. There is so much attention to detail, and they assume you know a fair bit (Hitler quotes [I dont think they even put any flase words into his mounth] the generals, the war, hindsight). They even show Goebble's limp.
Its critics say it's too kind to Hitler, but it's simply factual. They contrast his known brutality with a tender side. This accuratly humanizes the man, which is historically essential in abstracting meanings from the madness.
Take this for it's word. It's remarkably compatible with most accounts (including Speer's self-serving one).
Hitler: Rise of evil - (the tele-movie) was around when I did this subject, but that bias, english, hollywood account of Germany and Hilter doesnt even come within light years of this.
(Directed by the Inspector Rex dude, [I wonder if Blondie was Rex?])
I haven't been this impressed with a film for so long.
If you're interested in this topic, you wont be dissapointed. If you're not, it may spark something for you!
See it. See it plenty. See it until your eyes bleed.

 

[fleepbasding]

Is this film coming out in cinemas? If so when? If not how can we get hold of it?

 

[Iron]

It's out, but i dont think the big shots are showing it. It's won several awards though. I guess subtitles turn off most of todays illiterate audience.
It will be somewhere in your town.

 

[leetom]

I rallied my Modern class to go see it. Excursion time!

 

[Iron]

Ah leetom. Truest of the true.

 

[leetom]

I'm looking forward to reaping a ton of quotes from it.

 

[Wolverine]

I saw it today and i absouletly loved it... I especially liked how it showed not just Hitler comming to an end but also how the Third Reich was breaking apart and the lies and deciet that Hitler didnt know about... Me and my modern class after it were discussing and this was one of the main questions.. Because the movie shows Hitlers human side did u feel sorry for him at the end when he commited suicide, half of my class did and the other half didnt... i personaly didnt... but what are ur thoughts Iron Woman???? i would like to discuss the movie with u!!!

 

[Iron]

A superb work. A great contrast of the hell outside the bunker to the maddness within it. Like all great movies it's not only telling a story, it also says something about human nature.
Germany has a bit of a fascist resurgence on its hands, but the film isnt sympathetic to Hitler, just more realistic than the hitherto 'satan incarnate' interpretation.
But on the way out, you'd hear people saying things like "It was such a shame, he had such a way with people", "He was such a brilliant man" and the like....I just figured that I saw it with the neo-nazi canberra division.
It was good how hitler's death was an anti-climax though ('bulls-eye') and it showed how the people still suffered a fair deal afterwards...
What else...The musical score was appropriate sombre Germanic piano-type... Umm...
Im not sure how to take the ending "being young was no excuse", I dont know. It didnt seem appropriate somehow. It was important that we saw the secretary realise the mass murder etc., but i'm unsure as to whether they could've ended on a more meaningful note? What do people think about the ending?

[edit] Come to think of it, I guess it was another counter-culture way of not soley blaming Hitler and realising that German people aren't absolved from responsibility for their past.(They also plenty emphasise that he wasnt really in command in the bunker, therefore it was appropriate that his death was by-the-by)

 

[nwatts]

Iron woman: No, I thought the ending was exceptional. It ended like films should end. Without the bang, the sentimentality and the bullshit. (To put it in frank terms!) Junge simply spoke of what she felt, and how she felt responsible, even considering she essentially had no part in what havoc the Nazis wreaked.

I agree with you on the great contrast between the claustraphobic bunker and the mass shelling and invasion in outdoor Berlin. Worked very well, and moved the film along at a fantastic pace.

I own this on DVD now (imported it in from Germany), and I must say it's a favourite of mine. One of the best films of recent years, as well as serving as an excellent reference to the final days of the war. There are a number of minor events that are either out of order, or dramatised, but I feel it's very authentic and true to the events it was based from. Ganz's performance is also very good.

 

[Iron]

I agree, the ending wasn't a cleche'd 'Yay it's all over, yay we won the lotto, yay we're getting married', which was appropriate.

In terms of Ganz, I think he actually up-stages Hitler. Could that be a problem with history based film? Making people/events seem greater then they perhaps were?

 

[Bunts]

I thought the movie was absolutely brilliant. I did find myself sympathising with Hitler but had to keep reminding myself about everything he did. It also brought it all to life for me. Especially the whole Goebbels family, when she said "there is no future without national socialism" it really hit home to me how much people were committed to this government. I mean her killing her own kids just makes me think they're crazy to believe so strongly in this philosophy... do you reckon she was effected by propaganda or she truly believed this (considering her husband made most of the propaganda)

 

[Iron]

Magna was a nut job and the part was well played (in expert Thatcher style). I liked the contempt she seemed to have for her hubby too. Probably thought he was a weak cripple. That must've been sad for him.
It's not kind to Hilter, Goebbels, Magna etc. But to be fair, it's far too kind to others.
Im thinking about Speer uncomfortably shifting in his chair when Hitler talks about the holocaust. Please.
The secretary also gives a few wide-eyed glances to this effect at these sort of revelations - Apparently, the secretary [sorry about names] came from Nazi-mad parents and she worked her way up the ranks of the various Nazi women organisations etc etc- hardly oblivious to old fashioned Jew hating talk.
The SS doctor (who didnt want to die) was also implicated in medical experiments in the infamous prison camps of the easter front and was consequently barred from further medical practice after the war.
Furthermore, the German commander who advocates helping the civilians and getting rid of the vulksturm was placated in butchering surrendered allies on the western front.

So although it's a little dissapointing that there were some things glossed over, I'd say this will still be the definative bunker film.

 

[Jayphen]

I'm half-way through watching it right now. it's awesome, really does bring the entire subject to life.

 

[Abbeygale]

Hitler: Rise of evil - (the tele-movie) was around when I did this subject, but that bias, english, hollywood account of Germany and Hilter doesnt even come within light years of this.
(Directed by the Inspector Rex dude, [I wonder if Blondie was Rex?])

I remember reading that Rise of Evil was originally meant to deal with a better concept- examining how Hitler's upbringing and early experiences may have shaped him. Jewish groups were afraid that it may cause viewers to see Hitler in a more sympathetic light, and objected, so the telemovie was reworked, resulting in a more traditional 'look what a psychopath Hitler was' story.

As for the original point, Downfall is playing at a cinema in my town soon, which I'm looking forward to.

 

[braindrainedAsh]

I really want to see this film.

Hitler: The Rise of Evil was craptastic from what I remember of it.

The Pianist is good.

We also watched some movie that was in German about a jewish boy who was in the Hitler Youth.... I can't remember what it was called, but it was quite good.

 

[Iron]

I read a book that fits that description...'The last Summer' or something with the word summer in it?

 

[cimbom]

apparently life is beautiful, the pianist and schindler's list are the only nazi films worth seeing... i've only seen the first two and they were excellent . Downfall was fantastic too, but i've heard some things about Hitler not being THAT affected by Parkinson's disease towards the end. Goebbels didn't look like Goebbels... and he didn't shoot Magda, they got SS to shoot them both. Anyway, it was really good.

 

[a8o]

apparently life is beautiful, the pianist and schindler's list are the only nazi films worth seeing... i've only seen the first two and they were excellent . Downfall was fantastic too, but i've heard some things about Hitler not being THAT affected by Parkinson's disease towards the end. Goebbels didn't look like Goebbels... and he didn't shoot Magda, they got SS to shoot them both. Anyway, it was really good.

Best World War II movie ever is Das Boot. Also very worth seeing are Nowhere in Africa, Where Eagles Dare, U571 and Saving Private Ryan.

 

[xeuyrawp]

I read a book that fits that description...'The last Summer' or something with the word summer in it?

Your review was very impressive, and I think very accurate. The movie was great, and I loved Bruno Ganz in the part.

Apparently he listened to the 42 recording of Hitler at the Mannerheim Party to prepare himself for the role

 

[angel_fire]

oh my goodness. This film is like Wow.. it is almost like being there they did such a good job. I talked my modern teacher into taking us as a class due to there is only 6 of us and we did and it just made us realise the reality of what we just studied. the movie is so good you don't even notice the sub titles they just come naturally. I advise any modern student to go and see it if they haven't already. It is fantastic and fits well with everything you have studied. It even has Speer in it which was good as for we did him for our individual study. If you can go i highly suggest it. everything about it is amazing. I personally did not feel sorry for hitler and our teacher said the disease was shown to how hitler really was but whether that is true or not i don't know. The only person who actually started crying when Hitler died was the mother of one of the girls who we had to take to drive us. But she hasn't studied it she didn;t realise the impact Hitler actually had prior to the time the movie explored. but we fixed that and she soon changed her mind. Well i do suggest it to everyone who has studied Germany and even if you enjoy history and know about Hitler and his rise i strongly suggest it to you as well.