Criminal
12-06-2005, 07:50 AM
http://www.downfallthefilm.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/
Anyone else see this film? It was a German film showing Hitler's final days and the events surrounding the fall of Berlin. It was a remarkably chilling story. One that we may already have known but brought to life in gory detail. Here we see the Furher, played by Bruno Ganz as you have never seen him. We see his advanced stage of Parkinson's disease causing him to twitch. He is capible of great compassion to his staff yet utterly obscene indifference to the suffering of his own people as the Red Army seals the fate of the doomed German Capital.
The film captures a group of people, men, women and children facing their own doom. We see the surealism of German commanders drinking and celibrating the end of the world as they knew it.
The film is shown through the eyes of Traudl Junge, Hitler's most beloved secretary, played by Alexandra Maria Lara. Traudl is seen as a young woman, dedicated to her work and devoted to her boss, the Furher himself. She is dedicated to carrying out the Furhers' final requests in spite of the world crumbling around her.
Also shown is the story of the family of Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels had remained at the Furhers side until the end and his loyal wife remained with her children as well. In one of the most shocking scenes of the film, Magda, Goebbels's wife poisons all her children before dying with her husband.
An equilly chilling story is that of Eva Braun, played by Juliane Köhler. As Hitler's mistress she was the softer edge of the Furher's entourage. She remains by his side knowing that their doom was arriving. She smiles and remains cheerful even to the very end.
In one very haunting scene Braun orders a party to be thrown with music and dancing while the sounds of bombs fall around the city.
We also see the war's toll on the civilian populace as young Hitler's youths pledge to defend the city while old men of the Volkstrum throw their lives away. We see Hitler pinching the cheeks and smiling dotingly at children who were decorated for heroism, before sending them back to fight the Russians.
We see Nazi Stormtroopers fanatically lynching and shooting deserters and civilians suspected of enemy collaboration.
The insanity of the doomed city does not penatrate Hitler's bunker where he gazes on the portrate of Fredrek the Great and dreams of a miricle which will never happen.
The story is unsettling and one which is not for the fainthearted. But it tells a timeless story that we must never forget.
I give the movie four stars.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/
Anyone else see this film? It was a German film showing Hitler's final days and the events surrounding the fall of Berlin. It was a remarkably chilling story. One that we may already have known but brought to life in gory detail. Here we see the Furher, played by Bruno Ganz as you have never seen him. We see his advanced stage of Parkinson's disease causing him to twitch. He is capible of great compassion to his staff yet utterly obscene indifference to the suffering of his own people as the Red Army seals the fate of the doomed German Capital.
The film captures a group of people, men, women and children facing their own doom. We see the surealism of German commanders drinking and celibrating the end of the world as they knew it.
The film is shown through the eyes of Traudl Junge, Hitler's most beloved secretary, played by Alexandra Maria Lara. Traudl is seen as a young woman, dedicated to her work and devoted to her boss, the Furher himself. She is dedicated to carrying out the Furhers' final requests in spite of the world crumbling around her.
Also shown is the story of the family of Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels had remained at the Furhers side until the end and his loyal wife remained with her children as well. In one of the most shocking scenes of the film, Magda, Goebbels's wife poisons all her children before dying with her husband.
An equilly chilling story is that of Eva Braun, played by Juliane Köhler. As Hitler's mistress she was the softer edge of the Furher's entourage. She remains by his side knowing that their doom was arriving. She smiles and remains cheerful even to the very end.
In one very haunting scene Braun orders a party to be thrown with music and dancing while the sounds of bombs fall around the city.
We also see the war's toll on the civilian populace as young Hitler's youths pledge to defend the city while old men of the Volkstrum throw their lives away. We see Hitler pinching the cheeks and smiling dotingly at children who were decorated for heroism, before sending them back to fight the Russians.
We see Nazi Stormtroopers fanatically lynching and shooting deserters and civilians suspected of enemy collaboration.
The insanity of the doomed city does not penatrate Hitler's bunker where he gazes on the portrate of Fredrek the Great and dreams of a miricle which will never happen.
The story is unsettling and one which is not for the fainthearted. But it tells a timeless story that we must never forget.
I give the movie four stars.