Birthday present

[Feral]

This review of the film is quite enthusiastic. From a strictly historical perspective, the film would appear to be well-recommended.

One of the best war movies ever made, "Downfall" is a powerful and artistically masterful re-creation of the last days of the Third Reich. A film that will set new standards in the art of committing history to celluloid, it is sure to spark strong word-of-mouth and generate ticket sales on the art house circuit -- and could pick up major awards.

The script, written masterfully by producer Bernd Eichinger ("The Name of the Rose," "The House of the Spirits"), closely follows the definitive book "Inside Hitler's Bunker," by renowned historian Joachim Fest, as well as on the reminiscences of Hitler's secretary, Traudl Junge, whose story was turned into an excellent interview/documentary under the title "Blind Spot" (two sections of the interview frame the dramatized action of "Downfall"). Although the young Junge acts as a kind of main character, Eichinger has resisted the temptation to invent any nonhistoric characters for the viewer to sympathize with. What we get in "Downfall" is as close to what really happened as we will ever see on celluloid.

[K6]

I have seen only some short episodes in a "making of" presentation on TV, but decided not to go in - was it a mistake? The general comments in the german press were ambivalent: greate movie, but doubtfull political message. In Germany there was a trend in the last years to emphasize German sufferings during the WWII - and this notion appeared to many here (me included) as less suitable.

So you say the film is good? I shall watch out for a DVD then. 

I know very well and in detail WWII.The film is very good and realistic,save in the case of one character: Eva Braun,Hitler`s mistress.In real life,she was a shy person,not extraverted like in the movie.The actor who plays the role of Hitler,Bruno Ganz,is a perfect copycat of the Fuhrer,both in outward appearance and in behavior.As a foreigner (in the eyes of the Germans),I have the impression that the film was adapted for a German audience,since it depicts a lot of german suffering.But otherwise it remains a correct representation of the historical events.I therefore recommend you the movie,but that`s my kind of movie: historical and intensely dramatic.I once saw other European war movies,Polish and Russian ones.They to were not like our north American Hollywoodian ones.They also had a melodramatic intensity which is found in no American war movie.

K6

[Mogul]

[..] I have enjoyed every minute of that movie.Perhaps Mogul also knows it ? If so,I would like to hear his commentary. [..]

Happy birthday, K6! 

I have seen only some short episodes in a "making of" presentation on TV, but decided not to go in - was it a mistake? The general comments in the german press were ambivalent: greate movie, but doubtfull political message. In Germany there was a trend in the last years to emphasize German sufferings during the WWII - and this notion appeared to many here (me included) as less suitable.

So you say the film is good? I shall watch out for a DVD then. 

[K6]

This could be of interest to our friend Mogul.

A close relative of mine - the last who remains actually since both our parents departed some years ago - offered me as a birthday gift a picture movie in German subtitled in English,in the knowledge of my keen interest for military history.The title is "Downfall",a Bernd Eichinger production.I am not too godd with German,but I understand it fairly well when it comes to  military operations or tactics.

I have enjoyed every minute of that movie.Perhaps Mogul also knows it ? If so,I would like to hear his commentary.

K6