"Downfall." Has anyone seen it?

[VolcanoJen]

Just finished it, and it was the most absorbing film.

It's essentially about the fall of the Third Reich, from inside Hitler's bunker, and through the eyes of his secretary, Traudl Junge, to an extent.

When this film was nominated for an Oscar, there was some controversy that critics found it elicited sympathy for those in the bunker. I braced myself for this, but had the opposite experience and felt more contempt for these monsters than ever.

Watching a German language film about the bunker drew me in so much more than I expected... and Bruno Ganz as Hitler and Ulrich Mattes as Goebbels were terrifying, complex, and hideous.

I'd recommend this film to anyone, but especially those with an interest in historical dramas. The DVD is out now.

[girl gone mad]

1. It's in my queue on netflix.

I can't wait to see it. I was a student of German WWII history (pre, post and during) so I am eager to see this interpretation of events.

I am opposed to the de-humanizition of Hitler. Many people prefer to view Hitler as some kind of otherworldly demon. I think they find it more comforting to believe he was such an extreme aberration that it couldn't possibly happen again. Others don't like to the idea that someone who was ultimately so weak and cowardly was responsible for so much death and destruction.

I think that approach is a mistake. If people fail to recognize and understand Hitler's seductive qualities for what they were, then they are not likely to recognize them next time, until it is too late.

[VolcanoJen]

2. The film won't disappoint you.

He's played as human, indeed. More human than I've ever seen him portrayed, down to his crippled hand shaking behind his back. The acting is just incredible. You'll see.

I was a little shocked to see him raging over maps and moving these non-existent armies around, and his officers surrounding him, seeing his delusion but for whatever reasons too weakened to organize or speak out. It was human. It shows how weak humans can be, and are, indeed. It's an important film to watch because, you're so right, Hitler is always portrayed so outrageously... he's so real in this film, which is what makes it all frightening. And Frau Goebbels... my goodness.

Frau Junge I felt a tinge of sympathy for. A tinge. I'm not happy about it.

I just thought the early criticisms revolving around the director supposedly portraying these people sympathetically were unfair, after watching the film.

I got mine through Netflix too!