Downfall

lukin

Can't wait to see it. Nearly every review I've read of it has been positive, the guy who play Hitler (Bruno Ganz) is supposed to be outstanding.
He certainly looks the part anyway, he's the head off him!

magick

yup, saw the trailer, it looks class, a real look into the last hours of Hitler, im glad they went the whole human side of him instead of the usual mad evil type that we see time and time again

Raoul Duke

Seen it. Thought it was very good. The more you know your history the bigger the kick you will get out of it. No idea about how accurate the portrayals were myself but it was very interesting to "witness" those last few hours.

ronano

It's showing in the ugc tonight at 8.30 it is not a ugc card preview something to do with irish times but you know buy a ticket and sneak into it

Chong

Does anybody know when this movie goes on national release. I am looking so forward to seeing it. Filminfo.net informs its not due for release until the 15th April but this cant be true as it is to be released in the UK on Friday.

herobear

filminfo although generally fine does have some dodgy release dates, its been confirmed its being released this friday anyhow

boo4842

I saw this in Berlin at the end of September last year. It was probably the most memorable cinematic experiences of my life. Sitting in the theatre surrounded by people who live in the city being portrayed in the movie. One part they mentioned that postdamer platz had been taken by the allies, and that was the exact spot where we sitting. It really hit home, and made the whole trip to Germany seem sureal.

The big bottles of beer they sell in the lobby don't hurt either.

Bri

Excellent I thought I'd missed this for good after it was on at the Film Festival. Gets great reviews. Really looking forward to it.

RedorDead

I saw it Saturday night in the screen off d'olier street. As far as i know its only getting limited release which is a shame. Such an amazing film. Bruno Ganz (hitler) is stupendous in it - apparently he spent time in Hitlers hometown to perfect his accent.
The Goebells are extremely scary. Probably even more so than Hitler.

Marvellous cinematography. How it was ignored in the oscars is frankly beyond me.

You tend to wonder about the cinema goers of Ireland when you see the likes of Be Cool and Miss Congeniality get nationwide release ahead of this.

Cinemas getting like the single charts in music.

ionapaul

Saw it yesterday - great movie. Very large crowd for a Sunday afternoon. Fairly accurate historically - maybe refresh your history with Beevor's 'Berlin' (a very light read accessible to non-historians) before heading in. Ganz's Hitler portrayal seemed right on the money. The only downside for me was sitting near two middle-aged women, one of whom tittered each time Hitler went on a rant (a good dozen times during the movie). This is why middle-aged people should not be allowed to the cinema, or even out in public.

TwoShedsJackson

Saw it last night, it was superb, Ganz is fantastic in it, but the guy who played Goebbels nearly stole every scene he was in - terrifying.

youcancallmeal

I presume there arent any versions of it being dubbed in english? This would ruin it imo!

Dac51

For those who want to watch it at home it is available on DVD here.

Region 2 as well if you don't have a multiregion player. Plus it has english subtitles and DD 5.1/DTS.

tSubh Dearg

I saw this with the bf on Sunday night. The cinema was packed and there wasn't a peep out of anyone through the whole film. It was one of the best films I've seen. I'm not really a history buff so some of the stuff in it was new to me and it just amazed me how tight a grip Hitler had on some people.

I agree with the other comments that the Goebells were scary! They freaked me out completely, Mrs almost more so than the dear Dr.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone.

simu

I just saw this and found it to be very good. It humanises the situation but in a good way - it forces you to wonder how people can mess things up so much and end up in such a mad situation. Ganz is very convincing (and so different from the kind angel in Der Himmel ueber Berlin!) and he really gets the kindly Bavarian side of Hitler out (don't watch it dubbed or you'll miss things like Hitler's different accent). I also thought they portrayed peoples' obsession with Hitler very well, with Eva Braun especially and it was fascinating to see how delusion tightened its grip on the bunker as the Russians approached.

Karl Hungus

I honestly don't know what to say about it. I don't think I've been quite as shaken by a film in quite some time, and I doubt I will be again for a very long time. Bruno Ganz was certainly breath-taking, but for that matter so was everyone else in the film, there wasn't a single bad preformance all round.

ykt0di9url7bc3

Gripping

simu

More thoughts on this:

This is the best portrayal of Hitler I've seen so far. You see that he was a human being (and not "evil incarnate") and you could imagine, had things been different, how he might have ended up being a rather eccentric man living in Bavaria in the countryside or whatever. However, at no point can you feel sympathy for him. He comes accross as a pathetic, weak old man at points and as someone who has lost all sense of reality and is choked with hate and fury in others. Unlike many other portrayals of Hitler (as the "evilest guy ever" on those all those "history" channel "documentaries" or even the portrayal of him as a troubled outsider who got caught up in history in films such as "Max"), the Hitler you see in this film is not likely to become an idol for any troubled minds. Nazi symbolism and Hitler's public persona were very alluring and the Nazi era seems to have a greater hold on people's imagination than other similarly destructive regimes even to this day so I think it's important for people dealing with them in the media to remember this and to try to show the whole story rather than going for melodrama.

Also, the fact that the film was made in German adds a lot of credibility. When you have English-speaking actors with their "Ve haf vaze of making you talk" accents, it's impossible to get rid completely of the thought that this is just a bunch of people playing at "being Nazis" rather than really trying to get to grips with the subject and the motivations of the people of the time.

gandalf

Saw this today at long last. It is an extremely worthwhile film, showing Hitler as a human being and not the cartoon monster that he is in most films. I think it is far more disturbing showing this side of Hitler. The actor that played him was absolutely excellent as were the supporting cast.

One of the most chilling scenes I have ever seen in the cinema was Mrs. Goebells saying "goodnight" to her children, there was complete silence in a fairly full cinema at that scene.

Will buy this on DVD and add it to my anti-war film collection along with Catch 22, Cross of Iron, Max & Conspiracy.

ObeyGiant

I think this could have been a much better film with some judicious editing.
2 1/2 hours to tell a story that's 2 hours long, at best?

And is it really wrong that I found her very hot in that SS uniform?

pickarooney

Can't say I enjoyed it much at all. Sure, it was worthy, well acted etc. but there was nothing really interesting about it. I dunno, I think I'm just bored shítless of WWII films.

Fysh

pickarooney wrote:

Can't say I enjoyed it much at all. Sure, it was worthy, well acted etc. but there was nothing really interesting about it. I dunno, I think I'm just bored shítless of WWII films.

Well, if you don't find Ganz's portrayal of Hitler as a human being (albeit a clearly deranged one) rather than just treating him as the pinnacle of evil as he's usually presented, then fair enough. But I don't think it's fair to compare this to other WWII films because its theme was so different to the typical themes for WWII flicks.

This was, for me, the most interesting war film I've seen precisely because it systematically avoided presenting the "enemy" as they have been shown to us in propaganda, instead choosing the more uncomfortable option of making us aware of their humanity.

ObeyGiant

Well, beyond what you're saying about showing their 'humanity' (I didn't see much humanity in Mr. and Mrs. Goebbels, so choked by National Socialism that they could kill their children for the cause), there are a lot of things about the film that either weren't true or were completely made up.

For example, the subplot of the 'child'. This was, for the most part, the filmmaker's invention, and is almost certainly lifted from other war movies (much like the girl in the red coat in Schindler's List). Another example is that of Schenk, who is presented as a humanitarian in the film, fighting against his superior's brutality but was, in reality, a cruel man who conducted many human experiments.

Uncomfortable? Yes, but for all the wrong reasons.

golfgirl

I think this was probably the best portrayal of Hitler so far seen on screens .. I agree that it's so much better to see a movie like this in German with German actors (especially if you have a little german to relate to) .. Ganz's hitler was much better than Robert Carlisle's .. There was a drama on BBC about a year ago which was pretty good too, the 'board meeting' about the jewish 'problem' ..

I loved the claustrophobia of the bunker, the action scenes were well done, the whole pointlessness of it all .. and yes, I'm sure there are inaccuracies, after all it's a film, not a documentary .. the boy's story was just a way of showing the destruction from another view ..

'Das Boot' is a better movie in my opinion, actually the raucous dancing scenes really reminded me of scenes from Das Boot. Of course they are two very different films, so it's hard to compare, I suppose you can't really say you enjoyed Downfall .. We came out pretty traumatised, don't think I've seen so many suicides in one movie (spoiler? I don't think so!) .. the audience filed out very quietly. Definitely worth catching if you can.

pickarooney

ObeyGiant wrote:

Well, beyond what you're saying about showing their 'humanity' (I didn't see much humanity in Mr. and Mrs. Goebbels, so choked by National Socialism that they could kill their children for the cause), there are a lot of things about the film that either weren't true or were completely made up.

Yeah, I'm not sure what's so groundbreaking here. So Hitler was a nasty kúnt, what's new? Did you really think he was an alien from planet evil befoer seeing the film?

herobear

i thought this film was mediocre at best,
the majority of the time i was sitting there bored out of my skull, i dont get why this film is being championed as a must-see and a masterpiece by the general public, the first time i saw this i fell asleep within 10 minutes(although that was my fault, lack of sleep the night before) on my second try i was wide awake but still the film was boring the hell out of me. the only character i found remotely fascinating was Dr. Goebbels, the rest were boring(wow, a sympathetic Hitler :rolleyes: ) yes im sure in real life he was like he was portrayed in the film, they did show a bad side to him too, so i didnt find it that surprising.
i had absolute no interest in the characters otherwise(there were way too many of them anyway) and the film dragged(bloody hell did it drag on forever)
and this is coming from someone who's favourite film is a 6 1/2 hour italian epic.
the only remotely likable bit in the film for me was

the interview bit at the end, which i found strangely poignant

if you want to see a good likeable german film thats currently on release, check out the edukators

ObeyGiant

Herobear: The interview bit at the end was taken from a 2002 documentary about Junge called "Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary". If you liked it, it might be worth hunting down.

herobear

ObeyGiant wrote:

Herobear: The interview bit at the end was taken from a 2002 documentary about Junge called "Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary". If you liked it, it might be worth hunting down.

wow, awesome thanks
will do

oh and something i forgot to mention in my above post, Downfall is being pimped as being an important film, its not(especially seeing as pretty much everybody has their own views on WWII) and especially mainly because its only speculation.
if you want to see a film thats not only important but truthfully successful check out Hotel Rwanda
not only is that painfully truthful, but its a subject thats in danger of being forgotten(a tragedy for an event that only happened 11 years ago)

gandalf

golfgirl wrote:

There was a drama on BBC about a year ago which was pretty good too, the 'board meeting' about the jewish 'problem' ...

That film is called Conspiracy and well worth catching imho. Another very chilling film.

pickarooney

herobear wrote:

and this is coming from someone who's favourite film is a 6 1/2 hour italian epic.

La Meglio Gioventù by any chance?

herobear

pickarooney wrote:

La Meglio Gioventù by any chance?

indeed , seen it ??

simu

herobear wrote:

indeed , seen it ??

I really want to but I haven't seen it for rent anywhere yet :mad:

Should I chance buying it?

pickarooney

herobear wrote:

indeed , seen it ??

I have it, but have not yet managed to set aside the requisite viewing time

herobear

it hasnt been released on r2 yet(unless you want to buy it straight from italy with no english subtitles)
it was supposed to be released in february(according to play.com) but was cancelled for some unknown reason

mad m

Is this film in english or German and english subtitles?

thanks

samo

Downfall is in German with English subtitles (have this on order from cdwow arriving next week!), not sure about the other films discussed here though except Conspiracy which is English speaking and also starring kenneth Branangh

Just to add www.cd-wow.net were selling 2 different versions, 1 was the 1 disc version with some bonus features and DTS with which the main feature had the English subtitles and then a 2 disc premium version which apparently is very similar but has all bonus features on 2nd disc, apparently the bonus features on either DONT have English subtitles though so I'm told, the 2 disc versions a coupla euro more.

Enii

Showing in Liffey Valley. Well worth going to see. Be warned though it is subtitled - but I found it fine. Over 2 and a half hours long. Anyone else see it yet?

sailorboy

http://www.reviews.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews11/downfall.htm
read this i have it on dvd
very very interesting movie
id give it a 9/10

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Drag00n79

Biggish thread already on this movie here.

ixoy

Threads merged to keep it neat.

mobile04

simu wrote:

I really want to but I haven't seen it for rent anywhere yet :mad:

Should I chance buying it?

you cant buy it unless you get an import.
i have a french dvd of it mate
i could loan it to you or sumtin..

littlejay

exelent movie.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=253629

Drag00n79

simu wrote:

I really want to but I haven't seen it for rent anywhere yet
Should I chance buying it?

It's available to buy from Amazon Germany since mid-March.
Premium Edition [Double DVD]
Standard Edition [Single DVD]

Dracula88

Bruno Ganz played an amazing portrayal of Adolf Hitler words can't even describe how brilliant Ganz is. Downfall is a must have film about World War II and the last days of Hitler under the Reich Chancellery.

MayoForSam

:eek: Nazi-zombie-thread anyone?

Fysh

MayoForSam wrote: »

:eek: Nazi-zombie-thread anyone?

Bruno Ganz wasn't in Dead Snow, was he? :eek:

I think zombie threads should be allowed in the likes of Films - a bump means somebody new could see this absolutely amazing movie.

Paddy Samurai

Deleted User wrote: »

I think zombie threads should be allowed in the likes of Films - a bump means somebody new could see this absolutely amazing movie.

Yeah I agree,it makes sense in films that threads can be resurrected.:)