Downfall

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Buy This Item Downfall by Sony Pictures  Available from Amazon  $8.49  on 8-10-2008     The riveting subject of <I>Downfall</I> is nothing less than the disintegration of Adolf Hitler in mind, body, and soul. A 2005 Academy Award nominee for best foreign language film, this German historical drama stars Bruno Ganz (<I>Wings of Desire</I>) as Hitler, whose psychic meltdown is depicted in sobering detail, suggesting a fallen, pathetic dictator on the verge on insanity, resorting to suicide (along with Eva Braun and Joseph and Magda Goebbels) as his Nazi empire burns amidst chaos in mid-1945. While staging most of the film in the claustrophobic bunker where Hitler spent his final days, director Oliver Hirschbiegel (<I>Das Experiment</I>) dares to show the gentler human side of <I>der Fuehrer</I>, as opposed to the pure embodiment of evil so familiar from many other Nazi-era dramas. This balanced portrayal does not inspire sympathy, however: We simply see the complexity of Hitler's character in the greater context of his inevitable downfall, and a more realistic (and therefore more horrifying) biographical portrait of madness on both epic and intimate scales. By ending with a chilling clip from the 2002 documentary <I>Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary</I>, this unforgettable film gains another dimension of sobering authenticity. <I>--Jeff Shannon</I> Reader Reviews Downfall, in my opinion, should be placed along-side masterpieces such as 2001 and the Decalogue, as one of the best achievments in the history of the cinema. This german-made film is perfectly acted, written and photographed. I am sure that present-day hollywood could never have achieved such an accomplishment. Bruno Ganz IS Hitler. There will be no doubt of this when you view the film. The other actors do amazing jobs as well. There has never before been such a realistic and acurate portrail of Nazi Germany. I never thought that as an American, I would be capable of feeling great sympathy for the Nazis - but I did. Such is the power of a powerfull film driven by superb acting. There are many moments in this film in which a viewer could be easily moved to tears. This is what Cinema is supposed to be all about.

Downfall Available from Amazon Price: $8.49 Updated on 8-10-2008.

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