Downfall

This is one of the finest, if not THE finest, film ever made about WW2. It is extremely well made and acted. Even though Bruno Ganz was (superbly) acting, he came across as a real life Hitler and I now understand why the Führer was such a magnetic yet fearful figure at the same time. The aura of menace is simply frightening. I will not write too much because I will be just reiterating the positive things that most others have written. On the negative side, I also agree with one poster who said the ending was rather weak and sentimental (after Trudi escapes from the bunker) - the only part that let the film down. However, I will ignore that sequence simply for the general brilliance of the film. My most stunning and memorable scene was where the Goebbels children were quietly and 'sensitively' (if there can ever be a 'sensitive' killing) murdered by their mother. I am a hairy type of male who doesn't get upset easily but I had tears running down my face during this harrowing scene - absolutely chilling. This film should be made part of the National Curriculam for all children over 12 years old. Forget all the overly dramatic 'John Wayne' or even the very good 'Saving Private Ryan' type of WW2 films, they are pale when compared with this film. Although the subtitles in English have been done for the hard of hearing (as well as for us that don't understand German) it does not distract from the overall quality of the film. I am glad though that it wasn't dubbed in English because that would have ruined it. The special effects were thankfully not computer generated and added a wonderful realism to the film. And if you have 'surround sound' turn up the volume and experience the stunning sound effects throughout, especially when shells are exploding.

Powerful, "must watch" TV. I'll swear Bruno Ganz looks, sounds and behaves more like Hitler than Hitler did! Quite uncanny. Downfall/Der Untergang, Das Boot, and maybe Generation War will give you a different perspective from the usual "The gang who couldn't shoot straight" portrayal by Hollywood. It's a bit uncomfortable to see some awful people showing human frailty, and to see, say, a principled surgeon attending to wounded soldiers and civilians, before pulling on his SS uniform.

Foreign films are not really noted for their cinematic successes, although a few have turned up over the years to worldwide critical acclaim. This is one of them, and needs to be seen. The final few months of World War 11 were so profound that it changed the map of Europe for generations, leaving a Germany politically and economically divided until the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Curiously enough, Adolf Hitlers Bunker where this film takes place lies within the shadow of where the wall once stood. It is an extraordinary film in more ways than one. The atmosphere, the sets, the acting, are all outstanding in many ways. I do not think there can be a filmed version of Hitlers final days and the Third Reich's Gotterdammerung will ever be surpassed by this film. Some of the scenes may be difficult to sit through; for instance, Magda Goebbels destruction of her entire family of six children, all poisoned by cyanide, then her own death and that of the death of her husband, the Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels by SS Guards. Also, the terrible destruction in Berlin itself by Russian armaments, and numerous soldiers and civilians struggling to survive within the ruins of what was once a great city. I cannot rate this film too highly, and must say it is one of the great foreign films of the last thirty years. Bruno Ganz's portrayal of Adolf Hitler is superb. He makes Hitler perhaps too human at times. It is easy to forget that it was Hitler's vision of a Europe free from Jewry and other races and individuals which led to a terrible destructive war in 1939 ending within a Bunker beneath a destroyed city in 1945. Alexandra Maria Lara portrays Hitlers secretary Traudl Junge with much sympathy. She comes across as a terribly niave person who for some reason or other, failed to acknowledge that her employer was an evil man who denied Human Rights to Races and Individuals simply because he believed that they did not the right to exist within his dream of a perfect society. For those viewers who wish to know more about Traudl Junge who died of old age a few years ago, there are some good books and documentaries around which will give an insight into her character. She is interviewed on a few occasions during that wonderful historical Thames Television series World At War now available on DVD. This DVD is supplemented with numerous documentaries, including the making of Downfall, and interviews with the cast and filmmaker.

I just watched this movie on Amazon Prime, having read Traudl Junge's biography some time ago. Initially I was surprised that the movie was going to concentrate only on Hitler's very last days in Berlin. Her diaries and the biography covered a longer period and are a rich source of material about Hitler and the Third Reich. Going back further would have given valuable insight into how Hitler's fortunes changed over the course of WW2. But, on reflection, this is a big subject and it was probably better to concentrate on the most turbulent period. Whether you believe that Traudl's decision to take the job as Hitler's private secretary was influenced by her youth and excitement at being close to someone so powerful, it's true that her diaries have provided us with the legacy of one of the closest factual accounts we have of the period and especially the last days in the bunker in Berlin. Bruno Ganz is superb in the role of Adof Hitler. Completely authentic and compelling based on what I've seen of material broadcast by and about Hitler. The movie is mesmerizing and absorbing. The savagery of war as a whole is all here, and it hardly needs saying that the closer it became to being inevitable that the Reich was doomed, the more savage it all became. The only fly in the ointment for me was the Americanized English of the subtitles. I cringed every time 'gotta' was used for 'got to', but luckily I understand German reasonably well, so did not have to rely on the subtitles too much. Kudos to the amazing Bruno Ganz, but also many congratulations to the entire excellent cast, for portraying such an important event so believably. The movie is a roller coaster ride of disbelief and horror.

Very pleased with the DVD. Speedy delivery and I will be buying again from the same supplier..

There are so many wonderful aspects to this film, from the actors, director, makeup to the costume and production designer.Taken from the book by Traudl Junge, Hitlers last private secretary, she recounts the last days of his life and his demagogicrule while ensconced in the bunker set below the Reichstag.Hitler was a great orator, albeit someone who was paranoid, exciteable, depressed and often all three at the same time BUT he was capable of holding his audience in his hand, an audience that at times consisted of hundreds of thousands of people. He would NOT tolerate failure whatever the reasons and no matter by whom.Bruno Ganz is quite outstanding as the megalomaniac German leader, Alexandra Maria Lara - Traudl Junge whom she plays as being a little 'naive'. Corinna Harfouch - Magda Goebbels, who comes across as even harder than her husband Josef, the Nazi parties accicianado Minister of Propaganda played by Ulrich Matthes who said he could NOT understand HOW Goebbels could show or have any empathy with his victims.The film covers the Russian Army and their entry into Berlin - in the films case supplanted by St.Petersburg where the films crew were given virtually free-rein to make the film.One of the saddest moments in the film comes towards the end when the Goebbels decide life without the Fuhrer just isn't life and they commit mass suicide. Corinna Hafouch states in the films 'extras' that she completely 'broke down' as the time for filming this arrived. Bruno Ganz admitted he was very moved and melancholy when he had one of the child actors playing the Goebbels, sitting on his lap. All those taking part in the film are certain to a man in condemning Hitler, the Nazis and all their terrible actions.The logistics of making the film are explained in the exceptional extras to the film.The film and therefore Bruno Ganz give a first-rate depiction of how Hitler was becoming rapidly unstable as time passed and also that he seemingly had NO idea of what troops he had, where they were at any given time or what they were capable of achieving, and he was also more than willing to sacrifice the WHOLE of the German people, whom he said deserved their fate, indeed blaming THEM for HIS failures.

Great movie, great print, great to own a physical copy

Very very good German movie of the last days of Hitler. Highly recommend for its acting. If you loved Das boot then you will enjoy this

Über ADOLF HITLER und seine letzten Tage im Führerbunker wurden schon unzählige Bücher geschrieben und auch in vielen Filmen wurde das Thema aufgenommen. Allerdings war keiner davon so ausführlich und beeindruckend wie „Der Untergang“ von OLIVER HIRSCHBIEGEL aus dem Jahr 2004. Dass dem so ist, liegt vor allem an der grandiosen Leistung des Schweizer Schauspielers BRUNO GANZ, der den „Führer“ einfach sensationell gut spielt. Nicht nur optisch gleicht er ihm wie ein Ei dem anderen, auch seine Mimik und Gestik sind fast authentisch. Wie er die Stimme HITLERS nachahmt, jagt einem schon einen Schauer über den Rücken, dazu noch die Optik … Weltklasse! Der Film beruht auf dem gleichnamigen Buch des „Hitler-Biografen“ JOACHIM FEST und dem Buch „Bis zur letzten Stunde“ von HITLERS ehemaliger Sekretärin TRAUDL JUNG, die ihre Erinnerungen 2002 zu Papier brachte. Die Macher berufen sich also auf tatsächliche Geschehnisse und haben Erinnerungen von Zeitzeugen in die Handlung eingebaut, was auch ein Grund sein dürfte, warum der Film so authentisch erscheint. „Der Untergang“ ist eigentlich der erste Film, der den Diktator in den Mittelpunkt der Handlung stellt, was für sehr kontroverse Diskussionen sorgte. Ein Grund war, dass man HITLER auch von einer „netten“ Seite kennenlernt, man erfährt, dass er durchaus auch eine liebenswerte Seite hatte. Bei vielen Menschen ist das etwas das überhaupt nicht geht, auch wenn es den Tatsachen entspricht, einen Nazi und alles was mit dem Nationalsozialismus zu tun hat, darf man nach deren Denke nicht positiv darstellen, auch wenn es so war. Ich persönlich finde gerade das so erschreckend, denn der Gedanke, dass selbst HITLER etwas Sympathisches an sich hat, macht mir eigentlich eher Nagst, als wenn man ihn als Bestie darstellt. Man warf dem Film vor, er würde den Nationalsozialismus verharmlosen, was ich so nicht sagen würde. Nur weil man nicht immer das Bestialische in den Vordergrund hebt, den Holocaust thematisiert, verharmlost man nichts. Auch das HITLER in manchen Szenen als charmant und einfühlsam, ja sogar fast sympathisch dargestellt wird, verharmlost meiner Meinung nach nichts. Ich habe viele Bücher über das Thema gelesen und er wird von vielen Zeitzeugen so beschrieben, was seine Taten ja nicht entschuldigt, im Gegenteil, es macht sie noch unbegreiflicher. Neben BRUNO GANZ hat mir noch ganz besonders CORINNA HARFOUCH gefallen, die als „Magda Goebbels“ ebenfalls brillant ist. Die Szenen in denen sie ihre Kinder vergiftet sind fast schon unerträglich, unfassbar zu was diese Frau fähig war, unglaublich wie fanatisch und verblendet sie war. Die Geschichte um die GÖBBELS-Kinder fand ich teilweise unerträglich, das hat mich wirklich schockiert. Wie bereits erwähnt erzählt der Film die Geschichte der letzten Tage von ADOLF HITLER im Führerbunker. Er wird aus der Sicht von TRAUDL JUNGE (Alexandra Maria Lara) erzählt, die 1942 von HITLER in der „Wolfsschanze“ als Sekretärin eingestellt wird. Dieser Teil wird in einer Art Rückblick erzählt, danach macht die Handlung einen Sprung und setzt am 20. April 1945, an HITLERS Geburtstag, wieder ein. Berlin liegt unter Beschuss aber HITLER weigert sich die Stadt zu verlassen, obwohl ihn alle dazu überreden wollen. HITLER hat längst den Bezug zur Realität verloren, er glaubt weiter an den Endsieg und ein germanisches Großreich. Alle Versuche ihm die Lage klar zu machen scheitern, Kritik und Ratschläge quittiert er mit Wutausbrüchen. Diese letzten Tage im Leben des Diktators, vom 20. April bis zum 08. Mai 1945, werden in diesem Film erzählt. BRUNO GANZ und CORINNA HARFOUCH habe ich ja schon lobend erwähnt, aber auch sonst ist der Film gespickt mit erstklassigen Darstellern. ALEXANDRA MARIA LARA ist nur eine davon, besonders zu erwähnen wären noch HEINO FERCH (Albert Speer), ULRICH NOETHEN (Heinrich Himmler), THOMAS KRETSCHMANN (Hermann Fegelein), ULRICH MATTHES (Josef Goebbels) und CHRISTIAN BERKEL (Ernst Günther Schenck). Aber auch die vielen Nebendarsteller sorgen durch ihre erstklassige Performance dafür, dass der Film so authentisch wirkt, die sind alle richtig gut. Ich hätte jetzt wirklich keinen in Erinnerung der schlecht oder gar peinlich gewesen wäre – das passt alles perfekt. Vieler der Außenaufnahmen wurden in Sankt Petersburg gedreht, weil die historische Innenstadt wohl architektonisch viel Ähnlichkeit mit dem damaligen Berlin haben soll. Die Aufnahmen im Führerbunker wurden in München gedreht, die gesamte Produktion ließ sich BERND EICHINGER satte 13,5 Millionen Euro kosten. 2005 wurde „Der Untergang“ in der Kategorie „Ausländischer Film“ für den Oscar nominiert, ausgezeichnet wurde damals „Das Meer in mir“ …. kennt den jemand? Mein Fazit: Mir gefällt „Der Untergang“ sehr, sehr gut, auch wenn er für kontroverse Diskussionen gesorgt hat … oder gerade deswegen! Ich finde es spannend, dass man HITLER nicht nur als Bestie zeigt, sondern als einen Mann, der auch charmant und liebenswert sein konnte. Damit verharmlost man nichts, ich finde, dass ihn gerade das noch viel dämonischer macht, weil es zeigt, dass selbst das personifizierte Böse noch ein nettes Gesicht zeigen kann. Tolle Schauspieler, eine spannende und kurzweilig e Inszenierung – der Film kann was. Schon alleine wegen BRUNO GANZ würde ich ihn empfehlen, ich persönlich finde ihn mehr als nur gelungen … allen Kritikern zum Trotz.

Muy interesamte, buena actuación, aunque el tema es deprimente. Puede tomarse equivocadamente como solamente una trágica vivencia de un grupo de personas inspiradas por un principio erróneo olvidando que ellos causaron la muerte de 40 millones de seres humanos y la miseria física y mental de mollones más,

Tenia 13 años cuando la vi por primera vez, no podía faltar en mi colección

L'unica cosa "negativa" (ma soggettiva) è che i dialoghi sono mnolto veloci e quindi poco adatti per un livello B2 (quasi cinquantenne) come me. Ci sono comunque i sottotitoli. Il film nella sua tristezza mi è piaciuto al punto tale da cercarlo anche in italiano.

It was a Canadian us coded dvd