Der Untergang (Downfall)

[Zoya]

I recently watched this film, and thought it was excellent. The acting especially from Bruno Ganz, was superb and frighteningly accurate, but it was the whole atmosphere that really grabbed me. The sense of utter madness and surreality of the situation in the Fuhrerbunker was compelleing and chilling at the same time, and I had to keep reminding myself that what I was watching was the unfolding of real events and not some Dante-esque nightmare conjured up by someone's imagination! I liked the way that little odd remarks were inserted to help build up the characters, for instance Eva Braun's admission to Traudl Junge that she often kicked Hitler's dog because she hated him.

It helped watching the film to place it in the context of all the stuff I have been reading about the Eastern front, and gaining an insight into the mind of Hitler (as far as it is possibler to do that). The film really conveyed the fact that he had lost touch with reality. The tantrums of his conferences with his generals were superbly juxtaposed with the scenes of chaos raging above their heads. I found the scenes in the Berlin streets to be horrifyingly apocalyptic, and particularly the Geheime Feldpolizei (I presume) hanging people at random just for being there, and not fighting!

There has been some criticism, I have read from some quarters, which feels that the film portrayed certain characters as being 'too human', and yet I felt that this helped to put across a stronger message. To not portray them as "monsters" is more chilling, because it highlights the fact that it is human, not in-human nature which is capable of such evil!

Excellent film! I need to watch it again, as I never take it all in from watching a film just once. I must admit, understanding a reasonable amount of German helped too, althought he subs were very good and accurate.
What do others think?

[Owen]

That was in fact the last time I went to the cinema back in April 2005 to watch it.
Not seen it since.
I really enjoyed the film.
Thought the ending abit odd with all those Red Army soldiers just hanging around like lost sheep.

[von Poop]

Been meaning to rewatch it, as I don't think I quite took it all in first time round (the usual Alcohol/subtitles/concentration issue).
This might be the catalyst I needed to blow the dust off the DVD, cheers Zoya.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Its a compelling film to watch, not one for entertainment. But it certainly gives the feeling of the end of the regime and the "street" scenes are extremely well done. The piece were the Hitler Youth are dying whilst Eva talks about her Jewellery and other inane matters is really powerful stuff. I watch this film at least once every few months.

[4th wilts]

it made speer look almost saintly.lee.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

It made Burgdorf seem Human!

[von Poop]

To portray them as cliched stereotyped monsters is the easy way out. As ever people are far more complex than that, and the real success in Downfall was to present believable Human beings; back to that old banal/evil combination they're far more interesting/chilling when presented in a realistic way.

I reckon they should have stuck with 'The Under-Gang' as the English title, it gives a stronger indication of the pack of not all exactly bright gangsters coming to the limits of their own schemes. The functioning brains presented in that bunker are resident with Goebbels & some of the military types, which seems reasonable to me.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

I believe it was important to show these individuals as they truly were, individuals with a capacity to do evil and with no morals or ethics but ultimately people. Another film with this ability to shock is "conspiracy" with Kenneth Branagh and Stanley Tucci. Its about the Wannsee Conference in 1942 and is as chilling as "Der Untergang"

[Zoya]

I agree, GH.

The most horrifying aspect of the film, and onw which I realise I mentally shut myself off from and can now hardly remember in any detail, is the murdering of the Goebbels children. As a Mother watching that I found I was unable to connect, it was just too horrifying

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Yes that scene was stomach churning and THAT is when you see these people for who they truly are.