Stars: Bruno Ganz, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Summary: Dramatisation of the events leading to the end of the Second World War, and the eventual demise of Hitler.

Charting the final days of World War II in Nazi Germany, DOWNFALL shows what went on in the bunker where Hitler (Bruno Ganz), his secretary (Alexandra Maria Lara), and a few close colleagues waited for their inevitable demise.

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The riveting subject of Downfallis nothing less than the disintegration of Adolph Hitler in mind, body, and soul. A 2005 Academy Award nominee for best foreign language film, this German historical drama stars Bruno Ganz 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 dares to show the gentler human side of der Fuehrer, 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 Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary, this unforgettable film gains another dimension of sobering authenticity. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Aspect Ratio:	1.78 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	German
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	The Making Of Downfall, Cast And Filmmakers Interviews, The Historical Personalities And Their Actors Biographies, The Bunker A Virtual Tour, Shooting In Russia Behind The Scenes Look With Production Crew Commentary, About Shooting Behind The Scenes Look With
Subtitles:	English
Year:	2004
Release Date:	September 19, 2005
Runtime:	149 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	M P 409 D
Keywords:	Subtitled, Two, General, German, Drama, Discs, Downfall
Genre:	Drama