Mixed reaction at Hitler movie's premiere

[emad]

Snip from The Independent
By Irene Preisinger in Munich
11 September 2004


A film that taps the memoirs of Adolf Hitler's secretary for a controversially intimate portrait of the Nazi leader's final days in his Berlin bunker has received a standing ovation at its debut in Germany.

With its chillingly lifelike portrayal of Hitler by the veteran Swiss actor Bruno Ganz, the film has drawn praise, but critics are also raising the question of whether Hitler should be portrayed as human at all, particularly in a German-made movie.

Der Untergang (The Downfall) shows the Fuehrer stroking dogs and chatting amiably with female aides. It also shows him raging at his desk as the Soviet army closes in on Berlin and demanding his followers not give up on the "final victory".

At the gala premiere in Munich on Thursday night, the producer, Bernd Eichinger, said his aim was to avoid simply demonising Hitler. The director, Oliver Hirschbiegel, argued that it was time for a film documenting the Nazis from a German perspective."These were people and not robots, not schizophrenic, but people with an incredibly destructive insanity," Eichinger said. "It is part of human nature that we can be monsters as well as do good."
More:
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=560513

[the Kelly Gang]

1. I think it's important to show the 'human' side of these monsters

so we can recognise when it's all happening again.

[Cat Atomic]

2. How ridiculous for people to say Hitler shouldn't be portrayed as

human. He was a human being. It's this sort of myth-making that allows people to believe the same thing could "never happen here".

Look at the people who deny the similarities between Hitler and Bush. There are plenty of substantive similarities. But people have a visceral, emotional refusal to acknowledge it. It's like you're saying Bush is Darth Vader.

[matcom]

3. same people who said Iraq shouldn't be shown with kids flying kites

:eyes:

it's rediculous at the very least.

Hitler couldn't love dogs?

and

WHY do people INSIST on twisting their history?

its beyond rediculous.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. "final victory" = "Stay the Course"

Even if that course has been plotted by madmen?

[Nimrod]

5. Extremely important to finally show H as human

When someone has been absolutely demonized and had all human elements removed, a major effect is to put people at ease. "Oh, Hitler was an insane, soulless, evil monster. THAT could never happen again." We should NOT be at ease over this sort of thing, not at all.

As it turns out, Hitler thought he was the good guy doing God's work. Wouldn't you know it, a whole metric buttload of Germans thought the exact same thing. Here was a guy who'd come to your school, give you a hug, tell you he loved you and God loved you, and praise you for your hard work in serving your country.

As much as we'd like to remember him that way, he wasn't dressed in black robes up in a gothic castle going "MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MY EVIL PLAN IS A SUCCESS!" He was a charismatic guy who rose to power and was using that power to do what HE thought was right.

Bullshit that can't happen again.

[teamster633]

6. Hitler believed he was an instrument of destiny...

...just like shrub.

[Nimrod]

10. I WAS going to leave that unsaid

But lets call a Shrub a Shrub. :)

[Cleita]

7. Remember the blood thirsty Romanian Prince, Vlad the Impaler?

He, whom Bram Stoke used as the historical figure behind Dracula. Turns out that Vlad had a very happy marriage and family life. He also brought a period of peace and prosperity to Transylvania. Yet he had no problem banqueting among the writhing bodies of the enemies he had impaled. They died in agony while he ate.

[Vox_Reason]

8. It's irresponsible to compare Bush and Hitler!

As everyone knows, Hitler had a moustache.

[jpgray]

9. HItler was just a guy. What he did has precedent all over human history

Turning him into some unique monster pretends that we aren't just as capable of the same crap a few years down the road. We are.