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Downfall (Blu-ray SteelBook) (Zavvi Exclusive) [UK]
- Thread starter snooloui
- Start date
Maybe you have a point but I personally think the artwork is splendid . . . front and back . . . and not as if Pop Art - or Gallery 1988 - has not been used before as a War film cover - such as THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI and DAS BOOT as but too examples:-
Illustrated Art/Pop Art/Gallery 1988 not inappropriate for the cover of this film also because the subject of the film can be said in some quarters to have been a reasonably competent draughtsman and watercolourist. True, he was rejected twice by The Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna because his drawings "Showed a lack of talent for artistic painting, notably a lack of appreciation of the human form but with some ability for the field of architecture" . . .
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DOWNFALL reminding me (again) of the recent-ish BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA steelbook - appropriate indeed for one of the most prolific blood-suckers in history . . .
Vlad the Impaler had nothing on him . . . except a fuller 'tache, better hair and fancier headgear . . .
. . . with the dissolving swastica back art reminding me of the famous images at the end of the war when the US Army blew to smithereens the most famous example of the swastika perched on the roof of the building overlooking the Nuremburg Parade Ground . . .
. . . and, anyway, certainly better than this:-
Yes, I know it's not for "Downfall"
. . . with the dissolving swastica back art reminding me of the famous images at the end of the war when the US Army blew to smithereens the most famous example of the swastika perched on the roof of the building overlooking the Nuremburg Parade Ground . . .
. . . and, anyway, certainly better than this:-
Yes, I know it's not for "Downfall"
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I'd guessed the artist was Tom Fournier, who did the Zavvi Amelie steelbook and a bunch of other stuff people here will recognize (http://www.tomsdesigns.co.uk/portfolio/). But it's actually Jack Staniland, who has also been behind some great movie poster designs (http://www.jackstaniland.com/). In fact, Jack did the gorgeous Lost In Translation poster that was mentioned in that thread yesterday:
Only German language audio track w/ (forced) English subs (if same disc as in the 2008 UK Amaray release):-
. . . and very different to the 2005 original poster art DVD steelbook:-
Good thing 'bout these foreign-language catalogue titles is that they normally hang around for a while . . . with the distinct chance of a more reasonable price . . .
DOWNFALL discs comparison:-
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews12/downfall-premium.htm
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I have seen it twice and Bruno Ganz plays Adolf excellent. I’ve heard (read) that people on set at that time were so impressed with his performance they actually thought they saw the real Hitler and were dead silent. I agree!
It's rare that someone plays such a role and gets it right. The problem I've had with most actors that play Hitler is they come across as comical. But Hitler in real life by all accounts was a very powerful dominant personality and anything but comical. Too many interviews with people who met him testify to that fact. When watching Bruno's performance you get an inkling of why Hitler became as powerful as he did.
^ Yes, best quotes about Hitler (imo): #1comes from the Sebastian Haffner's book "The Meaning of Hitler":-
"Hitler was like a shell. He had lots of ways of seducing people; even his frequent self-pity was a weapon to make people respond. But inside this shell you would find nothing. No warmth, no heart, no passion for anything, except an enormous will for destruction."
Quote #2 comes from THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL spoken by the Laurence Olivier character Ezra Lieberman:-
"Not Mozart. Not Picasso. Not a genius who will enrich the world. But a lonely little boy with a domineering father, a customs officer who was 52 when he was born. And an affectionate doting mother who was 29. The father died when he was 65 when the boy was nearly 14... Adolf Hitler."
As for the 2004 film: I'm reminded of a quote from Hitler's Minister for Propaganda's Josef Goebbels from the final days in the Berlin bunker:-
"A hundred years on, a splendid colour film will be shown about these terrible times we're living through."
OK. not 100 years but 60 . . .
As for the distinguished Swiss actor Bruno Ganz . . . the proud owner of the Iffland Ring - awarded to the most important German-speaking actor of each generation - I'll always remember him as the cloning expert, Professor Bruckner, in THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978) - the film about cloning a whole gaggle of Hitlers - and I guess it was only a matter of time before he played the man who'd been cloned in the previous film.
"Hitler was like a shell. He had lots of ways of seducing people; even his frequent self-pity was a weapon to make people respond. But inside this shell you would find nothing. No warmth, no heart, no passion for anything, except an enormous will for destruction."
Quote #2 comes from THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL spoken by the Laurence Olivier character Ezra Lieberman:-
"Not Mozart. Not Picasso. Not a genius who will enrich the world. But a lonely little boy with a domineering father, a customs officer who was 52 when he was born. And an affectionate doting mother who was 29. The father died when he was 65 when the boy was nearly 14... Adolf Hitler."
As for the 2004 film: I'm reminded of a quote from Hitler's Minister for Propaganda's Josef Goebbels from the final days in the Berlin bunker:-
"A hundred years on, a splendid colour film will be shown about these terrible times we're living through."
OK. not 100 years but 60 . . .
As for the distinguished Swiss actor Bruno Ganz . . . the proud owner of the Iffland Ring - awarded to the most important German-speaking actor of each generation - I'll always remember him as the cloning expert, Professor Bruckner, in THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978) - the film about cloning a whole gaggle of Hitlers - and I guess it was only a matter of time before he played the man who'd been cloned in the previous film.
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it's a great film, very well directed and acted, but the sort that leaves you wrung out afterwards. for a war film, there's not a lot of 'war' in terms of troops, battles, etc, but the sense of punishing claustrophobia in the bunker where much of the film is set is palpable. if you get it, hope you enjoy it (if 'enjoy' is the right word!).
Bruno Ganz's performance is one for the ages. agree entirely with @rschiks and @Lollard2002, you get a real sense of character and depth from his Hitler, reinforcing the fact that the monster was a man. having said that, i can't think of anyone who's not very good in this, Thomas Kretschmann and Ulrich Mattes in particular stand out for me.
I have the UK Momentum 2-disc DVD release from a few years ago
This steelbook will be a 100% purchase as I not upgraded yet to the Blu-ray release
Fantastic Film
It's german audio only with english subtitles
As long as you don't mind german audio it's a fantastic film to watch with brilliant acting
A lot of youtube clips from this film gets used to parody other events of history some are hilarious
This steelbook will be a 100% purchase as I not upgraded yet to the Blu-ray release
Fantastic Film
It's german audio only with english subtitles
As long as you don't mind german audio it's a fantastic film to watch with brilliant acting
A lot of youtube clips from this film gets used to parody other events of history some are hilarious
Question is:
Will it have (as an extra) the 42 minute Hitler apology drum solo?
Will it have (as an extra) the 42 minute Hitler apology drum solo?
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