[dilligafocau]

Originally Posted by Cavtanker

I've seen this movie several times, Mo. I think it is a masterpiece!

A few 'homages' to this film on Youtube too. I think the 1st one had Microsoft banning the Fuhrer's X-box, the latest to appear has the Fuhrer's nervous staff explaining how they replaced his beloved VFR Honda bike with a GS Beemer YouTube - Hitler's got the wrong bike.

[Nimrod48]

Originally Posted by MoMo

I'm watching " Downfall " tonight. I had called my mate Mike earlier to have a chat when he informed me that he had located a version of the movie which has an extra 17+ minutes which were deleted from the theatrical release. The two versions which I have are rated at 147 minutes.

Has anyone else seen this " extended " version? If so, what did you think of it?

" The Downfall " or " Der Untergang " is one of the top ten movies ever made about WW2, in my humble opinion, although I am more interested in the less senior characters, and how they fared than I am in Hitler's mad rants and excuses, despite Bruno Ganz's brilliant performance.

Best war movie ever IMHO MoMo "Black Book" is worth a look too.

[parsig9]

Originally Posted by Nimrod48

Best war movie ever IMHO MoMo "Black Book" is worth a look too.

When watching Downfall, I couldn't help but think of Ryan's book The Last Battle and in the film when the Goebbels' wife poisoned they're children to save them from the Russians I thought of what was going on outside the bunker. The poisoning was very disturbing to me even though I knew it was coming, but my wife was shocked and then I told her about what the Russians were doing in Berlin. She is not much of an historian and all of this comes as news to her really. She went to a Christian school and they just didn't take World History and get into all this. Plus, in college she took History of Women in American or something as her only requirement. I just shake my head. And though she has a Master's Degree, the last days in the bunker and the end of the war came as a shock to her. She thought the Berlin Wall divided Germany but wasn't sure why...?? To keep people safe dear, to keep them safe.... I am amazed how many people have no idea....

I just picked up Black Book a month ago or so. I was very surprised. It was one of those single copy videos with nobody in it and I thought it was a pretty good little show.

You might try Resistence with Julia Ormond and Bill Paxton for something to watch although it has its, "Oh, for the love of God!" parts.

[MoMo]

Here's another one :
YouTube - Hitler Superbowl
( thanks for the link, dilligafocau, the discussion on the merits of each bike was hilarious! )

I think that it's brilliant too Cav., but you have to ration how many times you watch it or you'll wear it out!

I liked " Black Book " right up to the last 10 minutes, Nimrod. I didn't like the ending..too contrived/unlikely. I think that the scriptwriter stole a few ideas from " The Secret Army ".

I was surprised to learn that WW2 history has been dropped from the curriculum in High Schools here. Don't be shocked Parsig. Most of the world does not want to know. It was all too nasty, really. The last 50-60 years have been spent by Spin Doctors rewriting history or rehabilitating whole countries. In Japan the kids there are not aware that Japan was in WW2, or if they do it is still referred to as the " Unfortunate Incident "!

There are too many horrors to dig up. The world has moved on.

My wife refuses to watch anything to do with WW2. She wishes to remain in blissful ignorance ( like 99.9999% of the population )

[parsig9]

Originally Posted by MoMo

I was surprised to learn that WW2 history has been dropped from the curriculum in High Schools here. Don't be shocked Parsig. Most of the world does not want to know. It was all too nasty, really. The last 50-60 years have been spent by Spin Doctors rewriting history or rehabilitating whole countries. In Japan the kids there are not aware that Japan was in WW2, or if they do it is still referred to as the " Unfortunate Incident "!

There are too many horrors to dig up. The world has moved on.

My wife refuses to watch anything to do with WW2. She wishes to remain in blissful ignorance ( like 99.9999% of the population )

I know I know! Still, it's because of this bliss that we end up in the slop again. This thing in Iran smells to high hell but the media sure is loving it.
They need to read more and they'd shut their yaps about invading this and killing "them", whoever that is. My gradfather still hates talking about it and he's 90.


And now, back to the movies...

[MoMo]

I know what you mean, parsig. My father, God rest him, never talked to me about his experiences in Burma, when he was fighting the Japanese. It was only after my mother and younger brother died, within a year of each other, that he opened up and related his experiences of war.

As far as all the madness in the near and middle-east is concerned, I remember well someone at work telling me that terrorists had flown planes into the Twin Towers, The Pentagon, etc. I said, instantly, that this would mean war. " Against who? " people asked. " I don't know, but someone's gonna get it in the neck! " I replied.

That's what we're into.

[MoMo]

Meanwhile, it looks as if the U.S. mortgage industry has just been saved from meltdown by the Fed. Reserve.

Breathe again!

[MoMo]

Meanwhile, back to the WW2. I watched this movie, " Taking Sides " on BBC tonight about the culpability of certain German cultural icons, post WW2. It stars Harvey Keitel. You should be able to see the movie at :

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Taking Sides

Drama based on true events. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic is interrogated by a tough-talking American Major and forced to re-examine his role during the Third Reich in the most uncompromising of terms. The confrontation between the soft-spoken cultural icon of the old world and the rough, emotional hard-hitter from the new world brings the role of the artist living under an evil regime into the limelight.

[Nimrod48]

Originally Posted by MoMo

Meanwhile, back to the WW2. I watched this movie, " Taking Sides " on BBC tonight about the culpability of certain German cultural icons, post WW2. It stars Harvey Keitel. You should be able to see the movie at :

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Taking Sides

Thanks for the post MoMo I missed this on TV & the little I watched on my PC has persuaded me to order the DVD ....under £6 @ Play

[MoMo]

Cheers Nimrod, enjoy. Again, it looks as if only those in the U.K. can access the BBC IPlayer link.