World war II movies that resonate with you

[eiszeit]

Thirding the opinion about "Inglorious Basterds" - I absolutely adore that movie. : )

I've watched the American version of "Valkyrie" and that was very chilling... I'd love (maybe love is the wrong word...) to see the German version and compare and contrast the two. I've seen "Downfall" and that, too, was very chilling.

I've been really tempted to see BENT, but I can't make myself watch that alone. I started crying at just the trailer; I'd hate to see how I'd react to the full film! I think I want to watch it with someone, just so I'm not alone when I'm freaking out and crying.

I also watched Paragraph 175, which was about the homosexual prisoners of the KZs, and felt immediate guilt when I heard Pierre Seel's story. It's truly gruesome. He was in his seventies when he was interviewed for that film, but you could still see that he was still very much affected by his experiences.

I definitely want to see the film they've got on Gad Beck, who is one of my heroes in this life. : ) Seriously, look him up. He's fantastic and more people need to know about him.

I've seen about half of Schindler's List, and I haven't finished it yet. I'm having a lot of difficulty doing so.

[gumby]

I saw the Tom Cruise Valkyre, it was action packed and kept you on the edge of your seat. I did not know that there was a German film of the same subject, it would be interesting to see that other version too. The film gives the impression that Hitler was getting many death threats towards the end of the war, and that he was fearing that he would be "taken out" by his own disgruntled party chiefs and generals. I think that this movie shows that poignant fact that many Germans had enough, they wanted Hitler out of power. After the defeat at Stalingrad morale faded away at the front and in the populace, the war shifted to a defensive posture, and of course the pounding of the cities and infrastructure was taking a heavy toll. I think that if Hitler had been killed in that attempt on his life, Germany might have surrendered, and this would have saved countless lives on both sides. But he rallied Germans to fight to the bitter end, enlisting young boys and old men into the depleted ranks of the army. Hitler believed that it was German destiny to rule the world, and he would be that leader to make that happen. Nationalism in Germany peaked with the early victories, as pride and defense of the Fatherland was always a priority with its people. Without a doubt Hitler brought the Nation into ruin with his lust for power and world conquest, his once mighty military machine which at the onset of the war seemed so indomitable was at the end ripping apart at the seams. This insane war took its toll everywhere, the people were told to sacrifice and this is what they did, lying dead or scarred in the ruins of the cities. Most people would have been glad to have been rid of Hitler by this time, but it seems that he was good or just plain lucky at dodging the the assasin's bullets and bombs.

[Storm]

Just watching "God on Trial". The entire film is on YouTube. It is very powerful and worth watching.

[pixarfan]

The one that set it off for me was "The Very Thought of You," a WWII-on-the-homefront movie: soulreconciliations.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=american&action=display&thread=379&page=1

Other ones that just "got to me" and really resonated were "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "Since You Went Away." Basically the "sentimental stuff." I also lost it during "Atonement" when the London Undergrond flooded, and my boyfriend made fun of me for that...

I also loved "Swing Kids"!

[SwingKid]

I love Swing Kids, but it didn't resonate with me as much as movies like Conspiracy (except for Kenneth Branagh's awful orange dye job) and the Wannsee Conference (the original, Conspiracy was a remake).

The Gray Zone freaked me out badly with it's horribly accurate depiction of an action, but the most intense was Downfall. Seeing Hitler so broken, so old, his hand visibly shaking was awful. As was the dramatization of him having a change in the weather during a meeting, sending everyone except certain people out in the hall, and all the people outside listening to him screaming and yelling. You know, the "Hitler finds out" scene that has become such a staple on YouTube. I had been describing meetings like that from my memories, but to see it in a movie...It was much better to be the ones outside the door listening to the screaming than to be one of the people getting screamed at.

The first one that resonated though, was the Eagle Has Landed. There was another movie (a man called Intrepid) about a radio operator/spy behind enemy lines based on the real life Noor Inyat Khan, who was captured and it involved the Enigma cypher machine. I was riveted and horrified by the interrogation scenes. There was a song they were singing in a different scene that struck me. I didn't know what it was, but there was something about it that made me want to listen to it. It was the Horst Wessel.

[Leutnantzursee]

Oh my, those Youtube 'Downfall parodies'! ;D Gotta love those - some really are pee your pants funny, my favourite being 'Hitler's Ryan air rant' probably followed by 'Hitler's come dine with me'!! Sorry to lower the tone - but I couldn't help responding to you there SwingKid! I love the 'Eagle has landed' too, there's just this great charm about it, real boy's Own stuff, but totally great too! Yes - I just watched 'Swing kids' again, it's more the subject matter than the emotional quality of the film, (which is slightly sugary in places IMO) that I think resonates, maybe you feel the same? I think I've yet to see a film that really evokes the atmosphere of those times as I remembered it, I can feel and see it very strongly in my soul, there are moments in some films I've seen though, some recent German ones. I had a funny moment of fond recall, watching 'Baron Munchausen' - it was allegedly funded by Goebbels, yet you'd never think it especially to watch the film. Either way it went on to be re-made by Terry Gilliam of course!

I find watching those 30's propaganda films particularly compelling and familiar however, such things were naturally the staple diet of the German people and so I guess those films are the ones that really take me back to those times, if I really think about it.

[Demi]

Just watched "Outer Limits: Tribunal"

Awesome episode, it's on hulu

To me, the symbolism is incredible. While it is a little bit fantasy about time travel, etc. for me it easily translates into past life related themes. I don't want to make a spoiler here, but it shows the workings of the law of karma on many different levels, esp. how the Jewish Nazi hunter abstrains from doing something bad and how the SS officer from Birkenau ends up working out his own karma!

Demi

[Leutnantzursee]

That sounds really interesting Demi - not heard of that show though, I'm assuming its an American one? Wouldn't mind seeing that episode if its possible :-)

[Demi]

Hi Lizzie

Here is a link to Outer Limits - Tribunal
www.hulu.com/watch/69741


Demi

[Leutnantzursee]

Thanks Demi - haven't had time to check it out yet, but tomorrow night should be good - looking forward to seeing it :-)

[painter]

I saw 'The Reader' last night. Uneasy feelings came up when watching images of Auschwitz. I've always been intriged by the war and books and films about it. Now I know why...

'The Reader' is a fantastic movie (and I love Kate Winslet!). In any other situation you would really like this Hanna, understand her pride and shame, anguish. How does this rhyme with the things she's done? Makes me realize that the war brought out the extremes  in everybody, good and bad. And that Good and Bad are not as black and white as we often think. Understanding is an important part of healing, to me.

Anybody ever read 'The meaning of life' by Viktor Frankl? Very interesting!