Anyone seen these 3 WWII related german movies?

Dowly · 09-28-11, 07:25 PM

'ello

Came across these 3 german flicks while trying to find something good to watch. If anyone's seen them, would like to know if they were any good.

The movies are:

So weit die Füße tragen (2001)

Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin (2008)

Der letzte Zug (2006)

Sailor Steve · 09-28-11, 09:16 PM

Not me.

I'm planning on ordering The Comedian Harmonists, though.

I know, I know, no help at all.

August · 09-28-11, 10:14 PM

Sorry Dowly, never heard of them either, but I bet it doesn't end well for the hero.

Thomen · 09-28-11, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dowly

'ello

Came across these 3 german flicks while trying to find something good to watch. If anyone's seen them, would like to know if they were any good.

The movies are:

So weit die Füße tragen (2001)

Not sure about the last two, but I did watch the mini series to the above one 20 years or so ago.

"So weit die Füße tragen" (Mini series, 1959)

As far as I remember, it was very interesting.

joegrundman · 09-29-11, 12:40 AM

i saw "so weit die Fuesse tragen"

it's a good, rather than great, film, but memorable. it's not a war film though.

kranz · 09-29-11, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegrundman

i saw "so weit die Fuesse tragen"

it's a good, rather than great, film, but memorable. it's not a war film though.

I agree with that. This film is one of the examples when the adaptation appears to be better than the book it was based on. I read the novel by Josef Martin Bauer some time ago, unfortunately after watching the movie, and for me it was simply unbelievable. The film makes the story more plausible.
It's worth noting that some people claim that this particular escape never took place and was only made up by the author plus someone else.

kiwi_2005 · 09-29-11, 06:46 AM

Ive seen 'A woman in Berlin' 8 out of 10 for me, good movie.

Herr-Berbunch · 09-29-11, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dowly

... german flicks while trying to find something good to watch.

And what was the something good? Does the title invole a**terisks?

Skybird · 09-29-11, 07:21 AM

My parents told me that back in its time, late 50s early/60s, the original series "So weit die Füße tragen" was cult that emptied the streets when it was broadcasted. But you can only understand that in the context of that long forgotten era. From today's perspective I find it rather unimpressive. The new version that you ask about, is even more unimpressive.

"Anonyma" is a movie about the true biography of a woman in Berlin after the Soviets occupied it. Her biography represents the fate of hundreds and thousands of young girls and women in the Soviet sector that suffered rape by the Soviet victors. The love story in the movie is said to be rather unrealistic, though, like the one you see in "Das Leben der Anderen" as well. The movie is a production of German private TV and is very typical in style for that origin. It left me unimpressed, and I did not watch it to the end. The theme of mass rape dpone by Soviet occupation troops was a long held taboo in Germany, the movie caused the first public discussion of this dark chapter of history.

"Der letzte Zug" I don't know. But the director, Vilsmeier, is one of the German film directors with the highest national reputation in the business. The film seems to tell the story of one of the last train transports of Jews from Berlin to Auschwitz. It gets a clean 5 star rating from customers at German Amazon.

If you are into German war movies, probably the best - still so - is the first and orginal movie "Die Brücke". Check the excellent feedback at the American Amazon site: http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Die-Bru...7298678&sr=8-1
Do not pick the new remake from two or three years ago, it again is a bad TV production - one of those remakes nobody ever needed.

And another superb, though very heavy, film is "Sophie Shcoll - The last days". It is superb, but I warn you, the end is so shocking and harsh (although you know what is coming) that it will break your heart. No light popcorn-entertainment! The film again got excellent feedback at US Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sophie-Scholl-...7298792&sr=1-1

If you are more about German movies in general and not fixiated on the WWII-era, watch out for Tom Tykwer. "Winterschläfer" is marvellous and most poetic and original (one of my all time favourite movies), and won a national movie award. Also very good are "Heaven" with Kate Blanchet, and "Der Krieger + die Kaiserin".

http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Sleeper...7300416&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Warri...7300513&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Cate-Bl...7300545&sr=1-1

Tykwer is the most talented German director and film maker since very long time.

Dowly · 09-29-11, 07:53 AM

Thanks everyone.

@Herr-Berbunch

No! I swear!

@Skybird

I'm pretty much at the point where I've exhausted most of the Finnish and American
movies I've intended to see over the years, so yeah, I'm looking for new grounds
to cover. German movies would be one good candidate to check out next. It's the language
in most other foreign movies that usually keeps me from watching them, tho german is something
I can tolerate.

I'll check out Die Brücke first, seen it mentioned quite a few times on other forums
I frequent.

Again, thanks everyone.

Skybird · 09-29-11, 08:01 AM

I recommend to check out - Soviet-made movies about WWII, made after the war.

No joke. Most of them are propaganda movies, yes, but there are a few most beautifully shining gems of a most fragile visual language and deep humanity. When germany was still devided, we got Eastgerman TV programs as well, and there they broadcasted many Soviet movies. Mostly it was bad propaganda, but occasionally they showed extraordinary good, beautiful movies. Unfortunately, I cannot remember names and titles, I have some scenes and some films on mind that I never forgot and that still touch me today, but I cannot attribute them to a title or director. Too bad. You need advise from somebody knowing.

Dowly · 09-29-11, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

I recommend to check out - Soviet-made movies about WWII, made after the war.

No joke. Most of them are propaganda movies, yes, but there are a few most beautifully shining gems of a most fragile visual language and deep humanity. When germany was still devided, we got Eastgerman TV programs as well, and there they broadcasted many Soviet movies. Mostly it was bad propaganda, but occasionally they showed extraordinary good, beautiful movies. Unfortunately, I cannot remember names and titles, I have some scenes and some films on mind that I never forgot and that still touch me today, but I cannot attribute them to a title or director. Too bad. You need advise from somebody knowing.

Only seen one Soviet-made movie so far and that was "Come and See",
liked it very much. Althought the long cuts and the platant demonizing of
the germans almost ruined it for me.

All in all, russia is one of those languages that really bugs me in movies, dunno why,
it just does.

But I have been planning on watching Stalker finally in the near
future.

09-28-11, 07:25 PM	#1
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Anyone seen these 3 WWII related german movies? 'ello Came across these 3 german flicks while trying to find something good to watch. If anyone's seen them, would like to know if they were any good. The movies are: So weit die Füße tragen (2001) Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin (2008) Der letzte Zug (2006)

09-28-11, 09:16 PM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Not me. I'm planning on ordering The Comedian Harmonists, though. I know, I know, no help at all. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

09-28-11, 10:14 PM	#3
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Sorry Dowly, never heard of them either, but I bet it doesn't end well for the hero. __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

09-29-11, 12:40 AM	#5
joegrundman Ocean Warrior Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,689 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	i saw "so weit die Fuesse tragen" it's a good, rather than great, film, but memorable. it's not a war film though. __________________ "Enemy submarines are to be called U-Boats. The term submarine is to be reserved for Allied under water vessels. U-Boats are those dastardly villains who sink our ships, while submarines are those gallant and noble craft which sink theirs." Winston Churchill

09-29-11, 06:46 AM	#7
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	Ive seen 'A woman in Berlin' 8 out of 10 for me, good movie. __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

09-29-11, 07:21 AM	#9
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,601 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	My parents told me that back in its time, late 50s early/60s, the original series "So weit die Füße tragen" was cult that emptied the streets when it was broadcasted. But you can only understand that in the context of that long forgotten era. From today's perspective I find it rather unimpressive. The new version that you ask about, is even more unimpressive. "Anonyma" is a movie about the true biography of a woman in Berlin after the Soviets occupied it. Her biography represents the fate of hundreds and thousands of young girls and women in the Soviet sector that suffered rape by the Soviet victors. The love story in the movie is said to be rather unrealistic, though, like the one you see in "Das Leben der Anderen" as well. The movie is a production of German private TV and is very typical in style for that origin. It left me unimpressed, and I did not watch it to the end. The theme of mass rape dpone by Soviet occupation troops was a long held taboo in Germany, the movie caused the first public discussion of this dark chapter of history. "Der letzte Zug" I don't know. But the director, Vilsmeier, is one of the German film directors with the highest national reputation in the business. The film seems to tell the story of one of the last train transports of Jews from Berlin to Auschwitz. It gets a clean 5 star rating from customers at German Amazon. If you are into German war movies, probably the best - still so - is the first and orginal movie "Die Brücke". Check the excellent feedback at the American Amazon site: http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Die-Bru...7298678&sr=8-1 Do not pick the new remake from two or three years ago, it again is a bad TV production - one of those remakes nobody ever needed. And another superb, though very heavy, film is "Sophie Shcoll - The last days". It is superb, but I warn you, the end is so shocking and harsh (although you know what is coming) that it will break your heart. No light popcorn-entertainment! The film again got excellent feedback at US Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sophie-Scholl-...7298792&sr=1-1 If you are more about German movies in general and not fixiated on the WWII-era, watch out for Tom Tykwer. "Winterschläfer" is marvellous and most poetic and original (one of my all time favourite movies), and won a national movie award. Also very good are "Heaven" with Kate Blanchet, and "Der Krieger + die Kaiserin". http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Sleeper...7300416&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Warri...7300513&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Cate-Bl...7300545&sr=1-1 Tykwer is the most talented German director and film maker since very long time. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 09-29-11 at 07:50 AM.

09-29-11, 07:53 AM	#10
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Thanks everyone. @Herr-Berbunch No! I swear! @Skybird I'm pretty much at the point where I've exhausted most of the Finnish and American movies I've intended to see over the years, so yeah, I'm looking for new grounds to cover. German movies would be one good candidate to check out next. It's the language in most other foreign movies that usually keeps me from watching them, tho german is something I can tolerate. I'll check out Die Brücke first, seen it mentioned quite a few times on other forums I frequent. Again, thanks everyone.

09-29-11, 08:01 AM	#11
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,601 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I recommend to check out - Soviet-made movies about WWII, made after the war. No joke. Most of them are propaganda movies, yes, but there are a few most beautifully shining gems of a most fragile visual language and deep humanity. When germany was still devided, we got Eastgerman TV programs as well, and there they broadcasted many Soviet movies. Mostly it was bad propaganda, but occasionally they showed extraordinary good, beautiful movies. Unfortunately, I cannot remember names and titles, I have some scenes and some films on mind that I never forgot and that still touch me today, but I cannot attribute them to a title or director. Too bad. You need advise from somebody knowing. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.