Our Hitler: A Film from Germany

1977
7.5| 7h22m| en| More Info
Released: 13 January 1980 Released
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Synopsis

This inventive, exhaustive seven-hour film looks at the rise, reign and demise of Adolf Hitler. German director Hans Jürgen Syberberg, who was a child during World War II, doesn't try to recreate history to the letter. Instead, he places his actors -- many of whom play several roles -- on a stage and has them reenact events based on and inspired by Hitler's life. The action combines traditional narration and historical characters, but also idiosyncratic tweaks, like the use of puppets.

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Reviews

Sexylocher Masterful Movie
Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.
Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
billcurry-1 Most of this movie consists of people addressing the camera, while surrounded by ugly puppets and other pieces of junk. I'm astounded by the positive reviews. I'm left with only a slightly better knowledge as to why many Germans followed Hitler. This film would have made a much better book, with footnotes, citations of sources, and suggestions for further reading. But perhaps that was impossible. As I believe George Harrison once said, "Avant-garde means haven't got a clue." What is the difference between someone talking to you while he sits next to a candelabra and your reading what he has to say in a book? The same goes for speakers with old war film clips as background. I suppose one could argue that watching this film is a more visceral experience than reading a book on the same subject. However, this argument is undercut if the visceral experience is nausea.
dbborroughs Hans-Jürgen Syberberg's mammoth meditation of Hitler and the German people who brought him to power is something that is only possible to describe as a physical entity.One can not truly explain what effect that it will have on the viewer. Its a four part film who's total running time is close to seven hours Total almost anti-cinematic with static sets, actors playing multiple roles, puppets, music, audio and video of the 1930's and 40's, narration and a dream logic that makes this more film as immersion tank rather than as narrative film. Its the sort of thing that one can not hope to grasp in a single viewing simple because there is too much to grasp and because things don't connect until you've gotten all the way to the end. (As the Movie Habit website said: "...much like a going to a Wagnerian opera. It's long, loud, and at any given moment it seems not to know where it's going. But when you get to the end, you know you've been someplace special.") Its a film that is clearly a work of art both pretentious and glorious. Actually this is a film that is all things at once good and bad, riveting and sleep inducing, masterful and amateurish. It is a film that is unlike any other that I've ever seen, not only in style but in effect, I was both bored by the film and utterly captivated.It is nothing so much as a head trip of the highest order. This is not a film of facts but of ideas.. Its an examination of what brought Hitler to power, could the national view of a classically romantic Germany have been the cause? At the same time what does all of this say about ourselves? 30 years on with the change of American politics from a less then simple democracy into battles of cults of personality are we heading toward something similar with the idealized ways of seeing the world that our leaders ask us to believe blinding us to the road to ruin? Its something to consider.Is it a great film? yes, I think it is. I don't know how many people will have the endurance to get to the end of the film owing to its often static nature, and heady discussions, but for those who are daring it is a unique experience, once that will haunt you around the edges.I think the best way to describe the film is to answer the question how is it? Yes, yes it is. (Meaning however you think the film is thats what it is) It is a masterpiece since its constantly provoking a reaction
movie-viking I've seen & heard aged Nazis (or their witnesses) - speak on film. However dry, actual Nazi talk and operations data is more POTENT than this gushing "feelings about Hitler" production."Our Hitler..." is the extreme example of 1970'stoo much talk too little action self absorption (every word we blather out should be preserved- every idea however tangential and unfocused - is precious to preserve ...) film work - but there are still nuggets of visual and verbal power in this way way way way way way way way way way way way way way way too long film. Near the end (for one of a zillion examples of This Film wandering far far far far off the main point - i.e. Hitler & co) you hear a diatribe about the camera,and its ability to communicate, including a quote from early 20th century film star...they then quote Mary Pickford!!! Mary Pickford (who has nothing to do with Naziism that I ever heard of) ....and you wonder - Mary Pickford??? mentioned in a film which is supposed to be about "our Hitler".This film has the grotesque tone/imagery also seen in - CABARET. But the host of Cabaret (played by Joel Grey), tho corrupt, ...doesn't commit the sin in this film of - boring you to death.The second half of this 7 hour - film cure for insomnia - is slightly more interesting than the first half. ...tho the large Hitler puppet, the stuffed dog doll with a Hitler face, and "Tales of Hoffman" type of scenery .........................are distracting. (Makes me wonder if someone was smoking an illegal substance while writing this script!)But the second half has some potent quotes from some key Nazis themselves. The quote about Himmler's desire to MILITANTLY enforce his animal protection legislation caught me for a bit, anyway. THAT would have been a potent spot for grotesque images...!EDIT IT! CUT IT IN HALF!
GrigoryGirl Susan Sontag called this film "the most extraordinary film I've ever seen". This may seem like a hyperbolic statement, but after seeing this film, I see where Susan was coming from. This really is an extraordinary film, and I completely understand Sontag's adoration of it. This is a brilliant film, one that has had me thinking for days about it. I watched it over 2 nights, and there's so much in it and so much to take in that I'm planning on renting it again or perhaps purchasing it. Despite its 7 1/2 hour length, there isn't one dull moment in it. I only watched it over 2 nights because I had to go to sleep. If I had had the time to watch the whole thing in one sitting, I would have done so without thinking. I haven't felt this glued to the screen in I don't know how long.The film is absolutely mesmerizing. This film has been unavailable for many, many years, and this is the first time it's been offered on home video. The director, Hans Jurgen Syberberg, had posted the film on his website, but watching it on a TV or projected is the best way to see it. The film is operatic, theatrical, mind bending, sad, haunting, angry, depressing, and just about everything else you can think of. The 4th part is a little boring (the first 30 minutes of part four is one long monologue), but after this monologue is concluded, the film takes off again to a stunning conclusion. Never does the film feel padded. Like in Wagner's great operas (Wagner figures prominently here), a film like this needs to be long to tell its story, and that should be respected. The actors throughout the film give excellent performances, and the film is one of the most thought provoking films that I've seen in recent memory. This is a filmic masterpiece.