Customer Reviews

The Bunker [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Anyone who was ever curious about what the last desperate days of The Third Reich were like needs to see this film. I recently read Cornelius Ryan's book The Last Battle which is about the battle of Berlin in early 1945. The movie is so faithful to the book I would not be suprised if it were used to produce the screen play. Mr. Hopkins as one would expect does a masterful job of portraying the doomed dictator in his subterranean labryinth. The supporting cast is up to the task, actors look very much like the people they are portraying, uniforms and personalities are correct. Where history does not provide answers this movie thankfully does not conjecture (for example the fate of Martin Borman and the disposal of the bodies of Hitler and his wife Eva) but follows the facts as well as can be acertained. Hitlers violent mood swings are documented as well as every other story about what went on in the bunker to include; quack doctors, Eva Braun, the Goebbels family, Guderian, the political treachery of Himmler and Goering, astrological predictions, preparation for suicides and rape by Russian soldiers. Scenes of outright madness such as decorating The Hitler Youth with medals while the Russian forces are blocks away blasting ever closer add to the feeling of lunacy. The scene where the bunker secretaries share tea and crumpets with Der Fuhrer is memorable as is the wedding reception scene, they make you think more of an execution rather than a celebration. Several explosions but no real combat scenes. I would have got this on DVD had it been available, but the VCR version is of fine quality. This is a great movie especially if you are a WW2 or history buff.

I have to give the dvd version of the Bunker only 4 stars, since someone, for some reason, has changed the movie's soundtrack from the original. To hear the original score, which adds a great deal to the overall feeling of the film, you will have to secure the vhs version.

As for who captures the "real" Hitler better, some like Guinness, some Hopkins, and some Bruno Ganz, who is remarkable in Downfall. I think they all manage to capture something of a person who was something of a stranger to even those closest to him.

Plus, Downfall is a German-made film, and it's interesting to see Hitler through the eyes of a subsequent generation of Germans. Compare Ganz's role in Downfall with his excellent performance in Wings of Desire. Just for fun.

Back when I saw 'Nixon' I thought "Hopkins doesn't look like him" and that mere fact spoiled the entire movie for me. Two days ago I was watching 'The Bunker' and my initial reaction was that same one. But as the story unfolds, Hopkins not only resembles Hitler, he becomes Hitler! All of the dictator's mannerisms, gestures, antics and tics are there, carefully woven with an eye-for-detail into what may very well be Sir Anthony's best performance to date. Every other actor doing the part just mimics Hitler's numb stupor, sudden outbursts of rage and endlessly boring conversation, but Hopkins' portrayal is far more sinister for he humanizes the monster by exposing him for the miserable nerd he really was (the scene when he clumsly dances in front of Eva Braun's camera is an acting lesson in itself). After watching the movie, one asks how did this wreck of a man ever came to power in a nation such as Germany? What did all those people ever saw in him to be blindingly shepherd into national suicide?

It's true the film has poor production values. One would hope HBO had invested in it the same resources it did for Robert Duvall's 'Stalin'. And yes, Richard Jordan's Speer appears far more heroic than the war criminal deserves to be remembered (although there's no evidence to say he acted otherwise during his stay at the bunker), and true, some minimal historical details are overlooked. Nevertheless, if you are a WWII buff, or if you just want to see an above-average TV movie, don't miss this one. Far superior than Alec Guiness' failed 'Hitler: the last ten days', and more historically accurate than Derek Jacobi's 'Inside the Third Reich'. A real tour-de-force!

This was a 1981 CBS mini-series produced for network TV. The production quality is fair. The interior shots of the Bunker and Deiter's office have a "stage look" to them. I do like the fact that it shows the "Courtyard of Honor" and inside the "New Reich Chancellery." Events are shown from different points of view and film shifts back and forth between them. The main characters "followed around" are Hitler, Speer, Bormann, Eva Braun and the Goebbels family.

Sir Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hitler is good overall, showing him in different moods and settings. There still is an element of theatrics at times, through scenes of yelling and gestures and movements for dramatic effect. These dramatic elements following what is generally shown in the footage of Hitler's exaggerated speaking style, and assumed to be his same mannerism in most all circumstances.

Hitler is generally shown to be a shell of his former self. One flashback that does work is the one that goes back to a pre-war birthday party given by Hitler for Albert Speer. It shows the energetic and charismatic Hitler to contrast his portrayal at the end. I applaud the fact that this film shows Dr. Morrell and provides scenes of his treatments/injections as to Hitler, which none of the other three bunker films do. The film does a good job of showing Bormann and his influence with Hitler and power he obtained.

However, the film is too sympathetic to Albert Speer. Some of the other actors' portrayals are unconvincing, such as those of General Keitel, General Jodl, and Goebbels. Further, several of the actors have English accents. Some of the real characters are left out of the film: such as General Krebs, General Burgdolf and General Weidling. Further, the scene showing the death of SS General Fegelein is not accurate but neither was the information provided in the book, "The Bunker."

The film is not as graphic or as realistic as "Downfall", but one has to remember that this film was done for American network TV in 1981. Of course, there are some inaccuracies and license that was taken to dramatize events and move the film along. In the end, it holds up well overall. I would rate the four bunker films:

1) Downfall
2) The Bunker
3) Hitler: The Last Ten Days
4) The Death of Adolf Hitler (the worst)

Back when I saw 'Nixon' I thought "Hopkins doesn't look like him" and that mere fact spoiled the entire movie for me. Two days ago I was watching 'The Bunker' and my initial reaction was that same one. But as the story unfolds, Hopkins not only resembles Hitler, he becomes Hitler! All of the dictator's mannerisms, gestures, antics and tics are there, carefully woven with an eye-for-detail into what may very well be Sir Anthony's best performance to date. Every other actor doing the part just mimics Hitler's numb stupor, sudden outbursts of rage and endlessly boring conversation, but Hopkins' portrayal is far more sinister for he humanizes the monster by exposing him for the miserable nerd he really was (the scene when he clumsly dances in front of Eva Braun's camera is an acting lesson in itself). After watching the movie, one asks how did this wreck of a man ever came to power in a nation such as Germany? What did all those people ever saw in him to be blindingly shepherd into national suicide?

It's true the film has poor production values. One would hope HBO had invested in it the same resources it did for Robert Duvall's 'Stalin'. And yes, Richard Jordan's Speer appears far more heroic than the war criminal deserves to be remembered (although there's no evidence to say he acted otherwise during his stay at the bunker), and true, some minimal historical details are overlooked. Nevertheless, if you are a WWII buff, or if you just want to see an above-average TV movie, don't miss this one. Far superior than Alec Guiness' failed 'Hitler: the last ten days', and more historically accurate than Derek Jacobi's 'Inside the Third Reich'. A real tour-de-force!

Based on James O'Donnell's "The Bunker", this movie attempts to recreate the last days of Hitler. On the positive side, the sets are excellent and the movie covers most of the major events that took place, although not always in the correct order. On the negative side, Anthony Hopkins' performance is decidedly two-note: either apoplectic or catatonic. He did not accurately portray the charismatic man who was able to charm, inspire and hypnotize his followers until the very last. Hopkins either screams or stares blankly into space. Also, the movie gives us a Goebbels who sounds like he's straight off the boat from Brooklyn, a Goering who reminded me of Colonel Klink and a Col. Von Below who minces about like he just stepped out of La Cage aux Folles. Who knew that the Nazi hierarchy was so gay friendly?! Speer is over-romanticized and there are several scenes which I don't recall from history, such as Goebbels' dinner party in the Chancellery. This movie just didn't do it for me. It seemed like this movie was so intent on covering all the bases that it forgot to be dramatic. Its impression is more of a Bunker highlight film than a story employing dramatic tension and buildup to achieve climax and resolution. Still, any attempt at dramatizing the Bunker days is worth viewing.

Anthony Hopkins is absolutely riveting as Adolf Hitler. He captures all of Hitler's mannerisms, quirks, and facial expressions. My only complaint is that he doesn't use a German accent. The production is poor, and there are some flaws in the story. For example, Albert Speer is made out to be almost a hero in the film. It has been proven that there was actually no assassination attempt made by Speer. The guy who plays Joseph Goebbels is horrible, one of the worst acting jobs I've seen. But overall the acting is great, and the performance by Hopkins makes this movie worth owning.

Based on James O'Connell's best selling book, THE BUNKER is one of most accurate depictions of the last days of Adolf Hitler. I would place it second only to the more recent DOWNFALL. Sir Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Nixon, A Bridge Too Far) was awarded an Emmy for his portrayal of Hitler. Considerable research was put into the book and that same detail transfers to the screen. The sets of the Chancellery, Bunker emergency exit and the Bunker itself are extremly detailed and could double for historic photos of the actual sites -- albeit with the rest of Berlin's skyline missing. The late Richard Jordan (The Secret of My Success, Gettysburg) contributes a strong performance as Hitler's Armaments Minister Albert Speer -- one of the few surviving senior vistors to the Fuehrer Bunker during the last days of Nazi Berlin.

I was surpised by the high quality of this production when I first viewed THE BUNKER on television in 1981. In the 1990s I bought the VHS copy. By that time I was a little more critical of the film having read much more on the subject. If this film has any heroes it is Albert Speer. The debate about Speer's intent during those final weeks will rage forever. Still he was one of the few senior members of the German government who survived the war to tell his version of the tale. At the very least Speer's character interacts with most of the major characters in the film and as such serves as a sort of tour guide.

Recently I bought the DVD copy. Great to have a more resilient copy of THE BUNKER. My solitary two criticisms of the DVD version is first that it does not appear any attempt was made to clean up or other wise digitally enhance the quality of the image. It is basically the VHS tape on DVD. Second was that the original ominous synthesizer music soundtrack was removed from the DVD version.

Some have compared this film with THE LAST TEN DAYS OF HITLER. THE LAST TEN DAYS is a good film until contrived scene between Hitler and Braun toward the end of the film. Both are good films, but I recommend you read the original books as well.

This movie, while of standard fare quality considering the time it was made and the fact that is was a cable movie, is of exceptional quality. Historically there are very few minor details that have been altered. What will really grab you here though is Sir Anthony Hopkins in his most amazing role. There are scenes in this movie where you wonder if Der Fuhrer has possessed him while he was playing this role. I actually had to stop in the middle, I was getting chills down my spine. As for the rest of the movie it does a good job or portraying the madness that was going on in those last days. Of course the only problem I had as many have mentioned was the portrayal of Speers being a logical and caring man to the German people, while the whole time being an integral part of Hitler's inner circle. Still though this movie should not be missed, if you thought Hopkins was chilling as Hannibal Lecter that was a walk in the park. You can really get a sense of how insane the man really was and how he was able to become the scourge of mankind.

I have studied the Third Reich and Nazi History for over 15 years now and this film is one of my most favorites! The only other Film that comes even close is Inside The Thrid Reich, with Derek Jocobi!! This is a wonderful film, A MUST SEE for all WWII buffs!!