Customer Reviews

The THIRD REICH In Color

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In this compilation of amateur color movies from within the Third Reich, we are presented with a unique perspective from ground level. In addition to scenes from battlefields, we see folk events of the pre-war years, and Germans at play and leisure. Even an important event such as a military demonstration in Berlin for the benefit of Mussolini is seen as you or I would have glimpsed it, from the third or fourth row, thus adding to the sense of reality....It is a time-honored cliche to say that the Germans of those years loved to march, and here is the proof: In one absolute dark gem of a scene (I think it is at a ceremony of a civilian "rifle club"), we see a group of 50-ish men in a line trying to do a goose-step -
The narration consists mostly of giving us the identities of the amateur filmmakers at each event and some general historical commentary. My only objection is that it too often falls into self-congratulatory exclamations of the uniqueness of the color films, how they were discovered only a couple years ago, etc. These are remarks that I would have preferred to read in booklet notes (of which there are none)...I'd rather have the narrator talk entirely about the contents of the documentary, rather than the documentary itself. But since this sole objection is not worth so much as half a star in relation to the scope of the work, I have no problem in giving it five stars.
One last note: although no mention is made in the credits to the background music, it is fascinating, and an important element. The melodies sound like popular music of the day, Nazi martial music, and some minor-mode themes of haunting beauty. Some of these motifs are repeated in a way that unifies the work without being overdone and annoying (as I found to be the case, for example, in Ken Burns' pitiless over-repetition of "Ashokan Farewell" [the violin solo] in his Civil War documentary).
THIS is an eye-opening and engrossing work.

This DVD contains some interesting and new color material from the Nazi era. Initially I was skeptical in purchasing this, and assumed it would just trot out the same old Eva Braun home movies we've seen a million times. But wait... there is actually new film here, some of it recently discovered and airing here for the first time. Much of it was taken by soldiers at the front. There is some especially interesting footage taken during Barbarossa in the Russian campaign. There are also segments taken on the Western front in the 1940 campaign which have only recently been unearthed. Seeing these things in color makes everything appear more immediate and contemporary.

A small weakness is that there is not much actual color footage included of Hitler, Goebbels, Goering or the other Nazi henchman. They spend an inordinate time on a 1939 exhibition at Munich's Haus der Deutschen Kunst, where Hitler and the gang arrives and sits on a dais, watching a Wagernian-motive parade. There's also some nice scenes of a Bueckeburg farm fesitival in 1936, with Hitler walking up a hill with a limping Goebbels at his side. This has been seen before, however, most notably in the British production from 1972, "The World at War." Another weakness is the narration, which doesn't provide much actual information and doesn't tell the viewer what year the footage was made.

I recommend this film which will intrigue most people interested in WWII or the Third Reich.

The quality of some of the color archive footage included in this DVD is amzaing, and much of it I've not seen elsewhere. I own several documentaries of WWII in color, and this is among the best I have. I was a little put-off at first by the title and the cover artwork, thinking perhaps that this would be a glorification of the Nazi regime. Even the price is a little steep, but its worth it for the high quality. Actually this DVD gives a fair presentation of various sides in the world conflict, including some amazing color footage of Canadians, Americans, French, Brits, etc. This DVD is also among the best WWII documentaries at conveying the social context of the time. Lots of parades, people on vacation, photograped in the time leading up to the war. Scenes from the ghettos and images of racial/religious injustice and resent, made all very real by the color and crisp photography. Hard to watch at times. Color footage of the German drive into the USSR as well. This DVD also tackles something seldom addressed: the strange interim period between the invasions of Poland and France. Overall, this DVD really crowns my collection of WWII color films, think it would do the same for others.

The problem is they put in a lot of footage that is NOT of the Third Reich; such as, of Japan, England, America, etc. etc....

It was sort of like they did not have enough real footage, so they threw in a lot of off-topic stuff as filler.

Its OK, but not truely what it pretends to be. As for the on-topic footage it has, it was great.

The color film from the 1930's is of surprisingly good quality and the segments showing life in Germany at this time are quite interesting. An added bonus in the Special Features is a short promotional for Berlin from 1936 - in preparation for the summer Olympics held there that year. Beautiful. War related footage is good and most I had not seen before in 20+ years of collecting color video from WWII. The minus, in my opinion, is the mournful, tragic tone of the British narration and funereal-sounding background music which cycles maddeningly over and over. Subtly insulting to anyone who is knowledgeable about this period in history.

This film is largely a vignette, in the style of home movies, of scenes in the lives of Germans during the Nazi period. It is a remarkable glimpse into the past. You see an ordinary, generally good natured people doing ordinary things. Yet in the background you see the pervasive organizing principle of the Nazi movement: the swastika is everywhere, the uniforms, the marches, the rallies. You sense the Germans willingly put all their eggs in Hitler's basket and he was the Fuehrer, for better or worse.
I'm grateful for the unguarded candid glimpses into the past. Some are awesome. Some are awful. It's a great movie if you are interested in the period.

I bought this DVD based on the Amazon on-line reviews. I'm not certain if the reviewers are put ups or not, but when they say how great the quality is on this film I really wonder if they've watched the same program I did. The quality is awful!
Come on reviewers help out a little. If this is what you consider great quality, what do you consider bad? Not worth $29.95. More like $2.95. NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL!

First of all, buy this DVD. It is filled with very rare footage, all of it fascinating. But when you receive it watch it first without sound. Engage the faces, scenery, architecture et cetera on your own terms with your own mind. Then watch it again with the soundtrack and witness a mere taste of anti-German propaganda that dominates any documentary concerning the Third Reich or Germany in general. The British narrator paints evil onto even the most charming and innocent aspects of German life while a terribly cliche musical score makes you feel as if you are watching a B horror movie. Eva Braun in German folk dress smiling on a beautiful day at the Berghof and even two German gentlemen on a stroll through the gorgeous Bavarian countryside are shown over "walking down a scary hallway in a haunted house" music. It is quite ridiculous and would be funny if it weren't so destructive, commonplace and pathetically transparent. So, as I said, a very worthwhile DVD to have in your collection for the amazing footage but put on your free-thinking cap before you watch it. Perhaps watch to it with the sound down while listening to this on your stereo: Johann Strauss: Walzer & Polkas [Germany].

This DVD is a must for anyone who strives for for some kind of grip on this extremely disturbing era. The color is important in helping one get a feel for the environment. Nazism is not just about afew evil men, it's also about all these all too normal people, these extraordinarily ordinary people who can be seen revelling in their colorful folk dress and their charming villages. This collection doesn't offer solutions because I don't think there are any conclusive ones at the moment. But you do get to see a great deal of compelling imagery providing food for thought and a real sense of being there. One segment in particular, "Night of the Amazons" is indescribable, it must be seen to be believed. Volume Two concentrates more on combat footage but for those who are are more interested in the common folk, this is a real gem.

The real treasure of documentary footage. Thanks digital technology for possibility to have it remastered with maximum available quality.