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Andrew Uhacz
April 4, 2007
History and Media 400
Howard Aaron
Assignment II
Downfall: Docudrama Comparisons
In the docudrama, Downfall, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, we take a look in to the personal account of Traudl Junge (played by Alexandra Maria Lara), Adolph Hitler’s last private secretary before the end of the Third Reich. It is important to understand why this docudrama is more compelling to audiences than a traditional documentary or cinematic drama presentation by itself. In a typical documentary, one is provided with a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one way or another, to document reality. Furthermore, a drama depends mostly on in depth character development, interaction, and highly emotional themes. A good drama will appeal to audiences through the empathetic experiences in a story, by showing what characters are feeling, which then forces the audience to identify with each character. Now that we see the capabilities of a documentary and a drama, we can better understand why docudramas are becoming more prevalent.
The combination film method of a docudrama, attempts to seek out the truth and then reenact that historical piece of information so that it is neither boring nor misleading. It is important to give an audience a true depiction of that place in time, keeping the characters of the story as real as the memories from which the story is based upon. Albert Speer (played by Heino Ferch), high ranking Nazi architect, and Hitler’s personal secretary Traudl Junge, helped piece together the background for the film Downfall. Without historical documentation on video or photographic archives, we must consider the verbal and written authority of these individuals to be our main source of background information. One may wonder why Albert and Traudl would want to share details that could possible change the way people think about German descendants; or perhaps what motivations such as money and fame; could have speared their decisions to divulge what is considered highly classified information.
Setting aside the question of accuracy and purpose for this docudrama, we will now explore how the film Downfall compares to other excerpts discussed in the History and Media 400 class. Like the documentary, a docudrama generally plays an important social or political role of informing and educating their audience on issues or topics that matter. The messages and experience conveyed in docudramas influence people’s thinking and beliefs about issues. Why Docudrama? Edited by Alan Rosenthal, asserts that docudramas have a greater effect on society than more traditional documentary forms.
To specifically address the issue of impact, we will review a recent documentary and docudrama. Director and writer, Michael Moore, is constantly making headlines with films like his documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11. This film used real life video footages of recent politically historical events, and in your face interviews. Moore attempted to show how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack on New York City, to help push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361596). Although much of what was said and demonstrated in the documentary, one may think that much of the information was taken out of context. It seemed that Moore was always jumping to conclusion about statements made by Bush or his associates. It’s all relevant to the audience, and if some people felt compelled to take a stand against Bush, this was a great story of why they should. Running around like a mad man, trying to get answers to questions that in many ways could never be answered by one person, starts to become a little annoying after a while. This non theatrical version of recent times could be better produced using methods found only in a docudrama.
The recent docudrama Fast Food Nation, which just hit the movie store shelves in 2007, features well known actors like: Greg Kinnear, Bruce Willis, Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano, and Ethan Hawke. (http://www.moviethunder.com/r258.html). This fictional story told through the eyes of illegal immigrants, fast food employees, and every day run of the mill corporate assholes, grabs the attention of the American people. Revolving around a burger joint that mirrors McDonald’s, this movie takes a spin through the process of how hamburgers are brought to the consumer. From the cruel execution methods of the harvesting cattle, mistreatment of assembly line workers, and the alleged illegal activities of the business.
Many people have stopped eating meat all together, as result of watching this films depiction of the way that humans are slaughtering innocent animals, has sickened them beyond belief. Hannah Bazzel (WSU Student), stopped eating meat after watching this film. She actually became sick to her stomach after watching this film. Later on that night she went online to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) website (http://www.peta.org), and researched the truths about what these companies are doing to see that people continue to get their meat. Needless to say, that this docudrama stuck in her mind, and countless other people’s, as they watched this industries corrupt practices unfold.
Taking a look back at the excerpts discussed in class, William Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, let’s compare it to the roles and techniques used in the docudrama Downfall. His hand was shaking, his leg was shaking and his head was shaking, this movement of what appeared to be hand tremors in the film are described in the excerpt with great detail. However, as no specific address is made to this problem in the film, one may feel as though the camera makes it quite obvious as to the problems that he is having with his body. Adolph Hitler was not a brawny soldier, but a hunched over, somewhat frail, decrypted, senile old man. The text portrays him as yelling commands, and how his soldiers weren’t always able to understand exactly his intentions, which was always relayed on the screen. If we were without sound, one might observe his actions as signs of turrets. Many of his outbursts were almost uncontrolled acts of violent gesturing, with his flailing arms, and a jolting head.
When it came time to appoint General Ritter von Greim (played by Dietrich Hollinderbäumer) as the new Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe (and General Field Marshall), the film portrayed this event taking place over a meal. However, in the excerpt The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, the Fuehrer actually startled the General with his announcement, while Greim lay wounded on his cot. As this altering of events doesn’t change the course of the history, it does give more power towards the main character. Adolph Hitler (played by Bruno Ganz) was a strong representation of the warlord, and by having him startle the wounded soldier, rather than being surprised by his arrival in Berlin, it makes Hitler seem like he is more aware of what’s going on. If it wasn’t for all of the betrayal then perhaps the Third Reich might have continued on towards world domination, or so that’s what Hitler wanted people to believe.
In the second section of Hitler’s last will and testament, he talks about how he didn’t want war, and put the blame on those of Jewish origin or Jewish interests; thus, holding them responsible for their own demise. A blatant lie in all reality, because what he wanted to do was nothing short of an entire extermination of non-Aryan people. He and his supporters must of at first thought, that disposing of humans like garbage was wrong, but if not with bullets, then by brains, would they outsmart and take control of the world. The brainwashed soldiers were just following orders, it was either the Jews or them, and so their contributions towards the extermination of other races continued on throughout the war (American History – Personal Reflection).
After reviewing a short excerpt from Trevor Roper’s, The Last Days of Hitler, one is able to piece together the events that take place in the film, with Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler (played by Ulrich Noethen) and his assumed take over during the final days of the war. Although there is no background as to the life of Himmler in the film, his accomplishments, and record would prove him a worthy leader. Himmler knew that he was the most eligible leader to succeed Hitler’s command, but made no effort to establish his leadership until the last days of Hitler’s reign. He must have known that his attempt to take over Hitler’s role could lead to accusations of treason, and surely if still in command that Hitler would see to it that he was executed. Either way he decided to make a bold message to the Chancellery in Berlin, telling them that he was going to take command in 10 days, if no reply was made. The film depicts Hitler as still having full command, and although his Generals disapproved of many of his actions, his high standing officials were willing to die for their beliefs in Germany and Hitler’s visions of superiority. They might have talked behind his back, but the truth was that they knew that with the dwindling forces, there was little they could do to continue the battle against the world. Surrendering was their only hope for survival, and they weren’t willing to live a life outside the ideology of Nazi Germany.
Albert Speer’s, Inside the Third Reich, takes an even deeper look at Hitler, and tells us how he had changed so much over the years and his once child like behaviors of rage were now that of an old man. Allowing his entourage to know his feelings of nearness towards the end of his life, he was able to gain sympathy and command respect. The film Downfall parallels these truths of his actions, and as much as his supporters love him, they also knew that his actions would be their downfall. Hitler was the best of Germany and the very worst, but like any story teller remembering a time like this Albert Speer captured the man that had lost his way.
The film Downfall film has been criticized for its presentation of some characters apart from Hitler. Author Giles MacDonogh (German Historian) said, “The film turned a butcher like SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke (played by André Hennicke) into an honorable soldier and the SS doctor Ernst-Günther Schenck (played by Christian Berkel) into something approaching a Hollywood hero, despite the fact that he had carried out experiments on the prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. Several claims such as these discussed, argue that this film was an inaccurate demonstration of historical events, but these individuals are perhaps more well informed than even the director himself. All Hirschbiegel was trying to do was create a film that gave Hitler a three-dimensional personality. We know what he did, but who he was as a person, and how he treated his people are not as historically absolute. Only with personal accounts, and the memoirs of surviving witnesses can we understand the truth about the man hiding in that bunker, during his last few days before committing suicide. Most people might not care about why he married Eva Braun (played by Juliane Köhler), but this marriage and his final testament was possibly his way of telling a story of his life, nearing the end of long journey. He could not live in a place that wasn’t under his control, and the world could not allow a man with his ideas to be alive any longer.
This epic movie, had an outstanding cast that gave us an in depth view of this secret moment in time. Hitler was not alone in his visions of shaping the world to see his way of life; he thought that his actions could change the world for the better. We must remember that although the Holocaust was a terrible event, that history is likely to repeat itself if do nothing to learn from past mistakes. With the advancement of technology and endless supplies of resources being devoted to militaries today, the world is on the verge of a nuclear war. It might be a thousand years from now, or it could be as soon as tomorrow. We must understand how media, can play a role in keeping people from seeing the same fate that an estimated six million people saw during the Third Reich. Only time will tell, but one can hope that someday people will understand that humanity has enough problems with survival; that war, ethnic cleansing, and violence, will never be the right answer.
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